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Sidelines
Kalani Simpson
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Hawaii’s fans, and the media, are lucky UH practices are open
HAWAII fans are lucky. No, not because it looks like this could be a big season, although that, too.
UH fans are lucky because they can go to football practice. Most practices are open. Practices are so open occasionally someone will bring a dog to the field, and as long as the dog doesn't bite anybody -- and as far as I know it hasn't happened yet -- it's cool. You just don't see that kind of thing in the SEC.
I digress. UH fans are lucky they can go to football practice. They're lucky I can go to football practice.
Well, OK, maybe they're not lucky that I can go to practice. But they're lucky Dave Reardon can go to practice. And if you can't wait for tomorrow's paper you can read all about it on his blog.
In fact it's Blog Central at the UH practice fields. If someone makes a great play, it goes worldwide within seconds.
UH fans are very, very lucky.
I say this because not everyone is. Boise State just closed its football practices. Yes, Boise State.
It sounds like someone's getting a little tense, up there on the blue turf.
A story in the Idaho Statesman says that a quarterback's hand injury and a defensive lineman's absence from practice were the last straws. Apparently that information made it to the Internet and Chris "13-0" Petersen pulled the plug.
Yeah, like those were state secrets.
But that was it. Get out. Media, too. The media can now watch the first 20 minutes or so one practice a week. No observing the position battles. No seeing who's improving or getting more reps. No watching how the guys interact with each other. No watching the coaches coach.
None of the information UH fans take for granted.
I give June Jones a lot of credit on this front. At Hawaii, you can interview any player or assistant you want to. It's not like that at many places. The head coach will always stop and talk.
It's not like that at many places, these days.
I'll never forget seeing it in person at Kansas State, where you could talk to the players once at the beginning of spring practice, once at the end of spring practice and at no time in between. Practices were closed and violators would be shot. (An exaggeration. Slightly.) Everything was controlled, like a Cold War Eastern Bloc country, everything was a secret. And the thing was, under those conditions, all the media members were convinced the school was hiding something. They all had conspiracy theories.
The fans barely knew who was on the roster, never mind celebrating the personalities of the guys on the team.
Hawaii fans are lucky. I think UH does it right, with this openness. It sets a more relaxed, confident tone for the whole program. (Doesn't it sound a little uptight these days up on that blue turf?) There are fewer wild rumors because the real information is right there.
You do get rid of a few headaches when you control the flow of information. But we'll see if it makes up for the new ones that pop up, for the risk you take (there's an old saying about being careful what you wish for).
I love the way UH does it. Still, we probably shouldn't take it for granted, so soon. And bring the dog -- his days are probably numbered, too.