I believe pigs can fly. I believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.
I believe that the Golden State Warriors are capable of a 70-game win season, that Mike Tyson can still regain the heavyweight title, and that one day Vidinha Stadium will harbor facilities which don’t date back to the King Kaumualii Era.
I even believe the world will be spared another deafening Celine Dion album.
After witnessing the staggering turnaround to the Kaua’i Cowboys season only a few weeks ago, I can believe in pretty much anything.
In just a few weeks, the Bad News Bears of football have gone from punching bag to boxing glove in the HFL semi-pro football league.
And they’re only getting better.
The Cowboys, who began the season at 0-3, have won two games in a row – a 30-6 drubbing of the Kihei Heat, and an 18-0 win over the Waiakea Rage.
They were in last place, now they’re in a three-way tie for fourth. Their defense allowed over 70 points in the first two games and just six in their last two. They had two quarterbacks, then four (or was it three?), but now they have just one – a rifle named Andrew Kamanao, who turned Kaua’i’s air production from 47 yards one week to 375 yards the next.
Now they will host the Kona Razorbacks (also with 2 wins 3 losses in the HFL Standings) in their final and most crucial football game of the season.
If they win the game, which will be played at Vidinha Stadium at 3 p.m. on Saturday, the Cowboys will likely head to the playoffs.
Since they trail the two other teams in points for/points against ratio, they will either need the Maui Stars to lose on Saturday, or to score at least 40 points against Kona to take the fourth and final playoff spot.
Whether they end up making it to the postseason or not, the Cowboys should be pleased with their 2002 season.
Like the US Soccer team, no one expected they would be contenders.
Prior to 2002, the Cowboys had two straight seasons with just one win, and were hardly players in the HFL title hunt.
Now, after turning their season around in just one week, the Cowboys don’t know where they stand in the league, but know its nowhere near last place.
With a new-look offense and solidified defense, would they lose to Na Kani Koa again? Even if the Hilo Storm (5-0) has proven to be the dominant HFL team, could they walk all over the Cowboys the way they did in the second game of the season?
We’ll never know, but we may get an idea on Saturday.
Game notes:
u Gates open at 2:30 p.m.
u Admission is $5 per person, kids 10 & under free.
u Huli Huli Chicken tickets for July 6 will be on sale.
u For more information call Koko at 828-6633.
