Hawaii's Esera to East-West Shrine

By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com

Hawaii left tackle Tala Esera has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game, Jan. 20 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.

"I'm kind of nervous because I don't know what to expect," Esera said. "But I think there will be some other (UH players) there, too."

Esera's stock rose steadily during Hawaii's 10-3 regular season, in which he helped anchor the nation's statistically best offense. One scout said Esera was graded a potential free agent before the season started, but is now considered a likely third-round draft choice.

"I don't know about that," the 6-4, 308-pound Esera said. "I don't really pay attention to it."

UH offensive line assistant Dennis McKnight does.

"He's the best offensive tackle I've seen on film this year. He should be at the Senior Bowl," McKnight said. "The East-West Shrine Game is a helluva opportunity and he is very deserving."

Esera replaces Warriors teammate Samson Satele, who had a Shrine Game invitation, but opted for the Senior Bowl instead.

"Tala was next in line at tackle, so he had a good chance of making it anyway," Shrine Game board member John Murphy said.

Esera came to UH from Kahuku High School in 2002 as a defensive tackle, but was moved to offense before the start of the 2003 season. He has started 41 consecutive games and was named to the All-WAC first team earlier this week.

Esera also received UH's Most Inspirational Player award at Sunday's banquet.

Former 'Bow dies:

Vincent Sides, 43, a popular University of Hawaii football player from the 1980s, was found dead in his Los Angeles home Monday.

"It looks like a heart attack, but they don't know for sure," said UH outside linebackers coach George Lumpkin, who recruited and coached Sides. "He was doing well, a great guy. I guess God takes good ones, too."

Sides played cornerback and returned kicks for the Rainbows. He lettered in 1981, '82, '84 and '85. He made the team's "Warrior Club" in 1984 and 1985, emblematic of winning efforts.

Sides lived in Hawaii for a few years before returning to his hometown of Los Angeles. He worked in the real estate and mortgage business and coached junior-college football, Lumpkin said.

Warriors at Marathon Expo:

Receivers Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins and safety Leonard Peters will sign autographs and pose for pictures at the Honolulu Marathon Expo tomorrow at the Hawaii Convention Center.

They will be there from 3 to 6 p.m., and free autograph cards will be available.

Players at Kapolei ceremony:

Bess, Grice-Mullins, Peters, receivers Ross Dickerson and Jason Rivers, defensive linemen Ikaika Alama-Francis and Melila Purcell, linebacker Solomon Elimimian and quarterback Inoke Funaki will join Mayor Mufi Hannemann on Saturday at the Kapolei City Lights tree-lighting ceremony.

The event is at 7:30 p.m. at Kapolei Hale, where the mayor and the players will turn the lights on for a 40-foot Christmas tree.