Hawaii Players Charge Fans for Autographs

[MrMustang1965]

HONOLULU -- With head coach June Jones having received an offer to coach at Southern Methodist University, University of Hawaii fans have plenty of reason to be uncertain about the future of the school's football program.

But even with the uncertainty, Hawaii fans warmly embraced the team Thursday night despite the unhappy ending to their story book season, which ended with a 41-10 loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.

Warrior fans crowded four deep at the Kahala Mall to get a glimpse and a photo of members of the team, who finished the season with a 12-1 record.

Fans were paying up to $5 per autograph, and the team was charging $20 for quarterback Colt Brennan's autograph and $30 for him to autograph a ball or helmet -- even though Brennan did not make an appearance at the event.

He is expected at another autograph session at Kahala Mall on Sunday.

"It feels good, man. It's touching," said wide receiver Jason Rivers. "Just like when we were out in Louisiana, they didn't have to come. But they spent to come out there in the cold weather and support us."

The players that were present Thursday signed footballs, helmets, shirts, photos, books, and even shoes.

"Feels great, you know," said offensive lineman Hercules Satele. "After the season's done, you see all these fans still here supporting. Nobody told them to be here, but you know they just came out here and it feels nice."

Organizers expect Brennan to be at Sunday's autograph session at Kahala Mall between noon and 2 p.m. The money raised from the autograph session went to the players and to the Na Koa Football Club.

http://www.kitv.com/news/14980777/detail.html

[White Helmet]

Damn now we cant hire JJ. He is obviously paying players. On a side note during the Nevada UNM game they said the Kicking coach for UNM gave his kicker a dollar to put in his shoe. Isnt this a violation?

[peruna11]

HONOLULU -- With head coach June Jones having received an offer to coach at Southern Methodist University, University of Hawaii fans have plenty of reason to be uncertain about the future of the school's football program.

But even with the uncertainty, Hawaii fans warmly embraced the team Thursday night despite the unhappy ending to their story book season, which ended with a 41-10 loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.

Warrior fans crowded four deep at the Kahala Mall to get a glimpse and a photo of members of the team, who finished the season with a 12-1 record.

Fans were paying up to $5 per autograph, and the team was charging $20 for quarterback Colt Brennan's autograph and $30 for him to autograph a ball or helmet -- even though Brennan did not make an appearance at the event.

He is expected at another autograph session at Kahala Mall on Sunday.

"It feels good, man. It's touching," said wide receiver Jason Rivers. "Just like when we were out in Louisiana, they didn't have to come. But they spent to come out there in the cold weather and support us."

The players that were present Thursday signed footballs, helmets, shirts, photos, books, and even shoes.

"Feels great, you know," said offensive lineman Hercules Satele. "After the season's done, you see all these fans still here supporting. Nobody told them to be here, but you know they just came out here and it feels nice."

Organizers expect Brennan to be at Sunday's autograph session at Kahala Mall between noon and 2 p.m. The money raised from the autograph session went to the players and to the Na Koa Football Club.

http://www.kitv.com/news/14980777/detail.html

good thing i got justin willis' autograph on a jersey this year...

[huskerpony]

Ummmm.......can we say NCAA violations? None of that money can go to the players.

[mevans]

I think we're a bit overzealous to seek out scandal just because we're SMU fans.

With that said, I think, while trying to pad the pockets of poor college students seems a worthy charity, an event of that nature is just asking for trouble.

[tex23bm]

Wow, if this is true it's the most ethically questionable thing I've ever heard of.

I mean, I understand that the NCAA and schools whore out the players for their own gain, but I always thought of the scholarships as some loose reward for playing. This would be purely disgraceful.

[The XtC]

Husker is correct, that money cannot go directly to the players. When someone from the NCAA reads this article, Hawaii will have some explaining to do.

[MustangMan2001]

well what they meant was...

the money went to the players and the na kia football league

[White Helmet]

How does one email the NCAA?

[couch 'em]

Wow, if this is true it's the most ethically questionable thing I've ever heard of.

I mean, I understand that the NCAA and schools whore out the players for their own gain, but I always thought of the scholarships as some loose reward for playing. This would be purely disgraceful.

I think that's a bit of an overreaction.....

[Junior]

That has to be a mistake. They can't really think the player are receiving money, right?

[huskerpony]

Not overzealous. I hope that report is wrong. That would be a shame for them, and could hurt us if JJ takes our offer.

A number of people in my family have played college ball. Technically it is a violation even for a player's parents to pay for a meal for another player--i.e. your parents can't even take your friends out to dinner when they're in town.

While that would be a secondary violation, something like this is a very big deal. They better hope all that money is going to the athletic department, not the players.

[MustangMan2001]

How does one email the NCAA?

http://www.ncaa.org/mailbox/committee_o ... tions.html

when you open the link, just click on a name for the infractions committee

[Grider]

Aren't these guys seniors and therefore not players anymore? Does it matter who they take money from now?

<Edit>
I saw a list of the players on a Hawaii message board and it said they were all seniors, but I can't find the link now.

[Dutch]

Aren't these guys seniors and therefore not players anymore? Does it matter who they take money from now?

<Edit>
I saw a list of the players on a Hawaii message board and it said they were all seniors, but I can't find the link now.

I may be wrong, but i think it still does if they are enrolled in school on their athletic scholarships.