NEW ORLEANS — Who dat say Hawai'i gonna beat dem Dawgs?

Well, a lot of New Orleanians, for starters.

On the eve of the Sugar Bowl, a game in which the undefeated Western Athletic Conference champions find themselves an underdog to perennial powerhouse Georgia, the Warriors found a chorus of support from the host city.

And while the reasons for that support may have less to do with the team than with a general disdain for Georgia, a bitter rival of hometown Louisiana State, New Orleans locals haven't been shy in throwing their bayou voices behind the Green and White.

"I want Hawai'i to win," said local musician Vic Shepherd. "Georgia doesn't want to be here — they want to be playing next week (in the BCS title game, also in New Orleans) — but Hawai'i is happy to be here and happy to be in the Sugar Bowl. Their fans came here with the right attitude. They just want to relax and have fun like us."

Russell Petee, an assistant manager at the Karaoke Saloon on Bourbon Street, said a UH victory would be a welcome shock to the Bowl Championship Series system.

"I want to see you all screw up the BCS this year," Petee said. "Especially with LSU in the championship game with their two losses."

Sam Taylor, a lifelong New Orleans resident, said he started paying attention to UH late in the season and liked what he saw — both on and off the field.

"New Orleans can appreciate a team that goes out and does things their own way," Taylor said. "They're all out there with their hair and their tattoos and all of that, but when it comes time to play, they can really play. And ain't nobody in this town, I think, going to be sorry to see them Dawgs get a whuppin'."

Adolph Vicknair, a security guard at the Riverwalk Marketplace, favors Hawai'i, too, but he's not so sure that his struggling city really cares either way.

"New Orleans ain't rooting for Hawai'i or Georgia, they're rooting for your money," he said, laughing. "We need your money!

"Personally, though, I like Hawai'i because they're the underdog. They haven't won anything in a long time, so I hope they beat Georgia and make all their fans happy."

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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