A day or so ago, I would not have thought that I’d start my blog with what I’m about to write. I thought I’d start with the NFL or NBA playoffs. I guess if there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s this: Nothing is a sure thing, and expect the unexpected. By the time you read this, it might be official that the University of Hawaii could be playing football this year, starting in October. Now, again, things change rather quickly, but it sounds like there will be a season for the Mountain West Conference and Hawaii, and not next spring. The presidents of all 12 schools will vote this week, so we’ll have an answer either way. Not much as far as details yet, but it would be an eight-game schedule with no games played out of the conference.
I know safety is a priority, and now there are ways to test players more frequently than previously thought. Seeing the Big 10 and Pac-12 coming back probably had something to do with it, too. And money. Yes, money was and always will be a big factor. I saw a month ago that Boise State would lose about $36-37 million if they don’t play a game this year. I also have heard that Boise has pressured the Mountain West to get this season going. Now we know why, and I don’t blame them, The season would start either October 24th or 31st, and the conference championship game would be December 19th. In this worst year we have ever lived through, it’d be nice and fitting that we get some good news. So let’s hope that next week when I write this blog, I’ll be going over the UH football schedule and more specifics on the Mountain West season.
I don’t enjoy criticizing LeBron James, I really don’t. But he brings a lot of this upon himself. I don’t think Kobe or Michael Jordan would have done what LBJ did last Friday. Now, I know he was asked a question regarding the MVP Award, of which he came in second place. This was after Game 1 I of the Western Conference Finals. And LeBron repeatedly said how p—seed off he was. I was stunned that he kept saying that. We all know that there’s no “I” in team, but apparently his priority is not winning a title for the Lakers, but winning the MVP. I guess four MVPs aren’t enough. How selfish is that? Other greats would never have answered like he did. As great and talented as he is, this is another example on why I’ll never put him ahead of MJ and Kobe. I don’t mind him thinking that he should have won, but to say it publicly, I wonder what his teammates thought. Of course, they wouldn’t come out publicly and say that. They’re smarter than that. Too bad LeBron isn’t.
I can see the NBA Finals kind of being University of Hawaii vs University of Hawaii thing. How, you might ask? Phil Handy with the Lakers vs Anthony “AC” Carter with Miami. How cool would that be? Handy has been an assistant coach in the NBA Finals for five years in a row, about to be six. I see Steve Nash is looking to hire Phil as an assistant for his Brooklyn Nets. I wonder why.
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