Conditions At Athletic Facilities Sun-standard

[MeanGreen61]

No, not about UNT.............it's Hawaii. Off the Frog board

Not all rainbows in Hawaii

QB Brennan criticizes conditions of athletics facilities

HONOLULU (AP) -- Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan is criticizing school administrators for not sufficiently funding and backing the upgrade of aging and substandard athletic facilities.

From the crusty locker room and the ancient carpet in the coaches' offices to the lack of soap in the showers, Brennan gave several examples of what needed to be improved.

"There's a good chance we could be a Top 25 preseason ranked football team and we can't even get soap in our locker room," he said Friday. "We're going against programs that have $20 million facilities with support and tradition. And you want us to compete with that? Just help us out."

He said all the Hawaii sports are entitled to so much more, but "it's getting the school to cough up money."

His concerns were first published in The Honolulu Advertiser.

"I want to see change. I want to see this school way better off when I leave," he told the newspaper. "That's a big reason why I came back. When the seniors leave, we want to know our younger teammates will be taken care of. And I'm not just talking about football. I want to see the entire sports program become better."

Brennan also complained about having to pay for parking to attend practices, workouts and study sessions. The quarterback said he racked up as much as $800 in parking fines at the Manoa campus and his car has been towed twice.

University of Hawaii spokesman Gregg Takayama said he understands Brennan's concerns, saying the players are using the facilities every day and have firsthand experience.

Takayama emphasized the chancellor's office has provided financial support in past years to balance the athletic budget and has been working with the department on a master plan to upgrade facilities.

"But overall, the Manoa campus is still trying to overcome more than a decade of shortfalls in budget appropriations that apply to facilities, staff and maintenance," Takayama said. "We are in the process of upgrading the entire Manoa campus and the athletics department is a part of it. It is a priority for the chancellor's office."

Hawaii athletics director Herman Frazier said his $21 million annual budget barely covers the day-to-day operation of the department. Frazier said he's been working with school officials on securing more money for capital improvements.

"I think if you compare (our facilities) with some schools in the WAC, we're probably right there," Frazier said. But compared to BCS programs like Ohio State, "can we compete with them? I'm not sure we can, ever."

Despite the conditions at Manoa, Frazier pointed to the success of different UH sports teams. The football team finished 11-3 last season.

Brennan agreed, saying better facilities would take the school to another level.

"To have this success with this lack of resources says a lot about Herman Frazier, Coach (June) Jones and especially about the student-athletes," Brennan said. "You can't deny the fact that our facilities are poor."

Besides the facilities, Brennan said players wind up paying for their own equipment, like shoes and wristbands because of the tight budget. Brennan, who attended Colorado for a year, said the facilities and resources in Boulder were "night and day" in comparison.

The record-breaking quarterback, who finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting last season, said he was hesitant to voice his opinions, which may affect recruiting, but felt compelled to speak out.

Brennan set an NCAA record with 58 touchdown passes last season, leading the nation in passing yards (5,549), passing efficiency (186) and completion percentage (72.6). He withdrew from the NFL draft to return for his senior season at Hawaii.

[NT80]

Hawaii athletics director Herman Frazier said his $21 million annual budget barely covers the day-to-day operation of the department.

$21 mil is more than all SBC school's budgets, maybe all WAC schools, and probably some MWC schools. That has to include travel expenses too I'd think, not just day-to-day expenses?

[jdennis82]

i'm just proud of our facility and the young men who represent us

[MeanGreen61]

Followup article from the Advertiser. Be sure to read the reader comments

UH vows to upgrade facilities

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbc.../705050357/1001

From reader posts in Story Chat

Candidate for the most humorous quote of the day: "Associate athletic director John McNamara said the department is "working on problems that can be solved immediately.""

Can't you just imagine the urgency as Mr. Frazier or Mr McNamara ran down to the local Safeway for a couple bars of soap! Way to go guys!

Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 11:24 am

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You need a master plan to notice there is no soap?

Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 10:54 am

[MCMLXXX]

I am sure that the lions share of their budget is travel.

[PHSCoach]

I am sure that the lions share of their budget is travel.

Yea they spent 2.6 mil on travel and UNT spent 1.4 mil I don't think that is the lions share

[runt96]

what a snotty punk, you're going to school in hawaii. you rack up that high of parking fines and complain? sounds like lax enforcement. why don't you buy your own damn soap.if their facilities are that bad, transfer to idaho and play in the kibble dome.

Edited May 6, 2007 by runt96

[MCMLXXX]

Yea they spent 2.6 mil on travel and UNT spent 1.4 mil I don't think that is the lions share

A statement that compares travel budgets from two different schools is irrelevant and does not rebut the assertion.

However, having located the budget amounts, you are correct. The majority of expenses are Salaries and Student Aid.

The amount you list is the team travel expense. Their recruiting expenses are more than twice as high as ours and I again

believe that a large amount of that budget is travel.

I do find it interesting that our contributions were 2.6 million and theirs were 2.9 million given that they are the only Division 1

school in the State of Hawaii.

http://www2.indystar.com/NCAA_financial_reports/

[untbowler]

sounds like he needs to by a parking permit and quit acting as if he is the big untouchable Big Man on campus.

What a joke. I put him next to Ryan Perriloux in the Hee-Haw Award.

[PHSCoach]

sounds like the parking permits that the students can buy are not good at the AC just like at UNT

[greenminer]

Stop parking in the reserved spots and you can buy a lot of soap with $800 dollars.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

what a snotty punk, you're going to school in Hawaii. you rack up that high of parking fines and complain? sounds like lax enforcement. why don't you buy your own damn soap.if their facilities are that bad, transfer to Idaho and play in the kibble dome.

---Guess he has never heard of "soap on a rope". I would think he could afford a bar or two since he likely is paying nothing for tuition or housing unlike most of us that went to college ----- besides I would think he would prefer a personal supply rather than a "community used bar". eecck! -- that could be awful.

PS: some student have no parking fees or fines -- they have no car (I didn't most of the time) --- instead my available funds went to pay tuition, books, housing, etc. which he gets for free.

--Hint to assistant Athletic director: "Tell them to furnish their own soap bar " ...

[NCMeanGreen]

I just got back from two weeks in Hawaii, and their facilities (when I went by the school) looked just fine to me. I am not sure they have much room to complain...I mean, come on, it's friggin' Hawaii!!!