FRESNO, Calif. — At Western Athletic Conference football coaches' functions Hawai'i's June Jones and Fresno State's Pat Hill are the best of back-slapping rivals.

They say only the nicest, most laudatory things about each other and commiserate with one another's ups and downs.

Two years ago Jones let Hill watch his spring practice. Hill allowed Jones to try and recruit one of his sons. (The son ended up at Cal Poly).

But this week Jones and the Warriors are not above kicking a Bulldog while he's down. In fact, they relish the prospect of doing it a la Albert Haynesworth. Euphemistically speaking, of course.

"I was kind of happy to hear they lost (Saturday to Utah State, 13-12)," Jones was quoted as saying in the official UH post-game quotes distributed following the Warriors' 41-34 victory over Nevada that same night. "From the first time I watched them play against Colorado State (at Bulldog Stadium), by the middle of the third quarter the stands were empty. I'd never seen that before at Fresno. Hopefully, we can jump on them, get it started early and then their fans can throw screwdrivers (at) their players instead of ours."

Yes UH fans, rivalry week, or as close as the Warriors get to one, is officially on.

What we have here are two teams seemingly headed in disparate directions, the 3-2 Warriors and 1-4 Bulldogs, meet Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium in a game that has ferocity written all around.

Know that the so-called screwdriver gate incident of 2002 particulary gets under Hill's skin. That mere mention of the episode, which seems more rooted in urban legend than documented fact, has been known to bring Hill's emotions to a red-faced full boil. And Jones might have taken a page out of the Hugo Chavez Guide to Diplomacy by invoking it.

Two years ago the Bulldogs ran the Warriors deep into the San Joaquin Valley sod, 70-14 in as ugly a one-sided a loss as we have seen UH suffer in Jones' eight-year tenure.

Believe the Warriors look at this as a payback opportunity in a place where few have existed for them and where none would be sweeter. UH has won but one game at Bulldog Stadium in six tries.

In the past and even when it thought it might have an edge, UH has tended to let sleeping 'dogs lie when it came to Fresno State. Loose lips being capable of sinking more than ships and all that.

But not this time. Now you sense some in-your-mug bravado in Jones' words.

Hopefully not misplaced or mistimed in this venue.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.