True 'Blue' fans now rooting for former foes
Go Warriors and congratulations on a perfect season! As fanatic true "Blue" Boise State fans, alumni and citizens of Boise, Idaho, we would like to say thank you to all of the University of Hawaii fans who welcomed us, wished us luck and made our trip to your beautiful state a memory that will never be forgotten. It was a bittersweet experience, one that we were honored to be a part of.
The sportsmanship and respect that these two teams showed toward one another should be an example to all football teams across the country. The Warrior fans could not have been more welcoming or friendly; we experienced the "aloha spirit" firsthand. While the Broncos lost, it was exciting to be part of your celebration and witness the sheer ecstasy that was all around us, knowing we felt that same way last year at this time. We will be having a Warriors party here in Boise supporting your team as you represent the WAC and go on to a BCS game. Until we meet on the blue Aloha, good luck and thank you once again.
Mike and Sherri Ellis
Boise, Idaho
They had fans on the edges of their seats
What a roller-coaster ride, with the best and most exciting part yet to come! From 0-12 in 1998 to 12-0 in 2007. Saimin Bowl to Sugar Bowl. That 1998 team played many close, heartbreaking games but unfortunately will be remembered as the only winless UH football team in memory.
This 2007 season was also wrought with several edge-of-your-couch, can't-bear-to-watch, oh-no, oh-yes, unbelievably close games. But the Warriors will be remembered deservedly for their incredible resolve, competitive "bring it on" spirit and as being undefeated champions. Congratulations to coach June Jones for always keeping a proper perspective with a quiet confidence usually found in successful athletic programs (Paterno, Schembechler, Wooden). Being there at the Washington game was truly priceless.
Go Warriors! Beat Bulldogs!
Norio Hataye
Kaneohe
Team did great but university needs more
Congratulations to the Warrior football program on a perfect season. The athletic department, players, coaches and entire University of Hawaii at Manoa have a right to be extremely pleased with themselves.
I question, however, the right of many of the residents of Hawaii to congratulate themselves or take part in the celebrations. Fans disrespect the team by crowding them out of their own victory celebration; the state constantly cuts funding to UH-Manoa; the faculty has to go on strike to receive reasonable compensation; the Legislature attempts to micromanage its funds; and meanwhile, some of the buildings are so run down and neglected that they ought to be condemned, and the library doesn't even have enough of a budget to purchase new books! All this at a Research 1 university with some of the best programs in the sciences and humanities in the world and an athletic program that achieves such admirable heights despite all attempts to condemn our university to mediocrity.
I hope this victorious season can help to highlight rather than hide the need to fund and support all aspects of our university. We all deserve it.
Matthew Lopresti
Doctoral student
University of Hawaii
It's not any worse so it must be better
The naysayers have had a rude awakening. For more than four years, they've been saying that President Bush's war against Iraq hasn't been making progress.
Well, it most certainly has and now we have proof. American casualties in that country for the month of November were no higher than in October.
It's hard to argue with such cold facts.
John A. Broussard
Kamuela, Hawaii
Don't blame inspectors for turning back trees
Groups that were expecting to raise funds from the sale of Christmas trees flown in from the mainland shouldn't blame the Department of Agriculture inspectors for their loss of fundraising opportunities (
Star-Bulletin, Dec. 1). And the seller shouldn't act as if Hawaii is causing it a hardship. Products from Hawaii to the mainland are refused regularly because we have pests, such as fruit flies, here that are not present on the mainland.
Hawaii has the highest number of endemic and endangered species in the nation, all under threat from invasive species. Just look to the tiny gall wasp's impact on our native wiliwili, for example. It is the responsibility of the seller to decontaminate its produce prior to shipping if it doesn't want to risk being denied entry. Teachers, this event is an opportunity to help students understand how fragile our islands are and how to better protect the place they live.
Penny Levin
Wailuku, Maui
Paper shouldn't use sexist terminology
In Saturday's Star-Bulletin,
the headline about the "Peeping Tom" should not have been used. Women's groups have lobbied against the use of female names for hurricanes and made gender-assigned jobs obsolete (fireman to firefighter). However, your paper continues this gender naming and needs to become current with modern-day issues.
Cal Nakamura
Honolulu