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The Way I See It
WHAT will signing "Super Agent" Leigh Steinberg to represent the University of Hawaii mean to the school and the community? Steinberg could be
a big additionThink big, baby.
It could be the best thing that's ever happened to the Rainbows sports program.
As football head coach June Jones said to me last week, "When Leigh Steinberg calls a network, he gets a return call."
That's immeasurable in its value.
Even congressmen and senators have a hard time exerting the kind of influence Steinberg wields.
Think about the more than $2 billion he's negotiated for individuals like Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Warren Moon, Drew Bledsoe, Jeff George, Ki-Jana Carter, Will Clark, Matt Williams, Greg Anthony and John Starks. Think about the corporate relationships he has.
Think about the respect he commands on the telephone and at board meetings, and you know he's exactly the kind of voice the university needs.
"He's had contact with practically anyone who's ever thought of using a pro athlete to endorse their product," said university associate athletic director Jim Donovan.
There are no closed doors for this guy.
THE first result of Steinberg's influence will be a lucrative contract with Reebok or Nike to be announced this week.
Stephanie Pietsch, a graduate of Punahou who earned a master's degree in sports management at Boston College, flew in last night to set up operations on campus for Steinberg.
She said one of her Steinberg's priorities is securing more national TV exposure for Rainbow sports. That certainly is a concern for both football and basketball, but especially for basketball.
Recall that the Western Athletic Conference just couldn't seem to come up with a single date to give Riley Wallace's revitalized Rainbow men on Fox regional during the regular season. Every other team in the WAC got a TV date except Hawaii.
Having also lost national coverage of the Rainbow Classic, the basketball program was shut out last season.
Speaking of the Rainbow Classic, Steinberg will exert his influence to improve the field. Kemper puts together the Maui Invitational for Chaminade and there's no way Wallace's staff can compete with that. But Steinberg can.
Steinberg is also looking into doing live video broadcasts of Hawaii sports over the Internet, a la the NBA.
HE is arranging football games in Japan with top-name opponents, games which he'll make sure will receive national exposure.
He is looking at getting the football team on a national network every week.
Bold huh? Well, yes. But that's the way Steinberg operates.
He doesn't think regionally, and he might actually know how to exploit Hawaii's marketability.
Let's face it, no one has really done all that could be done to market Hawaii.
"With all that Hawaii has to offer with its spirit and natural beauty, there ought to be a way to find a wider forum for that," Steinberg said.
His reach to the movie, video game, publishing and music industries, as well as sports figures from the gridiron to the pommel horse, presents endless possibilities.
Steinberg also said last week that he plans to offer his services in a replacement search if coaching vacancies open.
Remember: This is the man who Jones said ultimately convinced him to leave his NFL head coaching position in San Diego to come here.
Pat Bigold has covered sports for daily newspapers
in Hawaii and Massachusetts since 1978.