McFeely: Hawaii, somehow, blocks out distractions in paradise

Mike McFeely / The Forum Opinion by Mike McFeely Today at 5:21 PM Listen Comments Share Share this article Opinion Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. The Trust Project What is this? HONOLULU — The University of Hawaii campus is less than two miles from Waikiki Beach, a small strip of white sand that allows a stunning view of the long-dormant Diamond Head volcano and the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean. For millions of tourists, this is paradise. For locals, the tame waves rolling into the sand offer a good enough opportunity to surf that some were paddling through the water in the dark at 5:45 on Tuesday morning. “Dedicated,” thought a first-time visitor to Oahu who was sitting in the sand waiting for the sun to rise above towering resorts and condominiums that crowd the beach while watching a few dozen surfers paddling to find a wave. ADVERTISEMENT Mike McFeely / The Forum The moment also allowed this thought to pass through his flat-lander mind: How in the world does Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang find kids who’d rather be grinding on a football field than partaking in all the fun and recreation Hawaii has to offer? The Rainbow Warriors practice in the morning, before the tropical heat stings the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex the Hawaii football team calls home. While visiting media are not allowed to attend practice, I can tell you that even standing outside the stadium at 9:30 a.m. waiting for Chang’s weekly media availability, it was clear the team was having a spirited practice. North Dakota State is making its first visit to Hawaii on Saturday, and the Rainbow Warriors had work to do. “We’re gonna be tested,” Chang said to a handful of media at the conclusion of practice, even as the 3-6 Rainbow Warriors are coming off consecutive victories on the mainland at Northern Illinois and UTEP. When the opportunity presented itself, this question was tossed at Chang: Coming from a place that is dark and frozen about seven months of the year and making a first visit to this wonderful place, how do you keep kids focused on football here? “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Chang said. “But the guys here, the people that are lucky enough to be born here and play for this program, they know how special this place is and how special the people are. And then for those who are not from here, they get to kind of embrace the culture and who we are. As beautiful as it, there are always challenges that present themselves but our guys love it. We want them to focus on football and school.” Tuesday was a typical mid-November day for Honolulu, with a few light clouds scattered across a deep blue sky and the afternoon temperature scratching above 80 degrees. Wind gusts hitting 30 miles per hour were causing the palm trees to sway hard back and forth. There was not a pair of long pants or a long-sleeved shirt seen on the campus of 20,000 as students were working their way to class, the student union or the ring of food trucks near the campus entrance. ADVERTISEMENT Mike McFeely / The Forum Paradise, folks. “No doubt, there’s a lot of distractions,” said second-year wide receiver Titan Lacaden, named the Mountain West Conference’s freshman of the week after catching a career-high 11 passes for 109 yards in Hawaii’s 17-14 victory at UTEP last Saturday. “This is a big tourist place, a lot of stuff going on, but for a local boy, this is life. At least for me, this is life.” Lacaden is from nearby Kapolei, just west of Honolulu, and went to the private Saint Louis School in the big city. He is one of 49 homegrown players on Hawaii’s roster. Listed at 5-foot-6 and 175 pounds, Lacaden is an undersized player common on the Rainbow Warriors’ roster. He said he was recruited by some FCS Big Sky Conference schools, but decided to stay home. Mike McFeely / The Forum “Football is not always just working," Lacaden said. "Like I said earlier, it teaches us about life and it could be our ticket to get off this rock and have a chance to go play professionally or just have free schooling. Not a lot of guys can make it out. We have a lot of guys who made it through high school but never had a chance to make it at that next level. I’ve always treated it like football is our boat to a better life.” Jamih Otis is a senior linebacker for Hawaii, a native of Las Vegas who went to high school powerhouse Bishop Gorman in that city. He’s played from the moment he stepped on campus as a true freshman in 2023, making all-Mountain West honorable mention last season. He leads Hawaii with 64 tackles this season. He comes from a football family and one gets the sense all 5-11, 220 pounds of him are a football guy. Jamih, how do you guys stay focused on this beautiful piece of real estate surrounded by the bluest ocean a person will ever see? ADVERTISEMENT Mike McFeely / The Forum “I mean, honestly, we’re at the facility 24/7 so we’re around each other most of the time and I think on our off time — whether it’s at home, the beach, whatever — we always kind of keep it together as a brotherhood,” Otis said. “If we’re not here, we’re probably at somebody’s house and we’re always trying to keep the main thing the main thing. We set a goal, set a mission, so I think we’re locked in.” This outlook, friends in Fargo and North Dakota, is worthy of a tip of the stocking cap. It can’t be easy living in paradise. MORE FROM MIKE McFEELY: Columns McFeely: Democrats don't need your advice It didn't take long for Republicans to lecture Democrats on how to govern. 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Tags Tags THE MCFEELY MESS MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE BISON MEDIA ZONE BISON FOOTBALL Opinion by Mike McFeely Mike McFeely is a columnist for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. He began working for The Forum in the 1980s while he was a student studying journalism at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He's been with The Forum full time since 1990, minus a six-year hiatus when he hosted a local radio talk-show. 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