Traditions more valuable
than team marketing

I seldom, if ever, send a response to something I have read in a newspaper. In part, this is because of my position as executive director of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly. I am very sensitive to the fact my personal positions will be interpreted as the "view of the union." Well, I am going to make an exception to my general rule because Kalani Simpson's Sept. 12 column, "Jones should embrace UH tradition," deserves the attention of both the university community and the community-at-large.

Simpson's comments, on changing the name and uniforms of the UH football team, have succinctly described the great disservice Coach June Jones is doing to a rich "Rainbow" tradition based on the most cynical view of marketing college athletics. When Jones was hired as the coach of the UH-Manoa football team, the university community did not give him dominion to re-define all UH-Manoa athletic endeavors. Football is part of an integrated athletic program, which itself is set in the context of the educational mission of the university. If performance were the key measure for turning over our athletic program to any one coach, then women's volleyball Coach David Shoji has earned that honor.

Almost a quarter of a century ago, I came to the University of Hawaii from a state steeped in athletic tradition: Michigan. I am an alumnus of the University of Michigan, with all that implies about dedication to an institution and its athletic programs, including football. One of the hardest things for me to do when I accepted the position with UHPA was to give up my season tickets to the U of M football games. Football tickets at U of M are passed down generation to generation. I have seen families torn apart over who will inherit "the tickets" when a loved one dies, and not care at all about the disposition of any other property. U of M fans love their football team and all the tradition that goes with it.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the great traditions within the UH-Manoa athletic programs, from the "Fab 5" to Na Wahine volleyball teams. And I liked the unique look and feel of the UH Rainbows football team. U of M is noted for a very distinctive football helmet, but the UH white helmet with the rainbow on the side gave my adopted school its own special statement. You would know who is playing, without looking at the scoreboard, when either U of M or UH were on the field.

Then I learned more of the tradition behind the "Rainbows" and thought, "Wow, that's a special story. Even better than Fielding Yost," Michigan's legendary turn-of-the century football coach. I have a framed poster on my office wall, "100 years of University of Michigan Football," signed by Coach "Bo" Schembechler, another U of M icon, but I was just as proud to now be part of the University of Hawaii family.

The changes to the football name, colors and uniforms brought by the marketing firm to UH with the hiring of Coach Jones took that all away. It was replaced by a nondescript uniform with an appearance that could have just as well been a team playing from San Diego. And then, the back-talk that was used to undermine the term "Rainbow" was just plain disgusting. Quite frankly, Coach Wagner did quite well on the field with those white helmets with the rainbows on the side. I am afraid he was never given enough credit for his coaching, which included concern over the academic accomplishments of his players, not just instructional invitations to bowl games.

And let's make this clear, the issue of Hawaii's traditions has nothing to do with any "local" unwillingness to change. Change for the sake of change is meaningless, and it often makes things worse, not better.

Let's embrace who we are in Hawaii and be proud of it. And let's wish for more rainbows streaming across our playing fields in the future.