Brennan can really throw (up)

WE were talking about Colt Brennan at yesterday's June Jones press conference, his ability to scramble, his long-range potential, his sharp eye, his deft touch. And KFVE play-by-play voice Jim Leahey came up with one of his eloquent Jim Leaheyisms, the kind of informed, articulate query for which he is well known.

Hold on. Let's go to the tape recorder just to make sure we get this right.

"What's amazing to me," Leahey said of Hawaii's new quarterback, "is that he seems to throw up a lot."

Yes. Yes! That is very amazing to me, also.

In fact, it has not been confirmed nor denied, but I'm convinced he spiked the ball to stop the clock in the midst of Saturday night's game in order to do so.

Right there, right through his face mask, onto the 35-yard line.

In front of 25,661 people.

Which brought to mind this immediate reaction: Ho, good thing it's raining.

But this was not an isolated incident. It seems like he does this all the time. They had to give him IV fluids, at halftime, the guy throws up so much.

He needed to re-hydrate!

"Well evidently he's been doing it for a while," Jones said.

"He did it the first game against USC, I remember. And he says it's a nervous condition. Which a lot of guys have that. Usually they do it before the game, not during the game."

That is unusual. I wonder if something like that makes the scouting report.

Then Robert Kekaula, with a twinkle in his eye that KITV-4 viewers have seen many times, asked Jones if he had seen Brennan, um, "in action" during a game.

"Well, yeah."

Who hasn't?

With pay-per-view and delayed free telecasts, the numbers are staggering.

"I kind of chuckled," Jones said, "because Samson (Satele) came off after (Colt) threw the touchdown pass and he ralphed three times and he just had a smile on his face: 'Can you believe that? Did you see that? He's puking and he throws a touchdown!' "

Yes, that's right. Did I forget to mention that? The very next play, he threw a touchdown pass.

He heaved. And then, he, um, heaved.

Now that's a football player.

I think we're talking folk hero, here.

And so there I was, on the field after the game, after all those huge plays, miracles and catastrophes, and ebb and flow and big hits and bigger returns and, stunningly, a blocked kick taken back for a score, a play for the ages for both teams. So much heartbreak. So much emotion. So much joy.

What a college football game.

And standing there on that field as the rain came down, I was overcome with one, single overwhelming thought:

That George Toma was right. This FieldTurf really does have excellent drainage.

» You know you're in the sports section when you read about a high-ranking state official using the phrase "he ralphed three times."

» A couple things I saw on the TV replay of Hawaii's 44-41 loss to Boise State that I missed live:

After No. 91 Derek Schouman's could-be-punch at Lono Manners, Boise State coach Dan Hawkins sat Schouman down and then put his face less than a quarter inch from Schouman's face. And it looked like they had a one-way discussion that lasted for several minutes. Good to see.

Also, in a pile-up on the sideline, just before a few shoves could be exchanged, UH defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville came flying in to break things up. WHOOOSH! He was just flying, full sprint. It was amazing to watch. That Glanville is surprisingly fast.

» Here is why you should go to the Honolulu Quarterback Club: Our Dave Reardon reports that guest speaker Mouse Davis was once again in a comedy zone.

On taking the blame for Boise State's punter Kyle Stringer somehow keeping a drive alive after bobbling the snap: "We coach them to avoid the punter and let him run for a first down in that situation."

On missing breakfast because Jones called an early-morning staff meeting following the loss: "By the time I got (to lunch), I was as hungry as a grown-up."