Sidelines
DEAR sports columnist: Column about Authority
got your attention>> "Kalani, read your piece today and was blown away. The Stadium Authority was an example of Government working?!?
"First off, other entities deserve scorn in this situation as well. We all acknowledge that. Obviously the (Hawaii Tourism Authority) is at fault for not making a proposal sooner (they have argued they did but were ignored by the Stadium Authority). The Governor is clearly at fault for not bringing everyone involved to the table sooner. But to say that this was an example of the Stadium Authority just doing their job and acting as a check to make sure we don't get suckered is a misrepresentation of their comments and their actions. ..."
COMMENT: This guy REALLY disagreed. There were 10 more paragraphs.
>> "I suspect that my letter to you on your column in today's (6/16) paper about the field turf at Aloha Stadium will be in the minority.
"Except for you, nobody, whether they be journalists or government officials, have been able to look at the big picture of this issue. Your analysis of the situation at Aloha Stadium was bang on.
"I love sports. I love UH sports and I love UH football. But I don't love it enough to be bullied and pushed around by the NFL, the tourism industry or June Jones into taking irresponsible actions that would cost them nothing, but have serious implications for me and my tax dollars.
"I am impressed that for once a sports columnist/writer/commentator formed an opinion using his mind and not his testosterone."
COMMENT: I knew I was forgetting something.
>> After reading your Friday column on the Field Turf soap opera (and by the way enjoying it), I was disappointed by your follow up column ... affirming that the process of our good 'ol government (i.e. the Stadium Authority) worked. I agree with the fact that the SA was there to ask the tough questions and dig under the surface to protect the best interest of our taxpayers ... unfortunately, the political game that ensued during the whole process has been a trademark of the old thinking in the box mentality that we need to change."
COMMENT: I liked Friday's better, too. Anytime you can use the phrase "Will Victor ever come back to Nikki?" you know you've written something great.
>> "The (Stadium Authority) message and questions were OK, it is the way it was said that was uncalled for. ... Just showed no class it was an embarrassment to the people of the state of Hawaii. Do you condone such childish behavior?"
COMMENT: Of course not. It was too much, it was rude, it was condescending, it looked bad ... But for some reason I did get a kick out of Larry Price saying, "We've always got time to listen to a man in a coat and a tie."
>> "Turf Soap Opera?!? Hawaii is ONE BIG Soap Opera! ... Wouldn't it be 'funny' if even after the Fieldturf is installed and paid for, the NFL decides to move the Pro Bowl to a higher bidding locale at the first opportunity. (It could happen.)"
COMMENT: That wouldn't be funny at all. Well, not THAT funny.
>> "If Kalani Simpson thinks this fiasco was 'good government,' I truly feel sorry for him. The worst of a lot of really bad, uninformed columns. Maybe he is using the government of Yugoslavia for comparison."
COMMENT: That's not a bad idea.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com