UH, UCLA connections run deep for sports fans

Other than the legendary Tommy “Grass Shack” Kaulukukui literally making a name for himself with that 103-yard kickoff return in a 19-6 loss to the Bruins in 1935, there isn’t any history between UCLA and Hawaii in football.

But there sure are plenty of connections in other sports, and plenty of people who at least have reason to be conflicted when the Rainbow Warriors visit the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

The most prominent sports rivalry between the two schools is intense but has always been brimming with mutual respect. The women’s volleyball teams have played each other every year since 1974, when now-retired Hall of Fame coaches Dave Shoji and Andy Banachowski were baby-faced kids.

Star-Advertiser sports writer Cindy Luis has covered both volleyball teams since she was a student at UCLA in the 1970s, when she first interviewed Shoji.

“Being objective is so ingrained,” she said. “But there were plenty of (UCLA’s traditional) 8-claps with my friends after Sunday’s (Bruins football comeback) win.”

Former Hawaii governor Ben Cayetano is a 1968 UCLA graduate who will be pulling for UH on Saturday.

“I root for UCLA against any team,” Cayetano posted on social media Thursday, “except UH Warriors … Go ’Bows!”

Another Aloha State governor, John Waihee, was in the middle of some animosity involving a UCLA administrator, the NCAA and the Rainbow Wahine basketball team.

It was 1993, when the name Judith Holland moved to the top of UH sports fans’ love-to-hate list, and the word “snub” became a favorite of some local headline writers. The incident is probably the biggest reason why so many UH sports fans continue to believe the rest of the college sports world is out to do wrong to Hawaii at every possible opportunity.

Vince Goo’s team went 28-4 while dominating the Big West Conference, but wasn’t invited to the 48-team NCAA women’s tournament. Holland, chair of the selection committee, said UH’s schedule was “too weak.”

Richard Schultz, the NCAA’s executive director, blamed Waihee for encouraging phone calls and letters of protest that another NCAA official described as “obscene and abusive.” Waihee’s staff denied that the governor egged on the irate fans.

A few years later, jaws in Hawaii dropped when Holland expressed interest in working at the UH athletic department. Needless to say, she wasn’t hired.

Fast-forward to 2000. The UCLA softball team was presented with a fourth-place trophy for, well, finishing in fourth place at UH’s Chevron Paradise Classic. The trophy ended up in a trash can.

Coach Sue Enquist eventually called Wahine coach Bob Coolen to apologize, and the UCLA administration also sent UH an official apology letter.

“Three years here, they have never made it to the championship game,” Coolen said at the time. “They’ve always been beaten. I don’t know if they’ll want to come back again.”

As for Saturday’s football game, Jennifer Puakea Pick Pederson of Kohala will be in the Rose Bowl stands and has designed a shirt for the game that is half-UH and half-UCLA.

“I am completely torn,” she said. “I attended my first UCLA game in my mom’s stomach, and my uncle, Tim Oesterling, played defensive tackle for the Bruins.”

Some of the many other connections: Former UH running back and media relations staffer Nicky Clark grew up in Pasadena, Calif. … Tony Smalley, who lives in Hawaii and played basketball at HPU has a son, Jayce, who is a freshman linebacker for UCLA. … Greg Cummins, who punted for the Rainbows in the 1970s, got a fine arts degree at UCLA before becoming a Hollywood actor. … Ricki Bass, a great center fielder for the UH baseball team that went to the College World Series, met his wife, Kyrie, while both were working for the UCLA campus transportation department.

“I’ve worked for 33 years at UCLA,” Bass wrote on social media. “but I am all about UH this weekend.”

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quickreads.