Sugar Bowl reps are happy with UH fans

About how the Sugar Bowl rep was happy with the way the UH fans traveled to New Orleans, Karl Benson said:
“I think he was joking, but, seriously, they were very happy with the Hawai’i turnout. Both the Sugar Bowl and Fox were very happy with what Hawai’i brought to the game.” (HA)

HA Note: “A Sugar Bowl representative told members of the Bowl Championship Series yesterday that he isn’t sure all the Hawai’i fans have left New Orleans yet. ” ‘There may still be some (Warriors’ fans) on Bourbon Street,’ they said,” recounted Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson, who is attending the annual meetings that wind up in Hollywood, Fla. today.”

About the Sugar Bowl, Paul J. Hoolahan, Sugar Bowl CEO, said:
“we were absolutely delighted with the turnout.” (HA)

HA Note: “Hoolahan said it has been difficult to tab the number of Hawai’i fans — both those from the Islands and Mainland — who attended the game but said estimates of 15,000 to 20,000 “are about right.” There had been fears entering the game that Hawai’i would have scant representation, so much that UH took 4,000 tickets less than the full 17,500 initial allotment.”

HA Note: “The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau has said the two biggest post-Katrina passenger days at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport were the day following the Sugar Bowl (18,000) and the Tuesday after the BCS Championship game (19,000).”

About how UH’s appearance in the Sugar Bowl was extremely positive, Benson said:
“I think the reaction from both Fox and the Sugar Bowl is that leading up to the kickoff was a home run. And the outcome of the game certainly didn’t do anything to diminish that impact Hawai’i had on the Sugar Bowl.” (HA)

Despite the 17% drop in ratings from the previous New Year’s game (BSU vs. Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl), Dan Bell, Fox VP for communications, said:
“We are pleased with the rating because the Sugar Bowl helped us dominate all other television competition that night.” (HA)

HA Note; “Fox said the Sugar Bowl and its pre-game show combined for a 12 percent win over second-place NBC in the “key” adults age 18-to-49 demographic.”

Sugar Bowl spokesman Duane Lewis said that the Sugar Bowl rating was:
“a very solid rating. Given the fact that the game was lopsided, it was still a good number.” (HA)

About how UH and BSU were featured by Fox, Benson said:
“Hawai’i and Boise State had prominent parts in Fox’s media presentation (yesterday).” (HA)

HA Noet: “The WAC has been touting its consecutive appearances in the BCS as the only non-BCS signatory to manage the feat with “Back to Back” T-shirts featuring UH and Boise State logos mailed out to national media.”

Touting Fresno State this year, Benson said:
“we had Boise in the Fiesta Bowl, Hawai’i in the Sugar Bowl, so why not Fresno State in the Orange Bowl this season?” (HA)

Colt received the Jack Bonham Award

About how Colt is a good fit with Washington and Zorn, Mack said:
“Jim Zorn was a left-handed guy who wasn’t supposed to play for Seattle and he and Colt are a lot alike. Nobody thinks Colt can make it but I know he’s their third quarterback and they’re taking three and he will be able to coach him. … It’s a perfect fit. It’s a lot like Tom Brady. Lots of times you just have to get in the right situation. People are disappointed because he went so low (in the draft), but I’m excited for him because he’s in a situation where he’s going to be successful.” (HA)

HA Note: “McMackin, who worked with Washington head coach Jim Zorn at Seattle, has no fear about the future of his former quarterback. Brennan graduated in December — an accomplishment McMackin emphasized was “a big deal to him” — after “lighting the fire” to lift the Warriors to a perfect regular season and into the Allstate Sugar Bowl.”

About Colt graduating from UH, Mack said:
“Graduating was very important to him.” (HSB)

HA Note: “The award began in 1974 to honor the late assistant athletic director. It is given annually to the top female and male senior student-athlete who “best exemplifies the ideals for which Jack Bonham stood in the areas of athletic excellence, academic achievement, public service, leadership and character.” The announcement came at the Scholar-Athlete Dinner, which honored 162 student-athletes who earned a grade point average of at least 3.0 this school year. That was 27 more than last year and included Tara Hittle twice — in volleyball and basketball, earning top team scholar-athlete for basketball.”

HSB Note: “Brennan, who set or tied 31 NCAA records, returned to UH for his senior year and led the Warriors to a 12-0 regular season record and unprecedented appearance in a BCS bowl game. He also graduated with a 3.12 grade point average last December — despite increasing time-consuming celebrity, statewide and nationally.”