An Honest
Day’s Word
THIS and that to chew on over lunch: June Jones takes
steps in right directionI have to hand it to June Jones. The guy sure has a no-nonsense approach to revamping his team to fit his style.
The latest news is that as many as 20 players from the Rainbow football team's spring roster will not be invited to fall camp. More cuts might follow.
Some might find this cold, but I find it a much-needed jolt to a team that needs it. It serves the athletes who stay as well as those who are left behind.
Jones could have more than 50 new players when fall camp starts. Clearly, those who simply didn't fit his offensive and defensive schemes had to be let go. There's no sense keeping guys around who aren't going to play. This gives them the opportunity to go elsewhere or to re-evaluate their educational priorities.
After finishing dead last among Division I-A football schools last season, progress needs to be swift and sure. Getting the right people in the right spots is a step in the right direction.
Since we have UH football on the brain here, I've thought often about the staff that Jones has assembled.
The more I think about it, the more I like its makeup.
I liked the coaches on Fred vonAppen's staff, but it always seemed as though there were too many transients.
Tom Williams is a rising star in the coaching ranks. He'll be a head coach somewhere soon, I'm sure.
Don Lindsey had a knack for creative defense.
But it didn't seem either was destined to stay, no matter how good a coach he was.
But the thing I like even more about what Jones has done is that he has taken on guys who want to be in Hawaii -- and stay here.
Dan Morrison, Ron Lee, Wes Suan ... those are Hawaii guys. Those are guys local recruits know, guys who look and think and act like local guys. Those are guys who are here for the long haul.
I can't help but believe that can only help in recruiting local talent, the kind that will fight like hell for the Rainbows and make visits to Aloha Stadium troublesome.
Jones, obviously, will have to recruit talented players from all over the country, but the heart and soul of the team should come from the islands.
That's the best way to build true pride back into the team.
Things are starting to roll with the Hawaiian Super Prix, which will invite the top 12 drivers from CART's FedEx Championship Series -- and four others -- to race at Barbers Point in November.
Qualifying for the Nov. 13 race will take place over two days, race organizers say.
On Thursday, Nov. 11, drivers will qualify by road racing rules in a one-hour group session to determine their fastest lap.
The next day, oval racing rules will apply. Drivers will run one at a time with the best of four laps determining the day's fastest qualifiers.
The average time of both days' fastest laps will determine who wins the pole position and the $250,000 that goes with it.
On race day, drivers will race for an hour, accumulating points for each lap based on the driver's place. This will provide incentive to pass and move up.
After the hourlong intermission, the drivers will start according to their accumulated points.
From there, it will be an hour's worth of furious racing until the winner crosses the finish line and collects the $5 million first prize.
Feel the speed, indeed.
