GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier, who called a press conference to comment on the fight that broke out between Hawaii and Cincinati players, says UH wasn't completely to blame.
Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier held a news conference yesterday to speak about the brawl at Aloha Stadium after UH's 20-19 win against Cincinnati on Saturday. Frazier: Brawl
‘unfortunate’Star-Bulletin staff
"It's something that's very unfortunate," Frazier said of the fracas that involved dozens of players from both teams and ended with fans throwing plastic bottles and other items at UC players. "We don't condone that kind of behavior, from our fans or our student-athletes."
Frazier consulted with Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson yesterday. The AD said he does not anticipate immediate changes at the stadium with Alabama coming for a nationally televised game Saturday with several thousand fans coming with the Crimson Tide.
Cincinnati officials complained that there were too many Hawaii fans on the sidelines, creating a hostile situation.
"We'll take a look at it but we don't think it's broken," Frazier said.
Frazier said he doesn't think police should look at tape of the brawl to determine if anyone should be arrested for criminal acts, as was done after postgame disturbances on the mainland Saturday.
"That's a large reach when we talk about criminal behavior," Frazier said. "There was a lot of pushing and shoving going on. I think we're all fortunate that we walked away and there weren't any severe injuries."
Witnesses did say punches were thrown and players were kicked. At least one UC player was helped off the field with a bloody face.
Frazier stopped short of issuing an apology to UC.
"That goes both ways," he said. "I think people got caught up in the emotions and things got a little whacky. I don't want to make this bigger than it really is. After today I'm not talking about it anymore. We're just going to move on."
Among UC athletic director Bob Goin's complaints was a lack of availability by Frazier while the Bearcats were here. Frazier said he made several attempts to meet Goin while the team was here and that he placed a call to Goin yesterday but it was not returned.
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"It's very positive," UH coach June Jones said. "We're 9-2. I don't worry about that other stuff."
The "other stuff" included brawling, pepper spray, a stolen helmet, flying objects and swinging crutches. But during Alabama week, Jones has other concerns.
"They're real good," he said. "That's a concern."
The Crimson Tide enters its final game coming off a loss to the hated Auburn Tigers. And with a ban on postseason play, Alabama is treating the Hawaii road trip as a bowl game.
To add to that, UH quarterback Tim Chang, a hero of the 20-19 win against Cincinnati, remains no better than "probable" to start this week's big game.
Chang sprained his left knee late in the first half Saturday night, then donned a brace, returned in the fourth quarter, threw the winning touchdown and ran courageously for a key first down. He was then knocked out of the game with a late hit to the same knee with 2:39 left in the game.
Yesterday, Jones said that Chang had also sprained a thumb against Cincinnati, and that injury lingers as well.
"I think his knee probably will allow him to (play) because he's walking," Jones said. But, "his thumb is really swollen and that concerns me more than his knee."
Thursday will be a key day in Chang's recovery. If he can practice effectively by Thursday, he will play Saturday.
Fracas, revisited: Jones said that fans throwing objects at opposing players was "uncalled for," and that he told his team that Saturday's brawl is something that can't happen.
"How would you feel if two of our players couldn't play this week because they broke their hands on punching somebody," he said he told his team Saturday. "You know, I mean, that's kinda stupid."
But he also said that the violence was not his team's fault, that Hawaii showed "great restraint," in the game. "I'm proud of them," he said, adding that Cincinnati's lack of control was what cost the Bearcats the game.
"When you're undisciplined, you lose games," Jones said. "They were undisciplined. They came out of the locker room talking to our players, jawing with them. The first (guys out), 85 (Trent Cole) and 24 (Blue Adams) were unbelievable. I mean, I've never heard guys like that before. So before they even got off the bus ... they got what they deserved. A loss."
Jones said he doesn't think that the incident will hurt Hawaii's reputation or future scheduling.
Long day: Alabama arrives Thursday at 2:30 p.m. via a charter flight after catching 3:30 a.m. buses to Birmingham that will stop in Oakland, Calif., for refueling.
That makes for a 15-hour day of travel. Upon arrival the Tide goes straight to Aloha Stadium to practice.
"The players will go out to dinner with their position coaches on Thursday night, then we will let them sleep in for a while on Friday to help them get used to the time change," coach Dennis Franchione told the Tuscaloosa News.
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