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Sidelines
Kalani Simpson
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Rematch would be intriguing
NO, forget Michigan-Ohio State. Not them, that's passé. But I'm calling it right now. Yes, there should be a rematch in a bowl game. There should definitely be one. A bowl-game rematch. You'd better believe it. And it should be Hawaii-Oregon State.
Win, lose, draw, doesn't matter. Bring the Beavers back. Bring 'em back.
We don't even have to have played the first game to know the second one should take place. Come on, I can see it: Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24.
Oh, I know, you say: Getting this one together would be a longer shot than the rematch people are actually talking about, Michigan-Ohio State.
True. It's not going to happen. I'm willing to admit that. The Hawaii Bowl gets the Pac-10's sixth pick, which, informed speculation from people smarter than me tells us, is going to be somebody who's 6-6.
Come on.
The Hawaii Bowl finally gets a team from a BCS conference in here and it's going to be somebody 6-6?
If UH has to have a winning record to get into the Hawaii Bowl then shouldn't the opponent?
Not only does this Hawaii team deserve it, so do we: We, the people who are going to watch this game. We, who have watched the Hawaii Bowl these past four years.
Come on, make some promises. Twist some arms. Trade some favors. Pull out some incriminating photos. Spike some drinks. Do what you have to do.
Bring the Beavers in here. Rematch. Round Two.
Because we already know the first one is going to be a big one. This is the game. This is going to be a battle. These guys are coming in here to play. To win. As opposed to, say, um, based on its head coach's statements, Purdue.
June Jones on Joe Tiller's pregame narrative: "I don't think that helped his team try to win."
No, it probably didn't. And there was the Purdue assistant, coming out of the locker room after UH's 42-35 win Saturday night, telling all the Indiana writers: "We didn't get our (butt) kicked."
STAR-BULLETIN / 2005
Mike Cavanaugh, left, announced at a press conference he was leaving Hawaii for Oregon State as June Jones looked on.
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As if that was the main goal for the night, not getting their (butt) kicked.
(And yet Purdue still had enough Big Ten talent to go into one of the college game's great home-field advantages and almost pull it off.)
That will not be Oregon State's attitude going into this game. No, Oregon State should have an entirely different mind-set altogether. The Beavers don't lack for motivation. First, a good chunk of the team is from Hawaii. They left home to go to Oregon State, to play at a Pac-10 school. They can't lose to Hawaii. They can't. (Well, of course they could
-- and they very well might -- but you know what I mean.)
And defensive line coach Joe Seumalo is coming home.
And there was some other guy. I can't quite remember his name. Started with a "C" I think. Hmmm. Wait, it will come to me. I do remember he was a good-looking guy ...
Caaaaa -- Mike Cavanaugh! Coach Cav.
When he left UH in the spring of 2005 Cav was the reigning genius. Now here it is a couple of years later and not only has the bottom not dropped out, not only has a beat not been missed, but (with some of Cavanaugh's prize pupils as seniors) UH's offensive line is probably playing at a higher level than it ever has. Without him.
Don't think this homecoming isn't huge for Coach Caaa, Caaa -- wait, I'll remember his name in a minute or two.
Just kidding. But again, you get the point. Coach Cav's familiar smile would be even bigger if he could come home and savor a win.
I'm betting, this week, Oregon State's entire team is getting those gravel-voiced, profanity-laden, high-volume exhortations about trusting its technique.
And on the Hawaii side there is still a little lingering leftover emotion from Cav's departure. And a coaching staff, after a couple of hard-fought recruiting losses -- remember Jeremy Perry? -- that no doubt wants to show those Oregon State players they made a mistake by going away.
This matchup is going to have enough emotion for another round. Michigan-Ohio State? That would be ridiculous. But now here's a bowl-game rematch worth having. This should be the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Bring back the Beavers on Christmas Eve. Let's do it. Let's go for two.
This team deserves it. This game needs it. Come on -- 6-6? -- I need it!
Yesterday at his press conference Jones was asked which 6-6 team he wanted to see Dec. 24.
"Both are pretty good," he said. "But this game is the one I'm focusing on."
Eh. Me, too.