FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. » Most people from Hawaii here are rooting for Notre Dame to upset Alabama in tonight’s Discover BCS National Championship game.
There’s at least one exception, and he has a good reason.
Honolulu businessman Peter Kim was a kicker for Alabama from 1980 to 1982. The Kaiser High graduate, who played for the University of Hawaii as a freshman, transferred, started three years for the Tide and kicked the final points of legendary coach Bear Bryant’s career.
"I think it will be a close game, because Notre Dame always gets up for Alabama," Kim said. "In 1980, we had lost to Notre Dame the previous two games by one and then two points. I missed a field goal and we lost 7-0."
Kim said he expects to see a very "traditional football game with a lot of great hits."
A prediction?
"Alabama, 27-24."
Last-second field goal by Jeremy Shelley to decide it?
"Of course."
Major fan
Shane Victorino arrived here Sunday morning, direct from a charity event in Philadelphia. The Boston Red Sox outfielder from Maui is a fan of Manti Te’o, Robby Toma and Kona Schwenke, and, thus, Notre Dame.
He also showed up for the Fighting Irish’s home win over Wake Forest on Nov. 17, which was senior day for Te’o and Toma.
Like hotcakes
Melissa Broderick of Holsen Inc. Merchandising said any Notre Dame shirt with the number 5 gets bought as soon as she can put it on display.
"I didn’t know who Manti Te’o was three days ago," said Broderick, who manages an apparel and souvenir sales set-up in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel. "Now I do, and everything with his number on it is gone by noon."
"On Friday we had a hundred (shirts), and they went like this," she said, snapping her fingers. "It flies."
Line of the week
When ESPN analyst David Pollack was reminded that Notre Dame allowed just two rushing touchdowns all season he quickly said, "Two-and-a-half, Stepfan Taylor."
Taylor was the Stanford running back who was ruled to have not scored in a controversial play that gave Notre Dame a 20-13 win over the Cardinal.
Taylor thought he’d scored a second-effort touchdown on fourth down, but he was ruled to have been stopped by the Notre Dame defense.
