Let’s push back from the pumpkin pie and put down the TV remote for a moment.
In the spirit of this day it is a befitting time to salute those who have made the sporting world a little better by their actions or presence.
So, please raise a drumstick as we give thanks for:
>> All the school officials who saw the wisdom in the creation of an “open” division for the Hawaii High School Athletic Association football playoffs this year and the more equitable three-tier format it provided.
As for the future, well, can Saturday’s championship game crowd of 20,447 be wrong?
>> For the UH women’s and men’s basketball teams whose championship success brought back a taste of March Madness here.
>> For sports writer emeritus Bill Kwon, UH multi-sport athlete and professor Dennis Chai, stock car racer Tommy “The Terror” Gima, the remarkably talented James “Skippy” Dyer and Domelynne Nash, who were among the many who blessed us in life and died this year.
>> Nick Rolovich’s return, which has brought some pride — and victories — back to UH football.
Now, if he could just cure the lingering propensity for penalties.
>> Forward Noah Allen, who transferred from UCLA to spend his fifth year of college in Manoa, where he has been the Rainbow Warrior basketball team’s leader in points, rebounds, assists and minutes played as a graduate transfer.
>> Marcus Mariota, who continues to set an example in so many ways, win or lose.
>> The monster show that was the 2016 Quiksilver In Memory Of Eddie Aikau, won by John John Florence, a prelude to his world title.
>> A Tagovailoa to still be chucking passes here next season.
>> The possibility of Viane Moala blocking kicks for three more seasons at UH.
>> The insightful, and sometimes humorous, observations of John Veneri (radio) and Rich Miano (TV) on UH football.
>> The UH-Long Beach State volleyball rivalry still being alive and spiking. Or, at least it was until Rainbow Wahine kicked sand in the face of The Beach last time out.
>> The NCAA ordering a reconsidering of the penalties levied on the UH men’s basketball. It might all be moot by the time they finally get around to it, but how refreshing would it be if the powerful NCAA Committee on Infractions admitted to an error?
>> One of UH’s most poignant traditions, the Senior Walk, which celebrates its 38th renewal Saturday night. And, thanks, too, for Nelson Maeda and Blane Gaison, who pioneered it.
>> Nolan Tokuda’s 12 years as head football coach at Leilehua High, where the Mules went to three three state finals and won a state championship.
>> Keanu Asing and Carissa Moore who, by winning the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro France last month became the first Hawaii surfers in 13 years to double up on winning pro surf titles on the same day at the same site.
>> The fact that, even with travel subsidies, UH had conference options and didn’t have to trod the path of independence like UMass.
>> Hilo’s Cody Cabral, who in keeping the paniolo spirit alive, will be the first steer wrestler from Hawaii to compete in next month’s Super Bowl of the sport, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
>> UH, the Mountain West and Oceanic working toward restoring live streaming of Rainbow Warrior football in some form for next season.
>> The NCAA using Academic Performance Ratings to decide most of the unfilled bowl slots. If schools get penalized for low APRs, it make sense to reward the high achievers.
