IF the Hula Bowl dies the death many have cynically predicted for it, it won't be because Bowl Games of Hawaii and the First Couple of Hawaii Sports, Lenny and Marcia Klompus, didn't try their best to keep it alive. Hula Bowl has
something special goingThe latest bright idea out of the Klompuses' offices is today's announcement that, in conjunction with the Hula Bowl, an award will be given to the best college special teams player in the nation. Also, that player will be invited to play in the game.
This may not seem like such a big deal, and it certainly is not as bold a stroke as the move of the game to Maui (how Oahu fans react to that will be a major determining factor on the game's long-term survival).
But the special teams player award is the best kind of promotional idea -- a no-risk, no-lose proposition. All it can do is add interest and publicity to the Hula Bowl.
Also, this is the perfect place to honor special teams players. Although often accused of being front-runners and bandwagon-jumpers, Hawaii sports fans love underdogs. And that's what most special teams players are -- the no-names who are willing to do anything to help the team.
The Klompuses, working with the American Football Coaches Association and the Honolulu and Maui Quarterback Clubs, have not come up with a name for the award yet.
"We've been kicking some around the past six months," Lenny Klompus said.
I'M pretty sure the pun wasn't intended, since everybody is eligible for the award: Coverage people and blockers will be considered on an equal footing with kickers and punters (that one was intended). I guess that even snappers and holders can win; but how do you evaluate them other than how many times they don't screw up?
Well, let's get the ball rolling on the potential names for the award. Klompus said one that's being leaned toward is the Bill Bates Award, in honor of the long-time Dallas Cowboy who was one of the NFL's first Pro Bowl special teamers in 1984.
I've got no problem with Bates as a choice. He embodies the spirit of special teams play and is a great guy off the field.
But my personal choice would be the Mosi Tatupu Award. Tatupu has the same qualities as Bates as an outstanding community-minded person and a great player who was extremely physical, intelligent and durable. He was also an NFL Pro Bowl special teamer.
HERE'S what separates Bates and Tatupu in this case: The Tatupu Trophy, besides sounding great, would have a local tie, since Mosi was one of the greatest Hawaii high school athletes ever as a Punahou star. Also, Tatupu, after his college career at USC, played in the 1978 Hula Bowl.
Here are some other ideas:
The Desmond Howard Award gets consideration, since Howard won the Heisman Trophy and the Super Bowl MVP awards based in large part on his special teams exploits.
The Jason Elam Award has the local tie. And it's hard to find a player with a better off-field reputation than Elam, who was recently named a second-team all-time Academic All-American.
I prefer Tatupu and Bates to Howard and Elam, simply because naming it after one of the first two would emphasize the fact that all special team players are eligible, not just high-profile kickers and returners.
College football all-star games can be a hard-sell -- not only to fans, but to the star player who may sit out because he has nothing to gain from an all-star game other than a career-ending injury before his pro career even starts.
Whatever it ends up being called, the Hula Bowl's honoring of a great special teams player acknowledges an often spectacular but forgotten part of football and adds a bit more local and national interest to the game.
And it might give some previously unknown wedge buster or cover guy a shot at the pros he wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
Dave Reardon is a magazine editor and freelance
writer who has covered Hawaii sports since 1977.
He can be reached via the Star-Bulletin or
by email at reardon@aloha.com.
