Sidelines
Songs, Lily and pointing
out the obviousNINE opinions for the price of one:
>> The e-mail began, "You probably get 'nut notes' all of the time, and this is probably one more for the pile."
Yes, and yes.
But you have to like his approach.
>> One of our best sports traditions is the singing of "Hawaii Ponoi." It is often a chicken-skin moment when, after a crowd has stood through the national anthem in respectful silence, the arena is then filled with warm soft voices on the second song. One by one, everyone joins in. The words just flow out of them, and it is a beautiful thing.
This song is in our hearts.
But it was earlier this week, at the Stan Sheriff Center, when I looked across the court and saw some Wahine volleyball players singing along, and was struck by who they were. Hedder Ilustre of California. Maja Gustin of Slovenia. Cayley Thurlby of Illinois.
They are not from Hawaii, and yet, this song is already in their hearts, too.
"I really like it," said Thurlby, a highly regarded freshman setter, who may redshirt behind senior leaders Jen Carey and Margaret Vakasausau. "The boosters kind of laugh at me, because the first or second game, they're like, 'You were singing it!' "
>> San Jose State coach Craig Choate on Lily Kahumoku: "It's an open court for her."
When Lily attacks from the back row she comes flying in there like Batman swinging in on a rope.
>> Would there be any rule against the national champion men scrimmaging against the Wahine?
The UH women look like they have the determination and heart to respond when times get tough, as times certainly will if this team is aiming for the final four. But we'll never know until someone gives them hard rub.
>> Just got a nice letter from Violet Williams in California, who was 10 when the Natatorium was built and has many wonderful memories of "The Tank." She swam for Buster Crabbe's dad, Ned, while growing up in Kapahulu, and has been saddened in recent years to hear about the proud Natatorium's melancholy decline.
She's written to public officials. She's cried.
But she hasn't given up. And those wonderful days are still with her.
"Someone gave you the right info," she writes, "about the good times we had in 'The Tank.' None of us ever called it anything else."
>> As I type this, I'm looking forward to a Friday night of sitting in the stands of Aloha Stadium, taking in the excitement of high school football playoff games.
>> Any time the talk turns to high school football, I always tell the story of the time our defensive coach lined up the scout team just so, then turned to the defense and said:
"Whenever they get in this formation, it means they're either going to run, or they're going to pass."
The quick kick was out.
>> UH football should wear all white on the road. They've already got the helmets for it, the white ones they wear every day in practice.
Picture it: head to toe white on the road, all black at home.
Striking.
>> My crazy friend (see above) predicted in his e-mail that there would be 300 yards of penalties in yesterday's UH-Fresno State game, maybe 200 by the Bulldogs.
Maybe he wasn't so nuts after all.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com