Last year in Let's Talk Story #3 I wrote about the University of Hawaii Warriors, our college football team, and about our quarterback Colt Brennan. The article ended with many unanswered questions, whether UH will be invited to a bowl game and whether Colt will win the Heisman Trophy. But the bottom line was that all of us in Hawaii are mighty proud of our boys no matter what.

I thought that it might be a very good time to update you with what happened to our 2007 UH football team. We won the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) Championship by going undefeated 12-0 in our regular season. This was the first time that UH accomplished this feat. And Colt did not win the Heisman Trophy. We were invited to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.  Many of our loyal fans went all the way to New Orleans to cheer our team against the Georgia Bulldogs. As a matter of fact so many of our fans invaded New Orleans that for a few days New Orleans was like Hawaii with the local crowd being spotted all over Bourbon Street and the rest of the city. I have been told that the local fans bought so many "omiage" (Japanese word for "gifts" to take home) and helped pump up the economy there. It's really too bad that our team lost. 

Then June Jones, our coach, left for SMU. Coach Greg McMackin became the new head coach. So much has happened and we are all gearing up for this year's foot ball season. I realize that everyone in Hawaii expects so much from our team. It's great that football has pulled our community together.

What is also great is that due to the excellence of many team members of the 2007 UH football team, many were drafted or picked to NFL teams. Hawaii's NFL Connection is alive, more than ever. I know that until recently there were many Hawaii folks who liked the Denver Broncos because former UH player Jason Elam was on the team. He's with the Atlanta Falcons now and I'm sure many Hawaiians will follow him. But I think we are also very anxious to support the new NFL players from last year's UH team. Colt Brennan was drafted by the Washington Redskins. And all four receivers who supported Colt last year signed free-agent contracts, Davone Bess with the Miami Dolphins, Ryan Grice-Mullins with the Houston Texans, Jason Rivers with the Tennessee Titans and  C.J. Hawthorne with the Atlanta Falcons. 

So our Hawaii Football Fab Five will all get a shot to play in the National Football League. I can't wait for the season to start and see how our boys will do. Of course it may take years until they get to start but in Hawaii "we believe" (our 2007 football team slogan) that they will all work hard and do well. Much success to all the boys!  Go Hawaii!