Lei-ing around (topics merged)

[ponyscott]

Geez I don't have to accept anything....and this isn't a really big deal, just something to talk about. Just a strange thing to wear in Texas is all.

[dirtysouthpony]

I'm with PonyinNC. I live in Atlanta, and JJ didn't wear the lei when he was on our sidelines. He is from Portland, so what's the Hawaii love? Muschamp is the new coach at Florida. He's not wearing a stestson.

[Peruna94&07]

My wife and I had a long conversation at the game last night about that. She hates it and thinks he need to lose it. I tried to explain players/coaches are supersitious and there is little chance he will lose it. Kinda like we will never see the blue uniforms as long as June is here.

[NickSMU17]

Lots of those black game shirts 50 percent off at bookstore...

Guy is egomaniac...

[High Horse]

Personally bought and distributed a bunch of red/white/and blue plastic lei in 2009. Would buy them again for next week if I thought it would get us back in the Hawaii Bowl.

[BIGHORSE]

While we are talking about what we wear, I thought the team would wear white jerseys, and

the Mustang on the neck of the jersey is gone, and the pants we had last night

didn't have stripes.

[smusic 00]

He wears it when one of his buddies visits from Hawaii, which is just about every home game. There is a whole suite full of lei'd up fans.

[Mestengo]

Dudes I took a beating as soon as i walked in the door about the grass plant.

And it was freaking gigantic little shop of horrors take with.

Berg I have the cones at the lunch. It's the wrong place. And I already no exactly what his response would be. If he wins he should wear it if not lug a surf board out.

[DiamondM]

My mom, who was visiting and is not an alum, asked me why he wears a lei. She says it makes it look like he would much rather be somewhere else.

This is precisely the point. We understand he loves Hawaii, the island peoples, its traditions, but he chose to come here, and this sends the message that "This place sucks, my heart's really not in it, I'd rather be thousands of miles away, and as soon as I can I'm going back." If there is some really important tradition where a native Hawaiian chief gives him a lei and it is disrespectful NOT to wear it for the game, then tell us that. I'd at least understand it, and it wouldn't be as open to misinterpretation. Although I would still question the motive of the lei-giver, wanting to remind everyone that this SMU gig is temporary. Surely there is another way for June to show respect to his Hawaiian friends without implying disdain for the school and the state that is paying him millions to be OUR coach.

If I send him a bolo tie every week, would he wear it?

[SMUPhil]

I recall this question being posed in the past, and the answer was that it's always a gift from a Hawaiian visitor. Face the facts, the guy was a god on the islands, and its a traditional Hawaiian gift to bring someone a lei. Sometimes he has visitors/old buddies in town that bring one, and sometimes not. Either way, I don't let it affect me, and if someone asks, I explain the reason I listed above.

[ThadFilms]

Didn't read this thread, but --

June only wears the lei when his friends from Hawaii come in and bring him one. It's a sign of respect to those guys. They fly in from the islands and have a fresh one made for him and several smaller ones for his coaching staff.

A cowboy hat would look silly. Unless he was at another job and we gave him the cowboy hat to wear.

The lei kicks [deleted], because he is showing respect for where he came from while kicking backside at where he is now. I love that about him. KEEP THE LEI!!!!

And, no -- he doesn't just wear a lei randomly. Seriously, folks fly in from Hawaii and give him (as I said), and his coaching staff, leis. Fresh. Real flowers and plants from Hawaii. I think it's a massively cool think that June and the coaches wear them. Such a sign of respect.

Yeah, it's ridiculous in Dallas, Texas. But June doesn't give a [blank]. And that's why we have him as a coach. He's his own guy. SMU sucked for 20 years? "Meh. I'll got to Texas and show 'em how it's done! .... while wearing a lei."

[smupony94]

Met his friends at the Blvd. Very nice guys and yes, they were fresh from the islands.

[BIGHORSE]

Maybe we could give a red and blue Mustang shirt to wear.

[Mestengo]

[MustangSTATS]

He can wear a tuxedo and a racing helmet for all I care. Bring in wins, recruit quality players of character, and keep SMU on the up and up. That is all that really matters. What he wears is his preference.