Frazier tries to beef up slate
UH looks at all I-A for 2008
STORY SUMMARY »
Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier took a lot of heat for who he didn't schedule with a 12-game slate instead of 13, but also for who he did sign up to play against the UH football team in 2007 -- namely, two Division I-AA teams, Northern Colorado and Charleston Southern. Throw in the bottom half of the Western Athletic Conference, and the Warriors are second only to Kansas for the weakest schedule in college football, according to ESPN.
That could come back to haunt UH if it runs the table, like many think the Warriors can do; a BS schedule might mean no BCS bowl game, even with a 12-0 record.
Yesterday, Frazier said he has an opportunity to fill out the 2008 schedule with no Division I-AA teams. He is in talks with two I-A schools, including another BCS conference team, to join Florida, Oregon State and Washington State.
The AD also spoke about an August fundraiser for UH women's scholarships featuring a speech by Olympic champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
Frazier also said the Les Murakami Stadium resurfacing project has reached the request for proposal phase, meaning prospective contractors can bid on the job soon.
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Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier said there might be no Division I-AA teams on the 2008 UH football schedule.
"As you know, we're looking at one I-AA. I might change that," Frazier said yesterday. "There might be a I-A team we can put in that spot, the week between Florida and Oregon State. However, it's still my intent to have '08 (the schedule) done by the end of August."
The Warriors open '08 at Florida on Aug. 30 and have another road game, at Oregon State on Sept. 13. Frazier had planned for UH to host a I-AA team Sept. 6. He said that might be a I-A team instead.
He added that another deal may be completed soon with a BCS conference team. That would complete the five-game nonconference schedule when added to the above games and a Nov. 29 home date with Washington State.
Frazier also confirmed that since UH and Washington are playing a home-and-home series (at Aloha Stadium this Dec. 1 and at Washington on Sept. 10, 2011) the schools will exchange guarantee checks of $350,000.
This is standard procedure, Frazier said, and he added UH will trade equal guarantee checks with Colorado for their four-game home-and-home tentatively set for games at Boulder in 2010 and 2014 and here in 2011 and 2015.
"Whatever we give them, they will give us," he said.
Frazier said he has not received a signed contract yet, but Colorado confirmed the 2010 game is set for Sept. 18 and Frazier earlier said the 2011 game will open the season Sept. 3 at Aloha Stadium.
One audit enough?
Frazier was asked for his thoughts on the possibility of state auditor
Marion Higa taking a look at the UH athletic department's ledger.
"We have an outside independent audit, every single year," Frazier said. "It is a very sound independent audit. It has to be done for the NCAA. You have certified public accountants from some top two or three firms in the country doing our audit. So our audit is our audit."
Questions were raised about UH's accounting practices during and after an informational briefing at the state Capitol in May. Rep. Mark Takai (D-Aiea, Pearl City) submitted materials to Higa for review last month.
UH was in the black for the 2005-06 fiscal year, and Frazier said he expects that to be the case in the recently ended fiscal year. But the department still has a negative overall balance from previous years.
ASSOCIATED PRESS Jackie Joyner-Kersee, an all-time great heptathlete, will be the keynote speaker at a fundraising dinner to honor late congresswoman Patsy Mink, who authored Title IX legislation. |
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Title IX fundraiser
Olympic heptathlon gold medalist
Jackie Joyner-Kersee will be the keynote speaker at an Aug. 30 event where UH hopes to raise $500,000 for scholarships for its women's athletes, Frazier said.
It will be at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom, and is in honor of the late Patsy Mink. Mink, a congresswoman from Hawaii, authored Title IX legislation 35 years ago that guaranteed equal rights for women in academics and interscholastic athletics. American Savings Bank is hosting the event and Constance Lau is chairing it.
Individual tickets are $500. Tables range to $25,000. Call Scott Shaub at 441-9701 for more information.
Stadium turf update
A request for proposals is being prepared for resurfacing of Les Murakami Stadium, which the school wants to have done by the start of next season.
"There's been numerous meetings with a lot of people involved," Frazier said.
Gov. Linda Lingle released $2 million in May for new turf and seats at the baseball stadium.
UH baseball coach Mike Trapasso wants to install FieldTurf, the surface used at Aloha Stadium.
Frazier also said he is "still having conversations" with a potential donor to complete renovation of Cooke Field.
Season-ticket renewals at 93 percent
The Hawaii athletic department was about "halfway complete" yesterday in calls to people who put down $50 deposits in order to purchase season tickets, UH spokeswoman Lois Manin said.
Calls will continue through July 13. About 800 fans said they would buy 2,900 tickets. Manin said a few changed their minds and are not buying tickets, thus forfeiting their deposit.
Renewals of last year's 18,215 season tickets are running at 93 percent, translating to around 17,000. The purchases by those who put down deposits means UH will sell more season tickets than the previous year for the first time since 2002.
Season tickets go on sale to the public July 16.
UH's home schedule includes seven games this year, including two against Division I-AA opponents. But the Warriors also host Western Athletic Conference rivals Fresno State and Boise State, and Washington of the Pac-10.
Dave Reardon, Star-Bulletin