[ FOOTBALL ]
Vermeil reunited
with former player
Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil toured yesterday's AFC practice at Aloha Stadium with a special guest, proudly introducing one of his former players to every NFL player, coach and executive the two came across.
"We were together for two years in junior college," Vermeil said.
Bernard Cordeiro is a Waipahu alumnus who was one of several players from Hawaii when Vermeil was an assistant coach at the College of San Mateo in 1963.
"And then the next year I was the head coach at Napa College and a group of (Hawaii players) followed me to Napa College," Vermeil said.
"He told me, 'Go back and get some Hawaiians, because Hawaiians, they hit hard,' " Cordeiro said. So they had a fairly big group from the islands.
The Hawaii players had to sit out a year after transferring, but were on the team under Vermeil's guidance. Then Vermeil went to Stanford as its freshman coach.
"And they stayed there and played," Vermeil said. "In fact that's where Bernard met his wife, Esther. Still married, happily married."
"We have the same anniversary (as Dick and Carol Vermeil)," Cordeiro said.
"Jan. 28," Vermeil said.
"And the team that he coached at Napa, the name was the Chiefs," Cordeiro said.
The two reminisced about the old days and all of the Hawaii players on the team. Cordeiro said he and Vermeil stayed in touch through the years.
"We were always his fans when he was with the Eagles, the Rams and now with the Chiefs," Cordeiro said.
Letter of intent: Having gone through it themselves, many of the visiting NFL Pro Bowl players can identify with the emotions of high school seniors who signed letters of intent this week.
"It was crazy," Kansas City kick returner Dante Hall said. "I committed to every school that I visited. I did, man, truthfully! I committed to every one. My first visit: 'Oh, yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming!' Second: 'I'm coming, I'm coming!' By my fourth visit ... the good thing is, it doesn't mean anything until you sign."
Hall eventually picked Texas A&M.
Jacksonville's Marcus Stroud was in the middle of one of the nation's most anticipated recruiting battles as a high school senior, putting off his decision to attend Florida or Georgia until "11 o'clock on signing day."
Stroud's situation was similar to that of Kahuku senior Jeremy Perry ... except the whole nation was watching.
"Trust me, it's hard, man," Stroud said. "You've got a lot of guys pulling you one way, then the other way, pushing at you. And then back then everybody is telling you what you want to hear so it's kind of hard to decide. But in the long run you've got to do what's best for you, and not what everybody else is thinking."
Stroud went to Georgia. "I'm here," he said, gesturing around the Pro Bowl locker room. "Turned out great."
Hall could also identify with Perry. "I heard about him," Hall said. "He's going to Arizona, right?"
Maybe.
Short yardage: It was "Trade Hats Day" at the AFC's practice. The squad worked out in baseball caps instead of helmets, with most of the players wearing a different team's colors. ... The Pro Bowl hosted 17 kids from around the country as part of the Make a Wish program. One boy with an Alabama hat apparently had his dream come true when he was able to heckle Baltimore's Jamal Lewis about the Tennessee Volunteers' 2003 season. ... The NFL's blackout deadline is today for Sunday's Pro Bowl telecast on ESPN. By NFL policy, NFL games must be sold out 72 hours before kickoff to be shown locally. The deadline was extended by a day. Tickets are available at Aloha Stadium, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 877-750-4400.
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Cav’s pupils back in
Hawaii after NFL duty
It was reunion time for former Hawaii offensive linemen who are now in the NFL at lower campus yesterday.
Warriors offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh beamed like a proud father as he greeted Adrian Klemm (New England Patriots), Kynan Forney (Atlanta Falcons), Wayne Hunter (Seattle Seahawks) and Vince Manuwai (Jacksonville Jaguars). They were all at UH yesterday to work out and visit old friends.
Klemm, who played in the Patriots' first three games before season-ending injuries, said he will get a second Super Bowl ring. Of course, he would have liked to have played in his second NFL championship game in three years.
"It was disappointing. I felt kind of lousy before the game, but once the game got started I was excited for the guys. It was a great moment," Klemm said.
Klemm said the Patriots' reputation for low-key professionalism and cooperation is much more reality than myth.
"They take a lot of pride in the type of guys they bring in. Everybody's pretty much a good guy, we don't have any knuckleheads, guys who want to separate themselves from the group or be individuals first," he said. "Everybody works together and is out to help each other, work as a committee."
Klemm said he doesn't understand why Kahuku offensive lineman Jeremy Perry is having a difficult time deciding to commit to Hawaii.
"UH is putting out two, three guys a year into the NFL and we're all having some level of success in the league," Klemm said. "He can get as much exposure here. I think his best move would be here if it's a football decision."
Hunter completed his rookie year without seeing any game action. But he said the Seahawks plan to move him from left tackle to right tackle, and he might also get some training at right guard.
Speeding by: Former UH receiver Jeremiah Cockheran might have helped his stock yesterday, at least with the Cincinnati Bengals, who timed him in three 40-yard sprints.
Cockheran ran three times, with three watches on him on each run. On his third run, he was timed at 4.31, 4.33 and 4.38.
Former defensive ends La'anui Correa and Houston Ala were also timed by the Bengals.
"I'm going back to Arizona to train some more," Cockheran said. "I want to get down to a 4.2."
No word on opener: UH is still trying to determine who its season-opening opponent will be Sept. 4 or 11 at Aloha Stadium.
Coach June Jones said he has talked about possibilities with athletic director Herman Frazier.
"We've talked about it, but we're not sure yet. He's got a couple things he's working on," Jones said.
Fuga on hold: It might be awhile before UH receives word on the eligibility of defensive tackle Lui Fuga.
The Warriors have petitioned the NCAA for an additional year for Fuga, who missed nearly all of 2002 due to injury.