A New Era At UH: Chow Fun Time!

By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Wednesday - December 28, 2011

E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS

| Share

Del.icio.us

Norm Chow is introduced as the new UH coach last Thursday. AP photo

This is usually the time I write my New Year’s Resolutions column, but I’m so excited about the University of Hawaii’s hiring of Norm Chow as the Warriors’ new head football coach, I’ve decided that this year’s resolutions are all about the numbersand Coach Chow.

So, with apologies to David Letterman, here are the Top 10 reasons why the numbers fell in Chow’s favor this time around:

10) The number of wins the University of Hawaii was expected to earn this year. It got six and watched as attendance and confidence in the program plummeted. Chow’s thrilling offensive style and outstanding reputation should restore Hawaii fans’ confidence in their beloved Warrior program.

9) In ‘09, the native of Palolo Valley was honored as one of the top Chinese Americans in Sports. Those local roots (Chow is partHawaiian, too, prepped at Punahou, and coached at Waialua) should help greatly in the upcoming recruiting battles.

8) The number of quarterbacks he has coached over the years who have led the nation in passing efficiency or yardage Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Robbie Bosco, Marc Wilson, Ty Detmer, Phillip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. Chow is the master at developing great quarterbacks. Hawaii fans can only wonder which Warrior name will soon be added to this prestigious list.

7) The number equivalent to touchdowns and what Chow’s offensive philosophy has led to over and over again. His teams at BYU and USC broke more than 100 NCAA records over the years as Chow produced several dozen All-Americans and a plethora of NFL firstround draft picks.

6) The amount of offensive coordinator positions he’s held in his four decades of coaching, including BYU, North Carolina State, USC, Tennessee Titans, UCLA and Utah.

5) Head coaching finalist interviews over the years at Stanford, Arizona Cardinals, North Carolina State, Kentucky (where he was offered the job but turned it down) and Hawaii.

4) The four cornerstones of his life have always been Family, Faith, Friends and Integrity. He and his wife Diane have four children: Carter, Maile, Cameron and Chandler.

3) The number of national titles (BYU 1984, USC in 2003 and 2004) and the number of Heisman Trophy winners he’s coached in the year they won the award (Ty Detmer, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart).

2) The number of times he was a finalist for the job at the University of Hawaii. Good to see that the folks in Manoa finally got it right.

And the No. 1 reason that Norm Chow is a great fit for the University of Hawaii: He’s the right man at the right time. As the UH moves from the WAC to the Mountain West Conference, it needs to pick up its game a notch or two or three or more. Chow’s national reputation, innovative offensive mind and connections around the football world will greatly enhance the prospects of the UH football program in the years ahead.

Therefore, be it resolved, as we head into the new year of 2012 and beyond, that all the numbers continue to work in Coach Chow’s favor, and that the Aloha Stadium scoreboard lights up with high scoring games and many Hawaii victories.

As win-hungry Warrior fans are already noting, it’s Chow Fun Time.

Happy New Year!