It was supposed to be our first weekend of Christmas shopping, but instead of hitting the malls and joining in the holiday cheer, my daughter and I ran to the grocery store. After nearly 20 years as a preschool teacher, my wife finally contracted her first case of pinkeye, complete with cold and flu symptoms. And like any good team, my daughter and I picked up the household slack.

The grocery store was an absolute madhouse. The parking lot was packed and the shopping carts gone. Every checkout was open and still there were lines running up every aisle. Had I not known better, I would have sworn it was Thanksgiving or perhaps Christmas. Actually, it was busier than both holidays put together. In all the confusion of my wife's illness, I somehow forgot that the Warriors would soon be playing the biggest football game in University of Hawai'i history. You would think as faculty at the university I would have remembered, but family first, as I always say.

The frenzy was unbelievable. Items swept off the shelves in waves of Manoa green like footprints get swept from the sand during high tide. Some folks pushed overflowing carts, while others went straight for the necessities. Product availability was predictable: fruit and vegetables — get plenty. Beer and poke — no mo' chance.

Still, for all the chaos, what struck me most was the holiday spirit. No, it was not the Christmas spirit; it was UH Warrior spirit. Parents laughed and joked while they stood in line. Kids ran up the aisles pretending they were Colt Brennan or Davone Bess. It seemed to me the game brought out the best in folks.

When we finally got home, my daughter and I prepared dinner and we all sat down to watch the game.

Again, the frenzy was unbelievable. You could almost see the stadium shaking as fans stomped their feet, clapped their hands and screamed at the top of their lungs. It was no different in the neighborhood. I could almost feel the collective sigh after the Huskies scored early and often. Then I heard shouts as Hawai'i moved the ball. After every score, fireworks lighted the sky. The 'hood was rocking.

In the end, the Warriors won the game, completed a perfect regular season and received an invitation to the Sugar Bowl. Like most residents of the Islands, I basked in the Warriors' glow and held my head just a bit higher.

While clearly a remarkable victory, what I found most impressive was something one of the sportscasters noted as the game ended. He said that coach June Jones created an atmosphere based on the Polynesian value of family. Of course, all of us watching the big screen knew he was talking about 'ohana, and I am sure that I was not alone in my ear-to-ear grin.

Last Saturday, Mom went down to a nasty virus and my daughter and I picked up the slack. We are a committed family and we make a wonderful team. Later that evening the Warriors fought back from a 21-point deficit, completing the first perfect season in UH football history. More important than the wins though, were the relationships formed. Yes, the UH Warriors are a great team, but they are an even better family.

Michael C. DeMattos is on faculty at the University of Hawai'i School of Social Work. Born and raised on the Wai'anae Coast, he now lives in Kane'ohe with his wife, daughter, two dogs and two mice.