Sydner talks importance of team bonding

That evening at Aloha Stadium, Hawaii ruined the celebration plans, intercepting Detmer four times in a 59-28 rout. UH quarterback Garrett Gabriel threw three scoring passes, including a 17-yarder to slotback Jeff Sydner.
After crossing the goal line, Sydner handed the ball to the referee, noticed a camera operator he befriended during warmups, and then struck a Heisman pose to the delight of many of the 49,695 in attendance.
“I saw (the camera operator) standing there,” Sydner recalled. “I saw the camera, and went straight to it. And I did it. It was so instinctive. It wasn’t planned.”
Later, Sydner learned, Notre Dame’s Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, who believed he was more deserving of the Heisman than Detmer, struck a pose similar to Sydner’s.
“It trumped it,” Sydner said, smiling. “Nobody really recognized mine.”
But Sydner, 53, left an indelible mark as one of the most dynamic playmakers in Rainbow Warrior history. Sydner was a triple threat as a runner, receiver and returner. His quickness, post-catch acceleration and intelligence earned respect from Gary Allen, the program’s career rushing leader. Allen, who died last month, and Sydner wore No. 26 for the Warriors.
At the end of UH’s seventh practice of training camp, Sydner was invited to address the Warriors. He shared his testimony of a band of football brothers formed more than three decades ago.
In 1988, Sydner, who had made an oral commitment to Georgia Tech a week earlier, was set to honor a promise to take a UH-sponsored visit. “Bobby Ross didn’t want me to take my trip to Hawaii,” Sydner said of the Georgia Tech coach. “For some reason, it stoked my spirit a certain way, so I had to go to Hawaii. I had to know what they were keeping from me, right?”
During the visit he formed a bond with the other recruits: kicker Jason Elam, running back Travis Sims, slotback Eddie Kealoha, wideout Darrick Branch, and safety Bryan Addison. “When we all came together, we said, basically, ‘what would happen if we all decided to come to Hawaii?’ Sydner said. “I said, ‘if y’all sign, I’ll sign.’ The next day we committed.”
Sydner’s first season ended before it began. While walking from the dorms to the practice field, he stepped awkwardly and suffered injuries to his right knee and shoulder. He underwent surgeries for both season-ending injuries.
In 1990, Sydner found a role as multi-position athlete. The Warriors were 6-5 entering the season-finale against BYU. They also would be without Elam, who was limited to three games and forced to redshirt because of a groin tear.
“We had to come together that game,” Sydner said. “We could have been defeated or we could have stepped up to the challenge. We stepped up to the challenge.”
The 1991 season would be Sydner’s last as a Warrior. He decided to relinquish his senior season and enter the 1992 NFL draft. “I believed it was time to move on,” Sydner said.
The Philadelphia Eagles picked Sydner in the sixth round. He played three seasons with the Eagles and one with the New York Jets. He now runs what he describes as “the largest Nike clearance store” in the country.
Last week, Sydner, his wife and their son spent several days with the parents of television personality and sportscaster John Veneri, a former UH teammate. As a hanai son, Sydner calls Veneri’s parents “Mom” and “Dad.”
“Jeff is one of the funniest, kind-hearted people I know,” Veneri said. “He knows how to lift your spirits. And he’s a hard worker.”