Rainbows up to No. 3 in volleyball Top 25 poll

[808]

Rainbows up to No. 3 in volleyball Top 25 poll

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i women's volleyball team yesterday climbed to third, its highest position in the USA Today/College Sports Television Top 25 Coaches Poll this season, but coach Dave Shoji doesn't think the Rainbows Wahine would be favored against anybody in the Top 10.


DAVE SHOJI

"I'm surprised we're that high; there are a bunch of quality teams below us and that worries me a little bit," Shoji said. "We're moving up because we're undefeated but there (are) still a lot of good teams in the Top 10 and we probably wouldn't be favored against any of them, if we played them head-up."

None of them?

"OK, take us and play someone on a neutral court and, I think, we'd be underdogs against just about anybody in the Top 10," Shoji said.

But the Rainbows have so far won over members of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, who vote in and distribute the poll. From two months ago, when the preseason rankings were announced with the Rainbows 13th, they have been riding the escalator. From 13th, their lowest start since 1998, the Rainbows have gone 11th, 7th, 6th, 4th ... and, now, third.

"People keep losing and we don't, so, I guess, we move up," Shoji said.

The unbeaten (14-0) Rainbow Wahine trail only Washington (13-0) and Minnesota (16-2) after sweeping Boise State and Texas-El Paso over the weekend.

Ohio State (16-0) and Texas (15-0) join UH and Washington as the only remaining unbeatens. But in the regular season, Shoji concedes, "I don't know if anybody else (other than UH and Washington) can run the table."

Washington, which received 63 first-place votes, and UH, which earned two, were the only schools receiving them. National champion USC (9-3), which had been No. 2, dropped after being swept by California.

UH plays Thursday at Louisiana Tech and Saturday at Southern Methodist.

Reach Ferd Lewis at [e-mail] or 525-8044.

the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Oct/12/sp/sp04p.html

[808]

Another column by Ferd Lewis:

Shoji must keep UH grounded

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff

It is weeks like this when University of Hawai'i women's volleyball coach Dave Shoji really earns the installments on that $95,004 annual salary.

Not because the Rainbow Wahine are playing a fearsome, nationally ranked opponent. But because they are playing the exact opposite, 5-13 Louisiana Tech, Thursday.

Teams, such as the unbeaten Rainbows, pretty much get themselves up to play a No. 1 or Top 10 team. Little motivation is needed when it is a Southern Cal, Stanford or UCLA across the net. If the adrenaline isn't pumping then, it is time to summon the coroner.

But, Louisiana Tech? Well, that's where the real work comes in, especially on a 4,035-mile, five time zone jaunt. It is where 30 years of head coaching experience, and the stratagems learned along the way, can spare a team from a yawn-induced letdown.

These Rainbows, who were No. 13 seven weeks ago, have earned the considerable pats on the back they've been receiving in a climb to a 14-0 record and No. 3 in the USA Today/College Sports Television Top 25 Coaches Poll.

The Rainbows have such a sweet thing going, you'd hate to see them stub their collective toe. If they avoid the trap doors, there is no reason why they shouldn't be unbeaten and bound for a pretty nice seed in the NCAA playoffs. At this point, the only team on the regular-season schedule that can beat Hawai'i is itself.

The trick, with applause still ringing in their ears and the headlines regularly singing their praises, is bringing the Rainbows back to Earth each week. A task made tougher when an opponent isn't anything special.

Former UH football coach Bob Wagner, in moments of candor, liked to say "you guys (the media) and fans pump them up all week and then we have to make them feel like (junk) to bring them back down again."

We saw some of that last week when, about the time the Rainbows were ready to exhale from their first road trip, Shoji pointedly announced that he would be reevaluating all the starters. With their complacency jolted, the Rainbows responded by disposing of Boise State and Texas-El Paso as if opponents had made disparaging remarks about their families.

Now, with the road trip to Louisiana Tech and Southern Methodist standing in the way of a battle of Western Athletic Conference unbeatens, UH (4-0) and Rice (6-0), Oct. 21 back at the Stan Sheriff Center, the Rainbows can ill afford a pratfall.

"The minute you think you're pretty good and that, maybe, you should win a match without having to show up, then, that's when you get beat," Shoji said. "And, we're not going to let them do that.

"Maybe we'll take (tape) of their best couple of players and make a highlight tape or something showing them putting down a lot of balls ... (but) we'll find a way to get (the Rainbows) fired up."

Reach Ferd Lewis at [e-mail] or 525-8044.

the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Oct/12/sp/sp45pferd.html

[808]

Humility (and continued hard work and improvement) will get you everywhere, Dave! Especially with this year's special group of players.

[808]

Hopefully, this week's 4,035 mile road trip will convince some of the doubters out there about Hawaii's team this year, not that I think they should be ranked any higher than where they are right now. Granted, the competition might not be top 10, but who else goes on 4,035 mile road trips (across 5 time zones)?

[Wolfgang]

Quote from Bob Wagner: "and then we have to make them feel like (junk) to bring them back down again."

In my entire 28 years of life on earth, I've heard ONLY people from Hawaii use the word "junk" this way. That's junk. I feel junk. You made me feel junk.

[808]

Wolfgang said:

Quote from Bob Wagner: "and then we have to make them feel like (junk) to bring them back down again."

In my entire 28 years of life on earth, I've heard ONLY people from Hawaii use the word "junk" this way. That's junk. I feel junk. You made me feel junk.

When I read that quote, my first reaction was to wonder whether he actually used the word "junk". Normally, the punctuation would be "[junk]" if the writer was substituting a word for something the speaker might have said if it was unprintable, but it just seemed unusual (or at least unnecessary) to put "junk" in parentheses. I don't think Wagner said the word "junk" originally. He's not "from" ;D Hawaii (though he probably would be considered an adopted son).

[bigfan]

Interesting motivating strategies to fire up the troops against hapless opponents. The Pac-10 awaits in the NCAA'S.

[ACE]

I have to agree with Shoji, even though his team is ranked #3 given a neutral court against any top 10 team and the Wahine have to be considered the under dog.