Hawaii fans are crazy

Dr. Giganto

I found this article from the website of the Honolulu Star Bulletin:

UH fans find way to Big Easy







Fans are scrambling to secure travel and seats to the big game





By Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.com


Some University of Hawaii football fans are willing to endure multiple stopovers and long layovers to support the Warriors in New Orleans when they play the University of Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl.

But they say it's worth it.

For the past couple of days, fans scrambled to find the best package deal on the Internet.

For Carter Siu, 33, his flight from Honolulu to New Orleans includes three different carriers, three stopovers, a seven-hour layover and an hourlong shuttle.

Siu said he and his wife, Liane, of Alewa Heights, searched the Internet overnight for the best deal for themselves and for their friends. After three hours of sleep, they noticed the best deals were going fast, with flight costs increasing an additional $200 overnight.

"It was going like hot cakes this morning," Siu said yesterday. "One minute it was on the screen. The next minute it was off."

Out of desperation, the couple confirmed flight reservations yesterday. Their first flight is on ATA Airlines from Honolulu to Los Angeles. After a seven-hour layover, the couple will fly on American Airlines to Chicago, then take a different American Airlines flight to Biloxi, Miss. From there, the couple will catch a shuttle for an hourlong ride to New Orleans.

The cost for the flight, hotel and shuttle came out to about $1,700 per person. Siu said they are looking forward to the game and experiencing the city of New Orleans for the first time.

Danny Garcia, 35, lucked out on a reasonable travel package. Garcia, a 1998 UH graduate, said his mother-in-law booked a travel package that covered air, rental car and hotel for $1,800 per person on Orbitz.com .

Garcia, who will be traveling to New Orleans with his father-in-law, Lance Carreira, will fly on US Airways with two stopovers in Phoenix and Charlotte, N.C., before reaching New Orleans. At the most, Garcia has about an hour-and-a-half layover between one of the destinations.

"I think it's worth every penny," Garcia said. "I'm a UH alumnus. My father-in-law is a die-hard fan."

He hopes that thousands of fans will make it up to New Orleans. "I really do believe we can win this game. We're not going for a vacation. We're going (there) as a business trip like the Warriors, to win," Garcia said.

Meanwhile, Panda Travel Inc. sold out on tickets within a few hours yesterday for an Omni Air charter flight. Special-projects coordinator Kehau Amorin said they went down a list of 1,500 e-mails to find out who was interested in the flight.
The travel package costs $3,300 per person and covers air, ground transportation, hotel and game ticket. The DC-10 flight with a 355-seat capacity will leave Honolulu on Dec. 28 and return from New Orleans on Jan. 3.

A second charter was secured by Panda Travel. About 156 tickets were available as of 4:30 p.m. yesterday. The agency requested for additional charters and is awaiting word from companies.

Hawaiian Airlines also has a charter flight available for $3,300 for coach seats and $5,500 for first-class seats. About 188 tickets were available as of 4:30 p.m. The package includes a three-night stay at a five-star hotel, transfers and game tickets. The flight departs Honolulu on Dec. 29. The flight departs New Orleans on Jan. 2.

While isle residents are in a mad rush to find the best deal, those in Georgia have the advantage of more options at cheaper rates.

Ed Morales, editorial adviser for the Red & Black, an independent student newspaper at the University of Georgia, said some students are planning to take the 10-hour Amtrak train from Atlanta to New Orleans. Amtrak offers a discounted round-trip rate for students to New Orleans for about $97.
Those who decide not to catch the train can drive from Atlanta to New Orleans, which takes about seven hours, Morales said.

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That dude who is taking three flights (including a 7-hour layover) and an hour-long bus ride is fuckign crazy haha

Oh, and today's douchebag of the day award goes to...Terence Moore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution who wrote:

"After all, despite the nice storylines, including quarterback Colt Brennan as a possible Heisman Trophy winner and former Falcons coach June Jones turning a nothing program into something, the fact remains: Hawaii is among the most fraudulent teams ever to go undefeated."

Two words for you...Boise. State.

Dr. Giganto

Here's more douchebaggery from the Georgia media:

Christopher McIntosh of the Athens Exchange:

"I do know two happy people on the Georgia side, however. Knowshon Moreno and Thomas Brown. They may run for a combined half mile against Hawaii's defense.

Ultimately, though, what does it prove? The number four team in the country, no SEC championship shot, and a JV national title game against a team that probably shouldn't even be in the BCS. "

From Morgan Lee of AccessNorthGA.com:

playing Hawaii is like picking a fight with the 90-pound weakling on the playground.

And, here's a reasonable man's take on it. Adam Rank wrote this on AOl Fanhouse:

All Hawaii has done is win all of their games. No campaigning. No begging. No press conferences. Hawaii has just gone out and won football games.

Weird, I know.

The knock against Hawaii is that they do not play anybody. Or at least that's the myth. The truth is that nobody wants to go over and play Hawaii. That's hard to fault the Warriors. Go play them if you have a problem with their schedule. But LSU probably can't get out of that commitment to play Bayou Banjo Tech. If you aren't willing to play the team, you can't complain about their schedule.

And while Hawaii was running the table, LSU was losing to mediocre teams like Arkansas who fired its coach after the season. LSU played most of its games at home. It played one tough road game this season, at Kentucky and they lost.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Personally, I think Colt Brennan and those WR's can score on anyone. Their defense probably won't play well enough for them to win the game, but I could see them putting up a lot of points.

Swamps

I said this before and I will stand behind this...

"IF" Georgia steps on the field "Ready to Play" and doesn't mess around then Hawaii is in for a long night regardless of how well Hawaii plays. This will be the best defense that Hawaii has faced all season long and will be faster and more physical than teams Hawaii has played against.

BTW... This Georgia team isn't the same Oklahoma team that lost to Boise State (who were murdered in Athens the year before the Fiesta Bowl upset) believe that. And of course Utah won the Fiesta bowl the year before that against an unranked Pittsburg team who really shouldn't have been in there(but they did win the Big East... go figure)

Well, Hawaii does have a chance to make a statement if they can win the Sugar bowl and the season opener next season which I think is in Gainesville against the Gators. Lets see how well the Warriors hold up.

Freak

Yeah, I don't know Tom. As shitty as it would be to see this game turn into a blowout, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Georgia prove all those writers 100% correct.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Putting everything aside, there's probably no way Hawaii should be within two touchdowns of Georgia, but I could see Georgia coming into this game without care and Hawaii quickly puts up some fast points to dig Georgia a hole. then Georgia gets serious in the 2nd half and we see a score similar to that of Georgia/West Virginia a couple years back.

Dr. Giganto

What makes this any different than Oklahoma/Boise State? Hawaii's offense is definitely better than Boise's was. And Oklahoma had the Purple Son of God running for them.

It's not that I think Hawaii is going to win...it's the fucking arrogance about the Georgia media members that I mentioned that drives me up the fucking wall. NOBODY gave Boise State a chance to beat Oklahoma last year, but I guess since Georgia is in the big bad SEC, there's no way that can happen this year, right? It's TOTALLY different, right?

No, it's not different. It's not any different. It's just the same hubristic assholes who spend way too much time obsessing over a bunch of 18 and 19-year old kids.

No offense, Saliva Mark...you seem to be MUCH more reasonable than the vast majority of SEC fans I've ever met

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Then there's me lol. Actually, no.. I love the SEC and I do think they are the best conference year in and year out, but like you said.. Hawaii's offense isn't something that I'd fuck around with and take lightly. Georgia better come with their A-game.

Dr. Giganto

thats all I'm asking for...a little respect for the only team that actually won all their games last year

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

People don't talk a lot about their receivers. Maybe Suntan or Freak know if they are ranked highly on draft boards, but these guys look fucking impressive! They got speed and they got hands.. seen them make some incredible plays this year. Yes, it's against the likes of San Jose St. and shit, but they did the same thing against Arizona St. in that bowl game last year.