MARY VORSINO / MVORSINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Isaac Kiilehua, left, and Craig Chang watched the University of Hawaii game against the Nevada-Las Vegas Running Rebels yesterday at Rumours nightclub in the Ala Moana Hotel. Many residents left work early to watch the game.
Warrior fans skip out
on work to watch game
against UNLV
Work didn't prevent many devoted University of Hawaii football fans from catching the afternoon start of yesterday's game against the Running Rebels of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
"It's an excuse to get off work early," said Todd Tripp, owner of Hawaii Homebuyers Inc., about the game's 3:30 p.m. kickoff.
Others who watched the game at Ala Moana Hotel's Rumours nightclub, especially those who answer to bosses, were less forthright with their names and businesses.
But some were willing to share their tactics of sneaking out of the office early, which ranged from fabricating dentist appointments to insisting on out-of-the-office research to ducking out the back door.
"Don't let my boss know," said Tripp's friend Darren Wong with a laugh.
Michael Santiago didn't have to leave work early to see the game.
Instead, the striking city bus driver skipped out on the tail end of a union rally at Honolulu Hale. Keith Souza, also a city bus driver, said he left the rally a little early, too.
So why not just record the game and watch it at home?
"It beats staying at home and watching it by myself," said Alan Takahata, who left his post at the state Judiciary a couple of hours early.
Fan Joann Almodova said that at a sports bar, "you get other people yelling with you."
But it's not just the atmosphere and the camaraderie. With this game, there's the connection between "Hawaii people and Vegas" to factor in, said fan Royce Luna.
That combination compelled thousands of Hawaii residents to build their Las Vegas vacations around yesterday's game, which UH lost 33-22.
Hawaii's bleachers at UNLV's Sam Boyd Stadium were filled with island residents yesterday, and travel insiders said flights to the city have been full of Warriors fans this week.
For those residents who couldn't afford the trip or get off work to go, watching the game on huge flat-screen televisions with blaring surround sound was an acceptable alternative.
"I couldn't get to Las Vegas," said Waikiki hotel employee Darnell Zablah. "(But) I wanted to be with some friends."
Grant Samile, who sat with a business partner, said he's made it a tradition to go to a sports bar to watch weekday UH football games, even if they are rare.
"This is a special occasion, and we're very dedicated and love UH football," he said before taking another swig of beer.
