Tahi puts on camp as lockout continues

SALT LAKE CITY — Naufahu (Fahu) Tahi, the Minnesota Vikings fullback via BYU and Granger High, is waiting. Waiting for the NFL labor dispute to be settled and the lockout ended; waiting to see how the new labor agreement will affect free agents, since he is one; waiting to see if he should get a high school coaching job to fill the vacated season.

"It's a lot of time off," he says.

Tahi is also waiting for camp to start, but not training camp. He and a group of former BYU players are holding a football camp for kids ages 8 to 18. If you're thinking they are doing this to see them through the lockout financially, you're wrong.

This camp is free.

Several years ago, Tahi teamed with three other BYU graduates — former NFL players Reno Mahe, Gabe Reid and Tavita Ofahengaue — to start a camp for Polynesian kids who couldn't afford to attend any one of the glut of football camps that have become de rigueur for young players. Beginning last year, the camp was opened to everyone.

The camp, which will be held Thursday (2 p.m.) and Friday (10 a.m.) at Alta High, is expected to draw 600 kids. It will include on-field instruction from, among others, Sione Pouha (Jets), Marv Philip (formerly of the Bills), Haloti Ngata (Ravens), Harvey Unga (Bears), Deuce Lutui (Cardinals) and Ray Feinga (Dolphins).

This camp has a new wrinkle: It will include time in the classroom where campers will hear NFL players discuss the value of education. If kids aren't listening to their parents, maybe they'll listen to NFL players.

"There are 119 Division 1-A football programs and only 32 NFL teams with 53-man rosters," says Tahi. "Kids need a Plan B. We're going to let them know that football is the car that drives them to their education. I could not have attended college without it."

Almost everything was stacked against Tahi's bid to make it in the NFL. Not only did he never put up big numbers at BYU, he was pegged for a position that has become all but extinct in the NFL. With the rise of passing offenses and one-back sets, the fullback position was virtually eliminated in the league. Teams rarely even use a draft choice on a fullback — most are late rounders or, as in Tahi's case, undrafted free agents. Tahi signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006 and was assigned to the practice squad.

"They told me later they hadn't planned on keeping me at all," he says "I was a camp body."

Two months later, the Minnesota Vikings not only signed Tahi, but put him on their active roster. During the 2008 offseason, the Vikings also signed Thomas Tapeh, a veteran fullback from the Philadelphia Eagles. "They paid him good money," says Tahi. "I worked hard. I knew I had to." The Vikings wound up releasing Tapeh.

"It was a huge turning point for me," says Tahi.

Ironically, the Bengals offered Tahi a one-year deal worth $1.4 million in 2009, but the Vikings matched it.

He has been the team's starting fullback since then, filling the bruising, unglamorous role of blocking for Adrian Peterson, one of the league's most talented running backs. During the last four seasons, Tahi has just 10 rushing attempts (but he does have 33 catches, two for touchdowns).

In the 2010 NFC championship game against the Saints, Tahi played a role in what is perhaps the most crucial play in recent memory for the Vikings. With the score tied and a minute left, the Vikings were already deep enough in Saints territory that they could attempt a 50-yard field goal. The Vikings called a play that put Tahi on the field, but during a timeout the coaches decided to change to a formation that didn't include the fullback. The coaches forgot to relay the change to Tahi, and the Vikings were penalized five yards for having 12 men on the field; The penalty pushed them out of field goal range. On the next play Brett Favre threw an interception. The Saints went on to win the Super Bowl.

"We felt like we were the best team," says Tahi. "There was just a miscommunication on the sideline."

With the retirement of Favre and a change of coaches, the Vikings are at a crossroads, and Tahi's future with the team is uncertain. He is a free agent and can't be signed by any team until the labor dispute between the players association and the owners is resolved.

"Before the lockout, we met with the Vikings and they said they want me back," says Tahi. "I hope so. I love Minnesota."

He has spent the offseason training in Utah. At 6 feet, he weighs 260 pounds — about 10 more than his target playing weight. Each year he trims the extra pounds shortly before reporting to training camp, whenever that is.

"There will be a season," he says. "I just don't know how long that season will be. It's a waiting game. All I can do is be ready."

Manuwai says he's prepared for life without football

Former Hawaii football player Vince Manuwai has found the key to a lockout.

"Be smart with your money," said Manuwai, a left guard for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Manuwai said he prepared not only for the current NFL lockout, but for a life after football.

Manuwai conceded it is easier for an experienced player.

He's entering the final season of a five-year contract extension he signed on Dec. 24, 2006. The back-loaded deal is worth up to $20 million. He is scheduled to earn a base salary of $2.9 million this coming season, although that amount could be adjusted depending on the outcome of the next collective bargaining agreement.

"The only thing I have to manage is my bills," Manuwai said.

He has paid off his car. He owns a house in Jacksonville, where he lives with his wife and six children, and has an "affordable" mortgage on a recently built house in Kaneohe.

He also is part-owner of Big Kahunas restaurants in Waikiki and Fort Lauderdale. He said he turned down "get-rich-quick" investment offers.

"I'm on the safe side," said Manuwai, who said he would like to play at least three more seasons after his current contract expires. "I don't want to work for 11 years in football, then lose all of my money. I don't want to chase the quick buck. No way. I want to save my money."

With negotiation problems looming, the players were instructed last October to begin saving their NFL checks. Thirty-one NFL teams pay players only during the season; the Tennessee Titans prorate the pay period over 10 months.

"It's hard for the younger players," Manuwai said. "Taxes take a lot of money. You make most of your money on the second contract."

Manuwai said he keeps fit working out regularly. But he said the lockout will have an adverse impact. Usually at this time, teams already would have conducted at least two minicamps.

"This is a weird feeling," Manuwai said. "This is the ninth year of training in Jacksonville, and all of a sudden it stopped. We're behind the eight ball. It's not only physical, it's mental. I know the system, but as far as team chemistry, that's a big part of the offseason."

Manuwai said he has spent time volunteering. He has agreed to coach during UH's series of football camps this month.

The Big Man's Camp for offensive and defensive linemen begins Friday on the Manoa campus.

"I'm always willing to help," Manuwai said.

Troy Polamalu graduates from USC

Study time is over for the NFL's reigning defensive player of the year.
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, who was drafted in 2003 after his senior season at USC but hadn't earned his degree, has been awarded a bachelor's in history from the school.

[+] Enlarge

Courtesy of USC / Paul GoldbergTroy Polamalu, a two-time All-American in college, took part Friday with more than 1,000 graduating master's and undergraduate students.

Polamalu, a two-time All-American for the Trojans, took part with more than 1,000 master's and undergraduate students Friday morning in a commencement ceremony for USC's political science, international relations and history majors.
More than 6,000 people were in attendance for the the Shrine Auditorium event on the school's Los Angeles campus.
The student receiving the loudest cheer, though, was one of the oldest of the bunch: Polamalu, who was drafted 16th overall in 2003 by the Steelers.
"I'm officially a USC graduate!" the six-time Pro Bowler wrote on his website, troy43.com.
Polamalu, 30, returned to school this semester, using the NFL lockout as an opportunity to complete a long-term goal.
"I decided to finish what I started and walked that stage today not only because it was very important to me personally, but because I want to emphasize the importance of education, and that nothing should supersede it," Polamalu said.
Polamalu has been receiving treatment in Los Angeles for a foot injury sustained late last season. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he won't need surgery and should be fully healed in time for the start of training camp, assuming the NFL season starts as scheduled.
"The majority of top picks in the NFL get drafted before they complete their college education," Polamalu said on his website. "I truly love football and it's such an immense blessing and privilege as an athlete to be given the rare opportunity to use those talents at the highest professional level, but it's certainly not a replacement for an education."

In meandering NFL career, tackle Wayne Hunter has found opportunity with Jets

Wayne Hunter believes he started to learn the position of offensive lineman when he came to the Jets. That was at the end of 2007, nearly five years after he had been a high draft pick by the Seahawks organization.
“I was a third-round bust, basically,” the Jets offensive tackle said this week. “The way I’m playing now was what Seattle was hoping to get out of me. But I’m a late bloomer. Better late than never.”
Through seven years, Hunter’s NFL career has flickered at times: as a game-day inactive, a practice squad player and off a roster entirely, on the verge of searching for a 9-to-5 job in any ordinary field.
For the past three weeks, though — including today’s regular-season finale against the Bills — he has been an important substitute in the Jets’ starting line for right tackle Damien Woody. Hunter may need to carry that role into the postseason, as coach Rex Ryan said he’s “not sure” Woody will be available next week after having arthroscopic knee surgery last month.
For Hunter, 29, it has been another stage of his development in his time here, personal and professional, the latter tested by a recent slate of the league’s premier pass rushers: Houston’s Mario Williams, Miami’s Cameron Wake, Pittsburgh’s LaMarr Woodley and Chicago’s Julius Peppers.
“He’s really held his own,” offensive line coach Bill Callahan said. “Things didn’t go the way he wanted them to go against Miami. But aside from that, the last two weeks — knock on wood — he’s been really, really good.”
Coach Rex Ryan has called Hunter “the best backup tackle in football,” which was tested after Woody injured his MCL against the Texans in November. Hunter was called into spot duty that week and in the Miami loss Week 14 — when Wake sacked quarterback Mark Sanchez from Hunter’s side twice in the final series, a frustrating sequence for Hunter.
Continue

Hybrid fullback-tight end giving Bears best of both worlds

December 09, 2010|By Dan Pompei | On the NFL

It is Brandon Manumaleuna's ability to defy characterization that makes him unusual, gives him value and provides the Bears offense with an element of unpredictability.

We call him a tight end, but he is so much more.

He is a player who won the NFL's punt, pass and kick competition at 11, went to college as a defensive lineman and now plays about 65 percent of his snaps at fullback.

But he's really a glorified offensive lineman.

And, not surprisingly, there isn't another player like him in the NFL. That's why Mike Martz drafted him when he was the coach of the Rams in 2001 and why the Bears offensive coordinator led the charge for the club to sign him to a free-agent deal worth a potential $15 million over five years.

Manumaleuna is to Martz what a high quality multi-purpose kitchen tool is to a serious chef.

"He's smart, so you can do so many things with him," said Martz, who plays Manumaleuna on about 70 percent of the snaps. "He gives you so much flexibility. He's an I-formation fullback, he lines up at tight end, you can throw him the ball in the flat."

It was more difficult for the rest of Chicago to appreciate Manumaleuna until recently. He had surgery in May to clean up cartilage damage in his knee and started the season slowly. As the year has gone on, he has become stronger and faster — though he still isn't going to win any footraces.

"My knee was giving me problems and it affected everything — even getting out of the chair," Manumaleuna said. "It's never going to be 100 percent, but it feels a lot better than it did."

With the Bears in the stretch run, Manumaleuna is playing his best football of the year. He has caught three passes in the last two weeks, including one for the winning touchdown against the Lions.

No one expected Manumaleuna to threaten Tony Gonazalez's record for tight end catches. Anything he catches really is a bonus as he usually runs only five to eight pass routes per game.

But every so often he will sneak out and find the defense has gone to sleep on him.

"Is he the fastest guy in the world? No," Martz said. "But he has great feet and can catch the heck out of the ball. He will catch it, and he'll make a play to win a game."

No matter if Manumaleuna is lined up as a fullback or a tight end, which he is almost exclusively in the Bears' nickel packages, the 300-pounder is on the field primarily to block.

NFL Poly Summary

Cincinnati linebacker Rey Maualuga finished with 8 tackles and 1 sack in a 24-21 loss to Tampa Bay. 
Kansas City tight end Tony Moeaki led the team with 4 receptions and 50 yards in a 19-9 loss to Indianapolis.
 
San Diego  receiver Malcolm Floyd had a career high 213 yards on 8 receptions, including a 41 yard touchdown pass in a 35-27 loss to Oakland.

Mosi Tatupu remembered

Mosi Tatupu will be remembered with a 30-second video tribute tomorrow before the Hawaii-USC football game.

Tatupu, a multi-sport standout at Punahou, Trojans blocking back and 14-year NFL player, died Feb. 23 at age 54.

Football star Troy Polamalu's hair insured for $1 million

(Reuters Life!) - American football star Troy Polamalu has a price on his head -- with an anti-dandruff shampoo brand taking out a $1 million insurance policy on his trademark mane of black ringlets.Head & Shoulders said on Monday it had taken a $1 million Lloyd's of London policy on the locks of Pittsburgh Steelers' Polamalu, the Super Bowl-winning safety.
Polamalu, 29, who was born in the United States but is of Samoan descent, says he has not cut his hair since 2000. He has been a spokesman for the Procter & Gamble Co brand for two years.
"They've created the first ever insurance policy to protect his iconic mane for the entire NFL season," Procter & Gamble said in a statement.
Polamalu, a five-times Pro Bowl selection, suffered some injuries last year but is back in the game and expected to be the backbone of his side's defense this season.
His hair has come under attack on the field before, with Larry Johnson of the Chiefs tackling Polamalu by the hair in a 2006 game, but no details were given of exactly what damage to his hair would trigger a claim on the insurance policy.

Rookie Iupati is the hole package

Throw all the small-school talk out the door. Niners left guard Mike Iupati is as NFL-ready as any rookie offensive lineman in the league.
Just ask Raiders coach Tom Cable, who went out of his way to congratulate Iupati after the 49ers' 28-24 victory over the Raiders in Saturday night's exhibition game at the Coliseum.
"He's going to be a good one," said Cable, a former Idaho offensive lineman, just like Iupati.
Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore agrees, citing the monstrous hole Iupati forged on his 49-yard carry up the middle on his first touch of the preseason.
Iupati chip blocked a defensive tackle, charged upfield and wiped a linebacker out of the way as Gore sprinted up and away.
It's the sort of hit-and-run combination of strength at the line of scrimmage and speed downfield that's allowing Iupati, all 331 pounds of him, to make the instant transition into the NFL.
So much for the notion No. 17 overall is too high a spot to draft a guard.
"It's getting a lot better," Iupati said. "From when I first got out here, I didn't even look like a football player."
So, what advice did Cable give Iupati after their postgame man-hug?
"He said to work hard. It's going to be a long season, so take care of your body," Iupati said. "I really like the guy."
In and out: Running back Brian Westbrook was limited to two carries for 17 yards in his 49ers debut before sitting out with a hamstring cramp.
Westbrook gained all 17 yards on a draw.
Three cut: The 49ers released three undrafted rookies to meet Tuesday's 75-man roster deadline.
Gone are wide receiver Bakari Grant, outside linebacker Brandon Long and cornerback Patrick Stoudamire.
The final 53-man roster is due Saturday.
Vote of confidence: Head coach Mike Singletary named David Carr the No. 2 quarterback, not that this was exactly breaking news.
Carr has run the second-team offense ever since he signed as a free agent in March. The only exception was the exhibition game against Minnesota on Aug. 22, when Nate Davis played the entire second half - then got ripped by Singletary for not being ready to compete for the backup job.
Carr led the game-winning drive Saturday, launching in the air past the first-down marker and into a high hit. He has a name for the play.
"It's called stupid," Carr said with a smile.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/29/SPKB1F5GPK.DTL#ixzz10FLur2xv

Rey Maualuga fined for DUI

GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- Linebacker Rey Maualuga of the Cincinnati Bengals has been fined two game checks by the NFL and will forfeit an additional portion of his signing bonus for 2010 for a drunk-driving violation.

Maualuga was fined by the NFL on Tuesday under the league's substance abuse policy. He will forfeit two weeks' worth of his 2010 bonus, as well.

The second-year player from Southern California pleaded guilty to drunken driving in February and received a suspended sentence. Police said he hit a parking meter and two parked cars in northern Kentucky. He was charged with drunken and careless driving.

The NFL was considering a one-game suspension for Maualuga but decided against it after listening to the arguments of his attorney, David Cornwell, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

The 2009 second-round pick had a productive rookie season for the reigning AFC North champions, recording 63 tackles and one sack.

But the Jan. 29 incident put a blemish on his fast start. He ended up with two years' probation and a revoked driver's license.

He underwent treatment at a Charleston, S.C., facility while working to improve his left ankle that was fractured in December.

Former COC linemen Peko and Fanene: Along the same line

By Paul Putignano Signal Staff Writer

It is worth noting when a community college has two athletes in the NFL at the same time.

Two on the same team is attention-grabbing.

But two potentially start on the same side of the same defensive line?

That’s unheard of — except in Cincinnati.

For the fifth straight season, former College of the Canyons stars Domata Peko and Jonathan Fanene will play side-by-side for the Cincinnati Bengals, who opened the preseason Sunday with a 16-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

Fanene had two tackles in the game, including a sack. Peko didn’t record a tackle.

“Who would ever think that two guys that grew up as close as those two did with each other, and went to the same junior college, would end up on the same (NFL) team?” says Cincinnati defensive line coach Jay Hayes.

“They are both doing very, very well,” he adds. “They are core players for us on our D-line.”

The 6-foot-4-inch, 292-pound Fanene played at COC in 2000 and 2001, while the 6-foot-3-inch, 320-pound Peko suited up for the Cougars in 2002 and 2003.

The two behemoths first met in high school after Peko moved from California to the small island of American Samoa, where Fanene was born.

Little did they know just how much their futures would intertwine.

“It’s really cool to have someone from the same place you’re from, who cares about you and understands the difficulties (you face),” Peko says. “Someone you can talk to when you miss home.”

Hayes praises their bond and the family nature that has been fostered within the defensive unit, as well as their play up front.

Their football skills began to take shape under former COC head coach Chuck Lyon and defensive line coach Leon Criner.

That especially rings true for Peko, who was named a Junior College All-American, an All-State first-teamer, the Western State Conference Player of the Year and a WSC first-teamer — all in 2003.

“Oh man, COC was so much fun,” he says. “It was a big part of my journey to get to the NFL. We had a good coach, who took really good care of me. That’s where I really learned how to play D-line.”

Peko evolved into a dominant community college defensive lineman and led the team to a Southern California championship and an appearance in the state championship game in 2002. One year later, the Cougars won the Western State Conference Bowl.

“He was more of a raw-talent guy than Jonathan was,” Lyon says. “He was a more true technique, inside tackle. He was a big kid, strong kid and had a little mean streak in him. He definitely had that from the beginning. He was a very quiet young man and didn’t say much. But he didn’t have to say much with his size.”

In 2001, Fanene helped COC beat Saddleback College 35-32 in the WSC Bowl at Cougar Stadium. It was the first-ever bowl victory in the program’s history.

“It was a jump start for me,” Fanene says of his time at COC. “That team right there was a family team. We had a picnic every Friday. We could bring our friends around and we could talk about football and the things we needed to get better and prepare for games on Saturday. The program was perfect, right on time for me and some of the teammates.”

Fanene had 65 tackles and 14 sacks in his final year with the Cougars before signing with Utah.

“He was really undersized, but he probably had the biggest motor I’ve ever coached,” Lyon says of Fanene. “He was just so darn quick and relentless in his pursuit of the ball that people couldn’t block him.”

Peko transferred to Michigan State for the 2004 season with his brother, Suki.

Two years later, Domata was drafted by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.

“Domata has come in and as soon as he got here, was able to be productive and was able to play against players that were supposed to be some of the best guys in the league,” Hayes says. “He was able to handle them and really dominate them. ... He’s really been one of those guys that gets better and better all the time. As we get better, you’ll see Domata playing in the Pro Bowl and things like that.”

Fanene, meanwhile, was selected in the seventh round by Cincinnati in 2005 after two years under head coach Urban Meyer and a 2004 victory in the Fiesta Bowl.

“He is the first player off the bench for us,” Hayes says. “He can play all the positions and has played all the positions with us in his career. He really is considered a starter for us. Jon will play maybe 40 plays a game.”

In 2009, Fanene had 36 total tackles, six sacks and a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown in week 13 against Detroit.

Peko, voted a team captain, missed five games with a torn meniscus and finished with 27 total tackles.

Cincinnati’s defense allowed the fourth-fewest yards per game (301.4) in the NFL and the sixth-fewest points (18.2) last season.

Peko says the team’s goals include improving on both marks.

The duo’s biggest impact, however, may come in the form of mentorship.

And on a team that has battled character issues in recent years, their influence is invaluable, Hayes says.

Among the players they have taken under their wing is former USC linebacker Rey Maualuga.

“We are leaders on the team and we need to continue to help the young guys coming in and show them what it is to be an NFL player,” Fanene says. “A lot of guys that come in think it is all about them on the first day and about fast cars and everything else. But your job is the first priority.”

Adds Peko: “We’re not always very vocal leaders. By action and doing things on the field is how we lead.”

The mentality has taken both men a long way.

They’ve found passion in the sport they love.

And as they continue grinding away at football’s highest level, the best thing they may have found might be each other.

“They are like brothers,” Hayes says. “They teach us Samoan words and things like that. It’s always been a great situation to expand your horizons being around those guys. They are really sharp guys and are doing a lot of good things in the community. Both are very involved doing community service and are involved in their churches. They are good husbands and fathers and they love their work and what they do.”

Lofa Tatupu faces first season without his father

By Danny O'Neil

Seattle Times staff reporter

RENTON — The sadness sits heavy upon the son.

Especially now, in the first week of this first football season without his father.

Lofa Tatupu was named after Mosi, his dad, and this game has always bonded them.

"It has been tough," Lofa says, "Not to be able to call him during camp. I might tear up. I'm sorry."

He stops to swallow the lump in his throat. The pause is heartbreaking.

Mosiula Mea'alofa Tatupu. That is the full name of Seattle's starting middle linebacker, named for his father, 15-year NFL veteran Mosi Tatupu, who died in February.

Their middle names were different, but he was his father's son. Dad coached him in high school in Massachusetts, and when Lofa went looking for a college to transfer to after his freshman year at Division I-AA Maine, Mosi kept knocking on the door at his alma mater, USC, to convince Pete Carroll and the Trojans' coaches to give Lofa a shot.

But now Mosi is gone, passing one evening back in February. He went downstairs for a nap like he did every evening. A friend came down and found him on the couch holding something in his hand.

It was a prayer bead, one that Lofa's mother, Linnea Garcia-Tatupu, had given Mosi years before. The friend who found Mosi had never seen him holding it during his nap until that night.

"Almost like he knew," Lofa said.

It is a peaceful image from a tragic loss. Mosi, who suffered from high blood pressure, died from a massive heart attack. He was 54.

And so the son prepares for the first season without his father.

Lofa Tatupu, 27, is coming back from a torn pectoral muscle that ended his 2009 season after six games. The real uncertainty is whether he can return to the Pro Bowl form he showed his first three years in Seattle.

He was a star from the start in Seattle, a second-round pick in 2005 who solidified a position that had been a revolving door and made the Pro Bowl each of his first three seasons.

But the past two seasons have been riddled with injuries, from the thumb he broke in the 2009 season opener to the knee that was periodically drained, to the pectoral muscle that was torn off the bone.

Can he get back to playing at that level?

"Honestly, if I don't make another Pro Bowl, yeah that's upsetting," Lofa said, "But that's not the bowl I'm worried about."

He is back in the role that he feels most comfortable. The underdog. This is a player whom New Hampshire's coaches deemed too small coming out of high school.

He had to go to Maine before deciding to transfer, and even when USC took notice of him, the Trojans wanted him to walk on until they found out Oregon was going to offer him a scholarship.

Now, he is the heart of Seattle's defense, the one that Carroll is counting on to hold the linebackers together.

"By far, he's the guy that runs that group," Carroll said.

But Tatupu never lost that feeling of being overlooked and underestimated.

"You always got to have that chip, that edge," he said. "I never lost my edge."

If anything, it's sharpened by the loss of the father he is determined to honor this season. That's what he told his dad on the phone.

"Last time I ever spoke to him, I told him I was going to make him proud," Lofa said. "And that I loved him."

Jaguars' Alualu will put money where his faith is

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. » Tyson Alualu has big plans for his big signing bonus.

The 10th overall pick in April's NFL Draft and a cornerstone of Jacksonville's revamped defense, Alualu wants to use part of his $17.5 million signing bonus to create a better life for his parents and eight siblings in Hawaii. He also intends to build a new church for his father's congregation in Kalihi. He already has a piece of land picked out.

"I'm going to use it to help my family, my parents and also the community," said Alualu, a former Saint Louis School standout. "Building a church is important for me so that others can have the opportunity to worship God. We'll see how it works out."

The Jaguars selected Alualu so high partly because of his character and work ethic. They also believe he can play, confident he'll slip right into the starting lineup and offset the loss of two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson.

The 6-foot-3, 304-pound Alualu, who played collegiately at California, arrived in Jacksonville early yesterday, five days into training camp and one day after agreeing to a five-year deal worth $28 million. He signed his contract during the morning practice, met briefly with coach Jack Del Rio in the hallway and then headed to position meetings.

He got his left eyebrow shaved off in the locker room a few hours later, then showed little rust during his much-anticipated debut in full pads.

His first real test -- the "Oklahoma drill" against Vince Manuwai, a former Farrington High and University of Hawaii star -- is scheduled for this afternoon.

"We're pleased to have him in," Del Rio said. "Think he's going to be a good player for us. Like the rest of his teammates, it's time for him to get to work. We'll ease him in a little bit, get him some action."

Ease him in?

Del Rio threw first-rounder Eugene Monroe into three one-on-one matchups the night he arrived following a 12-day holdout in 2009. The left tackle from Virginia dominated the competition, getting the best of defensive ends Julius Williams, James Wyche and Derrick Harvey.

When Monroe heard about Alualu's extra time, he took his concerns straight to Del Rio.

"He said, 'Wait a minute. I didn't get any time. You threw me straight into the drill,' " Del Rio said. "I said, 'Yeah, but you were different. You held out a long time and made a lot of people angry."'

Alualu may have to wait a day, but he's eager for his matchup with Manuwai.

"Oh yeah. That's all I've been hearing these past couple of days, even back home just because we grew up in the same neighborhood," Alualu said. "I'm just excited to be here. I love the contact. I love the physical part of the sport, so I can't wait to get out there and have fun with my teammates."

Alualu welcomes the challenge of being a high pick and being counted on to immediately bolster a defense that missed countless tackles last season and ranked last in the NFL with a franchise-low 14 sacks.

"The pressure on me, being the 10th pick, I got a lot to do to meet those expectations," Alualu said. "All I got to do is do my best. That's what I plan to do, just go out here, practice hard with my teammates and give it my all."

Alualu's wife and two children will join him in Jacksonville tomorrow. He's already buying a house from former Jaguars guard Chris Naeole. His next major purchase likely will be back in Kalihi.

"I knew from the get-go that when I got picked here that God has a purpose for me and the money that I'm going to get," Alualu said. "I have to use my wisdom from Him to spend it wisely."

Rookie's arrival has a vet licking chops

Times wires
In Print: Tuesday, August 3, 2010 

JACKSONVILLE — Tyson Alualu has a surprise waiting for him when he gets to Jaguars training camp: A matchup in the "Oklahoma drill" against fellow Hawaiian and childhood friend Vince Manuwai.

Alualu, picked 10th overall in April's draft, ended a five-day holdout Monday by agreeing to a five-year contract worth $28 million. The deal includes $17.5 million guaranteed.

The defensive tackle out of California is expected to arrive in Jacksonville today and be on the field a short time later.

Manuwai, a 333-pound guard, requested a matchup against Alualu in the one-on-one drill that has become a tradition at Jacksonville's first full-pads practice. Alualu missed that session Sunday. Coach Jack Del Rio was happy to grant the request.

"Mr. Vince Manuwai would like to welcome him," Del Rio said of the eight-year veteran.

Also, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell met with Jacksonville business leaders, local politicians, team officials and players. He expressed support for the small-market team but also hinted that fans need to do more to keep it in town. The Jaguars had nine of 10 homes games blacked out last season, becoming the poster child for attendance problems and getting labeled a target for potential relocation.

Alualu on board

Tyson Alualu has a surprise waiting for him when he gets to Jacksonville's training camp: a matchup in the "Oklahoma drill" against fellow Hawaii standout and childhood friend Vince Manuwai.

Alualu, the 10th overall pick in April's draft, ended a five-day holdout yesterday by agreeing to a five-year contract worth $28 million. The deal, which came a day after the Jaguars prematurely announced it, includes $17.5 million guaranteed.

The former California defensive tackle, who played high school ball at Saint Louis School, is expected to arrive in Jacksonville today. He should be on the field a short time later.

And Manuwai will be waiting.

The 333-pound guard, an eight-year veteran, who played at Farrington and the University of Hawaii, requested a matchup against Alualu in the one-on-one drill that has become an annual tradition during Jacksonville's first full-pads practice. Alualu missed that session Sunday night, but coach Jack Del Rio honored Manuwai's request and scheduled a special edition today.

"Oh yeah, he'll definitely have one," Del Rio said. "Mr. Vince Manuwai would like to welcome him. Since they grew up in the same ... neighborhood, he'd like to welcome him to the NFL, and so they're going to have an Oklahoma drill."

"That should be fun," Alualu told the Star-Advertiser just before boarding the plane yesterday afternoon. "I'm excited about that. That sounds nice."

Alualu and Manuwai grew up across the street from each other in Kalihi. Both made it to the NFL, although Alualu's path wasn't nearly as smooth.

One of nine children raised in a Polynesian culture that centers on family and faith, Alualu was badly homesick when he left for college at Cal. He considered dropping out as a freshman, but instead, went home, married his high school sweetheart and returned to Berkeley with their newborn son.

The decision paid dividends.

Alualu started 39 of 51 games for the Bears and finished with 16 sacks and 190 tackles. Most draft pundits considered him a late first-round pick, mostly because there were questions about whether he would play tackle or end.

He played end as a senior, but the Jaguars believe he can team with Terrance Knighton and form the kind of tackle tandem Pro Bowlers Marcus Stroud and John Henderson gave the franchise for years.

"I definitely feel I can come in and give them what they are looking for," Alualu said during offseason workouts. "I don't want to disappoint anybody. I will definitely give them my all. I'm ready to come in and compete and try to earn that spot."

Although no one projected Alualu to get drafted so high, he silenced some critics with his performance in minicamp and organized team activities. He showed solid footwork, even better hands and dominated matchups with veteran offensive linemen.

"No one had him projected as a first-rounder," agent Kenneth Zuckerman said. "For him, this has been an amazing story."

The Jaguars had hoped to get Alualu in camp on time, especially after lengthy holdouts by first-rounders Derrick Harvey (33 days in 2008) and Eugene Monroe (12 days in 2009), but negotiations were slow last week. Things heated up when several of the top-10 picks started to sign, and the Jaguars offered the $28 million deal.

Alualu's agent told team officials he liked the deal and would suggest that his client accept. But Alualu wanted time to talk to his family and "pray on it." The Jaguars seemingly got mixed signals, though, believing Zuckerman told them Alualu had signed off on the deal.

Del Rio and general manager Gene Smith announced after practice Sunday night that Alualu had agreed to terms and was getting on a flight from Honolulu. But Zuckerman quickly dispelled the notion, saying Alualu was still mulling the offer.

He eventually accepted -- and now has a much-hyped showdown looming with Manuwai.

"I feel good," Alualu said. "It's all God's timing. I'm just happy it's over and now I can get to play for my team and get back and practice with them. Get out there and start to bang."

Lineman Hisatake ready to adjust

As a rookie in his first National Football League training camp, Ray Hisatake of the Carolina Panthers has been experiencing bouts of anxiousness.

"It can happen any day," said Hisatake, a former University of Hawaii offensive lineman whose girlfriend, Charysse Bardallo, is expecting the couple's first child. "Being 6 hours away is hard."

The couple picked out two names: Jonah for a boy, Charlotte for a girl. Jonah is the name of Hisatake's brother.

"Charysse liked 'Charlotte' for a girl," Hisatake said. "When the Panthers signed me (in April), she said it was a sign because the Panthers are in Charlotte."

Hisatake also is marveling about an opportunity in a football career that is, relatively, in its infancy.

Hisatake's high school did not field a football team. He was a defensive lineman at College of San Mateo and in his first year at UH. He was a backup offensive lineman as a junior in 2008, then a full-time starter last year.

In April, he was neither drafted nor discouraged. Hours after the NFL Draft, he reached an agreement on a three-year, free-agent contract with the Panthers.

He described his limited experience as a "blessing," noting he has not had any serious injuries.

The Panthers told his agent, Leo Goeas, that Hisatake does not have any bad football-related habits. After all, Hisatake's only football instruction was on the collegiate and pro levels.

"Some people have done things for so long, they don't want to adjust to something new," Hisatake said. "I'm more of, 'You tell me what to do, and I'll do it.'"

Hisatake participated in the Panthers' rookie camp and minicamp. He has worked as the No. 2 left guard.

"I don't know if it's permanent," he said of his depth-chart position, "but they had me there."

In UH's four-wide passing attack, the offensive linemen usually set up in a two-point stance. The Panthers require their linemen to be in a three-point stance.

"I still feel a little uncomfortable in the three-point," he said. "When I look at myself (on videos), I feel I don't look right. I'm learning to adjust. The first day (of camp), they said, 'Get in the three-point stance,' and I was like, 'Oh, all right.' "

A greater adjustment is learning a new system.

"The biggest difference in the NFL is the mental side," Hisatake said. "You hear it a lot, but it's true. There are so many things I have to adjust to now. It's a completely different system. The terminology is different. Not only am I worrying about the (tackle) box -- the front seven -- I have to check the corners and safeties, if they're in a man or zone or two-high. At this level, there are so many different things I have to learn."

Hisatake said he already has earned a nickname from teammates.

"They call me Kemo," he said, a reference to Maake Kemoeatu, a Kahuku High graduate and former Panther. "They started doing that. I guess I'm Kemo."

Bears guard Asiata has been on amazing journey

July 28, 2010

BY SEAN JENSEN sjensen@suntimes.com

Earlier this offseason, Johan Asiata was so engrossed in his present that he didn't fantasize about his future.
The Bears guard, who was undrafted in 2009, watched veterans such as Olin Kreutz and Roberto Garza in the weight room, peppered defensive tackle Tommie Harris with questions and soaked in all the teaching from new offensive line coach Mike Tice.

» Click to enlarge image

"I'm going to go hard -- or go home," says Johan Asiata (right), practicing here with during the Bears' minicamp in June.
(AP File)

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Yet over and over again, at practices during minicamp and organized team activities, Asiata discovered himself in a most unexpected position.
''I'm down in my stance, and I see Jay Cutler behind me,'' Asiata said. ''Then I'm looking next to me, and there's Chris Williams.
''I was like, 'Whoa!' ''
Asiata's ascension defies convention, whether he does or doesn't start the season at left guard. He didn't start playing football until his freshman year at Yuba Community College in California, and he didn't start mastering the intricacies of the sport until he transferred to UNLV in 2006.
''It's incredible to see how he's progressed as a football player,'' said former UNLV offensive line coach Gary Bernardi, who developed standout linemen such as Tony Boselli and Jonathan Ogden. ''The first three to six months, he didn't know how to watch film.''
Added agent Joe Palumbo, ''A lot of times, the chips have to all fall into place, and they often don't.
''But in his case, it did.''
Technique notwithstanding, Asiata always could do one thing: Move men.
''You could tell he didn't know what he was doing sometimes,'' Bernardi said of Asiata's film at Yuba, ''but he was literally throwing guys around.''
Born in New Zealand, Asiata initially played rugby as a boy. But after he moved to Hawaii with his father and three siblings, Asiata strayed and surrendered to what he described as the ''street life.''
But his life changed during a six-month stint in Honolulu at the Hawaii Youth ChalleNGe Academy, which is designed for ''at-risk/ non-traditional students,'' and he realized his passion shortly thereafter.
''I just like to hit people -- that's basically it,'' Asiata said of football. ''I don't get arrested for hitting people, so thank God for that.''

Turning point approaches

Francois Asiata said he and his younger siblings had ''a good life'' in New Zealand.
But their parents had marital problems, and a judge in Samoa gave custody of the children to their father, Taeao.
''Back home in New Zealand, I wasn't really close to my kids,'' Taeao said. ''I was so angry and emotional in my life and marriage.''
But he uprooted his family for Hawaii because of the opportunities.
''I wanted to see them grow, and see what they wanted to do in life,'' he said.
Taeao was strict --''he was no-nonsense, and he would spank us Samoan style,'' Johan said -- but he couldn't closely track his kids. He needed two full-time security jobs to support his children, working one shift from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and then starting his second from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. He couldn't afford a car, so he rode the bus to their home in the projects, made his children dinner and then slept for three hours before starting the cycle all over again.
But despite the financial challenges, Taeao would cook grand feasts like Samoan chop suey and baked garlic and ginger chicken for his children while often taking two slices of bread to work for lunch.
''As long as we had food on the table, I didn't think we were struggling,'' Johan said.
Taeao was shocked when a high school counselor called him and informed him of Johan's long list of transgressions -- which included cutting class and disrespecting teachers -- and recommended Hawaii Youth ChalleNGe Academy.
''To be honest, I wasn't aware of a lot of stuff that was going on,'' Taeao said. ''That really hurt me so much, when I found out.
''The school never called before. This could have been corrected earlier.''
But Johan experienced a first when his father dropped him off at the academy.
He saw his father cry.
''That hit me hard,'' Johan said. ''I said, 'Man, I'm going to do my best to be better.' ''
The school, encircled by 20-foot-high barbed-wire fences, demanded responsibility and accountability, with students waking up at 5:30 a.m. and running from Point A to Point B.
''It was hard,'' said Johan, who had his long hair chopped short. ''Sergeants just yelling at you, trying to break you down.
''Everything you do, you had to ask first.''

It's time to try football

But Johan thrived, being appointed a leader of his squadron. And while there, Johan's brother made a bold prediction to a friend who worked at the academy.
''Out of nowhere,'' Francois recalled, ''I told him, 'Dude, my brother is going to the NFL. Just trust me.' ''
Yet no one in their family -- including Johan -- had seriously played football. They were a rugby family.
''I played rugby for a few years, but I used to get penalized for high tackles,'' Johan said. ''I just ran and hit people.''
After getting high marks on an Armed Forces multi-aptitude test, Johan planned to join the Air Force following his graduation from the Youth ChalleNGe Academy. But during the summer, he bumped into a church friend named Lorgan Pau who was playing football at Yuba Community College.
''When he came back, everyone talked about him,'' Johan recalled. ''I just looked at that like, 'Wow.'
''People would say, 'Man, you're pretty big; you should play football, too.' ''
So Johan purchased a one-way ticket to Sacramento, Calif., for $450 and left with about $300 in cash and a duffel bag of clothes. When 49ers coach Ted Hoal asked him where he wanted to eat, Johan picked Denny's, where he ate plate after plate of pumpkin pancakes.
''He was just going to town,'' Hoal said. ''They just kept bringing them out.''
Countless young men come to Hoal looking for a chance to play on his football team, but many are rebuffed after that initial meeting.
''If it doesn't go well, there are four or five hotels around the airport, and you send them back home," Hoal said.
But Hoal was impressed by Johan's candidness about his past and his willingness to do ''what you want me to.''
Even special teams.
Johan didn't know what he was doing, but he liked to hit people.
''Pummel -- no technique or nothing,'' Johan said. ''Just pummel.''
He helped the 49ers win consecutive conference titles, and he drew interest from several major programs. But only UNLV was willing to persevere in dealing with Asiata's academic eligibility issues. He red-shirted his first year there, focusing on academics, lowering his body fat and learning the nuances of the game.
Bernardi worked closely with Johan, guiding him on and off the field, and he projected his NFL potential.
''I didn't believe in myself,'' Johan said. ''People [in Hawaii] thought I was in jail or doing some bad things.''

Composure a big plus

Taeao is proud of Johan's turnaround, though he never has seen his son play in a football game.
''That's something I really want to do this year,'' Taeao said.
Tice said the battle to start at left guard is ''wide open,'' noting that Josh Beekman and Lance Louis weren't afforded a chance to make an impression at the position this offseason. But Tice said he's already been impressed with Asiata's composure.
''The thing that jumps out at me the most, for a young player who hasn't played, he's shown amazing poise,'' Tice said of the 6-4, 300-pounder. ''He makes mistakes -- and all young guys do -- but he doesn't get rattled.
''Most of the time, when young guys make a mistake, they compound that and rattle off three or four in a row. But Johan hasn't done that.''
Johan knows there are no guarantees, but he's grateful to the Bears for even giving him a chance.
''To be a part of their team means a lot,'' he said. ''I'm thankful, but I'm not going to take it for granted. I'm going to go hard -- or go home.''

Green & White Feeling a Pacific Islands Vibe

By Nick Gallo

Posted Jul 12, 2010

There’s an island attitude floating around the Jets locker room, and it’s not because they're on vacation in July at various luxurious destinations before the start of training camp. For three players, there is a pervasive presence that ties the locker room together.

Veteran offensive tackle Wayne Hunter, rookie tackle Aaron Kia and rookie linebacker Brashton Satele are all from the Hawaiian island of Oahu, and their friendship has been noteworthy this offseason.

“It’s good being here with them because we can all relate to each other,” Kia said. “We’re all out on the East Coast and I’ve never been here before. Being here with people from the island makes it easier, because if it was just me out here, it would be real lonely. But we have some local boys here, so it’s all good.”

All three went to the University of Hawaii, although Hunter graduated in 2003, seven years ahead of Kia and Satele. The latter two learned about Hunter and all of the other former Hawaii players that have made it in the NFL, but the two rookies also share an interesting connection themselves.

In high school, Satele and Kia played against one another and played in the state's high school all-star game together before playing for five seasons at the University of Hawaii as teammates. Their friendship has been helpful during their long journey to the New York area.

“It’s been a big change especially because I came from the Pacific all the way to the Atlantic,” Satele said. “West to East Coast, that’s a big difference. It’s great to have a vet in Wayne and another rookie, too.”

It seems the largest impact has been made on Kia, who has Hunter as a mentor because they play the same position. The 6’5”, 320-pound Hunter was a third-round draft pick by the Seattle Seahawks and after three seasons signed with Jacksonville before coming to the Jets in 2007. His experience, leadership and history as one of the major talents to come out of Hawaii have been incredibly helpful to Kia.

“To come to find that you’re in the same place as someone you looked up to and is a legend at your school, you can’t even describe it. It’s just awesome," Kia said. "You’re with the legend and just learning from the guy that was the best at his school. I can learn from him. You watch film on him on college and you try to learn from film, but now you can learn from him one-on-one.”

Satele and Kia are from Mililani while Hunter hails from just outside Honolulu. Although Hunter understands the transition that Kia and Satele might be facing, he believes that they’ll soon get used to the East Coast and that he can help make the cross-country experiment easier on them.

“It feels good just talking from experience,” Hunter said. “When I went to Jacksonville from Seattle, we had about three or four guys who were from Hawaii so it made that transition much easier for me. I’m assuming they feel the same way. When they first came here, they brought me a sweater from Hawaii. It was nice because you got that aloha spirit roaming around the locker room, which is what I always missed from Hawaii. Just having that island connection just makes our connection better.”

Hunter is familiar with the Satele family, having played with Brashton’s cousin, Samson, at Hawaii. Samson, a center, now plays for the Oakland Raiders and graduated from UH in 2005, meaning Hunter has already played big brother to a Satele.

When asked about the biggest differences between Hawaii and New York, Kia only took a split second to respond.

“The weather and the people, but especially the weather,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing for me. Hawaii is hot, but here is a different kind of heat. It’s a good experience. It’s good to experience being off the island and experiencing new things.”

Scott Cohen, the Jets' assistant general manager, believes that having a group of players from the Pacific can provide a common bond. In addition to being able to look up to older players on the roster, new Jets like Satele and Kia have the full complement of Jets staff and coaches to help acclimate them to the NFL.

“I think they kind of feed off each other that way with strength in numbers,” Cohen said. “I think that there is a little culture shock, but that’s where I think guys like [director of player development] Dave Szott, [head athletic trainer] John Mellody and [head strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi], they do a great job with the whole program of cohesion and getting everybody established.”

Besides the Hawaiian players, the Jets have two more players from the South Pacific on the roster. Defensive tackle Sione Pouha is from Tonga while defensive linemen Ropati Pitoitua is from Samoa. Simi Toeaina, who was waived today, is also from Samoa.

“Those guys tend to be really tough, hardworking, loyal, just from their background,” Cohen said. "I think a lot of those guys have such raw, explosive ability and strength that when you put them in the right situation and get them the right training that they have here, you can see some of the results.”

The Jets have had some success in the past with players from the Pacific, led by eight-year Jets tackle Siupeli Malamala. Through their player personnel staff, including national scout Jim Cochran, they have been very active and creative in finding prospects all over the country, and particularly from the West Coast and beyond.

“I’d say if you have success with a certain type of player you’re more willing to go back to it,” Cohen said. “I think with Wayne and Sione and Ropati, having success with them, you’re more likely to go back to that. I would think just the fact that we have three guys that have made it here, it gives the new guys some confidence or something to help guide them through the process.”

Ex-Warrior Sopoaga returns to find peace, strength

Isa'ako "Isaac" Sopoaga is focused on the big picture, which is why he was disturbed by a recent shot.

"That's a bad picture," said Sopoaga, holding up the reporter's camera. "Where's the shaka sign? I always have a shaka sign. When I make a tackle, I have the shaka sign. Take it again."

The image was clear: Sopoaga, who was raised in American Samoa and now plays defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers, has pledged his allegiance to Hawaii.

"Without this place," said Sopoaga, who gazed around the University of Hawaii athletic complex, "I wouldn't be where I am today. When I was here, I was a student-athlete. Now I'm a pro athlete."

Sopoaga lived full-time in Hawaii a little more than two years, playing for the Warriors in 2002 and 2003. But he said he draws his "spiritual strength" from the islands. So much so that he and his wife - they have four children - own a house in Hawaii Kai and are looking to purchase a second home here.

"I like it here," he said. "On the mainland, it's busy - too many businesses. I can relax here. It's peaceful."

Sopoaga is in town to train and participate in football-related functions. During a break from yesterday's workout at UH's Ching Athletic Complex, he reflected on a National Football League career that will enter a seventh season.

"To be part of the NFL is amazing," he said, noting that while growing up "I never thought it would happen, never dreamed of it. I give thanks to our Heavenly Father for all of his blessings."

Sopoaga always had the strength. At UH, he was one of the first to bench press 500 pounds. At the NFL Scouting Combine in 2004, he bench pressed 225 pounds 42 times, which, at the time, was the second-most reps in the event's history.

But power was not enough for Sopoaga, who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. As a defensive tackle and nose tackle, Sopoaga was asked not only to hold the point, but to track ball-carriers. Too often, Sopoaga was out of position.

"Football," he admitted, "is more than running and lifting."

He said he devoted extra time to studying playbooks and videos of opponents.

"That really helped a lot," he said.

He also found another learning tool: rugby.

The 49ers were initially concerned about his participation in a Bay Area rugby league. Rugby players do not wear pads.

Sopoaga recalled telling the 49er coaches: "You have to trust me. This is what I need in the offseason as an extra workout."

Sopoaga said rugby's non-stop action kept him fit and trained him to track ball-carriers.

"Everything is fast in rugby," Sopoaga said. "The ball doesn't even stop, not like football. I always tell people rugby was my first sport. I love it."

The 6-foot-2, 330-pound Sopoaga has developed into a versatile defensive lineman. He now plays defensive end in the 49ers' 3-4 scheme.

In 2008, he signed a five-year contract worth about $20 million.

The best thing about his healthy bank account, Sopoaga said, is it allows him to spend time each year in Hawaii.

"This is my second home," he said.

Mosi Tatupu service tomorrow

A memorial service for Mosi Tatupu will be held tomorrow at Punahou School's Thurston Memorial Chapel.

Visitation starts at 12:30 p.m., with the service to begin at 1:30 p.m.

Tatupu established himself as one of the state's greatest prep athletes as a multi-sport standout at Punahou. He went on to a college career at USC and became a fan favorite over a 14-year NFL career, the majority with the New England Patriots. He died in Attleboro, Mass., on Feb, 23 at age 54.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a fund benefiting youth football in American Samoa. Checks should be made out to USA Football, with "Mosi Tatupu Memorial Fund" on the memo line and mailed to USA Football, c/o Mosi Tatupu Memorial Fund, 8300 Boone Blvd., Suite 625, Vienna, VA 22182.