Ganot hits the streets for Keiki Day
New University of Hawai’i basketball head coach Eran Ganot was selling headlines – literally – on Wednesday morning. Ganot and other coaches and staff members from UH walked along the streets in the University area to sell special editions of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an effort to raise funds and awareness for Parents And Children Together (PACT).
“Really enjoyed being part of the annual Keiki Day fundraiser for PACT,” Ganot said. “I can recall being part of this special event in my first tour of coaching duty at UH, and glad to know we have kept the tradition going. Had a great time with our terrific staff and coaches for a worthy cause! Many thanks to the great people who helped put this together and for including us.”
Ganot and unofficial staff members Jamie Smith and Zane Johnson represented the basketball program, selling papers along University Avenue starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
PACT helps families identify, address and successfully resolve challenges through its 16 statewide programs in the areas of early childhood education, domestic violence prevention and treatment, child abuse & neglect prevention and treatment, positive youth development, community and economic development, and mental health support.
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ENOS AMONG UH STUDENT-ATHLETE SPEAKERS AT KAMEHAMEHA
Five University of Hawai’i student-athletes shared some knowledge about sports, academics, college life and representing their Polynesian heritage, with a group of nearly 100 middle school students at the Kalama Dining Hall at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Tuesday.
The five UH athletes included two KS Kapālama 2012 graduates, Dyrbe Enos (men’s basketball) and Kory Rasmussen (football). Also on the panel were Tiana Fujimoto (soccer), Hi’ilawe Huddleston (sand volleyball) and Destiny King (women’s bbasketball). Former UH basketball player, and current OC16 basketball analyst, Kawika Hallums, served as the moderator for the discussion.
Along with the panel discussion, with topics that ranged from time management to the importance of ‘ohana, the student-athletes took questions from some of the middle schoolers. The night ended with the middle school and college students interacting to take photos and collect autographs.
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BROSS MOVING ON TO HPU
Tim Bross, who served as an administrative assistant for UH during the 2014-15 season, has accepted a coaching position with the Hawai’i Pacific University men’s basketball team.
Bross had been helping new UH head coach Eran Ganot with recent individual workouts before the HPU opportunity came up.
“I have been the afforded the opportunity to return to the Hawai’i Pacific University men’s basketball program as an assistant coach and I look forward to working with two close friends in Head Coach Darren Vorderbruegge and Associate Head Coach Jesse Nakanishi,” Bross said. “I greatly value the meaningful relationships I cultivated at the University of Hawai’i, and the experience I gained was second to none. I wish the ‘Bows nothing but the best as they move forward.”
Best move if Eran retains Jamie Smith
his resume awesome
Boy the future REALLY scares you doesn’t it? Gonna hold on to any shred of the past (hire Bob Nash as a big man coach lol). Kinda reminds me of the TV show Hoarders, where you wonder what is going on psychologically.
Let this be an economic lesson.
Do you get it?
Read between the lines. UH knows what they are offering up. Ganot wanted an extra year to off set sanctions. What sanctions? We are losing scholarships so forget about recruiting anyone to join UH this season. Maybe next as well?? Hope those yahoos at UH haven’t given away the ship and cause players to walk as well.
Looks like Ganot will get a 3-year contract, for now, per SA. It will be reevaluated after the NCAA process is completed, apparently. Matlin is trying to get the contract finalized as soon as possible.
Absolutely love that Jamie Smith is still around.
Great job knowing the head coach is out there volunteering his time for charity events, good change.
Discussion #1: My impression of Benjy.
I like Benjy. He was fun to watch at Midnight Ohana last year, he had a good personality that shone through in interviews. Of course he’s no saint off the court as we’ve all heard the events. But that doesn’t have to be the way he ends, he can work to right that ship.
Discussion #2: The Benjy Decisions
Remember that UH in fact offered the official head coach job to Benjy, but he declined it at the time. There are some that say this was a stupid move by Benjy, and hey look at what happened to him, so he must be stupid.
I think that Benjy made a gamble, and I respect him for it. Just like I respect UH for trying a new direction now. Benjy was only being offered a $150k position, and I believe that he thought he could do better than that. Think about it, Benjy will have no problem getting an assistant position again with the resume that he built last year, and that assistant postion will pay ~100k. So why settle for being a $150k head coach, when you gotta do more work like overseeing all the assistants and the recruiting, and making the schedule, etc. Wouldn’t you agree, that if Benjy was going to be a head coach he should go for $300k?
So, just like Benjy wanted something more, so too does UH want something more. And Gib/Benjy just was not giving us that. Benjy does not want to stay a head coach if it means he will only get $150k for one year. One year contracts are the worst: because you’re gonna go through the whole process of “who will lead us” and that will keep going on throughout the season. Likewise I’m sure, UH does not want to stay #5 in the Big West
Discussion #3: Remember what we want
We remember when we got dropped by the WAC. We all want to show them up, and remember talk about moving to the Pac-10 (now 12)? Well fans, that’s not gonna happen if we keep finishing #5 in the Big West. Five years now, we haven’t done anything to show that the WAC lost us.
We were supposed to move into the Big West and run the conference. We have the only real arena in the conference. But instead we get .500 teams (don’t worry, we’ll keep beating Fullerton and Riverside 4 times a year), and we have to pay them to come play us. It’s pretty demeaning, imo.
That’s why, I cannot understand why fans are afraid to try a new coach. Is Ganot better than Gib/Benjy? I can’t guarantee that. But Gib/Benjy got us #5 in the Big West for 5 years in a row. How long do you spend building a foundation, before you decide that it’s comfortable enough to just live in the basement?
Actually, I do understand why people are happy with last season, and we should debunk that last year was good. Is not our goal to win the Big West? Was that goal accomplished? Yet, fans are happy because they’d rather play the part of underdogs than kings of the hill.
Yeah, UH did better than people expected (was it 4th place prediction last year?). Yeah, UH is getting more exciting (lowest PPG in 4 years). If we stuck with Gib/Benjy, we would keep getting picked 5th, and from there in the Big West, there is nowhere to go but up. Truly, the definition of setting the bar so low that you can’t help but meet it.
HORSSSSSE_Champ… Not attacking your view, great comments.. FANS of WI and Dayton, these are just MY observations, and My personal opinion.. so here we go.. AGAIN..
No matter what league, SOS, RPI, style of play, uptempo, fastbreaks dunks, defense, steals, blocked shots, hilite reel plays, and getting the SSC faithful really excited, plus every game, UH was in it to win it.. that is what made This Team Under Benjy so special. Under the gun too. The personal attacks, that is really low balling the guy, that is personal, and he is man enough to handle it. Character assassination. Not Pono, at all. JMO..
Horsse.. Benjy got guys to play hard, and they came ever so close to making NCAA tournament, better accomplishment, than even Gib’s 4 years at the helm. And remember, Eran Ganot, if he has some success over next 2 years, and guys don’t transfer, go pro, or down a level, or leave school, he will be winning, with about 7 or 8 scholarship and 3 preferred walkons that Gib/Benjy recruited or offered..Say what you will about Gib, and there is still a very large contingent, whether we like it or not, that say.. Benjy won 22 games, with Gib’s recruits, and that is true, except, Benjy point man on getting Isaac Fleming, a key recruiter on him. The athletic team, built by Gib/Benjy, sure made
me excited, we haven’t seen that type of play in never. not even the Fab Five. really 21st century
mayhem on defense, many, many fans loved it. And the 22 wins, and being in BWC tournament
Championship game? That is historic, Riley Wallace’s last few years, could not make it to the WAC championship game, was losing the first round game, same with Nash, so Benjy did awesome.
And I hope he can even end up working in Hawaii, he loves it, and has a ton of friends, and fans here. UH? Business as usual..
You think Hawaii is going to be in Pac 12 , a new version Pac 16, heck the Football coach for 3 years going on, not even winning games, however the admin, that is what they want, coaches who, oh, oh, one or two DUI athletes, so they have problems too.
.Absolutely nothing against. Eran, I wish him the best, however, his success, in first 2 years, will hinge on success , improvement of Gib and Benjy’s recruits. so the connection to the past, Gib.. cannot be forgotten, He got some really great High Character good athletes. who did a great job.
Horsse..cannot please everyone.. UH, it is a business and highly political.. you would want super winning teams, and good programs ideally.. hasn’t happened in a long time, especially the flagship Football program, that is the weird program, great athletes, students, citizens, however, they don’t win, and coach is retained, I guess UH cannot buy him out.. we shall see…
So, Horsse, for next 2 seasons, Gib connection still there, unless the 11 guys on team from last year, get up and leave.
Hope the best, however, UH , going to take time to clean up the mess.
And Horsse, still the Gib battle with UH on salary, and UH/Gib battle with NCAA.
Still the Gib connection for next few years. .. we have to wait till maybe 2018 to see a Brand new product.. JMO bro..
Very soon according to BM, we might hear of new coaching staff and recruits.. I hope Eran can get guys that will compliment, or even be better than last year’s guys, so makes the overall team even better.. however NCAA thing.. will the sanctions, or self imposed. limit schloarships? Like St Mary’s down from 13 to 11 for 4 years? we shall wait and see. Just My Observations and Opinion.. Gib connection, and the past, will be there for several years to come.. JMO.
People here like to live in fantasy land and not stick to the facts.
FACTS:
Interest is up in the program: Attendance dropped last year
We had a great year: Yes we won 22 games but still finished 5th in the BWC regular season standings. 6 games out of first place.
We love Gib: We are responding to NCAA allegations that names Gib in every single infraction including level 1 infractions.
Let’s not forget the fact that if this NCAA investigation did not take place we would have had Fotu and Reyes on the team and a much better final standing than we had this year. But in spite of the sanctions this team was still able to win 22 games. Let’s give this team its due for all they had to go through. It’s short of an incredible season because we should have had a losing season with the firing of the coach just before the season started. I’d like to know how many schools with NCAA sanctions on them, lose their star player and another impact player, and coach fired and still went over 20 wins. On top of that we have the opportunity to top 22 wins next year if the team stays together. We got a special group of guys and all they do is go out there and spill their guts every game. Yet people still not satisfied. I don’t get it.
servante –
maybe we Too Old already.. MBB.. auwe…. you win 22, people not happy, almost make NCAA tournament, not enough.. go to NCAA tournament win a game.. well UH should have won 2 more games and gone to elite, eight, or final four.. Tough fanbase. or really? The die hard, we been here for long time.. I think some.. their expectations Way Too High, even fro Eran or any coach, to say would be like Gonzagas or Butlers or Wichita States, however Benjy said, that is what UH MBB is trying to reach, that level, not the UCLA’s, Stanfords, Dukes, North Carolinas.
Hey, servante , I don’t care, if was YMCA, or AAU, or Paki Park league , 22 wins was a very good season, and Benjy, say what you will, and G Money and the guys that stayed. credit to Them.. that 22 wins.. I believe, or hope will never be vacated.. Hey Benjy, good job..and TEAM at least finish school this spring well !!
You cannot please everyone, even if you win a lot of games. .. and UH in Pac 16, they have to step up and Football has to win championships, ,bowl games..
servante .. pau with this season.. for myself, My Opinion.. it was One of The Best, how ones feel it was a wasted, or terrible , or not noteworthy, well that is Their Opinion..
You are right, if Gib was okay, and Sammis and Fotu.. team maybe win 30 games, and NCAA run? we will never know..
Is a big man coming to visit soon ?
Zane Johnson and Jamie Smith this going be the youngest coaching staff ever
I’m an optimist and love the future with Ganot who will run a tight and organized ship. 22 wins are nice but with our conference affiliation all of our post season hopes rest with our conference performance. I really want to see our non conference games prepare us for the conference season instead of being used to just rack up wins against lesser opponents. To me success is judged by our final conference and tournament results. Of course I would like to win all the games but if I had to choose I’d rather take more losses in the non conference part of the schedule if they help prepare us for conference play and it boosts our conference finish.
Nowhere in this thread did I read any criticism of the players. The players gave it their all, and I think everyone respects what they accomplished. I think what other posters are alluding to is that this special group of guys have a chance to become a really good team because they will finally be getting a teaching coach. Gib was a horrible teacher, with Benji right behind. However, Benji did what Gib wasn’t able to do: have the rapport with the players that will make them come together as a team. I’m excited for next season as it seems these guys will finally get the teaching that they deserve!
Eran, maybe has Jacobsen making contact with potential recruits , shooters and bigs that play euro style ball.
Makes me think of Janks, Mindaugas Burneika 6’7″ SF great shooter and tough guy, friend of Nerijus Puida(sorry about spelling) 6’5″ Point Forward, good shooter, and terrific passer, assist man in Riley’s Flex Motion offense and on the break. Haim Shimonovich 6’10” 290 banger, good timing shot blocker from Israel, etc. Milos Zivanovich 6’11” etc., Phil Martin 6’8″ who played in Alumini game.
Marty Winter 6’10” 250 banger, hardly played for Riley from NZ or Aussie Land?
Point being: Remember what happened to Michael Harper, Isaac Fotu, Christian Standhardinger, Davis Rozitis, .. coming back, or into USA, the problem or delay with VISA?
Eran and Jacobsen, better get on it, if going for the NZ, Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia guys, .. strange thing..if delay.. they want to get in by Aug Fall semester.
Would knock me out, and maybe so, we don’t know yet, if Eran got some bigs that were better than Fotu, Christian, Rozitis, Vander, Jovanovich, Gueye, Haim, Jankovich, or shooters better than English, Savovic, Buernika, etc.. Canada has some really good players too.
Eran, has the 3 year deal.. he has about 12 guys coming back , 10 who saw action last year, and 2 RS’s.
so a lot of experience coming back.. maybe Eran taps the JC late market, the under radar 2 star guys.. DI ready to play transfers?
Euro style ball, San Antonio style, can win championships for sure.. however, KEY. and hold on, hold on.. JUST MY OPINION fans.. Can Eran get the run and gun have fun, group of 12 returnees in sync with possibly 3 or 4 new recruits? And can He win in first year 28 games and go to NCAA tournament? Well, Not Eran.. can the team do it? We shall see..
First, I am curious on the recruits.. he bringing in for visits, very sure Dayton will update the recruiting efforts, will have information, there is absolutely .. hope for shooters, shooters, shooters.. and some tough bigs, however, looks like Eran likes the Janks type, which is good.
One thing stands out to me more than anything else. Yes, the Fab Five were very athletic. I think you can’t say things like ‘this team’ was more athletic them. Please.
Jump higher. Play tougher. Played more minutes. Ran the entire game. And played free; looked like the Harlem Globetrotters. That was fun every game! Not to mention what teams were on the schedule.
Please, no.
I hope Coach Ganot incorporates some behind the back passes and alley oops. Wins are the thing, but a little style can be nice.
Are there signatures above those SOLID lines yet?
.When will be that DEADLINE?
Uhfanzonly1. I’ll say it again. We aren’t going to get any recruits for 15-16 season. Why did Ganot want an extra year after he saw what UH was sending back to the NCAA. Call me stupid when we retain all the scholarships but I don’t think so.
other forum,
Next few weeks, visits by recruits.
Fill out the coaching staff.
Shooters, wings, PG shoot with range, Bigs.
To play in Hawaii, if I am Euro, Aus/NZ/Canada…NorCal, or other,
2 star, why not? JC 2 or 3 year to play, or DI transfer ready to play,
Or that elusive 2 star HS athlete.
Have to be good bigs and shooters, and a great PG to battle Bobbitt for spot would be good too.
Only makes team better, if Coach can bring in guys that can take over starting roles of previous guys.
Same Mantra, from Rocha to Benjy.
Well, we shall, see, I think very soon we see those Recruits coming to visit.
And.. in Novemeber, see how team comes together, for a run at BWC
of course, the OTHER story, that is going to be very interesting.
Gib/UH/NCAA matters, moving forward. affects program, team
and fanbase.
In the United States, Childrens Day, (Keiki Day), is celebrated on the second Sunday in June. In other parts of the world, it’s could be in any month. I suppose if you traveled the world you could be celebrating Keiki Day once a month, every month.
keiki
Future of Hawaii
Guess I must be posting things that no one cares about. Would think the possibility of not having the scholarships for new recruits would be at the top of someone’s list. Till then!
U left yourself wide open when u said “call me stupid” if UH recruits anyone this year. Many waiting to say “hey stupid!” Tough to pass on that kind of soft ball
Hey anderpops. Just waiting patiently.
Patience: not really good for a blog site off season.
We have about 5 scholarships available. If we lose 2 to sanctions, we still have 2 or 3 left .
Eran says recruit visits coming up
anderpops…really concern..with probation/sanctions in UH MBB future for 2-4 years?
13 down to 11 scholarships? Gib got some good athletes..wonder what Eran can get , ?
Very sure 3 to 5 star athletes will not sign to program under ncaa sanctions.
2 star developmental..really sounds like type Riley got , Savo, Martin, English years
develop, and have them peak BWC championship game.
Eran, Just My Opinion , inherited some 3 star and great effort 2 star guys who can do really well.
Sounds similar to St Mary’s 4 year probation period..
One thing fun fact , Christian Standhardinger led Bows beat St Mary’s and Eran team in DHC 2 years ago..close game with similar athlete
really believe Eran in not exactly yet similar situation as Benjy..he is between rock and hard place
3 year deal under ncaa probation , tough deal..team just win games I guess
don’t envy him
akuhead2 ..supposedly, we here recruits and coaching staff announced
2 star ? Developmental guys? Maybe..
l
Eran would have to sell program to good students from anywhere who just want to go to school in Hawaii and play ball. If UH also faces post season ban.
I remember season going to games Larry Little’s first 2 seasons of 2 year ncaa probation 1976-1978
Gavin Smith led 1976-77 team fun, however they , the Bows, just played for wins and RBC title..
One item that stands out on Coach Ganot’s resume was his leadership role in dealing with St. Mary’s NCAA probation. I am still hopeful that there won’t be any sanctions for the team to deal with going forward. My only source of information is from the blogs. So I just wait. But because Coach Ganot has had some experience, I have confidence he will be able to hit the floor running, and still properly and promptly respond to any NCAA proceeding.
Gavin Smith still missing. Brought smiles to many in the islands.
akuhead2…
you must go back , waaay back in the day, before a lot of recent MBB fans.. Yes.. remember at the old Blaisdell/HIC.. Gavin bombing away, hit or miss from 30 feet on out, before the 3 point shot . He also , was the very first UH MBB player, since the Alcindor rule..No Dunking in College game, when NCAA allowed the dunk.. to throw down one for the Bows..Sad what happened to Gavin.. he was a real athlete and UCLA lineage, same with Marv Vitatoe, remember him? could shoot lights out, if hot.. however, not greatest ball handler, He too was a DI transfer from UCLA.. during Tom Henderson Years
akuhead2.. Hey, I know as much as you do, I am assuming, as we all are, however I would think, having seen the letter, and being around the BOR and the AD dept, He has an idea what can happen. Whether, there is NO post season for 2 or 3 years, I don’t know.. Maybe, the dismissal of Gib , Akana, and Fotu and other athletes leaving program, was enough of self imposed sanctions.
Who Knows? Know that Some on this forum, where crying for Self Imposing Post Season, even ban from BWC tourney This Year.. well never happened, UH backed off from that.
Heck, if you and I are are real MBB fans, no matter what.. if the product, and I LOVED the Benjy Ball, that frenetic, fast pace.. however, they have to be good in half court and shoot way better from outside, If team just able to win Rainbow Classic, their first tourney of season, the 4 team one, and the Late Nite ESPN, if they are allowed to be on ESPN.. hoops marathon game.. AND win the DHC.. along with winning that 28 games, which would be record for wins in a season by a MBB team.. I would be happy, .. even if they were banned from NIT or NCAA. however I think they could still play CIT? I don’t know.. very frustrating..
Also, akuhead2, you like some legal action? courtroom drama? wheeling and dealing..? this off season, let’s see what UH vs Gib vs NCAA brings about.. That will affect MBB for years to come..
I HOPE THE BEST for the team..and their families
Uhfanzonly1, I didn’t think Marvin Vitatoe was missing. I thought he was in Texas, and https://www.linkedin.com/pub/marvin-vitatoe/2/64/2b7 Isn’t this him? Looks like him. The Gavin Smith missing was a very big deal. In all the news. Hollywood exec. They assume the worse.
And actually, I’m pretty sure you do remember more than me overall, from waaay back. I didn’t start following the team until the Fab Five, and I know you have references from before that. Several of the posters here have great in-depth knowledge and insights to the teams over the years. And whos memory works right all the time anyway. Its a booster. I am not the fan of legal action, courtroom drama, or other drama for that matter. Not a booster. Although there was that one player, would sit in the middle of the court and cry, and then get up and shoot the lights out. Yeah, I am a fan of his. I don’t think he could help it, and the other players on the court were kind of caught unaware as well. I guess sometimes you can’t help a little drama. My thoughts.
Yes. Ray Reed. 90-91. Very dramatic. Don’t think he could help crying or shooting. Couldn’t help putting the ball in the basket, and no one could really stop him.
…
SPORTS
Hawaii Beats Pitt for Title
January 1, 1991 | Associated Press
Ray Reed scored 35 points, 24 in the second half, as the Hawaii upset No. 11-ranked Pittsburgh, 84-82, in the championship game of the Rainbow Classic Sunday night. Reed scored seven points during a 9-0 run by Hawaii that erased a 54-49 Pittsburgh lead. He completed a three-point play with 13:29 left to give Hawaii a 56-54 lead that it never lost. Reed hit 12 of 25 from the field and 10 of 11 from the free-throw line for Hawaii (8-3). Brian Shorter led the Pittsburgh (11-2) with 16 points.
…
Gavin’s body was found on Oct 26, 2014 in Antelope Valley ( wikipedia) .
Mahalo akuhead2, yes that is when UH MBB interest started, big time, the Fab Five era, ..
your recall very, very good too. I was at that RBC game in Dec 1990 when UH beat Pitt in championship game. Reed was on fire. Remember that team had the great Phil Lott, a great get for Riley from Connecticutt. Was it Tim Shepherd and Chris Walz too on that team? Maybe.
lot of great memories..
Wonder what lies ahead. Remember back in Fab Five and Henderson days, Team was Independent. .. Fab Five was ranked, and Henderson was a Sporting News first Team All American.
Also, overall , I think number 7 pick in first round of NBA 1974 draft by the Atlanta Hawks. Joined, later in 1976, by 4th round pick of NBA draft of Hawks, 6’10 1/2″ 230 Tommy Barker, good mid range shooter and defensive rebounder, who grabbed 18 rebounds against Robert Parish and Centenary, in game at Blaisdell, and had 22 rebounds as a rookie with the Hawks..Tommy, played for a couple of years..for Hawks, Celtics, Knicks and finally the Houston Rockets.. He was a great HS player, Minnesota frosh, transferred to Southern Idaho JC for 1 year, JC all American, then headed to Hawaii for two seasons.
Marv Vitatoe, Gavin Smith.. man, they loved Hawaii, just to play and go to school here.. UCLA guys, DI transfers.. both when on, could streak shoot, imagine if they had 3 point shot back then?
Gavin Smith, very sad, he died. Reggie Carter passed. John Molle Jr, Chris Gaines, young guys, died too early.
Call the Coach on Tuesday, 7 pm at H Zone.
islandman thanks:
Of all things, cannot listen ..cannot here ganot… !! just joking..
Let us know what he says.
Still concerning, his contract, which he will sign, newly married, and first NCAA DI gig, and who will be his assistants.. Still Say, so important in this day and age to have a FEW assistants, of color, on his staff.. that is really good, helps.. though, Red did not, however, different times I think.
And what, or when recruits coming. I just wonder, if it might be an Ahmet Gueye, Reggie Cross, Cliff Beabrun, Terry Houston, Tony Maroney, Erin Galloway, Mike Robinson, or Tom Henderson type of guys for those 3 or 4 scholarship offers, or Savo, English, etc.?
I guess, take the best Fit for UH to add to the current Mix.. he can recruit guys that can challenge, or really very sure, like Riley, Nash, Gib, Benjy…just open up the battle for PT and starting roles..that would be the best.. WHOMEVER buys into His system and give great effort all the way around the MBB program.
Or Julian Sensley who I think was a 3 star? rated BB player..
Or as he says, hit Australia real hard.. have the Senegal, and African, immigrants, who are tall, athletic, and can block shots.. and shooters. from Australia, .. or Patty Mills type PG, or Andrew Gaze, Andrew Bogut, or Luc Longley?
should be interesting show..
Still think it is one of the harder coaching gigs in the world, for NCAA top notch recruiting..
just have to get the right ones, and Ones willing to play for free education, very expensive now, and 2 to 4 years in Hawaii, even if ONLY for winning records..