LIHUE — Warm, breezy, picturesque.
Getting here was smooth. Even the airport back in Honolulu eased everyone’s stress level by adding another checkpoint line. (A previous one went down when the x-ray machine fizzed out.) But now that I’m in Lihue, I’m hungry as heck. Doesn’t help that the hotel I’ve been sent to doesn’t serve lunch. Restaurant is closed.
Can’t even check in here until 4 o’clock. Weird, yeah? Well, doesn’t matter much, actually, since the Kalaheo-Kauai game kicks off at 4:30. Chickens all over the place on Kauai — except at the hotel. I wonder how they managed that.
Wearing my Jesse Sapolu UH throwback jersey and it’s getting as much response as my Davone Bess Dolphins jersey did a couple of weeks ago when I went to Maui for volleyball. It’s the old-timers — people 40 and over — who comment to me about it. They smile when they chat. Good times back then for UH football. Mostly good.
Time to find some food. Old pal Manny Henriques says a place called Sonee’s (sp) in the middle of the mall has ono food. I don’t want to get loaded up too much, but I might have to. Haven’t had a bite since last night. The fried saimin, saimin, Sprite, Funyuns and chocolate milk at Waianae and on the way home were nice. But I need some fuel.
I got less than halfway through the Waianae-Kealakehe highlights video before I had to get to the airport this morning. I’ll finish that when I get back.
UPDATE, 2:20 p.m.
Lunch at Sone’s … √
New aloha shirt from Sears … √
Pit stop at Starbucks Lihue … √
Kickoff at Vidinha Stadium in 2 hours, 10 minutes. Kalaheo vs. Kauai. Veer vs. Wishbone. I am now living in 1973.
While killing time…
Talking story with an assistant coach at the airport, waiting for my flight.
Pupule: This is going to be my first time filming a Wishbone offense. I’m pumped.
Coach: It’s hard to plan for. Tough to stop.
Pupule: Tougher than the Double Wing or Single Wing?
Coach: Mmmm… no.
I then mentioned how Coach Delbert Tengan once told me that the old Notre Dame teams that used the wing offense operated on a silent count. Unheard of today, but Delbert insisted it would be almost impossible to stop. Of course, it’s also almost impossible for a team to do that today, let alone a high school squad.
Or is it?
Paul Honda, Star-Advertiser
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