Hawaii Warriors Football

This season will be one to remember. For the Warrior football team, 2007 was one to remember, sort of. The Warriors won the WAC championship for the third time and for the first time as outright winners. Colt Brennan became the NCAA's all time touchdown passer with 131 scores, which he did in just three years by the way. But most importantly, the warriors were the only team in the country, to be undefeated during the regular season. LSU, OSU, USC, OU, UGA, you name it, none of the big dogs ran the table in the regular season except the warriors. But then the sad part came in. UH got a berth into the Allstate Sugar Bowl and became only the third non-BCS school and second WAC school behind Boise State in 2006 to go to one of the big games. Warrior fans were ecstatic, but for the more knowledgeable ones, we knew there was trouble looming. The Georgia Bulldogs were coming in hot and heavy, and looking to show they should be number one in the country. Saying the beat the Warriors is an understatement. They manhandled UH 41-10. A lot of people said the Warriors deserved it because they played such a weak schedule, but in all honesty, everyone is of college level talent. Plus, the Warriors had a lot of travel to do. When home is the most isolated island chain from any other land mass in the world, you have a lot of flying to do. They sure racked up their air miles.

After the BCS disaster, the savior of Hawaii football, head coach June Jones left for Southern Methodist University and Warrior fans were crushed. Personally, I wasn't that sad, because I knew that the team would be headed for greener pastures, and sometimes, people just need to part ways. After searching for a new head coach, it was decided almost 6 weeks after Jones left, and should have been decided right away that Greg McMackin, defensive coordinator would be the man in charge. There is also a definite correlation that McMackin should be the man. He had only been defensive coordinator for two years. In '99 and in 2007, and both years UH won the WAC, it is obvious that he is the right man for the job. Every place he has coached, he has received nothing but praise. He was the man behind Miami's national title run in 1991. 

The Warriors will take a fresh start in 2008 with a new head coach, new members of the coaching staff and a new outlook on life. With such a strong defensive mind at coach it appears that the Warriors might return to an era dominated by defensive like the old Rainbow Warriors in the late 70s to 80s. Most likely the will, but with Ron Lee running the offense, you'll still the Warriors lighting up the score board. New talent, fresh faces and nothing but aloha to spread around, the Mack Attack is back. Hard tackles, no fear of running blitz, and smart defensive football all around, Hawaii will be a definite sleeper team next year. A serious underestimation is being made if the public feels that the Warriors won't show up on TV once or twice. They are on their way to go to the top.

All the recent talk about the upcoming seasons with Ole Miss playing a home-and-home with Georgia Tech and Texas in football, I thought I'd bring out my own opinion on who I believe my Rebels should get as some non-conference games. Over the past, it seems as though we schedule teams before they make it to big-time, which happens to be the year we play them.

For instance, catching Texas Tech when they started to make their mark with the spread in 2003. Playing Wake Forest in 2006 when they were supposed to be the bottomfeeder of the ACC, but went on to win the ACC and appear in a BCS game. Here's another, how about Missouri? Ole Miss scheduled them for 2006 and 2007, guess what happened? Chase Daniel, that's what happened.

Maybe we can catch Georgia Tech and Texas in a down year. Doubt it.

If I was the athletic director at Ole Miss, here are some games I would schedule that are definitely winnable, and as well as some that can get you respect.

5) Duke(ACC) - I know what you're thinking. Are you kidding me? Just hear me out first. No, I'm not kidding you. I liked David Cutcliffe as the Ole Miss coach. He did a great job as the coach on the field for Ole Miss. Winning season after winning season until after Eli's senior year, he posted a 4-7 record. Athletic Director Pete Boone asked Cutcliffe to get a detailed plan to improve the defense and recruiting (which Cutcliffe had backed off of as soon as Eli signed, wonder why?) and to fire his assistants. Cutcliffe refused. Fired. Now, the media proclaims that it was such a bad decision to let Cutcliffe go. Guess what? If it was such a bad idea, why did no other program hire him? Oh yeah, and if he was in good shape for recruiting, why did he resign from Notre Dame as assistant head coach after not even making it to his first game because of health problems? God Bless the guy in his future, but I agree with getting rid of him as coach in 2004.

Now, after going back to Tennessee, he's accepted the Duke Head Coaching job. He somewhat has some bad blood with some of the Ole Miss administration, and a lot of the fans don't particularly like him that much after all the media controversy. Not only would this series give us a Cutcliffe vs. former team matchup, but it would actually be an intense Duke football game (no I didn't say basketball game). Who would've ever thought?

4) Notre Dame(Independent) - Here's another fellow 3-9 team from last season. Unlike Ole Miss, Notre Dame can be a 3-9 team one year with a soft schedule and then have the ability to win 10-11 every year, according to preseason media (of course!). It's definitely a winnable game, which I can now hear the Notre Dame people shouting "We're better than Ole Miss!". I now realize that yes, Notre Dame can win 9, 10, even 11 games next year. Have you checked out their schedule? They don't have to face Florida at the Swamp, LSU at Tiger Stadium, Alabama at Tuscaloosa, Wake Forest in Winston Salem, and Arkansas at Fayetteville as your away schedule. Mmmmmhmmm? Now, you understand that Ole Miss winning 6-7 games this season is going to be a challenge, but it will be less of a challenge in the future if we schedule a non-conference team that has been consistently overrated in the recent past. It will also allow for some respect points from the media, maybe? I suppose if Ole Miss did beat Notre Dame, we'd see a box score on the ESPN Bottomline, unless they "forgot" to put it in the Bottomline. Yep, I could see that. Well, Ole Miss would have at least bragging rights. And, if we lost, it was Notre Dame, right ESPN?

3) Hawai'i (WAC) - Nothing like a trip to the islands. Beats going out to Wyoming and getting your butt kicked. And, on top of that, we get to see those Warrior guys act crazy and act insane during the game, along with their fans. Have you ever watched one of their games? We're enthusiastic in Oxford, but wow! That's all I need to say. What a vacation? I'm all up for it. Hawai'i has been one of those teams where everyone wants to watch, but will they still be after Colt Brennan and June Jones left? It'd be a nice time to jump on the Rainbow Warriors and get a nice trip out of it.

2) Nebraska(Big 12) - I can hear Trev Alberts (former ESPN analyst and Nebraska alum) now. Ole Miss are the "runts" of the SEC. This was in 2004. Did you set a curse on us or something? Oh well, maybe it isn't a curse, maybe it was resentment after your bias against Ole Miss came to a halt after you saw the Rebs take down your beloved alumni in the Independence Bowl a couple years ago. I will hand it to Nebraska though, they are on the rise. I'd like to see the Rebs play a team with some tradition and overall good program.

1) Oregon- Let's just go ahead and play the Pac-10. I'm tired of hearing how the SEC is scared, because I find that hard to believe. Maybe it could be the Southeast doesn't feel like travelling to the Southwest. Looking at our non-conference schedule over the years (besides Wyoming), it really looks as though Ole Miss likes to stay in region. Wake Forest, Missouri, Texas Tech, etc. Let's just go out there one year and play a team like Oregon. While we're out there, let's stop by the Nike HQs and get them to make us 1,593,081 different uniform combinations for our jerseys. If we were to win this game, why wouldn't it give the Rebels some respect? Would it be one of those games where if Ole Miss won, it's because they're in the SEC? Would it be one to hear forever if we lost? It's worth a shot to shut the West Coast bias up.

Now, I can hear the Big 10 guys now. Why not us? Alright Big 10, I would've scheduled a team like Ohio State or Michigan, but Ohio State has too many important games on their schedule, such as Youngstown State and Ohio, wouldn't want to mess that up. I will give the Buckeyes some credit, going out to Southern Cal takes some guts. Let's see if the USC can prove their claim as one of the SEC's best (if they were there), since the SEC's best have showed Ohio State what's up the past two years (OSU's fans still hear the S-E-C chant ringing in their ears). It's okay Ohio State, if you do win, expect another Big 10 title without a championship game and another consolation prize in the national championship. The ratings will just keep getting lower and lower seeing you guys play.

I know there's some people that's reading this that are ready to go off on me with the "Where do you come from as an Ole Miss fan to go off on other programs?". Go ahead, I can take it. But for the record, go ahead and do some research on Ole Miss in their team's history and see if they're not a decent SEC program over the past 75 years. Don't take the past four seasons as if they've been the past 40.

This winter when I sat down and watched the Ohio State Buckeyes get thrashed yet again by an SEC opponent in the BCS National Title Game, this time at the hands of the LSU Tigers, I figured the NCAA would finally take the right path of a playoff system.

Unfortunately, this problem is trying to be solved while still keeping the BCS system.  I cannot disagree more with this approach.  No computer, no "plus 1" idea is going to solve the ever growing controversy of Division I College Football's lack of a playoff. 

The arguments will always be there about giving everyone a chance at a postseason and the players missing class, but those are not solid arguments.  For those saying everyone deserves a shot, everyone does get a shot at the postseason.  It is called the regular season. 

For those complaining about the players missing class, there is a simple solution.  If the bowl season itself was removed entirely, the playoffs could replace it in that time frame.  Now the players would not be missing class, or at least any more than usual.  Those types of arguments are trying to tiptoe around what the true blocking force is to a playoff: money. 

Every athletic department around the country, specifically those with football programs, are under the gun to stay in the black financially (many football programs lose money by the end of the year).  With teams now trying to build state of the art facilities and doing everything possible, whether it be legal or illegal, to bring in blue-chip athletes from around the country.

Money is becoming more important.  Every program around the country now knows a 7-6 record with a victory in the prestigious Independence Bowl will bring the program money to stay afloat.  There can still be a few bowls with their ever-important sponsors, however, the bowl games could now be playoff games. 

For instance, if it was decided the Rose Bowl was the national title game and it was an 8 team playoff, then the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Cotton Bowl could be used as the sites.  There we have neutral locations for the games to be played just as they are in the NCAA tournament for basketball. 

I do have a deeper issue with this lack of a playoff.  As an avid college football fan, I continue to be disappointed in seeing completely mismatched bowl games.  Take last year's Sugar Bowl featuring the red hot Georgia and up and coming Hawaii.  By all accounts Hawaii was destroyed in that game.

All this game proved was Hawaii couldn't pass block for poor Colt Brennan, and Georgia was one of the best teams in the country at that point.  The conclusion of that game did not leave me satisfied, all it left was a feeling of "what if."  What if Georgia had played LSU for the title as opposed to Ohio State? 

What if LSU was really only the third or fourth best team in the country at that time?  My questions could only be answered by a playoff.  Now we could finally see that team that heats up at the right time of the year because of a key injury or perhaps one bad game, that typically would be playing in only a BCS game, get its shot. 

If there were a playoff last year, LSU probably would not have been in the title game.  At that point in time, I figure the seemingly unstoppable teams of Georgia and USC would square off for an epic battle.

Now that my point has been made, it is time to ask yourself if you feel satisfied with the way Division I football runs itself. Right now, you may agree completely or think I am just some nut, but before I am finished I want you to ask yourself what is more exciting, the Final Four or watching College Gameday for the final BCS standings?

Today we work on another food chain. This time, we attempt to rank the top 5 out of conference football opponents that you want to see GDF schedule.

Food chain: Dream Out-of-Conference Football Matchups

The rules

The team cannot already be on the schedule in the foreseeable future. Sorry, USC. Conversely, the Eagles cannot have played them in the past 8 years as an out-of-conference game. Peace out, Penn State. See what I did there? Our former Big East opponents are IN play. I'm just goading Jeff to lobby for the University of Connecticut here ...

The arrangement will be for a home-and-home series to be played at some point over the next 10 years. And no shenanigans like the stuff Notre Dame is trying to pull getting Big East teams to play in Gillette Stadium, Giants Stadium or other neutral site. The home game will be on the Heights.

We consider these eight teams and then rank them from 5-1.


Tennessee

Starting off in the SEC, I'm not going with some of the more obvious choices in UGA, Florida or SC. Every year BC plays in those markets in the ACC. So I'm pushing the Volunteers. Tennessee always has a great football team and a rich history. Neyland Stadium seats 102,037. I've seen the stadium which is quite impressive - just a massive wall of people. And I'm sure the Vols would show us Eagles the proper way to tailgate.

Oregon

I really like what Mike Bellotti has done with the Oregon program over the last 13 years. Even though Autzen Stadium only seats 54,000, it is known to be one of the loudest and most intimidating atmospheres in all of college football. Added bonus: when the Eagles go into Autzen and win, I get ultimate bragging rights over my friend Omar. UCLA or Cal are trendy picks with all the alumni in LA and the Bay Area, but Oregon opens up a new market in the Pac 10 for the Eagles to get some exposure.

Louisiana State (LSU)

One of the best programs of the last decade. Who wouldn't love a road trip to the other Death Valley? Death Valley always ranks in the Top 10 stadiums in the country, and was named the scariest place to play by ESPN. This also gets BC some exposure in Louisiana, a market they typically don't get to visit.

Hawaii

BC could schedule Hawaii every year just to beat up on them and eliminate them from BCS contention. And what's better than a Hawaii vacation in September?

Texas

Hook Em Horns! Our only Big XII representative, it was a tough decision between UT and the Sooners. But what is there to do in Oklahoma besides play football? A majority of blue-chip college and NFL draft picks come from the state, so the exposure will be great for the program and recruiting. Texas has a rich history and is guaranteed to be in the Top 25 annually.

Vanderbilt

This matchup would get an SEC team on our schedule that we would expect to beat more often than not. Also, Vanderbilt and BC are on the same level academically which always adds to an athletic matchup. Downside (or upside?) - Vanderbilt hasn't had a winning record since 1982. Ouch.

Wisconsin

BC and Wisconsin have been two of the top 10 two-sport programs in the country over the past 10 years. Throw in our ice hockey programs, and we might even be 1-2. Plus, Camp Randall is a fun place to play and the party atmosphere in Madison would be great. Bonus: Play in December as two cold weather schools duke it out in the same state as the famed Frozen Tundra of Lambeau.

Florida

How can we have a dream opponents list and not include the Gators. Perfect fall road trip for BCers to head to the warmth and see some beautiful women. Not to mention checking out one of the best college atmospheres in the country - The Swamp. Also, the birthplace of Gatorade, so its easy to stay hydrated in the Florida sun.


Brian's Food Chain

5. LSU - here's to hoping our success in one Death Valley spills over into the other Death Valley
4. Texas - a win against the premiere team in the Big XII would go a long way to righting the ship that is the national perception of ACC football
3. Oregon - their flashy Nike uniforms won't get the Ducks past the Eagles
2. Tennessee - Neyland Stadium. SEC football.
1. Wisconsin - we haven't played a Big Ten school since 2004 and this would be one of the better matchups the conference could offer up

Jeff: I guess flashy is one word to describe Oregon's uniforms, but you won't see any Pac 10 teams on my list.


Jeff's Food Chain

5. Vanderbilt - winnable SEC matchup
4. Hawaii - I just can't even fathom BC losing to them
3. Wisconsin - already have recent history in hockey. Also, I've been to Madison and would love to go back for a game.
2. Florida - how could you not want to go to The Swamp? Bonus: the game will get tons of national attention
1. LSU - bring on the defending national champs!

I'm going to throw in Georgia for honorable mention because I've always wanted to go to Sanford Stadium.

Brian: Hawaii will be terrible for the next ten years. June Jones and the AD jumped ship. And Colt Brennan isn't walking through that door. Still, worth considering because ... it IS Hawaii ... in September.

The NFL draft is a crazy process, and players move up and down draft boards like a child on a pogo stick.  However, never has one player drawn rave reviews by some and been chastised so much by others such as this player.

He's a household name to many, but very unpopular with the fans who don't want their team to waste a pick on this loser.  He has been mentioned as high as the second round, or maybe he could go undrafted.

He is the most scutinized player in the draft that nobody wants, yet everyone has him some mock draft - going to practically every team.  It's crazy!  Welcome to the life that is Colt Brennan. 

The last time the world saw the University of Hawaii star QB Colt Brennan, he was getting pummelled by the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.  Since then, he has been through one hell of a roller coaster ride.

First came the Senior Bowl, where he weighed in at 185 pounds and showed less than adequate footwork running plays from center under the watchful eyes of San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

Word was that he was constantly berated and town down by the coaching staff.  NFL Network video of a few Brennan workouts showed Brennan having trouble with the deeper throws which severely hurt his value in the draft.

However, there are rumors that the coaches think he would be a good fit for the 49ers. As it turns out, that during those sessions during the Senior Bowl, Brennan tore his labrum, which caused some soreness in his hips. This led to a dead leg and some difficulty throwing the deep ball.

At the end after the week of practice in AL, Brennan was chosen as team captain ahead of the other star QBs Ainge and Woodson. However, during the game, Brennan had an unspectacular day leading many to question the lack of competition that he faced during his career.

Next came the NFL combine, where the first news to come out was that Brennan was reported as being a "jackass" by a Chicago writer who spoke to a scout from an NFL team.  During the week at the combine, Brennan weighed in at 208 pounds.

He then endured a battery of questions regarding his past "arrest" in Colorado, the stigma of being a system QB, and the health related issues during his senior season which included a severe ankle sprain, and a concussion or two.

Finally, during the workouts, Brennan was the only quarterback to have a 100-percent throwing session receiving a perfect grade on the passing drills (two drops by the WRs were credited as completions because he had hit them right in the numbers).

Unfortunately for Brennan, there were less than 25 media members who watched his throwing session, so little was reported in the media about his successful day.

The third stop was his University of Hawaii pro day in California where he didn't throw as accurately because many of his recievers were gimpy and came up lame in their routes.  During the pro day, it was reported that Brennan needed surgery to repair the partial tear in his hip and wouldn't run the 40-yard dash, further dropping his stock value.

Then to top of the afternoon, Brennan weighed in at 218 pounds, and questions circulated regarding the how the 30 + pound weight gained was achieved and where it was a healthy weight gain.

Now we are only one week away from the NFL Draft, and Brennan is probably the biggest name question mark in the entire draft.  He may go as high as the second round, but may also drop completely down to the sixth round as well - or maybe even undrafted according to some pundits. 

After doing a little research, I found something absolutely amazing.  Different mock drafts have every team picking Brennan somewhere in the third to sixth rounds.

it seems 20 of the 32 teams in the NFL has their team selecting Brennan in some round of mock draft, but nobody seems to say that they want to take him. Fans don't want him, scouts say they don't think he will pan out, yet all these teams are being speculated as teams of interest who have them in a draft mock up.

Some of these teams include the Patriots, Eagles, Redskins, Jaguars, Bears, Packers, 49ers, Seahawks, Saints, Panthers, and a host of others.  So don't be surprised to hear on Sunday morning that your team just picked Colt Brennan.  Unbelievable! 

If Colt goes in the fourth round or later, he will be a steal. He will be one of the two or three QB out of this draft that will make it in the NFL even though he is rated behind the John Booty's, Josh Johnson's and Denis Dixon's of the world. So with that, here is where I think Brennan would fit perfectly and where he will end up. 

Although there are absolutely no reports that they are interested in him, I think Colt Brennan will become a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, and it would be the best fit.  Jon Gruden loves his QBs, and he will use his third round pick to draft the Hawaii QB.

Break down Brennan and he will remind you of another Gruden coached QB, Rich Gannon.  The word on Gannon when the Raiders signed him to a large free-agent  contract was that he was mobile, competitive, a fiery leader, and very accurate; but didn't have a strong arm and threw passes at three-quarters to sidearm to some of his underneath receivers.  That's just about what the scouting report has on Brennan as well. 

The Bucs current starting QB is Jeff Garcia, who will be 39 soon, and will only have another year or two in the league.  Garcia is also mobile, undersized, and someone who has to "load up" to throw the deep ball.  Just like Brennan. 

Brennan will be the perfect fit for the Bucs and Gruden's offense, with the perfect time (one or two years) to groom him.  Don't be surprised to hear Brennan's name called when the Bucs pick in the third round...just remember where you heard it first!

Colt Brennan is graduating.

Davone Bess is leaving early.

June Jones is close to finding out if things really are bigger in Texas.

Anyone else want to jump off this sinking ship?

Hawaii's football program isn't very good, and it's very close to becoming obsolete.

The one good thing it has...the one person who truly believes in the Warriors...is days, if not hours, away from leaving Hawaii to take a job at SMU.

How is this possible?

In a word: money.

It's not what June Jones wants in his pocket, though. This is about more than a contract extension.

Jones is in an enviable spot. He coaches football in a vacation paradise. He has the love of an entire state. What reason does he have to leave?

The fact that the University Hawaii is unwilling to help its football program would be the reason—and it’s a pretty big one too.

Jones has gone on record several times voicing his displeasure with the funding Hawaii allocates to athletics.

He's said he wishes he had carpeting in his office—the same office that hasn't been touched since the Dick Tomey years.

Imagine Jones bringing in recruits to a ramshackle meeting room. Who's going to be impressed with that?

Jones has also said that ESPN does most of his recruiting—ESPN and prisons that is.

Some of Jones' best players at Hawaii have been kids in trouble with the law—like Bess and Brennan.

No one else wants to come. Sure it's Hawaii, but the facilities are atrocious.

Brennan could have gone to the NFL, but he decided to take another year to help the program. Too bad the university isn't doing its part.

In May of 2007, Brennan spoke out about the lack of soap in the football locker rooms.

The lack of soap?

Yes, the lack of soap. Don't worry though—he janitors recycle the empty shampoo bottles as soap dispensers.

If you really want to know what life is like for Hawaii players, just use Google. You can find plenty of lovely details.

All told, the situation at UH resembles that of a high school football program.

Hawaii didn't have DVD equipment until 2006. The only thing they used was a handheld camera Jones had won at a golf tournament.

This has to be a joke right?

No one loves Hawaii more than June Jones. When he arrived, the program was 0-12. Now it's coming off its best season ever. But given the facts on the ground, only a fool would want to take over the reins.

Jerry Glanville, the guy who gave Jones his first job in the NFL, said that Jones is the best coach in the country.

It's hard to argue with that after looking at what Jones has had to work with.

Hawaii administrators have a choice: They can buckle down, pump some money into the program, keep their coach, and get even better...

Or they can be forgotten once again.

Let's hope they make the right decision.

Let's be clear:

I do not hate Hawai'i, as some Anonymous Cowards have commented.

Personally, I like Hawai'i.

After watching the Sugar Bowl and reading various articles both before and after the game, I would have to say the Warriors ought to be proud of their fans and their team (once again, with the exception of Keenan Jones).

To travel that far and spend that much money for a football game is proof enough to me that the Warriors belong—and once they can prove themselves able to compete with the big boys again, they should be afforded the opportunity without any "Well they got blown out by Georgia" BS.

I don't have a problem with Colt Brennan. I think he's made the best of a self-created bad situation, and I hope his draft stock wasn't hurt too much by the meltdown of his offensive line in the Sugar Bowl.

I did have a HUGE problem with the Fox broadcast of the game. The broadcast was extremely biased and poorly researched (they get paid to do it, I don't), and the camera work left a lot to be desired.

I've already discussed in a previous article Thom Brennamen and his "Gator" call.

I've already discussed the pregame human-interest story which I thought should have just stuck to football, or maybe picked a player who had a real tragedy happen to him—not someone who created his own problems.

I've already discussed the bias in calling UGA classless for still playing hard while saying Hawai'i was gutty for doing the same.

Then there was the matter of fundamental coverage breakdowns.

During the game, Marcus Howard had a tremendous sack of Brennan near the goal line, and the ball came loose. The officials ruled Howard had recovered for a UGA touchdown.

But everyone in my apartment saw a Hawai'i player come out with the ball.

Fox didn't show any decent replays, and the announcers accepted the officials' ruling without showing another angle.  It was a very halfhearted effort from the broadcast team.

I never saw Howard come up with the ball, and no matter how many times I replayed it on my DVR, I couldn't find an image of him gathering it in. Fox failed in the replay department, as many people have already noted.

Now let's go a little further.

At one point in the game, I believe it was the second quarter, one of the famed Hawai'i dreadheads took a massive hit on a pass play and lay motionless on the turf. Everyone in my apartment went silent, pale. I remember uttering the phrase "Oh, God" a number of times.

What did the Fox broadcast crew do?

Cut to commercial.

Normally, that would be fine, IF THEY HAD SEGUED WITH SOMETHING, ANYTHING. But Fox did not segue—they just went to commercial, without a word from the broadcast crew.

There was no, "We hope he is all right, we will go to break now and try to find out more." There was nothing. There was silence.

Commercials mattered more to Fox than saying a sympathetic line for a fallen kid.

Imagine if you were that player's mother, brother, aunt, or uncle who could not get to New Orleans for the game and was watching on television. Fox not only failed the casual  viewer. They not only failed the schools. Fox failed the people who really mattered in that situation—the family and friends of the player who was down.

Luckily, when Fox returned the player was moving around, but imagine how scary those couple of minutes would have been for a family member.

So, before you bash me as a Hawai'i hater, Anonymous Coward, why don't you actually read the article for its purpose. I was bashing announcers, and particularly Fox.

We have had three BCS games so far, and every single one of these snoozers has allowed me to sleep soundly.

We were spoon-fed the "Hawai'i is this year's media darling" stories for weeks, and all it got us was the sheer and utter humiliation that that was the Sugar Bowl.

We were fed that "Illinois has speed and power, and might pull off an upset."

Pass the applesauce, please.

We were told WVU had no chance—without noting that they had a pretty good defense and Rich Rodriguez didn't coach that side of the ball. Without noting that there was this guy named Pat White on offense—who can also be known as the Flash from now on.

This BCS season went downhill early. Imagine going into championship Saturday a month ago with Notre Dame at #4 instead of UGA. The #1 and #2 teams in the country lose. Who do you think Kirk Herbstreit is promoting to be in the National Championshp game then?

My point is not necessarily that UGA deserved to be in the title game. (But who the hell knows if they did? We will never get the chance to find out.)

My point is that announcers have too much control over the BCS process. College Gameday blatantly pandered for an LSU-Ohio State game over a month ago, while dismissing teams like UGA and Kansas.

Do I have a problem with the LSU-Ohio State game? No. In fact, I actually think it might be a pretty good game—and Lord knows, of all the teams clamoring for a spot in the Championshp, those two probably had the strongest arguments. 

My problem is that the pandering would not have occurred if Georgia was held in the same regard as Notre Dame, USC, or Nebraska. 

Announcers talking too much took a new turn in the Sugar Bowl. All throughout the pregame show, viewes had to deal with this "Hawai'i is the team of destiny, and everyone is supposed to like them" shtick.

Colt Brennan had a personal interest story about how he redeemed himself from his "mistake." I am proud that he has been able to redeem himself as are many other people throughout the nation. I am not proud of the Fox network or Brennan failing to say what that mistake was.

Brennan broke into a woman's room and exposed his genitals to her. Don't make a personal interest story about your status as a victim if you can't state that. That story made it seem like he did nothing wrong, and was run out of the University of Colorado by mean and evil people.

Later in the game, Thom Brennaman—who should never call a college game again after referring to UGA players as "Gators"—started praising Hawai'i for not giving up, while at the same time calling UGA classless for still playing hard.

Thom, the team had its backups in. These are kids that never see playing time. You want them to start taking knees with ten minutes to go against the highest-scoring offense in college football?

You want them to come into the Sugar Bowl, a game they may never get the chance to play in again, and not try?

Go back to the NFL, Thom.

I am hoping for a better matchup in the Orange Bowl tonight. But, to be honest, I kind of smell a Kansas victory in impressive fashion—that team still wants to prove themselves.

Three and out.

Just like that, it was over after the first offensive drive for Colt Brennan and Hawaii.

Don’t act so surprised. Oh, you’re not? I wasn’t all that shocked either.

Knowshon Moreno found the end zone twice in the first quarter, and the Georgia Bulldogs’ defense looked like they were playing against a high school football team from start to finish Tuesday night in the Sugar Bowl.

Unfortunately for Hawaii—and their Heisman Trophy finalist QB—the Warriors looked nothing like the highest-scoring team in the nation.

With Georgia leading 24-3 at the break, the Bulldogs looked just as poised and ready to start the second half as they did in the first. On Hawaii’s first possession of the second quarter, Brennan was sacked by Roderick Battle, and subsequently picked off by Asher Allen.

Brennan seemed poised to score on his next possession. Unfortunately, his score was for the wrong team.

After dropping back to pass, Brennan was introduced to the soon-to-be-named MVP of the bowl, Marcus Howard.

Blowing right past Hawaii’s overmatched tackle, Howard crushed Brennan, causing the fumble and the ball to find it’s way into the endzone. The Georgia senior promptly followed the way of the ball, providing a defensive touchdown for the Bulldogs.

Brennan’s night, and his college career, would come to an end after being slammed to the ground by Geno Atkins. He made his way to the sideline finishing with an unimpressive line of 22 of 38 for a mere 169 yards, with three INTs, no TDs, and two fumbles lost.

"It was the fastest team I’ve probably ever seen," Brennan said after the game was finally over.

Hawaii would eventually find its way into the correct endzone behind Brennan’s backup Tyler Graunke. His 16-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Grice-Mullen would prove to be as meaningless and as feeble as Hawaii’s entire night.

The Sugar Bowl, and the night, belonged to Howard and the Georgia defense. When it was all said and done, Howard would finish with three sacks, two forced fumbles, and a tip that would aide in a teammate’s interception.

This night showcased the speed and talent of an impressive Georgia team, and certainly reiterates the notion that football is a team sport. As great as Colt Brennan has been, Georgia showed what an entire team of talent can do in the spotlight.

Along with Howard’s MVP performance, the Bulldogs’ D left New Orleans with six takeaways, and some well-deserved respect—not to mention helping to set a new team record for points scored.