In the last great celebration before today's Sugar Bowl, thousands of University of Hawai'i football fans last night turned out in force — and in green-and-white beads — for New Year's New Orleans style.

"This is mental!" said Kathy Ortiz, 39, of 'Ewa Beach. "This is more than what we expected. It's just crazy."

Ortiz was one of more than 5,000 Warrior faithful who packed Generations Hall in the New Orleans warehouse district for the Cajun-Warrior New Year's Eve Bash, hosted by Don Murphy and Kurt Osaki.

The evening included a spirited Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who promised, "We're going to be undefeated after tomorrow's game, too!"

Head coach June Jones also made a brief appearance to fete the faithful and to help present a $10,000 check to Habitats for Humanity for continued Katrina relief efforts. In the spirit of giving and receiving, the university also accepted a $75,000 donation from Oceanic Time-Warner Cable.

Despite a one-hour wait in the food line, the mood at the bash was charged with optimism for today's game.

"Everybody said I had to come because this was a once-in-a-lifetime event, but this is just the beginning," said former UH basketball coach Riley Wallace, who flew in to host one of dozens of bowl-related parties this week. "This team will be back with June at the helm."

Longtime UH fan Steve Takahashi, 55, of Kapolei, attended the $125 per person Bash as a way of showing his support for the team and to celebrate a season he called "magic, just unreal."

"I just hope we show good tomorrow," he said. "And if we can do again next year, I'll be back again — maybe at the Fiesta Bowl."

COLT'S DAD JOYFUL

Colt Brennan's father, Terry, marveled at the outpouring of support for the team. He also took a moment to appreciate the final hours of his son's college career.

"I've said before that there's nothing like college football," Brennan said. "Looking out across Bourbon Street and all the UH jackets and shirts, seeing all of these people here tonight, it just doesn't get better than this. I think this was a big reason why Colt decided to stay one more year."

Around the corner, more than 3,000 fans ate, drank and hung on for dear life as Chief Vili Fehoko, musicians Willie K and Nalani Choy and comedian Augie Tulba provided high-volume entertainment in the cavernous Sugar Mill. While Augie T. riffed on the vagaries of TSA airport security and local gambling habits, Willie K predicted, in his best Hawaiian, a royal beating of the Bulldogs.

Sitting outside in the courtyard with New Orleans native and Warrior diehard Kitty Nethery, Matt Lee, 32, of Honolulu, said he couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather spend New Year's Eve.

"I miss the fireworks at home, but I'd much rather be here with all of these UH fans."

"Now," Nethery said, "it's time to play!"

Hundreds of fans eventually migrated from the two parties down to the humid heart of New Year's celebrations on Bourbon Street.

"This is fantastic," said Kevin Fraser, 43, of Kailua. "This is 20 times better than I ever expected."

Fraser and his companion Margie Medalle, 49, spent the previous night partying with Georgia fans and watching Fehoko, the Warriors' ferocious mascot, performing the haka in the middle of Bourbon Street. Last night, it was Medalle who drew the loudest cheers as she danced on the sidewalk of Canal Street to the frantic rhythms of street musicians banging 10-gallon plastic buckets and steel pipes.

By 9 p.m. nearly every major traffic artery in the downtown area was clogged, clearing only with great, unorganized effort for the blaring police cars rushing in and out of the French Quarter. But that was nothing compared to the congestion on the sidewalks of Canal and Bourbon streets, where tens of thousands of revelers — many wearing green and white — braved veritable mosh pits of humanity to get ... somewhere.

Despite the snarls, the mood throughout the city remained light and playful. So did the trash talking between Georgia and Hawai'i fans, including a verbal volley between partisan balconies on opposite sides of Bourbon Street:

Georgia Fan: "Aloha means you suck!!"

UH Fan: "Your mama looks like Uga (the Bulldogs mascot)!"

Georgia Fan: "We love you, baby!"

UH Fan: "Yeah, alooooha!"

By 11:30 p.m., Bourbon Street was virtually impassable, with crowds of Hawai'i, Georgia and LSU fans packed tightly together.

'TOTALLY INSANE'

For UH fans, Warrior-friendly hangouts like Johnny White's and the Karaoke Saloon served as oases from jittery police horses, falling bead necklaces and levitating tops.

"It's totally insane," said Debbie Aikala, 43, of Mililani, who found her way to the Karaoke Saloon with her family. "Now, I just can't wait for the game."

As thousands continued to cram their way onto Bourbon, Punahou graduate Jennifer Cole and her husband Steve, who flew in from Portland to attend today's game, laughed aloud at the scene behind them.

"Hawaiians on Bourbon Street," said Jennifer Cole. "Oh my God!"

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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