art One: InspirationWe’re going to start today’s column with one word: inspiration! We’ll end it with a phrase: No. 1 in the nation! In between, we’ll see how it might be possible to get from “inspiration” to “No. 1 in
art One: InspirationWe’re going to start today’s column with one word:
inspiration!
We’ll end it with a phrase: No. 1 in the nation!
In
between, we’ll see how it might be possible to get from “inspiration” to “No. 1
in the nation.”
An important ingredient throughout this story will be a
man: June Jones, the University of Hawai’i football coach.
One man alone
can’t do large-scale things like turn a whole college football program
around.
But he can have the idea to turn it around…
…and he can
pass that idea around to the whole organization…
…and he can make sure
all the individuals are working towards that common goal…
These are the
things that Jones spoke about during his appearance at the Kaua’i Chamber of
Commerce meeting at the Kaua’i Marriott Tuesday night.
Jones continuously
emphasized teamwork as a must for success.
Last year, he proved this wisdom
when the Rainbows went from the bottom of the NCAA barrel to a bowl game
appearance.
Words such as unified commitment, chemistry, persistence,
determination, unity, sacrifice, confidence, passion, belief, service, trust,
heroic and selflessness flowed freely out of Jones’ mouth on Tuesday.
These
are things he holds dear, and things he insists upon in his
organization.
“It’s hard to be a great team if everybody doesn’t know
everybody else,” he said.
Part Two: What’s Next?
But what could
possibly be next for the Rainbows after such an incredible season?
Well,
don’t fret too much, because Jones is far from satisfied.
Earlier this week
when he bashed Texas and insinuated that the Longhorns are chicken for pulling
out of the scheduled Sept. 2 game was an indication of how serious he is about
continuing the climb.
“Hugh Yoshida, the athletic director was almost in
tears when he found out Texas pulled out,” Jones said. “For me, it was a great
opportunity to get national exposure. And sure enough, we were on
ESPN!”
The crowd roared when the coach said that.
The chances of the
Rainbows climbing higher was greatly increased by their ability to recruit
some top-notch players from Hawai’i and the Mainland.
Part Three: No. 1 In
Nation
Eight years ago, UH guard Kendall Goo of Kapa’a was asked what it
would have taken for the 11-2 team of 1992 to go undefeated and have a chance
at playing for a national title.
Goo pondered the question for a few
seconds before saying going undefeated would have been real tough.
Bob
Wagner, a good coach, was the mentor then.
And the thinking here is that if
Bob Wagner can get that far, then June Jones just might be able to take it a
little further.
And just because Jones isn’t talking as high as a national
championship at this moment doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking it.
“In my first
meeting with about 100 players last year, I told them that we were going to
have the best offense in the NCAA and that we’d be the No. 1 passing team,” he
said. “They all looked at me like I was nuts. And I thought I was nuts after
watching them practice. But we ended up No. 2 in passing and were in the Top 30
on offense.”
The way it looks by the limitless way Jones talks, there’s
going to be more UH football growth in the years to come.
It just may turn
out to be: from inspiration……to No. 1 in the nation!
