Kenny Ishii wanted to send a message to the undefeated University of Hawai‘i Warrior football team. “It just came to me, in my head. ‘Proud Kaua‘i. Proud Hawai‘i. Proud Warriors,’” said Ishii. “It hits right there.” Ishii coordinated today’s gathering
Kenny Ishii wanted to send a message to the undefeated University of Hawai‘i Warrior football team.
“It just came to me, in my head. ‘Proud Kaua‘i. Proud Hawai‘i. Proud Warriors,’” said Ishii. “It hits right there.”
Ishii coordinated today’s gathering of the masses at Vidinha Stadium for a picture taking in support of the Hawai‘i football team.
The stadium will be open at 9 a.m. for those who want to show up early. The picture taking will be at 10 a.m. Ishii encouraged everyone attending to wear Hawai‘i gear or make a sign showing support. Ishii had a 17-foot sign printed that states: “We believe.”
The football team has been preparing for its Bowl Championship Series debut in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against No. 4 Georgia on Jan. 1 in New Orleans. The players will not be in attendance today as they have their own autograph-signing session scheduled for today from noon till 1 p.m. at Hawai‘i’s soccer fields.
Ishii wants to let the team know that Kaua‘i supports and believes in them.
“This is a once in a lifetime thing for everyone in Hawai‘i, that the Warriors are in the Sugar Bowl,” Ishii said. “This is how we can show our aloha to all the team, to Georgia fans and the world. Win or lose, we support them.”
By doing this, Ishii hopes to give the team an added boost of confidence as they travel to New Orleans. Ishii is expecting hundreds of people to flock to Vidinha Stadium.
“I want the team to go over there with as much of an advantage as possible because when is this going to happen again,” Ishii said.
In a related story, fans who don’t have tickets to the Sugar Bowl are in luck — if you happen to be on O‘ahu. The university will put the remaining Sugar Bowl tickets on sale starting at 10 a.m. today. Tickets be will sold on a first-come, first-served basis and only at the Stan Sheriff Center at the university.
For those who already have travel plans to attend, Hawai‘i Warrior football coach June Jones is calling for a “white out” in the Hawai‘i sections. Georgia’s head coach has called for Bulldog fans to wear black.
“This is something that both the UH and Georgia fans can have some fun with and it will be unique to our game,” Jones said in a release. “UH fans can wear green shirts around New Orleans during the week to show their UH pride and then sport a white one at the bowl game.”
The Warrior football team has been designated as the visiting team and will wear its white jerseys. Georgia, designated the home team, will wear black jerseys.
“We’re in favor of whatever will help motivate our team and rally our fans,” Hawai‘i athletic director Herman Frazier said in a release. “This is an incredible opportunity for our entire state, so we want everyone to enjoy themselves and revel in our team’s success.”
