YOLi: Day 1

I started the program today!  Yay!

I liked the shake I ate for breakfast and dinner.  I don't care for the berry drink and taking all those pills.  ;p

Wasn't hungry until right before lunch.  But I didn't eat today till a little before 1pm.

I do notice that I use the bathroom more than when I didn't use the program.  Even waking up a couple times to pee at night.

Took my measurements and picture.

Feel good.  Not as sluggish in the AM, or after lunch.

Good start!  I'm encouraged!

YOLI: Day 0

     Tomorrow is the day.  I promise.  I have put this thing off for way too long already.  My transformation kit has been in a box, on the floor, in the kitchen, for a month and a half now.  There are no more weddings, breaks, trips, or restaurant grand openings to hide behind.  Besides, I have to get this thing over before Thanksgiving hits, right?

     I went to a YOLI party this Sunday after running some errands in town with my wife.  Her friend Luu and fiance (Ruby) were in town.  I had a lot of anxiety about starting the program prior to going to the party.  I have never in my life been on a diet.  I have never restricted myself from eating anything.  Well, maybe a little bit.  I'll talk about that later.  Like in another entry.  I'm skinny.  Sometimes I eat good.  Sometimes I eat bad.  Hopefully the good outweighs the bad.  I especially like rice.  White, sticky, delicious, beautiful, rice.  My favorite food on the planet.  And you want me to give that up for 28 days?  Please.

     When I go to the mainland for anything more than a few days, I start to act funny.  My body craves white rice.  Physically.  Emotionally.  Desperately.  I need it.  I need it in my system.  Every day.  The thought of going 28 days without this beautiful substance in me is terrifying.  Like Freddy, Jason, and the Ring kind of scary.  Luu gave some helpful options and suggestions.  It put me at ease.

     Hearing other peoples testimonies and stories at the party are nothing short of awe inspiring.  I lost 22 pounds in a week.  I have more energy.  My relationships with members of my family is better.  This has helped me focus more at work.  It helped with my physical ailments.  I make good money doing this.  Who doesn't want that?  I'm intrigued.  Can this work for me?  That is what I need to find out.

     The new promotional videos are improved over the ones I watched a couple months ago.  I trust what these people are saying.  I can see what it has done for them.  Personally, physically, financially, and even spiritually.  So, I'm ready!  Wish me luck.

Long Term Goal:  Get ripped, and have more energy!
Short Term Goal:  Start manyana!  (tomorrow)

University of Hawaii Season Predictio

I think they will be better.  But make no mistake, I HATE that Chow is still here!  In fact, UH has done very little this calendar year that I have agreed with.  It's been a circus of bumbles, stumbles, and missteps.  To be quite frank, I'm totally disgusted and down on the entire program right now.  

I see 2 guaranteed wins, 4 guaranteed losses, and 8 toss up games.  Is the Hawaii Bowl a possibility?  Yes, but I aint going that far.  Here's how I see the season playing out.

Opponent                   Result               Record        Predicted Score

vs. Colorado                 Loss                  (0-1)                     20-30

@ The Ohio State         Loss                  (0-2)                     10-70

UC Davis                      Win                   (1-2)                     27-13

@ Wisconsin                 Loss                  (1-3)                     13-56

@ Boise State               Loss                  (1-4)                     14-49

vs. SDSU                      Loss                  (1-5)                     28-24

@ UNM                       Loss                  (1-6)                      20-24

@ Nev                          Loss                  (1-7)                     17-27

vs. AFA                        Win                   (2-7)                     23-20

@ UNLV                      Loss                  (2-8)                      27-24

vs. Fresno St                 Win                   (3-8)                      27-23

vs. SJSU                       Win                   (4-8)                      31-17

vs. LA Monroe             Win                    (5-8)                      37-20

Lots of close and tightly contested game.  Just a brutal schedule.  Depth and talent on the offensive and defensive lines are a concern.  I think they will be better offensively.  I saw that at UH practice.  Vast improvement from the Spring to Fall Camp.  I also believe that UH will let Chow return to finish out his contract in 2016.  They are that dumb and cheap.

Looking forward to kicking the season off Thursday Night versus Colorado.

Go Bows!

I guess.

UH Fall Practice (8-21-15)

UH Fall Practice (8-21-15)

Hot

Humid

Sweltering

Did I mention that it was hot?  And all I was doing was sitting in a chair under a tree.  It was brutal.  At least the team got shave ice after practice.  Well, most of the team.  One dude got kicked out of practice.  Bonehead play.  You can't do that stuff.  

There are signs all over.  No pictures.  No video.  I took this picture a few minutes before the start of practice, so it doesn't count, right?

There was a guy that was late to practice.  He did his best Spiderman impersonation on the fence for the majority of practice.  Don't be late kids.  Comic Con is coming up.  But I felt bad for the guy.

I have been told that secrecy is the thing.  So I'm doing my best to be vague.  About everything.  I'm sure that all the information out there from practice is why we are losing, and not an incompetent head co...Nevermind.

The practice opened up with the 2 minute drill.  Bailey stressed Tempo, tempo, TEMPO!  Throughout the practice.  He wanted, "Energy and Enthusiasm!"  

Wittek has all but locked up the job.  Looked like they were trying to get some playing time to the young guys to figure out who was going to be on the road roster.  Dylan Coolie looks to be very involved on offense and special teams.  I was surprised by RB Melvin Davis.  Nice size and is pretty shifty.

Team looks a lot better than the last practice I attended in the Spring.  More disciplined as well.  Best practice that I have been to in the Chow Era.  Lots of teaching, explaining, and defining concepts.  I was happy to see that.  

70's and 80's music seem to have replaced the rap and hip hop music that I had heard during my last couple of visits to watch the team practice.  There were about 40-50 onlookers.  I sat by a couple of people that like to read and post on the Scout Warrior message board.  They would like to remain anonymous.  Ah, the beauty of the internet.

I'm optimistic.  Leaning towards 5 wins for this upcoming season.  Schedule is just brutal.  With no bye weeks.  Ugh.

Looking forward to kicking this thing off against Colorado week after next!

Go Bows!

David Matlin & Don Bailey at the Downtown Athletic Club

This was my first time attending an event at the Downtown Athletic Club at the Hukilau located at the Executive Center.  It featured the new Athletic Director for the University of Hawaii, David Matlin, and Offensive Coordinator for the Rainbow Warrior football team, Don Bailey.  Hosted by ESPN's 1420AM, the event kicked off smoothly at 12:00pm.  There were about 80-90 people in attendance.  $20 got you a buffet style lunch of rice, chicken, steak strips, salad, and some type of coconut dessert.

David Matlin was introduced.  It struck me how small he was in stature.  Its a daunting job that he's got.  He shot right into a prepared statement talking about the value of Division 1 Athletics for the State of Hawaii.  It had the feel of an introductory press conference.  Personally, I would have preferred he talk about his first three months on the job, and bang the can on the upcoming sports year.  Volleyball and football season is right around the corner.  It has been shocking to me how little in the way that UH has promoted and pushed for season ticket sales for these two programs.  Especially considering that football carries the entire athletic department.

Matlin hit his points about the value of athletics here.  He talked about justification for having UH Athletics to create leaders for the future both here in Hawaii and abroad.  Stewardship, the importance of utilizing  every dollar given to the greatest potential for the athletic department and school.  Sees athletics and the department as an investment, and wants to gain trust back.  Transparency, admitting when mistakes are done and correcting them so they won't happen again.  His last point in this opening salvo was continuous improvement.  He said it his goal to improve on one thing each day.  By picking one thing each day and working on that, he can better himself and the department.  He called it the 1% solution.  He said he challenged the 350 students and 450 employees in the department to improve on just one thing a day.  By improving something everyday, the school and you could be so much better.

He went on to discuss the guiding principles of his administration.  I think he covered this in his introductory press conference.  They include: integrity, winning, innovation, brand image, engagement, faculty involvement, ownership and engagement, outreach, community involvement, and having a positive mindset.  Said the last point was very key for him.  Having a positive mindset when tacking huge problems, which UH has, is key to improvement.

Kurt Ozaki was then introduced.  He on behalf of the, "We Get Em" campaign presented a $30,000 check to Matlin.  Audience was then asked if they had any questions.  Only one person asked about a Family Zone at Aloha Stadium for the upcoming season.  John McNamarra jumped in and told what sections of Aloha Stadium was designated as family friendly and what to do if people were being too rowdy in that section, by texting or notifying an usher.

Don Bailey was then introduced.  He is living in Ewa Beach and doesn't seem to mind the commute to Manoa everyday.  He gets there early in the morning before the sun rises and gets home after the sun sets.  So I'm assuming he misses the horrible traffic.  He talked about his encounters with people here, and how much UH football means to Hawaii and the fans of the program.  He said that he would rather play good teams then cupcakes.  He'll get his wish with road games at The Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Boise State this season.  He assured the crowd that we will see a different product this coming season.  Spring Ball (Practice) went well and they improved offensively as camp progressed.  He added that he didn't want to talk about the changes, he can't wait to show people what they were going to do.

A member of the audience brought up a question about starting QB for the Rainbow Warriors, Max Wittek.  Bailey said that he was a talented individual and talked about his journey from high school, to USC, to sitting out a year, in order to have a year of eligibility here at Hawaii.  The discussion then turned to the offense.  He didn't want to talk about scheme.  He did say that they will go fast (uptempo) to manipulate the defense.  They will make the defense react and they will be aggressive in style.  Their aim will be to stretch the defense.

Talked about the different position groups starting with RB.  Mentioned DSJ and the need for him to stay healthy.  Talked about the two JC transfers of Davis and Harris, as well as projected starter, Steven Lakalaka.  Bobby asked if the O-line had enough (depth) to make it through the season.  He didn't seem that concerned about it and was quite confident in their ability to protect the QB and make holes for the RB's.

Bailey went on to add that he incorporated his system into the offensive system already in place.  Easier for 1 person (him) to learn a new system, then 40 guys learning a new one.  Said he liked to use the TE at Idaho State and would like to use them here at Hawaii.  Went on to discuss the array of WR's on the roster and what they bring to the offense.

A question was brought up about the offense and percentages.  Bailey said that last year they passed 55% of the time, and ran 45% of the time.  But that was predicated on the look of the defense and personnel on the field.  The question was asked about how much of the offense would be in his hands.  He simply said that HE is in control and will call all of the offensive plays.

Bobby concluded by saying there were 37 days till the kickoff between UH and Colorado at Aloha Stadium on Thursday Night.

I enjoyed the meeting.  Bailey more than Matlin, based on material.  Nice seeing friends such as Dave, Lance, and Alan at the event.  If you have never gone to the Hukilau, I suggest you go!  I think their Kobe Burger is THE BEST burger on the island!  I took a few pictures, but they were all jacked up due to the strange lighting and shadows in the restaurant.

GO BOWS!

NFL Predictions!

     I watch a lot of football!  Which is precisely why most of these picks will be horribly wrong!  Behold, my NFL predictions for the 2014 season!

AFC East

New England Patriots (12-4)

Miami Dolphins (8-8)

New York Jets (7-9)

Buffalo Bills (3-13)

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens (10-6)

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

Cleveland Browns (2-14)

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts (11-5)

Tennessee Titans (8-8)

Houston Texans (7-9)

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)

AFC West

Denver Broncos (12-4)

Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)

San Diego Chargers (8-8)

Oakland Raiders (5-11)

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)

Washington Redskins (9-7)

Dallas Cowboys (7-9)

New York Giants (5-11)

NFC North

Green Bay Packers (11-5)

Chicago Bears (9-7)

Detroit Lions (8-8)

Minnesota Vikings (4-12)

NFC South

New Orleans Saints (12-4)

Atlanta Falcons (9-7)

Carolina Panthers (7-9)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10)

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks (12-4)

San Francisco 49ers (9-7)

Arizona Cardinals (8-8)

St Louis Rams (5-11)

Playoffs!

AFC Wild Card Round

Indianapolis Colts over Cincinnati Bengals (WC)

Baltimore Ravens over Pittsburgh Steelers (WC)

AFC Divisional Round

Denver Broncos over Baltimore Ravens

New England Patriots over Indianapolis Colts

AFC Championship Game

Denver Broncos over New England Patriots

NFC Wild Card Round

San Francisco 49ers (WC) over Philadelphia Eagles 

Green Bay Packers over Chicago Bears (WC)

NFC Divisional Round

Seattle Seahawks over San Francisco 49ers

New Orleans Saints over Green Bay Packers

NFC Championship Game

Seattle Seahawks over New Orleans Saints

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Peyton Manning

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Watt

NFL MVP: Drew Brees

NFL Coach of the Year: Sean Payton

NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Rob Gronkowski

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Brandin Cooks

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jadeveon Clowney

Super Bowl XLIX

Seattle Seahawks: 27

Denver Broncos: 23

Warning!  Sean Eyman is nothing but a Dude that watches football!  He knows absolutely nothing about anything!  He has a total bias towards the Seattle Seahawks!  Wagering on football is illegal in Hawaii!  

UH Fall Practice (8-9-14)

     I went to UH Fall Practice on Saturday Morning.  I was one of about thirty onlookers during the humid, yet crisply run 2 hour workout at the TC Ching Athletic Complex.  Practice started at 10:15am.  At 10:10am all of the players were out on the field.  If you are on time, you are late according to Coach Chow.

     Music blared from the speakers.  Soundtrack consisted of mainly hip-hop and rap.  Artists such as DJ Khaled, Lil' Wayne, Drake, Eminem, Snoop and Akon.  Special Teams was there prior to the start of things and were routinely booming 40 yard field goals through the top of the uprights.  Special Teams could very well be the strongest unit and backbone of this team once again this season.  Is that a good thing?  I don't know.  But its true.

     Offense sells tickets and defense wins championships is the old adage, right?  Which is why our program is at the brink of slipping into the abyss of college football.  Let's start with the quarterbacks.  This is Sophomore Ikaika Woolsey's job to lose.  He can get the ball out fast to his pass catchers and has the legs to scramble down field better than any of the other players in the mix for the starting job.  He took the first snap on most drills and led the 2 minute/red zone offense at the end of practice.

     Taylor Graham looks to have recovered from surgery to his shoulder.  But his slow and deliberate wind up might not be beneficial to the offense.  As defensive linemen will look to swat the ball away in the pocket and defensive backs are looking to jump a WR's route down field.  A quarter second can be the difference between a sack or a touchdown.  I'm still not convinced that he can get through his progression fast enough and get the ball out quick enough to be, "Da Guy".

     I liked what I saw out of Freshman Beau Reilly.  He could very well be the QB of the future for the Bows.  Maybe even starting this year if the season goes off the tracks and we find ourselves at 0-7 or 0-8.

     The offense at times looked like what June Jones ran at Hawaii.  Running 4 WR's and motioning a RB/FB out to the flat.  Working to get the ball out quickly from the QB's hands.  Chow still prefers to pound the rock (ball) using power option, toss sweeps and trap plays when it matters most.  Joey Iosefa has NFL talent and will be the workhorse.  I just hope Chow doesn't pound him into the ground with 35+ touches a game.

     The starting WR's have talent.  They lack depth.  I have a feeling the freshmen will play.  Any more injuries at this position would be a detrimental catastrophe to this decimated unit.  Was really impressed with Marcus Kemp and Don Yeh Patterson.  Didn't see that much from the TE's.  Seemed to be mostly used as blockers.  What little balls went their way were either poorly thrown or outright dropped.  Would be surprised if this position is an important part of the offense this season.

     Defense dominated the 2 minute and red zone offense at the end of the practice.  Team worked on alignment and assignment during practice.  I didn't pay much attention to their drills.  Choosing to focus more on the QB's and WR's.

     I came away impressed and not as pessimistic as my 1 win game total for next season.  Team has potential to win 4+ games if a QB steps up and injuries aren't an issue going forward.  Those are big ifs though.  Is it enough to get Chow to year 4?  Not sure.  But it was by far the best practice I have seen in the Chow Era.

Go Bows!