The Coach’s Speech
Some highlights from head coach Gib Arnold’s speech during the University of Hawai’i Basketball Awards Banquet on May 1 at the Sheraton Waikiki:
• His first coaching job was as the third assistant for a high school team. His main duty that season was to keep track of fouls during games. To help make ends meet, he moonlighted as a custodian at his apartment complex. “But I was living my dream (of coaching basketball),” he said.
• He brought up his first coaching job as a lead-in to how far he’s come in the coaching business. He noted that he was seated next to Gov. Neil Abercrombie at the banquet. “I mean, how many governors come to the banquet at the end of the year,” Arnold said.
• Arnold acknowledged the work of basketball office secretary Bobbie Omoto, who helped organize the banquet and was described as “the person who really runs our office.” Arnold also admitted that he missed Administrative Professionals Day last month, but added: “How would I know unless you told me? You know I don’t know anything.”
• He thanked his wife, Lisa, and as he has done previously several times during his tenure, described her as “my greatest recruit ever.”
• Arnold expressed excitement over the future of the program, noting: “When we took this program over, they lost 20 games … now we’ve flipped it completely around and we’re winning 20 games. The foundation has been set and it’s very solid.”
• Arnold did not address the ongoing NCAA investigation (he’s actually not permitted to speak on the specifics of the case), but said: “We are building this program the right away. We have done this the right way, and we will continue to do this the right way. We aren’t cutting corners … if we have made a mistake, we acknowledge it, we learn from it and we’re stronger because of it.”
Mahalo, Coach & Co., Dayton & Co., Valerie & Co.
Keep Clmbing, ALL…
Now Go Win 25, 30 …35… even 40…
Great that Governor AND Ben Jay were there, Solidarity! Too Bad Ben wasn’t there for WBB, next time he will.
NCAA do your thing, UH take the lesson or penalties, and move on. I just hope, so much that either, the mistake in documentation was not a major error, however fixable, or secondly, it was an NCAA rules mistake that will not cost next year’s team Post Season play and championships..Team and staff, including BA have worked so hard to get program to as Eagle says, the potential to win 30 games..better than Cal Poly losing record winning the BWC tourney..
Hope for the best, Gib confident, Governor and AD giving support, team solid…Look for, and HOPE for a good finish to NCAA investigations!!
15-16 players on the team. One award. I can’t believe it. I agree with Ferd Lewis. What happened to long time tradition? You can always create new ones, but don’t get rid of long time traditions. You can always tweak it. Example. Maybe you can name the award after someone, such as the Chris Gaines best free throw shooter award. Or the Bob Nash best rebounder award. I happen to agree that the team is the main thing. However, a team is comprised of many parts and there are like I said 15-16 players. Every player brings something to the table. One award I would have, is Best Walk-On Player recognizing the players who has contributed the most on the floor in games, in practice, scout team, in the classroom, community service, and team spirit. Another award I would have is the Most Improved Player from fall camp until the end of the season, including any tournaments. Another award I would have is the Best 6th man award. I would also recognize all the players (academic award) who have a 3.0 GPA from the spring thru fall semester, one full calendar year. The awards given in the past are all good (MVP, Field Goal Percentage, Scoring, Rebounding, Assists/Ratio, Defensive player of the year, Rookie of the Year or Newcomer, etc. Recognizing Conference Honors is appropo. Awards can be a momento, something tangible to hang on to, not perish in a day or two. And it doesn’t have to be expensive.
I hate to say it, but I think Gib missed the boat on this year. It’s a nice new award, but don’t throw away kitchen sink. The more the recognition the better. A 20 win season should be celebrated with many people. If there is no award because nobody excelled, say so “we stunk on that one”
End of editorial.
Derek: How do we know if Gib and staff did not tell the team before awards banquet that there would be that ONE award: “tip or the spear” and what it meant…
Maybe, this year, the ONE athlete that got it, the humility, hustle, character on and off the court, etc, WAS Spearman?
Remember, the TEAM voted on this one, if they were completed splintered on vote, there was no majority, Spearman would not have gotten it, if it were so close, probably Davis, Christian and Spearman would be a tri winner, the Trifecta.
Probably meant, for this year, the ONE OHANA, one team, One award spirit, for a Senior, whom most if not all on this forum, agreed was worthy…EVEN more important, was the award given to Davis Rozitis for the male scholar athlete of the year..that was the big one..
That everyone, except Dressler, was there at the awards banquet, maybe , this award WAS for this year, something different, Gib kept on mentioning, how this group of young guys KEPT on fighting, how, many times this year, we thought the guys were out of the game, and the came roaring back to almost close out and win, UH should have had a 25 game winning season and NCAA bid.
Each coach and staff, can do whatever they want…that he brought up WHOLE team at the end to recognize them and what they did , first 20 win season, in about a decade, That Was Special..the team, I tell you this , personal awards are okay…this Team , they wanted to go to NCAA tournament and win and advance, they would take that every year over a tip of the spear award any day.
Kudos to the families, who support the coaches , staff and athletes, they are the REAL AWARD HEROES!
There were no awards given at last years banquet to any player. In previous years Riley Wallace would present the seniors with a jersey that was framed for the student athletic to recollect in his future years and to have fond memories of the University of Hawaii. Gib talked about family that he had with his players. He forgot about his coaches and kissed good bye Scott Fisher and Chris McMillen. What’s going on with our coaches for the 3 main sport teams.
Gib trying to apply the One Ohana..team ahead of self mantra..his call..he should..though I think Gib is under duress with NCAA investigation..one thing I noticed ..maybe most importantly ..Brandyn was there..nowadays it is a challenge to satisfy 16 athletes and a population north of 1.3 million..Gib is doing good ..he is right and no one can question the upgrade in talent and 20 win season..Nash tried..Wallace did best he could..
key: NCAA investigation pau and see how UH MBB impacted..
Gib brought aton of interesr to program in doldrums for 7 years prior..
Football..Chow has to win 7 games and bowl game..Trap…good ball players ..just no consistently in BWC play..
up to Ben an d powers that be..JMHO..
True Chris and Fish big part of staff and loved by team..nice that shamburger was there..
maybe uh mbb so strapped for cash cannot afford plaques?
Of Big Three, ONLY Basketball demonstrating (By WINS) a WINNING, Improving Arc…
AND IF i had to Guess, Baseball More Likely to Improve to WINNING (>.500) Record
and Their FANS can still tell – Near-Sell-Outs, TOP West Coast Attendance — that they’re Playing Well, Competing
I think All NChow has Done is PROVE How Smart Tomey-Wagner-Paul Johnson and June Jones-McMackin (CHAMPIONSHIPS!) were…
YOU Can’t Beat The Other — BIGGER-RICHER Guy — At HIS Own Power Game…
Although it LOOKS Like Gib may be on The Verge of Pulling Off a Wichita State, UNLV, FGCU, Butler-Gonzaga-St.Mary’s-BYU type PUSH…
I am not so quick to choose between basketball and football. The football team is building and is coming back, steadily. . I think its a real toss up. .Will the football team or the basketball team be the first to win a conference championship? ..UH sports are looking good on both fronts. .Which one does better this year may depend on that extra recruit or may depend on just how each team comes together when the season starts. .I am looking forward to both of them!! .Go Bows !!
GREAT SUPPORT…
HOPE THEY ALL GT THERE SOON
Go ‘Bows!
“The more the recognition the better.”
I’ll respectfully disagree. There is such a thing as too many awards, look at The Grammys, the awards show of the dying music industry. I won’t get too sidetracked, so I’m only going to post a link to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Award#2012_category_restructuring). Basically happened because the show was getting too long and boring, and the categories were too specific and 90% of the TV audience did not care about Hawaiian music/Cajun music/polka/etc.
Does UH need to present an award to Freshman of the Year? eg something that only a couple of players on the team would be eligible for? I would say no — go for Big West Freshman of the Year, that award is still available. Players should be going for all conference awards, rather than “Best 3rd year power forward at UH (excluding UH-Hilo)”.
It’s silly if UH starts giving out more awards than the Big West gives out (one school versus 9 schools). On the other hand, I’d support UH giving out awards that mean something and that the Big West does not have. Maybe a Hustle Award, for example.
The meaning of an award is enhanced by its rarity.
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