---

Rainbow Joe keeping
the football faith

I was a little worried about Rainbow Joe. That's not uncommon. Not when it comes to the rabid UH sports supporter who lives his life in the mold of the Chicago "Da Bears" Superfans.

(And yes, he does remind you more than a little bit of George Wendt, "Norm" from "Cheers.")

I'm always raising my eyebrows about the guy. But this time even his kids were worried.

You know his three sons, Wags, Nuu and Kafentzis. This time it was his daughter, Deitre, who called.

"Could you go check in on my dad?" she asked.

So I went to Joe's house. It's easy to spot. It's the one with the "Green Machine" parked in the front -- with the "Hawaii 5-0" horn and the big H on the roof, "Dukes of Hazzard" style. And he has a giant mailbox made to look like the old white Rainbows helmet.

Right away I could see Deitre's cause for concern. I don't think he's been this bad since he re-did the bathroom tile in school colors.

As usual, he was wearing a Larry Arnold "throwback" jersey and watching an old, flickering tape of 56-14 (he's just recently started converting his collection to DVD).

But where he would normally jump up and usher me in, insisting that I GOTTA SEE this slo-mo replay of another reaction expression on LaVell Edwards' face, this time he just sulked and ignored me.

Joe! (Knock knock knock knock knock knock!) Joe!

I know you're in there -- I can hear the Jim Leahey play-by-play.

At last he came to the door. He seemed a little on edge.

Now, Rainbow Joe is always very intense. But this was different.

Rainbow Joe, the man who predicts undefeated seasons every season, is feeling a little, well, nervous.

"First it was when I realized we were losing some big guys -- Timmy Chang, Chad Owens, Abraham Elimimian," Rainbow Joe said.

Yes, they will be tough to replace.

"Then I saw the guys I thought might be the quarterback won't be invited to camp!" he said.

That does make you wonder who the starter will be.

"Now we open up with the two-time defending national champs!" he said.

It's true. USC does look like the closest thing to an unstoppable force college football has seen in a long, long while.

"And then we have to go all the way to Michigan State. And those guys are going to be out for blood! They thought last year's game was juice!"

Well, um, it was one of the more "interestingly" officiated games I've seen in a while.

"Yeah," Rainbow Joe said. "But we won."

Now he fears payback is coming in East Lansing.

I tried to calm him with the fact that the next game on the schedule is at Idaho.

It seemed to work.

Then I mentioned the week after that -- Boise State -- and he started twitching uncontrollably.

He said, "You know how June Jones always says every player is a first-round draft pick, the best he's ever coached, everything is the best it's been?"

Yes, he does get a little enthusiastic sometimes.

"But now he's not saying that this year. The last thing I heard, he said something like, 'These guys gotta work hard.' "

Oh. Now I'm nervous.

But, Joe! Joe! Don't worry -- UH always gets better as the season goes on.

"Yes," Rainbow Joe said.

And Mel Purcell is set to have a breakout year.

"Yeah," he said.

And Samson Satele could be an Outland Trophy candidate.

"Yeah!" he said.

And Norm Chow is gone from USC.

"Oh, yeah!" he said.

And USC will be without a starting corner, as the guy withdrew from school after the police allegedly found 136 ecstasy pills in his apartment.

"That's great news!" Rainbow Joe said, jumping to his feet.

Well, you know what he means.

And Glanville! I said.

"Glanville!" he said, answering with an emphatic high-five.

Now that's the Rainbow Joe I know. He was back in full "superfan" mode now.

And silver helmets! I said.

(Pregnant pause.)

Glanville! I said.

"Glanville!" Rainbow Joe said.

He was ready for the season again, all doubt erased.

I hadn't seen him that excited since his first grandson was named "Al."