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Sidelines
Kalani Simpson
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Media no match for Warriors
YOU think these guys might let things slip with Division I-AA Eastern Illinois the week after Boise State? You think Hawaii is unfocused with a small-time team in town?
Ha. They seem pretty businesslike to me.
I saw something at practice this week, something UH was working on, a point of definite emphasis, a specific game plan. I decided to ask some of the guys about it -- not to spill any secrets, just for a fun, "key matchup" storyline.
No dice. That's classified, it seems.
"Uh, I mean, no particular game plan," one guy said, after he'd just worked on said strategy for 20 minutes straight.
"We're just playing. We're going to go out there like we do any other game," another said.
These guys were good. They could work for the government. It was at that level.
"We're just going to play Hawaii (football) and hopefully correct some of the mistakes from last weekend," the first guy said. At this point, I was in awe.
OK, already, I wasn't writing about it. At last, I could only laugh. I congratulated one guy.
"You're well coached," I said.
» Here we go. I-AA team vs. 1-2 team. Attendance? We'll see. There haven't been dire forecasts bandied about all week in the media and you have to think that last time that was part of the reason why UH miraculously "issued" about 5,000 tickets in two days. (Hmmm ... coincidentally wasn't that about the same number of people who didn't use their tickets last time?) We'll see. The season opener's attendance was better than expected, but still bad (loved all the crowing -- crowing! -- over a crowd of around 28,000).
» Here's at least one, confirmed. A reader writes: "I'm going to the Eastern Illinois game by myself, parking my car in Foster Village and walking to the stadium, sitting alone in the yellow nosebleed section."
That is the kind of crazy person who reads this column.
» Colt Brennan leaving early to go to the NFL? OK. Two words: Carl English.
Eh, that's not a knock. Don't forget, English was a good college player at UH. But there's a big difference between being that and being ready to enter the pro draft a year ahead of everyone else in your class.
Colt looks good, but let's not get carried away. I remember when Timmy Chang was going to be a first-round draft pick, too.
» Ashley Lelie went early, though, yeah? Well, yes. Ashley Lelie ran a 4.3 40.
» Listening to sports radio this week, it hit me: If I'm on trial for my life, you can call Johnnie Cochran. I'm calling Bobby Curran.
» (Yes, I know Johnnie's dead. You get the point.)