If you are reading this blog you probably know how I feel about Norm Chow. I hate him. When he was hired, he wasn't my first choice to be the next head coach at UH to follow Greg McMackin. He wasn't my second choice either. Nor my thir...nevermind.
I hated his offense on BYU back in the 80's and 90's. I thought it was arrogant. Slow. Plodding. Horrible. The thought of it attempting to be installed at UH didn't sit well with me. In order for the system to work properly, you need top of the line recruits. The kind that UH simply doesn't get. But this was what our fearless leaders (MRC and Rockne) came up with.
Following Chow's introductory press conference, I was fully on board. Chow Time. I got the shirts, I bought into what he was saying, this might take some time, but it was going to work. Right? Wrong. Horribly, horribly, WRONG!
After two horrendous, and that might be putting it lightly, years at UH, Chow has gone 4-20 including a 1-11 season last year. Football season ticket sales are in the toilet, the UH Athletic Department is a mess, and most UH fans are frustrated beyond belief. And did I mention that we don't have a QB returning in 2014? At least one with very much game experience. We are switching to a more wide-open WR heavy offense. The one like June used to run. Should have kept Rolo. Whoops. Losing Kirkwood is a huge blow.
I had to think long and hard about giving up my season tickets for football. My family has occupied the same seats at Aloha Stadium since 1980. I grew up watching the Rainbow Warriors. Chow has killed this team and fan base. Tearing this team down so far that it has no idea how to stand back up. This team has no idea how to win. Its coach is stubborn. Beyond belief.
How the team plays against Washington could be telling for how the rest of the season goes. Get the doors blown off against the Dogs and Aloha Stadium will more than likely be a ghost town for the rest of the season. Give Washington a game and give the players, fan base and alumni something they haven't had in a long time. Hope. I don't think many are expecting UH to beat UW. But it would be nice for the game to be in question in the 2nd half. I hate leaving Aloha Stadium at the end of the 3rd quarter. A damn near weekly tradition for my father and I in the Chow Era.
I believe that this will be Norm Chow's last season in Manoa. Why? Because he is a horrible head football coach and doesn't have the staff, players, system or skill set to be, "Da Guy" to turn it around. I renewed my season tickets. With the hopes that Ciao Time is near. Here's my prediction on a game by game basis.
Opponent Score Result Record
Washington 13-31 Loss 0-1
Oregon State 10-24 Loss 0-2
Northern Iowa 24-21 Win 1-2
@ Colorado 27-13 Loss 1-3
@ Rice 28-10 Loss 1-4
Wyoming 23-16 Win 2-4
@ San Diego State 13-33 Loss 2-5
Nevada 20-21 Loss 2-6
Utah State 17-27 Loss 2-7
@ Colorado State 35-13 Loss 2-8
@ San Jose State 27-14 Loss 2-9
UNLV 23-14 Win 3-9
@ Fresno State 40-17 Loss 3-10
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I predict that Norm Chow will be fired after the conclusion of the season. Ben Jay will face a lot of pressure to fire Chow after the 7th loss of the season. I think he humors Chow and lets him coach out the rest of the season. He has too much respect for him. I would love to be wrong and spend Christmas cheering on the Bows in the Hawaii Bowl. I just don't see that happening though. You can change the offense, but at the end of the day, Norm Chow is still coaching this team. He will pound that ball into the middle of the pile when the chips are down. Or until Joey Iosefa breaks. He can't help it. Old dog, same tendencies. Jordan Wynn's offense my okole. At least until the end of the season.
I think Chow needs at least 5 wins to get to year four. I just don't see those wins on the schedule. This is the least excited I have ever been to kick off a new college football season. Thanks Chow. But for what its worth, Go Bows!
