Volleyball snub needed loud political outcry

When an NCAA selection committee bypassed the University of Hawaii women’s basketball team in spite of a 28-4 record in 1993, then-Gov. John Waihee wrote a letter of protest.

When an NCAA Infractions Appeals panel dragged its feet in 2016 and on into 2017 on UH’s challenge to sanctions against its men’s basketball team, a state representative authored a bill in the Legislature.

In both instances you could make the case that the prodding produced some positive results.

So, why isn’t anyone in a position of authority in our state speaking up for the Rainbow Warriors volleyball team now?

Let’s face it, the ’Bows got a raw deal in not being selected for an at-large berth in this week’s NCAA Tournament, victimized by insider politics and a structure that allowed, if not invited, the possibility.

It is not the first time that UH, the nation’s most far-flung major college athletic program, has been victimized, of course. But that doesn’t make it any easier to take.

Former Rainbow Wahine basketball coach Vince Goo compares it to the kid whose lunch money is hijacked on the way to school. “If you don’t fight back, it will keep happening,” Goo says.

He speaks from experience on this. In 1992-93 his team was ranked 23rd in the Associated Press coaches’ poll and won the Big West regular-season championship before losing to UC Santa Barbara in the conference tournament.

Yet, despite the 28-4 record, the Rainbow Wahine were bypassed by a committee.

Gov. Waihee wrote a public letter of protest and a number of UH fans wrote their own. Some of them, unfortunately, went beyond the bounds of good taste in doing so.

But while some called UH the “Whining Wahine,” Waihee’s message resonated. The following year UH went 25-5, won the regular-season title and, again, fell in the tournament. But this time an at-large NCAA tournament bid was tendered.

Coincidence?

Goo said he thinks not. “It definitely (helped),” Goo said. “It created some transparency on the Ratings Percentage Index. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than what we had previously.”

Last year when the NCAA Committee on Infractions was lollygagging on UH’s appeal of postseason sanctions, House Speaker Emeritus Calvin Say authored a bill that would have put restrictions on national athletic governing groups investigating colleges in Hawaii. The bill, HB 1424, did not mention the NCAA by name, but the point was not missed.

Officially, UH said it had not sought the bill and was “not able to support the bill.”

Unofficially — and under cover of deniability — be assured it welcomed the support.

Eventually the bill died, but not before the message was received loud and clear at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, where a spokesperson, well informed on the bill, denied comment.

A matter of weeks later not only was UH cleared for postseason eligibility, but its probationary period was reduced from three years to two. The fact that the NCAA had taken so long to render a decision was cited as a reason contributing to the lifting of the ban.

In the current situation UH has chosen to work, quietly, behind the scenes rather than risk down-the-road retribution by publicly calling out officials involved.

Athletic director David Matlin said he is in the process of proposing legislation that would expand the number of members on the selection committee from three to five. Moreover UH is seeking a clear listing of the priorities in choosing at-large teams.

With luck, the measures could be passed and in place by the summer of 2019.

Meanwhile, lest a fate similar to that of this month again befall UH come next April, you hope someone in power speaks up on the ’Bows’ behalf.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.