Salary could have paid for something lasting

Your picture of Kenneth Mortimer and June Jones in Tuesday's Sports section reminded me painfully of that trade-off: We got Coach Jones; the same money would have saved and expanded the university's 35-year-old School of Public Health.

The school, which was vitally needed and drew students from all over the world, would have continued to be a jewel in Hawaii's crown for generations. It is gone forever. By next year most of us will have forgotten Jones' name.

Cal Lee a great coach and recruiter

The next football coach at the University of Hawaii should continue the wonderful legacy of coach June Jones of the "run and shoot" offense -- the most quick-striking that I have ever witnessed on the college level. I believe the most qualified individual who has the deep knowledge and experience required in running this complicated offense exists on the current Hawaii staff.

That person is linebackers coach Cal Lee, who has won numerous championships with the very same offense and has won national recognition on the high school level. While losing our football messiah when Jones left suddenly, I believe our next messiah exists right under our very noses -- Jones also recommended him among four others.

Just think of Tyler Graunke and Funake Inoke being taught an entirely new offense brought in by a new coach. Ridiculous! I also believe Lee happens to be the best recruiter in the state. Another positive is that Ron Lee, his brother, will be retained as the receivers coach.

Let's get this program running immediately without Frazier-type procrastination, which has been so damaging to our football program.

Warriors are winners and Colt is a hero

After all is said and done, our University of Hawaii Warriors were really the big winners at the Sugar Bowl. They might have lost the numbers, but they won big time in character, determination, integrity, fortitude, tenacity, backbone, will power, nettle and courage, and managed to pull the whole state of Hawaii together. They showed the nation pluck and our loyalty.

Georgia might have won the numbers but lost the respect of many top teams, and their relentless pounding of Colt Brennan showed cruelty and brutality.

As for Colt, since we have much to thank him for, he should be made an honorary citizen of Hawaii at a special public function. Certainly a young man who made so many sacrifices for us deserves no less. After suffering a Fresno State concussion, he went on to suffer eight Georgia sackings. It's like being hit by a truck. I pray that he will have a bright and healthy future. He is a hero and Hawaii will not forget. He has won our hearts.

Teachers more deserving of cover

Yesterday morning, I picked up the Star-Bulletin and burst out laughing. Not because the comics were particularly humorous. No, it was the photo on the front page with the headline "END OF AN ERA." The photo depicted a misty sunset with a silhouetted rider on horseback melting into the horizon with a huge, ghostlike image of June Jones hovering above. All it missed was Colt Brennan running after him waving and crying out, "June! Come back!" a la Brandon De Wilde in the film "Shane."

How ludicrous to depict a simple football coach as some kind of lone-rider hero when there are so many unsung heroes here in Hawaii who work hard to help those who need it without the support of wealthy alumni and who end up riding out of the state for greener pastures. I am of course talking about our teachers. Teachers are the true unsung heroes and lone riders in Hawaii. They spend their own hard-earned money to provide for their students when schools can't or won't provide for them. And they do it without a six-figure income, a television show and a free palatial home and free tuition for their kids to attend a private school. Let's give credit where it is really due. UH coaches come and go, but we need to keep our teachers here!

Even the bus drivers enjoyed isle visitors

On behalf of everyone at Gray Line New Orleans, thank you. Hawaii fans came to the Sugar Bowl and impressed the city.

Our drivers, guides and agents could not say enough good things about your desire to experience New Orleans by learning about our unique culture. I spent time speaking to many of you and thoroughly enjoyed sharing my city with you.

You learned about our local foods and customs, and we learned about your aloha spirit.

All of our Gray Line family thanks you again for coming to New Orleans. Please come again soon. We look forward to seeing everyone wave those ti leaves.

If you treat them well, they'll never leave

You see this story play out all the time on the movies and at home. The husband does not appreciate the beautiful wife he did not deserve. She begs him to change for many years, but he simply ignores her cries for help. When she finally decides to leave, it is too late. He begs her to stay and promises her everything she ever wanted, but she knows that going back will make it seem like a false threat for wanting too much out of the relationship. She loves him, but she is too proud to return.

In the end he sees his beautiful wife on national TV getting married to another man. It breaks his heart. A lesson for everyone: Don't take anyone for granted, and always take good care of the people important to you.

Cabral would be good 'local boy' coach

The UH football program should look no further than Brian Cabral, currently a defensive coach at Colorado, as its new head coach. A local Hawaii boy, a great recruiter (just landed the No. 1 linebacker in the nation for the University of Colorado), a strong leader and one very decent man. Cabral's linebacking squads have been some of the best in college football during his years at CU.

This guy is Hawaii. For a Colorado game this year, Brian was dressed as a Hawaiian warrior and wore a lei, in the freezing cold. He inspires his team and has respect from all. Brian has been at CU, where he played college ball, since retiring from the pros. The one place he might just go is back home to Hawaii. Maybe someone should ask him. He would be great for UH, and as a home boy, you would get a man with the understanding, heart and soul of a Hawaiian.

Hawaii is unique and special, Cabral is Hawaii and that makes him special. I promise you he will never leave Hawaii for Dallas.

Bigoted comments shed no light

Eric Po'ohina's bigoted response to coach June Jones' departure (Letters, Jan. 8) was offensive and downright ignorant. While I will agree that huge paychecks for a football coach are ridiculous, why should it matter if he's from the mainland or Hawaii? Would paying an astronomical amount for a "local" coach feel better? Would it help to assuage Po'ohina's bitterness?

I also found it interesting that Po'ohina referred to the mainland as "the U.S.A." Did I miss something? Did Kailua secede from the union to become its own nation? Po'ohina might be Hawaiian but he is also an American. Like it or not, brah, you're from the U.S.A., too! The fact that you are free to have venomous comments like yours published for all to see should wake you up to that reality.

I am also of the opinion that athletics should not outweigh academics and that Hawaii's students deserve better, but why did you need to play the race card?

It's also our fault for electing incompetence

Just wanted to say thanks and "aloha" to June Jones for giving us so much excitement over the last nine years. You will be missed.

As for our state, university and, yes, city officials as well, what has happened with Jones leaving is just another example of our elected officials' mismanagement. We as a society continue to accept subpar management of our tax dollars. Our elected officials have proved themselves once again to be a bunch of idiots. They waste our tax dollars with their inability to get things done in a correct, cost-effective manner. We as citizens must also accept some of the blame as well for voting the same bunch of idiots into office year after year after year.

It's bigger than just a football coach -- it's poor schools, terrible roads, broken sewer lines, overtaxation and continued mismanagement of our tax dollars. Nothing will change unless we vote for people who care for us as a people and the beautiful islands we live on.

The real loss is about faculty and students

Yes, there is a retention problem at UH-Manoa -- but it is not about June Jones. The real retention problem concerns the steady loss of our younger faculty and first- and second-year undergraduate students.

Young professors are discouraged by the extravagant costs of housing in Honolulu, comparatively low faculty salaries and the shoddy facilities at UH-Manoa. Many stay here a few years, see conditions aren't improving, then move on. Ditto for our students, who, dissatisfied with limited programs and lack of a real university environment and unable to get the classes they need, leave in droves.

So let's stop worrying about an opportunistic football coach who has used UH-Manoa to advance his career. Instead, let's start doing something substantial to make this university the kind of institution our faculty and students will be proud to devote their talents and energies to building.