112 | The Life, Lessons, and Legacy of Dick Tomey Part 1: Rise of the Rainbow Warriors with Lance Tominaga

About the Guest
Lance Tominaga is a seasoned sports journalist and ESPN Honolulu web editor known for his deep understanding of the college football landscape, especially concerning the University of Hawaii. He is the co-author of "Rise of the Rainbow Warriors," which chronicles the journey of Hawaii football from 1977 to 1987 under the leadership of Coach Dick Tomey. Tominaga has built a career on documenting the moments that shape teams, programs, and lives within the sports world.

Episode Summary
Delve into the riveting journey of legendary college football coach Dick Tomey in this episode of Becoming UnDone. Host Toby Brooks sits down with respected sports writer Lance Tominaga to explore the remarkable life and legacy of Coach Tomey, spanning his transformative years at the University of Hawaii, his pioneering spirit, and the enduring impact he left on players, staff, and the sport itself.

In this episode, Toby Brooks and Lance Tominaga walk through Dick Tomey's initial years in Hawaii, highlighting his inclusive philosophy of treating the football program like a family. They discuss how Coach Tomey embraced Hawaiian culture, significantly influencing his coaching success. The conversation touches on the challenges of coaching in modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals and the transfer portal have reshaped the landscape, making the traditional role of a coach far more complex. Through captivating stories and insights, they underscore how Tomey's approach remains a gold standard for leadership in sports.

Key Takeaways

• Cultural Immersion and Family Values: Dick Tomey's success at the University of Hawaii was significantly shaped by his ability to immerse himself in and embrace Hawaiian culture, treating the football program as a family.
• From Humble Beginnings to Impactful Leadership: Despite lacking head coaching experience, Tomey's hard work, honesty, and relationship-building were key to his development into a transformative leader in college football.
• Challenges of Modern-Day Coaching: The complexities and demands of today's college football landscape, influenced by NIL and transfer portals, contrast sharply with Tomey's era, exemplifying his timeless leadership style.
• Legacy Beyond Wins and Losses: Though Tomey never won a national or outright conference championship, his legacy is defined by the profound personal impacts he had on those he coached and worked with.
• Personal Stories and Anecdotes: Shared memories from players and staff illustrate how Tomey's personal touch and care for his players’ growth extended far beyond the football field.

Notable Quotes

• “Coach Tomey wasn't just teaching football, he was teaching life.” – Toby Brooks
• “In Hawaii, family ohana is very important, and he immersed himself into that culture.” – Lance Tominaga
• “Football isn't complicated. People are.” – Coach Dick Tomey
• “He made you feel important, even if it was the first and last time he was meeting with you.” – Lance Tominaga
• “The program has never really recaptured that magic that coach had… because it was something new, it was something exciting.” – Lance

Transcript

0:00:04 - (Lance Tominaga): This is becoming undone. Coach told me he was, I think his vision for the program that I think the fans really took to was he considered the football program a family. And he truly a woman like family. And you know, in his coaching shows at the end of the year, he would always have a music video of the team enjoying themselves, having picnics. He really brought that family atmosphere. And you know, of course in Hawaii, family ohana is very important. 

0:00:42 - (Lance Tominaga): And Kochi was just really willing to immerse himself into the culture. 

0:00:58 - (Toby Brooks): Coaching big time College Football in 2025 is not for the faint of heart. Heck, all of college athletics for that matter, but football in particular. You've got huge rosters, millions of dollars of name, image and likeness or NIL money, and these collectives that seem to have emerged from the drywall overnight that support them. And then there's the transfer portal. Now don't get me wrong, reform in college sports was long overdue. 

0:01:23 - (Toby Brooks): Back in the days before nil, I personally saw and worked with college athletes who were so poor they couldn't afford more than one meal a day. All the while, fans paid hundreds or even thousands of dollars for tickets to watch them play. And their hundred dollar jerseys were on sale in the bookstores, yet they didn't get a dime. But still, things have gotten crazy and fast. In many ways, it's like all the worst parts of pro sports without the benefit of pro contracts to keep everybody accountable. 

0:01:52 - (Toby Brooks): When sports commentators talk about the wild west of college sports, I think that's what they're talking about. So when you see coaching legends like Nick Saban and basketball coaches like Jay Wright or Mike Krzyzewski, Tony Bennett step away from the sport, suddenly in some cases, it's tempting to think, wow, these guys were older. Maybe they were ready to hang it up and spend some more time at home. 

0:02:13 - (Toby Brooks): Or maybe they were ready to hand the reins of their teams over to some fresh blood. And you'd probably be right. At least sorta. There's also something to just how hard the system has made life on coaches today. You literally have to re recruit your entire roster every single day. And then there's the scrutiny. Can you imagine what Internet message boards and social media would have said back in the day about lightning rods like Bobby Knight? Or even old school tough guy coaches like Vince Lombardi or Howard Schnellenberger? 

0:02:45 - (Toby Brooks): That list could go on. No doubt. The pay today for coaches is incredible, especially head coaches. But demands have never been greater and the criticism has never been sharper. Over the years, I've come to Realize that the math is impossible in just about every fan base. Our team needs to win. If you tallied all the expectations of every group of alumni. Everyone wants their school to win a ton of games, grab a conference championship, minimize their losses at the Arizonas and the Texas Techs of the world, where I've been for much of my career. 

0:03:20 - (Toby Brooks): Anything less than eight or nine wins in a season and people start to grumble. Replace that stupid coordinator, maybe both of them, maybe the strength coach needs to go, whatever. But a couple of years of those in a row, as in literally like one bad year and a slow start to the next and it's no confidence for the head coach. Fire him as soon as possible. Bring in a new guy at other places like the Alabamas, the Texas is, the Oklahoma's, the USC's of the world. 

0:03:46 - (Toby Brooks): It's that pressure and more. If you aren't clipping off 10 wins or more every year, you are an abject failure as a leader. Just ask Lincoln Riley. And past success doesn't matter much either. You could win a national championship one year and put up a 5 and 5 record the next and you'll be on some analyst hot seat board. Go six and seven the next and you're gone. Ask Ad Orgeron. All this to say I think it's safe to say that in many ways we've lost our ever loving minds, the money has become insane, and the math tells us that there's no possible way that every school in the Big 12, for instance, could go undefeated next year if Arizona beats K State at home on the first week of the Big 12 matchups on September 4 next season, K State just took a loss. 

0:04:34 - (Toby Brooks): And that happens every week. If there are winners, there have to be losers. It isn't possible for all of us to win. Although I will say when Texas plays Oklahoma, me personally, I would like it if they would both lose. Just saying. Back on track though, even today there's a certain brand of coach who can rack up the wins, raise the trophy, get their name chiseled into the side of the stadium. Some are genuinely good people, some are awful. 

0:05:03 - (Toby Brooks): But there's also another kind. The kind that leaves a legacy so deep that decades later, players, coaches, staffers alike still talk about the impact they had on their lives. Regardless of the records or the championships or the final rankings in the polls. I was fortunate enough to get to be part of a team led by the second kind, Richard Hastings. Tomi, if you stuck around this long, I guess it's worth mentioning that my name's Toby Brooks in addition to being a professor, a speaker, podcaster Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, I spent three years at the University of Arizona as a graduate assistant athletic trainer. 

0:05:54 - (Toby Brooks): I didn't know it at the time, but I was part of the staff for coach Dick Thomey's final season with the Wildcats in 2000. At the time, I was just trying to keep my head above water, try to learn the ropes, do the work, figuring out my place in the world of college sports. Back then, I didn't realize I was witnessing the final chapter of a legendary career. But as the years passed, I began to realize that Coach told me wasn't like most other coaches. 

0:06:22 - (Toby Brooks): He didn't just teach football, he taught life. He didn't just build teams, he built men. Coach Dick Thomey might have never won a national championship. He never even won an outright conference championship. He split the 93 Pac 10 title in a three way tie with fellow 6 and 2 UCLA and USC. And yet, if you talk to people who played for him, coached alongside him, worked for him, even just sat in his office for a conversation, he'll tell you no one shaped them quite like Dick. Tommy sadly, we lost Coach Tomi to a brief but valiant battle with cancer in 2019. 

0:07:02 - (Toby Brooks): But I've been thinking about that and him a lot lately. As I've grown as a leader and look to leaders in my own past that I like to emulate, Coach Tomi keeps coming up to the top of that list. Famously, Coach was frequently quoted as saying, football isn't complicated. People are. You know, I think that same thing can be said for just about any line of work. Job isn't complex, but leading people sure is. 

0:07:31 - (Toby Brooks): And I've not seen many do it better than Coach. In a profession that's dominated by the importance of wins and losses, Dick Thomey created a legacy that endures decades after he coached his last game. It's that legacy that I've been thinking about ever since. How did he do it? How did he inspire so many to follow him, to believe in him, and to carry his lessons forward, not just to their careers, but to their lives? 

0:07:58 - (Toby Brooks): And that's the question at the heart of of this series. For the next 10 episodes, we're going to dive deep into one of the most transformational leaders I ever got the honor to serve. We'll hear from people who knew him best, his players, staff, his family. We'll explore the moments that defined him, the values he instilled in others, and the lasting impact he left on the game and on everyone he led. 

0:08:20 - (Toby Brooks): We'll walk with him through those early years in Indiana, his first head coaching job at Hawaii, his time at Arizona and the legendary Desert Swarm defense, and finally his return to the sidelines and ultimately his retirement at San Jose State. And in the process, I hope you and I will both learn what it takes to lead better. You're listening to Becoming Undone, and I'd love to welcome you to the Life, the Lessons and the Legacy of Coach Dick Tomey, a Toby Brooks passion project. 

0:09:13 - (Toby Brooks): Joining me today is author and ESPN Honolulu Web editor Lance Tomonaga, who had a front row seat to the journey, co authoring Rise of the Rainbow Warriors, Capturing the highs, the struggles and the relentless pursuit of something greater than wins and losses over the 1977 through 87 seasons at the University of Hawaii. His longtime sports journalist and storyteller, Lance has spent his career documenting the moments that shaped teams, programs and lives. 

0:09:41 - (Toby Brooks): Today we'll dig into the lessons behind the legend, what made Coach Tomy special, what we can still learn from his leadership, and why his influence endures. Because if there's one thing Coach Tomy showed us, it's that true success isn't about the trophies you win. It's about the people you lead, the values you live by, and the legacy you leave behind. Lance, thanks so much for joining me today. 

0:10:06 - (Lance Tominaga): Oh, no, thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. 

0:10:08 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah. So we shared a little bit via email and off. Off camera, off mic before about my background, what coach told me, but I'm curious to know how you got involved in the process. The book is fantastic, Rise of the Rainbow Warriors. So tell me about how you originally got involved in the book project and got to work with Coach Tomi. 

0:10:30 - (Lance Tominaga): Well, when the word got out that, you know, Coach Tomi wanted to write his memoirs about his time in Hawaii, he got in touch with Watermark Publishing, which is a local publishing company. And I had done work for them for quite a bit with several books and the publisher, George Ingelbretson. He knew I was a big sports fan and a University of Hawaii fan, so he thought I would be a good fit for the project. 

0:10:59 - (Lance Tominaga): And the three of us, we got together, we had lunch, and Coach Tony and I, we hit it off right away and we agreed that this would be a great project. 

0:11:09 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, he certainly had a way with people. And I know just to a person, every person I've talked to about him, he made you feel like you were important, even if it was the first and even last time that he was meeting with you. So there were a lot of things about Coach Tomi that I wasn't familiar with until I got and read the book. And I had some of the facts wrong. So let's start off with Coach Tomy's background. He wasn't a prolific D1 or NFL player. He got into coaching relatively late by today's standards. 

0:11:42 - (Toby Brooks): So as you were researching and working on the book, what to you stood out the most about his upbringing and the coaching tree that helped him be successful later on in his career? 

0:11:51 - (Lance Tominaga): I think it really was the fact that Coach told me he was a very hard worker, very willing to learn, and as he kind of moved up the coaching ranks, you know, he had a lot of respect for the coaches who helped him out. And he took bits and pieces from every coach and he just soaked up the information. And in the book we mention about his relationship with Bo Schembechler and how he was a huge influence. 

0:12:26 - (Lance Tominaga): And so I think Coach told me he was just very much a hard worker and someone who was really eager to learn about coaching and about not just the X's and O's but treating people right. I think that was a big part of his success. 

0:12:42 - (Toby Brooks): Absolutely. I was there for the transition when Coach Thome was really forced out at Arizona and John Makovic came in and I don't think people realized just what a good fit Dick Tomi was for Tucson. And I think the same could be said about Hawaii. And he just had this blue collar work ethic. He wasn't going to out recruit you in terms of, you know, a roster full of five stars, but he got the most out of every player that came and really was a relationships guy. 

0:13:16 - (Toby Brooks): What would you say stood out the most to you about Coach Tomy's life prior to coming to the island as the head coach for the Rainbow Warriors? 

0:13:27 - (Lance Tominaga): I really think, like you mentioned, you know, he, he never really was the recruiter, but he really believed in treating his players like, like young men that they are. And all I know is from, from talking with Coach Tommy, he was just. He just loved the game of football and he, he just loved his players from, you know, all his coaching stops. And that just translated on the field. And he quickly, when he arrived in Hawaii, he quickly had the respect of his players, which I think was really key to that first season. 

0:14:09 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, in the book it's mentioned how really he got on board late for that 1977 season. It was really kind of thrown together. He inherited a staff. He didn't come in and clean house and fire everybody. He really gave everyone from players to staffers to coaches alike a chance to kind of ride with them. During that 77 season. He didn't have any head coaching experience, though. And Hawaii was a job on the upswing in terms of Division one and the new stadium. 

0:14:41 - (Toby Brooks): Obviously, it's easy to look back and see how successful he was in 10 years there. But do you think that he was really ready for that transition originally or was it something he had to grow into? 

0:14:53 - (Lance Tominaga): I think it was something he had to grow into. I think he came into this Hawaii job knowing the challenges. And I mean, to be honest, the program was somewhat of a mess. You know, they were coming off a 3 and 8 season. The previous head coach, Larry Price, he had resigned, I believe in May. And he resigned because he felt he didn't have the support of the university and the state. They didn't support football. 

0:15:24 - (Lance Tominaga): And there were even rumblings there were local players versus mainland players. There was a lot of friction, and coach told me he came on board. By the time coach told me he was hired, the recruiting season was over and he didn't have the benefit of a spring practice. But coach was really eager to get underway. He had a vision of what he wanted to do, and I think he just. He just rode up his sleeves and went to work. 

0:15:55 - (Lance Tominaga): That's pretty much what he did. 

0:15:56 - (Toby Brooks): Absolutely. And some of the first order of business was essentially to re recruit his entire roster that he inherited. 

0:16:06 - (Lance Tominaga): Yeah. 

0:16:06 - (Toby Brooks): So he mentions about how, you know, in retrospect, he wished he would have had one on one meetings and such. What did you take away from your conversations with players about that early transition and how he handled that relative to what that team had been through? 

0:16:25 - (Lance Tominaga): I think, like the players I talked to, they felt Coach was really like a brush of fresh air with his honesty. You know, he never promised positions, he never promised starting jobs. He was just very honest with them. And I think they were really impressed with that and they were willing to once they bought into him. I think that made a key difference. 

0:16:54 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, I remember we had a pretty significant Samoan presence on our team at Arizona. So he had managed to keep those recruiting ties to the island. And Coach Aquina and Coach Babers were kind of cut from that same cloth. But in many ways he's an outsider. He's this little white guy from Indiana, and he's coming to the island where culturally it is completely different. That said, there were still things about his personality that really meshed well in that culture. So talk to me about how his leadership and his coaching philosophies really were a good match for what existed and what eventually sprouted and grew at uh. 

0:17:35 - (Lance Tominaga): Well, I think I coach Tommy, he was, I think his vision for the program that I think the fans really took to was he considered the football program a family and he truly knew one like family. And you know, in his coaching shows at, at the end of the year they would always have a music video of the team, you know, enjoying themselves, having picnics. And he really brought that family atmosphere. And you know, of course in Hawaii family ohana is very important. 

0:18:08 - (Lance Tominaga): And Kochi was just really willing to immerse himself into the culture. 

0:18:17 - (Toby Brooks): We adopted him. What about ohana? He hasn't been here that long. Neither have I. Dad said ohana means family. Huh? Ohana means family. Family means nobody. 

0:18:33 - (Lance Tominaga): Nobody gets left behind or, or forgotten. 

0:18:38 - (Toby Brooks): I know, I know, I hate it when you use ohana against me. To have played for or worked for coach Dick Tomey was to know the human side of his leadership. He was tough, hard nosed, workmanlike. He cultivated this idea of a brotherhood and a family and he built that over the years at Hawaii, Arizona and San Jose State. Coach Tommy was a salt of the earth, blue collar type leader who found good people and made them great. 

0:19:05 - (Toby Brooks): Other coaches relied on recruitment of five star athletes that they could bring to campus and try to keep them excellent. Coach, on the other hand, relied on finding good people, cultivating their character and their qualities, and he sent them away better than they arrived. It wasn't just an act either. He was a humble and unassuming leader at the beginning of the era of tailored suit prima donna coaches. 

0:19:31 - (Toby Brooks): But it made a difference, especially to his players. Consider this quote from NFL linebacker Lance Briggs as told in a 2019 article by Anthony Cimino published in SI.com, quote Briggs from Sacramento, California was a big time recruit who also had home visits from Nebraska, usc, Oregon and Cal. But none of the coaches had Tomi's approach. Him coming into my living room and the first thing he talked to me about was my smile. 

0:19:56 - (Toby Brooks): He didn't talk football for the first 15 to 20 minutes. He just talked about, you have a smile that will light up a room. That smile is going to carry you in life and it was touching. Nobody else talked about my smile. Actually, maybe I didn't smile for anybody else. End quote. Or consider this quote from 12 year NFL vet Glenn Parker. Quote, I remember then USC coach Larry Smith came into my living room talking to my mom and dad. 

0:20:22 - (Toby Brooks): He had a suit on. Everyone Was dressed up very formal. In comes Johnny Majors of Tennessee. Same thing suit Dick Thomley comes walking in wearing a windbreaker and shorts, looking like a PE coach. But he knew who he was recruiting. He was recruiting a kid who didn't play high school football. All I had known was shorts, flip flops and T shirts. I'd done nothing but surf and play volleyball my whole life. 

0:20:46 - (Toby Brooks): He knew who he was recruiting. End quote. I saw that same spirit firsthand too. Back in the day, the team held fall training camp at the remote campus of Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona. And I didn't know this at the time, but we were literally just two miles from the US Mexico border as the crow flies to my knowledge each year in the Tony era in that searing three digit Southern Arizona heat. Toward the end of camp there was a much anticipated swim Olympics that was held with the players competing, having fun, enjoying some sweet relief for a few minutes of enjoyment. 

0:21:23 - (Toby Brooks): After a very long bunch of two and sometimes even three a days, Coach had slipped on the pool deck or diving or something. I don't remember the details, but he had gashed his chin open and he was bleeding all over his new bright white camp Cochise T shirt. One of our equipment staff members offered to give Coach a fresh shirt before he went to talk to the Tucson media, but he wouldn't have any of it. 

0:21:46 - (Toby Brooks): He shouted back, hell no. This makes me look tougher. When I think back, I realized that that was just who he was. It wasn't about money, it wasn't an act. He genuinely wanted to connect with people in his program and he put on no airs of superiority in doing it. And I can tell you without a doubt whether it was a specific motivational technique or not, it worked. As a lowly graduate assistant athletic trainer, honestly one of the least important and lowliest people affiliated with the team. 

0:22:16 - (Toby Brooks): I believed in Coach. I wanted to work harder for him and I wanted to play a role in helping him succeed because I'd watched him do the same for every person in that program. 

0:22:29 - (Lance Tominaga): When he recruited Jesse Sapolu, who went on to be a four time Super bowl champion with the 49ers, Coates went into the Sapolu home and instead of sitting down and talking like just a normal, he actually sat down on the floor, which was like the custom at the time. And he really impressed the family, you know, and he was. Coach was very humble. Like I said, he just immersed himself. He fell in love with Hawaii very quickly. 

0:23:05 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, I think that's evidenced by the fact that Once he kind of got out of coaching, he returned. And, I mean, he wanted to revisit that experience with his book. And so I think there's plenty of evidence that on the surface, it wouldn't look like a great match, but certainly much about that work ethic and getting the most out of people and really, and I've heard him say it, it wasn't about the X's and O's. It was about the Jimmies and the Joes and the relationships that he built. 

0:23:36 - (Toby Brooks): And in talking to players that I know of and staffers that worked with him, the lessons in the legacy, really, no one ever talks about football. I mean, we had some great seasons at Arizona, and certainly Hawaii did as well, but that's not what people recall about him. In a lot of discussions with former players, coaches and staffers, what would you say were the lasting lessons that they recalled about their time with Coach? 

0:24:04 - (Lance Tominaga): Oh, gosh, there were so many. First of all, like, when Coach was with Arizona, weren't they the number one team in the preseason at one time? Does it swarm? 

0:24:15 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, that's renowned. 

0:24:19 - (Lance Tominaga): Yeah. And I know, you know, Coach, he always preached defense first, but, yeah, the players, you know, I'm not sure about what lessons they learned, but I do know that they just appreciate his honesty and the fact that, you know, years later, 20, 30 years down the line, Coach would still maintain relationships with them, keeping contact with them, and he really brought a sense of family, and I think that was really important to the players. 

0:24:50 - (Lance Tominaga): They thought of him, that he was. He could be very tough, just like Coach Bo, Coach Thomas could be very tough, but he was also very fair and very compassionate, and I think that really helped the culture of the program. 

0:25:06 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, it's almost a buzzword today for people to talk about culture and, like you said, ohana and family. But he was doing that 50 years ago, and it wasn't a program. It was just who he was, and it just kind of bubbled out. And so in the book, you described the time surrounding his departure from UH and how he actually approached the athletic director after he had announced his resignation and that he was going to Arizona, and he actually wanted to undo the deal. And he asked the question, are we too far down the road? 

0:25:41 - (Toby Brooks): What would you say prompted that? And. And how did that transition weigh on him at the time? He wasn't this guy that was just looking for the next big job or big paycheck. It really bothered him to leave, uh, in that moment. 

0:25:54 - (Lance Tominaga): Yeah. You know, and I. I didn't know this before. I interviewed him for the book, but he was really torn about his decision to leave Hawaii. And I mean, it was a great opportunity for him, but he really, truly loved Hawaii. And I guess at one point he really, he changed his mind and he thought, you know, I want to stay. So he talked to the athletic director. I think there's Stan Sheriff at the time. 

0:26:24 - (Lance Tominaga): And Stan, of course, he said, you know, it's, we are too late. It's too late in the game. And, and I think Stan Sheriff, he knew it was best for the university and best for Coach Tomi too, to take this opportunity. And I think everything does work out very well. 

0:26:43 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah. In the moments of those transitions, it's human nature to feel hurt or even though it is in everybody's best interest. There's just no way to shake the fact that someone's going to feel slighted or jaded or like they're walking out. In the years that have passed since then, though, there's been great heights that UH has seen on the football field and there, there've been some pretty dark seasons as well. 

0:27:13 - (Lance Tominaga): Yeah, sure. 

0:27:14 - (Toby Brooks): How would you say his legacy would be described today with, with the benefit of, of decades to look back on that 10 years there. What do people say about that era of Hawaii football? 

0:27:28 - (Lance Tominaga): Well, I think people, the longtime fans, they recognize, they look at Coach Tomi's tenure at UH as really the start, Hawaii becoming a, a big time program. You know, I mean, Coach never had, he never went to a bowl game. I think his best season was nine and two. But he also had a lot of six and five seasons. Five and six seasons. But he really started the, just the excitement of UH football. During his time at UH. 

0:28:08 - (Lance Tominaga): Their home games averaged like 43,000 fans, you know, and even though the program since Coach Tomi had great success, they never really recaptured that magic that coach had because it was something new, it was something exciting. And I don't think you can ever really replace it. They used to copy the games, Hawaii games. They called it Saturday Night Fever because the fans would pack the stadium. I mean, there were 50,000 fans when Hawaii hosted USC. 

0:28:43 - (Lance Tominaga): It was just rocking, you know, and there was just a level of excitement that hasn't been recaptured since. Even during the June Jones era, I think. 

0:28:54 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, my first experience with Arizona football, I, I came to campus in 98. I wasn't assigned to football, so I didn't make the trip to uh, but that was the season opener and it was on the road, Aloha Stadium. So me and my new co workers, one of us did get to make the trip, and so we were kind of watching for him. It was 98 on the road, Aloha Stadium. I had seen that in bowl games and the Pro bowl and all those things. 

0:29:21 - (Toby Brooks): And I remember the U of A staff wore Hawaiian shirts. And I didn't know Coach Tommy's history at that time. And it was a nod of respect to the institution that really took a chance on this. Perhaps under qualified at the time, but bright upcoming coach. What do you recall about how coach was remembered during that homecoming of sorts, and the impact that had at the time? 

0:29:45 - (Lance Tominaga): Oh, I remember. I remember that game well. I remember Chris McAllister. He ran a kickoff for a touchdown. 

0:29:51 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah. Opening back off. That was my first 10 seconds of Arizona football that I'd ever watched. Kickoff taken to the end zone. 

0:29:59 - (Lance Tominaga): Yeah. The fans, of course, they were rooting for Hawaii, but they love Coach Tomi, and it was like a hero's welcome back to the stadium. And I know that Hawaii coach, he didn't take any pleasure. I don't think he really was excited about this game because I know he really didn't want to play Hawaii. He took no pleasure in beating them, but it was a very emotional game for him. I think after the game, I mentioned this in the book. Coach Tomi went on the field congratulating the players, and he happened to see his former player, Gary Allen, who's like the star running back for Hawaii back in the day. 

0:30:40 - (Lance Tominaga): And the two embraced and coach said he just had tears in his eyes seeing him again. So I think that was the only time coach came back as an opponent, but he really loved his time there. Yeah. And I know that one of his assistants was Bob Wagner, who used to be the head coach at Hawaii. And I think Coach Wags, because he got fired from, uh. I think he took a little bit more pleasure in. In spanking Hawaii. 

0:31:13 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, I. I do recall that later on in my career, I ended up at UTEP for a time, and that was like a bowl game for us. We were. Were a really bad football team and went to the island and got whipped pretty handily. And I remember being outside the stadium, there was like a swap meet. There was just this energy. And Aloha Stadium today is in a bit of a no man's land. It's not the same place that it was when Coach Tomi was there and later regimes. 

0:31:47 - (Toby Brooks): What would you say is the future for, uh, football in the years that have passed since then? 

0:31:55 - (Lance Tominaga): Yeah, well, to be honest, it's. It's kind of scary because Aloha Stadium has been condemned. It's no longer fit for any football games. Hawaii, the university has resorted to using their home field, their basically in a practice field to host their home games. It sits about maybe 15,000. And the future, you know, they want to build a new stadium, but the way things work in Hawaii, who knows if it'll ever be built? 

0:32:33 - (Lance Tominaga): So the program has hit some really hard times. But the new coach, Timmy Chang, he's sort of like Coach told me in a way that he emphasizes. He really believes in the culture and he's very hopeful that things will get turned around. 

0:32:49 - (Toby Brooks): Well, I know any book project like this, like Coach Tomey didn't sit down and pin the whole thing. These memoirs oftentimes are written primarily by the with author in the byline and with lessons and stories that are shared over the course of weeks or months. So you had a chance to work with him pretty extensively. What would you say you took away personally from your work on the project? And how did he make an impact on your life? 

0:33:18 - (Lance Tominaga): Well, you know, I had always been a fan of Coach Tomi. In fact, my very first Hawaii football game happened to be Coach Tomi's first game as a Hawaii head coach. So I, I really had a lot of love and respect for him. And that was just, you know, everything was just confirmed. Everything I knew about him was confirmed during our meetings and talks and interviews. One thing that really stood out for me is just how even just years after the fact, after his, his time in Hawaii, he was still very passionate about the, uh, program and his players. 

0:33:59 - (Lance Tominaga): You know, there were times when I would interview some past players and they would give me some pretty juicy stories, and I, I wanted to run with him. I thought, hey, this would be great for the book. But Coach Thomas would say, oh, you know, that might not reflect well on this particular player. I don't think you should use it. And I re. I really fought for, you know, said, coach, this would be great for the book. And I made a mistake of saying, coach, I know you're protective of your players, and he gets shot. He said, you're damn right I'm protector of my players. 

0:34:33 - (Lance Tominaga): You know, he still had that fire. He loved his players, and that really, really impressed me. And even the book signings that we did together, a whole bunch of his former players would show up at these events, and it's just amazing the love they still have for Coach. 

0:34:54 - (Toby Brooks): Yeah, well, I know it's been a few years since the book was published, and in that time we lost him. And, and I think for so many, you don't realize what you have until it's gone. And in the years that have passed since then, I've certainly been in touch with players who have talked about the impact and the life, the lessons, the legacy that he's left. And now to see one of his former assistants certainly, uh, ties. 

0:35:24 - (Toby Brooks): Brad Brennan was recently on my show. His older brother Brent was a GA when I was there. And the Brennan's with Colt obviously have connections to Rage. So to see that staff come together with a lot of former. It's kind of like the band's gotten back together. And now practicing on coach Dick Tomey practice field, I'm, I'm really hopeful that things go well for Ariz and for Brent. And you just can't help but see Coach Tomi's fingerprints all over that staff and in the way that they're doing things. And it's exciting for me to see. 

0:36:01 - (Toby Brooks): I wish he could be here to see it, but in his absence, I feel like they're really, they're honoring his legacy. Well, Lance, I really appreciate your time. You've been fantastic, Appreciate your insights and by all means, I may hit you up as we get a little deeper into this thing with some stories. Thanks for joining me today. 

0:36:21 - (Lance Tominaga): Oh, sure, anytime, Toby. Thank you for having me. 

0:36:24 - (Toby Brooks): Awesome. I'm thankful to Lance for dropping in today and I hope you enjoyed our conversation. For more info on today's episode, be sure to check it out on the web. Simply go to undone podcast.com ep112 to see the notes, links and images related to today's guest, Lance Tomonaga. So now we know a bit about where Coach Tomy's story begins. But just how did a young coach from Indiana find himself leading the Rainbow Warriors? 

0:36:54 - (Toby Brooks): And what did those early years reveal about the kind of leader he would become? I hope you'll join me next time when I sit down with four time super bowl champion. Four times. There's literally only two people in the history of humanity that have more super bowl rings than my next guest, Jesse Sapolu. He was there for all of it. He'll take us inside those early TOMA years, the highs, the challenges, and the moments that define Dick Thomey's coaching career before the world really knew his name. 

0:37:21 - (Toby Brooks): From there, we'll sit down with coach's son, Rich Tomey, as well as players and coaches who once shared the field and the sidelines with him, including today's Arizona head coach, Brent Brennan. So stick with me we're just getting started. This and more. Coming up on Becoming Undone, the life lessons and legacy of Dick Tomey, a Toby Brooks passion project. Becoming Undone is a Night Tribe creative production written and produced by me, Toby Brooks. 

0:37:58 - (Toby Brooks): Do me a favor. Tell a friend about the show. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn @becomingundonepod and follow me @tobyjbrooks on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Check out my link tree at linktr.ee. tobyjbrooks Listen, subscribe and leave me a review at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, football is easy. It's people that are hard. 

0:38:23 - (Toby Brooks): So until next time, keep getting better. 

0:38:33 - (Lance Tominaga): It.