Fans color New Orleans green

The Big Easy says, "Aloha, y'all," as Warrior backers party before the big game

NEW ORLEANS » The Warrior nation has arrived for the Battle of New Orleans.

The Big Easy is finally abuzz with football fans arriving in droves.

The school colors of both the University of Hawaii and the University of Georgia were mixing everywhere throughout the busy tourist areas on the weekend leading up to the 74th annual Allstate Sugar Bowl.

While Georgia fans know the post-season drill -- the storied program has been a Sugar Bowl participant eight times dating back to 1947 -- there is a palpable air of expectation from the many Hawaii fans who have come in numbers close to 15,000 to see the Warriors return to a major bowl game for only the second time.

Mostly wearing forest green and black shirts and jackets, a good number of the Hawaii fans were also bedecked with special Warrior green beads and the occasional green-and-white feather boa.

With Colt Brennan and the rest of the football team keeping out of the public eye until game day due to closed practices, it was up to the UH band, cheerleaders and Rainbow Dancers to keep fans and supporters motivated yesterday.

"We've got two rallies today to get fans prepped," said cheerleading coach Mike Baker during early afternoon rehearsals at the Louisiana Superdome. "Because of the size of this place, we have to do bigger and taller stunts to make a difference. We've come this far, and we want to help as best we can."

Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic Fan Fests held yesterday and today at the Decatur Street lot near the Jackson Brewery are warm-ups for the much bigger Fan Jam at the Superdome set for tomorrow just before the gates open. About 1,000 UH fans were eagerly anticipating the start of yesterday's rally, including former Hawaii resident Johnny Santiago, now of Baton Rouge, La.

"I was able to get two tickets to the game just yesterday," the avid UH supporter said, holding a conch shell. "Local fans may remember me as sort of a stand-in for Vili the Warrior at the Louisiana Tech game in Ruston. But this is a blast. I never thought the team would be back here in this magnitude. It's the start of a new era, and it's gonna affect the Hawaii community in a big way."

Later, Vili and his son came on the fest's stage to do a brief haka before the band came on to do a short and rousing set that included the cheerleaders showing a couple of new, crowd-coordinated cheers that will debut at the big game.

Earlier, at the Marriott, UH's home hotel on the city's main drag, Canal Street, the hotel's lobby was overflowing with eager fans claiming upward of 3,500 green beads with Warrior logo medallions.

Glen Higa, corporate sales director of intercollegiate athletics at UH, said another 8,500 beads would be handed out today and tomorrow (at a majority cost to the Western Athletic Conference), and 20,000 ti leaves arriving today would also begin to be distributed. Mayor Mufi Hannemann's office is also bringing 20,000 white hand fans for the fans.

The mayor arrived from his Houston flight later in the day for the mahalo reception put on by the office of UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw. There he announced that the city will put on a parade for the team on Jan. 20, starting at 4 p.m., that will start at Fort DeRussy, go up Kalakaua Avenue and end at the Sunset on the Beach event.

The reception itself started off like a smaller, private pep rally as the UH band, cheerleaders and dancers again did their best to motivate a gathering that included donors to the school's athletic fundraising organizations, the Na Koa Football Club and 'Ahahui Koa Anuenue, as well as the University of Hawaii Foundation.

"This has all been very positive," said Hinshaw, "and will help show that in spreading the word about UH, it's not just about athletics, but academics and the entire state as well. It's great that so many fans have come all the way here, and I'm sure they'll notice the Southern and Hawaiian cultural similarities. By bringing our community here, it's a wonderful way to celebrate. The football team's accomplished a lot, and it's reflected by the support of these people."

She added emphatically, "We're going to ride the pride all the way."

Gov. Linda Lingle was unable to attend the reception due to illness. U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono came wearing a Warrior lapel pin and earrings, plus a now rare "blinky" UH cap.

"I'm a big booster and alumnus," she said, "celebrating not only the team's success, but also the 100th anniversary of the university. ... New Orleans has welcomed us with open arms, with people saying, 'Aloha, y'all.' At the ladies function in the French Quarter earlier this morning, Virginia and I had a little taste of what Mardi Gras must be like, tossing green beads into the crowd while in a horse-drawn carriage."

Eric Masutomi, vice president for planning for foundation donor Outrigger Enterprises Group, said that what has happened this football season is "wonderful and speaks to longtime, long-suffering fans who've seen the team go from the Rainbows to now the Warriors. It's spectacular. It feels that half the state is out walking about the streets of New Orleans, coming from all strata of Hawaii's communities. I'm beaming from all of this.

"And Hawaii goods are selling so well, vendors have told me that if they knew Hawaii fans were this rabid, they would've brought more to their stores," he said.

Said Na Koa charter board member Robert Akimaka, "It's been the ultimate impossible dream. This follows the two previous impossible dreams, one, beating (Brigham Young University) and the other, beating Illinois in the Holiday Bowl."

Does he think the football program can build on this success?

"I'm an optimist," Akimaka replied with a laugh. "I have to be. (Coach) June (Jones) has done such an incredible job -- to think big after all these years -- by not only being good at home, but tough and winning on the road as well."

In response to the same question, Hannemann said, "It's all due to an excellent coach, a great crop of athletes and maybe how the stars aligned for us this season. Athletics can be a breadwinner, and the fact that they did it shows it can be done. It was a unique set of challenges to overcome."