Remember the postgame brawl between with the Hawai'i and Cincinnati football teams in 2002?

Recall the deck-the-halls — and each other — Christmas Day rumble with Houston at the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl in 2003?

We could go on about the black eyes — symbolic and otherwise — the Warriors have suffered in the past. But the point is that UH head coach Greg McMackin has served notice that he doesn't want them to go on. That he won't permit them to be a part of his tenure.

That was one of the more hopeful themes to emerge from Saturday's 42-30 victory at New Mexico State.

While the breakout of the offense in helping the Warriors to take a game they had to have for postseason hopes was the storyline of the day so, too, was the promulgation of the McMackin Doctrine.

McMackin summoned his team around him on the sidelines in the waning moments of a tense situation to read, well, something that sounded from afar like the riot act. Going crimson in the face, McMackin stood on principle: by all means play hard, but with sportsmanship and without fighting. Don't taunt, which he termed "the lowest form of football." Don't embarrass yourselves, the team, school and state has been his message all along.

This time, he made his points loud enough for people in the stands behind him to hear.

Then, a curious thing happened: some of in the stands applauded. Others yelled, "Way to go coach!"

It is always easy to point an accusatory finger at the other guy for "starting it." It is passing the buck to blame the officiating crew for not getting a better handle on the situation if you do nothing. But it is far better when a coach steps in and puts his foot down. And that time had come at Aggie Memorial Stadium where an emotional game of desperate teams had grown four-quarter raw with trash talking and shoves, threatening to erupt.

When UH defensive end David Veikune laid a hard — but clean — block on an Aggie lineman during an interception return and, then, miscalculating the gravity of the situation, stood over him, things quickly reheated again. Players moved menacingly toward each other.

Quickly, McMackin helped control the situation. Wisely, he helped soothe the Aggies' anger and set his team straight. He and Veikune apologized. A tenuous peace held.

Afterward there was some hand shaking. Some mixed groups even prayed together.

McMackin took appropriate measures. This, given UH's history on his front, is encouraging and something not all of his predecessors might have done.

Now, if only he can get the Warriors to eliminate a propensity for penalties that is making them a team for officiating crews to scrutinize. Even before Saturday's 11 penalties for 95 yards, they led the WAC in yardage penalized. If it keeps up, it will cost them games.

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