It was homecoming, the ESPYs and a whole lot more for Scott Robbs last night. After eight years of broadcasting Hawaii games on the road, Robbs finally was on the air from inside the Stan Sheriff Center when the Wahine opened their 29th season of volleyball competition. [ UH VOLLEYBALL ]
Robbs glad to be
home on the radio
By Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.com"It's so special because I never thought it would happen," said Robbs, who will do play-by-play for a number of UH sports for KKEA 1420-AM at home and on the road. "I was interested in coming back, but I didn't know what I could do.
"The volleyball job opened up. Things have just worked out."
Robbs replaces Kanoa Leahey, who had conflicting commitments with his full-time job at KITV-TV. It allowed Robbs to come home after some 10 years, bringing back his wife, the former Dori Pung of Kailua, and 9-month-old daughter Iliahi.
Robbs, 35, left Hawaii for Las Vegas in 1992, and followed in the footsteps of his father, longtime Hawaii radio man Don Robbs. Scott picked up Hawaii road games in baseball, softball, women's and men's volleyball, and women's basketball.
"I've been around this, sports and radio, my whole life," he said. "It's weird being in here because it feels like a road game. But it's so different. Tonight, we have maybe 9,000. On the road, there's nobody there.
"I remember doing a match at (Cal State) Northridge, and I swear, I counted 73 people. There's no place like Hawaii for volleyball, especially men's."
Robbs did the radio broadcasts during the Warriors' final-four run last May at Penn State, culminating in UH's first men's team national title.
"That was unreal," he said. "The funny thing is, I almost didn't take the job. I had to be talked into it.
"I was tired of traveling. I did Wahine volleyball and basketball, the baby was born and I was doing UNLV baseball. I talked it over with my wife, who's a huge sports fan and huge volleyball fan. She said I should do it. Then what happens? They win the national championship. I'm glad I did it. I had more fun with that team."
And now he's 1-up on his dad, the station's general manager. Don Robbs did the radio broadcasts for the UH baseball team in 1980 that made it to the title game of the College World Series, losing to Arizona, in Omaha, Neb.
"My father said, 'When the Rainbows go back to Omaha, I'll take you,' " Scott Robbs said. "I was like 13. They've never gone back.
"Then I was able to broadcast the national championship game and they won. I've got one over him."
He'd like to make it two, with a national championship for the Wahine.
"I saw them the last two years on the road and I honestly think they can win the national championship," he said. Honestly, they could be that good."
Game No. 1 at the Sheriff Center was a successful debut for Robbs last night, as the Wahine won their 23rd consecutive home opener over Ohio State.
"The best thing is, when I go on the road with them this year, I'll be coming back home with them as well," he said.