READERS RESPOND TO DEPARTURE OF COACH JONES

LOSS WILL REVERBERATE BEYOND ATHLETIC FIELDS

I am not especially a football fan and never have been, but the amazingly successful season that the University of Hawai'i Warriors just completed definitely drew my attention during the past few months.

I was caught up in the fun and glory of what the football team accomplished, up to and including the Sugar Bowl game.

I have just read all of the accounts by Advertiser reporters in the Jan. 8 newspaper regarding the sorry debacle of June Jones' exit as UH football coach.

The stunning disregard for a coach of Jones' caliber, capacity and decency that was so callously demonstrated by Herman Frazier and other UH administrators only serves to highlight their ineptitude and uncaring attitude.

The loss of June Jones will reverberate beyond UH athletic fields for years to come and will affect not only the football team, but other UH athletic teams and even future admissions at the school, a place that will be known as "the university that couldn't keep a winning coach."

The loss of June Jones is highlighted further by the e-mail from Jones to Frazier that was printed in full in yesterday's newspaper. In it, Jones demonstrates that he is a kind, compassionate and caring person who clearly values the university, his players and his coaches. The e-mail only heightens the insensitivity and ignorance of Frazier and others who are responsible for Hawai'i's loss of Jones to SMU.

As Jones states with graciousness in his e-mail to Frazier, "the next guy will get everything that I have wanted as it will wake up those that have to make those decisions."

We can only hope that the others learn from this experience. For Frazier, it's too late.

FANS MUST CONTINUE TO SUPPORT UH FOOTBALL

First of all, I want to thank June Jones, Colt Brennan and all members of the Warriors football team for giving Hawai'i and its fans a phenomenal season, taking the University of Hawai'i to heights it's never been before. You gave us so many reasons to celebrate, and we are proud of what you've accomplished!

On a much sadder note, I am disappointed it has come to the point where June Jones had no better choice than to accept the position at SMU. It didn't really have to come to this, but it did, and Hawai'i has lost an incredible coach and mentor, among other things.

The ramifications of his departure will impact the football program, the university and the state negatively for many months, if not years to come.

It also saddens me to hear that some season-ticket holders and Warrior "fans" will not attend future games or support the team because of what happened with June Jones.

This is when the team will need our support the most, especially since they are not getting support from the Athletics Department and UH administration.

It's not the team's fault. We can't just be fair-weather fans. Win or lose, we need to support our UH Warrior football.

Best wishes to June Jones at SMU. I know he'll turn their program around like he did Hawai'i's.

MONEY WOULD BE BETTER SPENT ON EDUCATION

I appreciate all the momentum for the University of Hawai'i football team that June Jones has helped to create.

However, I think that it's a shame that many are willing to pay a football coach upward of $1 million when many of our schools are in disrepair and we don't raise the pay of our educators, which would, in turn, raise the quality of our teachers who are responsible for teaching our children with whom our future rests.

I support UH football and June Jones, but I would rather see that money put toward educational purposes both in the university and in our public schools.

UH SHOULD HIRE CHOW, TOMEY — QUICKLY

As a graduate of the University of Hawai'i more than 50 years ago, I am very disappointed and embarrassed by the events of the past week.

Rather than pointing fingers, I hope we learn from past mistakes and move on to restore our image to the high we enjoyed just a week ago.

As a start, I recommend the following to the chancellor of Manoa, the UH president and the governor: Get Dick Tomey and Norm Chow for UH AD and football coach, respectively, and do it quickly.

DEPARTURE SHOWS LACK OF ALOHA FOR HAWAI'I

June Jones' sudden and unexpected departure has left the University of Hawai'i football program in shambles.

He has displayed a breathtaking lack of aloha for his players, the assistant coaches, the fans and the state. Good riddance!

UH WAS SHORTSIGHTED, DOESN'T DESERVE JONES

How stupid and shortsighted UH has been in letting June Jones go.

If it had checked any university that has had as dramatic a turnaround in its sports program, it would have found that there was a sharp increase in student applications, in the academic quality of both students and faculty, in alumni donations, in the quality of athletes, in the enrollment of local athletes, in ease of recruiting, in sales of related merchandise, and in attendance and season-ticket sales.

All this started at least three years ago and would have accelerated after this year's spectacular season. Good luck, June; UH doesn't deserve you.

MEMORIES, RECORDS WILL ALWAYS STAY WITH US

Most of us are saddened by June Jones' decision to leave the University of Hawai'i.

But the lasting memories, school records and fun times will never be forgotten.

On a personal note, I was never really into UH football yet alone any football game.

After watching this season, I've come to understand and enjoy the game. This one season brought the true meaning of 'ohana. Having family and friends gather to watch the game, whether at Aloha Stadium or on TV, gave another reason to spend time with others, have fun and enjoy the moment. It brought a whole community together, not only in the Islands but thousands of miles away in New Orleans.

Jones had faith in us nine years ago. Now let's have faith in Jones that he made the right decision to coach at SMU.

UH SYSTEM POORLY DIRECTED, MANAGED

It's not only athletics. So don't just blame Herman Frazier.

June Jones' departure is the most recent symptom of the misdirection and poor state of the entire University of Hawai'i system.

Leadership appears sluggishly impotent and reactive. Key facilities — academic, athletic and social — are in poor shape.

Prioritization seems too difficult for state and UH leaders to accomplish, tuition is too low at the flagship Manoa campus, the education system is under-funded, available resources are spread too thin across all campuses and alumni association membership is over-priced.

The unsavory architectural potpourri across the Manoa academic "village" is exemplary of our history of rudderless planning.

If we want a flagship university representing Hawai'i, as well as a supporting system of higher-education alternatives, we need leadership with vision, top-down state government focus, depoliticization of planning, stratification of the universities and community colleges, innovative resourcing, strategies and more alumni participation.

What's our vision? At least Evan Dobelle had that!

IN END, COACH JONES ABANDONED HIS 'OHANA

Regarding Lee Cataluna's Jan. 8 column: Everything you said about June Jones is right on the money.

He talked the talk but when it came to walking the walk — he did — right out the door!

Jones was quoted in The Advertiser, referring to UH's contract offers, saying: "Actions speak louder than words."

This seems to apply here as well. No matter how you look at it, he abandoned his 'ohana.

Could he have waited just a few days to help his "children" recover from the emotional and physical battering they suffered in the bowl game? (Another point well-spoken: They were obviously not prepared to meet what they had to face there.)

There are four of us — you, Joe Moore, my husband and I — who are on the same page. "Don't let the door hit you in the wallet on the way out."

ELECTED LEADERS HAVE BEEN TEARING DOWN UH

Coach June Jones, in one sentence, described the blight of Hawai'i's governance in his e-mail to Herman Frazier, when he stated, "but this is reactionary instead of visionary."

Hawai'i residents want to have a big-time program, but keep electing the same people who have been tearing down our university for the past 15 to 20 years.

Hawai'i, if you want to be big time, you have to stop electing small-time thinkers.