From The Backfield With Ken Simonton

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Dec. 3, 1999

MY FIRST - TRIP TO HAWAII / BOWL GAME:

"This is a great feeling. I'm going to just consider it my vacation - all my hard word has paid off, now I get a free trip to Hawaii. I had a couple opportunities to go before but things didn't work out. But I'm glad I waited - my first visit and I'll get my performance on all in one. I am definitely digging it. I'm looking forward to that beach and the sun. I guess I'll walk around like a damn tourist just to see what I can see and act a fool. I'm taking my camcorder because we have enough characters on the team to make it entertaining. I will not even begin to think about the game until the day before and once I step on the field it's all business but until that point, no thoughts of the University of Hawaii. Just fun in the sun."

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII: "I really haven't had a chance to see them play much. I know they finished off the season pretty strong, except for in the lost against Washington State. In looking at the film, they have a tough defense; it's the strength of their team - just like ours so my job won't be any easier. We have a lot of weapons to use against Hawaii and I don't really expect them to make the game too close for us (unless we go over there BS'n)."

Ahhh - NO PRACTICE: "The time off from practice has been lovely. I will continue to enjoy my couch a little bit; it has been a long year so it's cool that the coaches let us get some rest. But it is time for the comfort to end, we need to come out next week and have some sharp practices. The last thing I want for us is to come out rusty and get slapped around on national television.

THE END OF FALL TERM: "Well I'm disappointed to say - I didn't finish this term as well as I should have. I didn't take a real challenging load of classes this term and it backfired. Instead of my grades getting better, they got worst. I have a heavier load in the winter so I'm going to get on the ball. I guest I work better under pressure."

THE ONLY THINGS I FEAR:

"The first question I asked was - what size plane are we flying to Hawaii in? I don't enjoy flying as it is and I honestly wasn't going to go if they were flying us over on a little kite like we normally take. No! There is no way that I'll fly over water in a little wind-hopper. No! I figure, in a big plane they could find some bodies for a proper burial. I might as well go snorkeling too if I would have had to take a chance in a small plane over the water. Which leads me to my next fear - I have nightmares about the ocean so you will not see me snorkeling or scuba diving. No! I'm cool. No one is getting me under ocean waters. I don't even mess with too many lakes. If I can't see the bottom, I won't be in it. I need to be able to spot something coming like - the Lochness Monster, a Great White or octopus or something."

WHAT'S NEXT?

"After the bowl game, I will rest and heal up then get into a baseball frame of mind. My busy schedule makes it difficult to give baseball 100%, but I want to practice with the team and hopefully compete for a spot around mid-season."

ABOUT MY OVERALL HEALTH:

"I'm still a little banged up right now. My ankle is still ginger and it's bothering me - I twisted in the third quarter of the Oregon game and my shoulder is banged up. Right now I'm at 80%, I plan to reach 90% by the 18th and I'll let the sun give me the other 10%. So, I will be ready-ready by Christmas Day!"