25 Years Of ‘MidWeek’ Sports
Jackie Robinson | Photo from Bob Hogue
Perhaps it means I’m getting older, but it struck me the other day that 2013 marks the 25th year I’ve been writing for MidWeek. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it (since 1988), and I hope I get to do it for another 25 years!
So, in recognition of a quarter century of covering Hawaii sports — for MidWeek, and on television and radio — here are some of my favorite moments during that time:
• Favorite television interview subject: Vin Scully
• Favorite television show I helped create/produce: Hawaii Sports Final
• Most fascinating interview subject: John McEnroe
• Most exciting high school football players: George Ornellas (offense), Manti Te’o (defense)
• Most impressive school basketball players: Derrick Low, Alika Smith (boys); Nani Cockett, Brandy Richardson (girls)
• Most fun college basketball players to watch score: (tie) Jet Chang, BYU-Hawaii; John Strickland, HPU; Trevor Ruffin, UH
• Most memorable Hawaii football players: (too many to mention, but start with) Garrett Gabriel, Michael Carter, Colt Brennan, Chad Owens, Ashley Lelie, Ikaika Alama-Francis, David Maeva, Travis Laboy, Eddie Klaneski
• Favorite team to remember again and again: Hawaii basketball Fabulous Five
• Favorite story to cover again and again: Chaminade beating Virginia
• Best last-second win: (basketball) Tes Whitlock buzzer beater against BYU; (football) Hawaii beats Fresno State in double overtime to win WAC
• Most memorable back-to-back upsets: Beating BYU 56-14 and 59-28 in 1989 and 1990
• Most memorable comebacks in Hawaii football: Coming from behind to beat Michigan State and coming from behind to beat Washington, both in the June Jones era
• Most incredible UH season: Warriors 12-0 2007 regular season
• Other most incredible seasons: 1992 (to Holiday Bowl) and 1999 (to Oahu Bowl)
• Most dominating UH football performance: Scoring 73 points on BYU
• Best high school track and field athlete: Bryan Clay
• Most exciting high school quarterback: Joel Botelho
• Most loyal high school football fans: Kahuku
• Best basketball back-court duo: AC and Alika
• Favorite UH baseball player: Billy Blanchette
• Favorite guys to sit and talk sports with for hours: Jai Cunningham, Jim Gaddis
• Most admired coaches: Mark Mugiishi, Chris McLachlin, Dave Shoji
• Favorite play-by-play broadcasts: (tie) Hawaii football beating BYU 59-28; UH winning WAC basketball tournament in Utah, HPU softball winning national championship
• Most memorable high school broadcasts: Play-by-play of first high school state football championship game, plus play-by-play of daughter Becky’s state championship basketball game
• Best game I lost my voice while announcing: HHSAA State championship finale girls volleyball
• Best place to play noontime basketball: Kekuhaupio Gym
• Most interesting MidWeek cover story subject: Hall-of-Famer Steve Carlton
• Favorite MidWeek column to research: Jackie Robinson’s Palama ties I could go on and on, and I’m sure I’ve left a few names/games/places off the list. But you get the idea. I love writing about sports, and I love writing for MidWeek.
Here’s to the next 25
years!
