Quotes about Miami’s 4 Samoan rookies

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/May/14/br/br0936715482.html

Happy they have 4 Samoan rookies, Reagan said:
“It’s awesome. You couldn’t ask for a better deal. The Dolphins, they did a great job with that one, I’ll tell you that. We’re going to bring something different this year.” (Florida Today)

About how their 4 Samoan rookies are different, but share important characteristics, Cam Cameron said:
“They are all different, their families are different — but what we have seen in these guys is that spirit, that spirit of enthusiasm, that pride. They are very prideful people. When they step on the football field, they know they represent someone bigger than themselves and that’s important.” (FT)

Proud to represent Hawaii, Samson said:
“We represent the whole Samoan culture. Now, we’ve got to represent the whole state of Hawaii. I’m proud to be from Hawaii. I’ll represent it as (best) as I can.” (FT)

About his long hair, which has not been cut since he entered UH in 2002, Samson said:
“I got pulled on a couple of times last year and I got (ticked) off. They call me Samson, but I’m like the Hulk. They pull my hair, I get angry.” (FT)

About head-butting through the drywall on the YouTube video, Tala said:
“They were going to bust it down, so I was like, ‘OK, may as well try to bust my head through this wall, see if I can do it.’ ” (FT)

About how he then ran through the wall on the YouTube video, Reagan said:
“I didn’t have to upstage him. We were trying to break the wall down. We were throwing baseballs through it, medicine balls through it … Tala put his head through it. I was like, ‘I’ve got to do more than that.’ ” (FT)

FT Note: “Mauia, a former nose tackle who once weighed 380 pounds, is now a 6-foot, 270-pound fullback who has a chance to back up starter Cory Schlesinger. The Dolphins love the way he blocks and also that he can be an effective pass catcher out of the backfield.

Satele and Esera are both pushing for playing time on an offensive line that is still undergoing a restructuring. Soliai (6-4, 344) also is seen as a possible backup to veteran nose tackle Keith Traylor.”

Hoping they set an example for their team to bond as a family, Tala said:
“Hopefully, (our teammates) get a feel for how close we are. Polynesians, we’re very family oriented. Hopefully, guys can see that and it will rub off a little bit.” (FT)

More from CBS Sporstline on the soap controversy

http://www.sportsline.com/columns/weblogs/entry/10175016

About their weak schedule this season, Colt said:
“To be honest with you, I’m not really frustrated. I know who we play and the quality of teams that we play has a lot to do with the type of recognition that you get at the end of the year. We’re going to be ready whoever we play. We have Boise, Fresno and Washington at home.

The last two years we traveled to Alabama, Michigan State. We finally got used to that big-time atmosphere. If there was one year I would really like our chances on the road, it would be this year.” (CBS Sportsline)

About their poor facilities, Colt said:
“These critics would have so much more respect if they realized what we overcome every day with facilities and resources. Even though we lost to Oregon State, Alabama and Boise State, we were in it until the fourth quarter. Last year 11-3 with the talent we had was a complete letdown. We were 18 points from being undefeated. If we feel like we’re in a Division I program that has the resources, that makes us feel a lot better when we walk into Alabama and Michigan State.” (CBS Sportsline)

About his scholarship check, Colt said:
“We only get $870 in our scholarship check, and we are living in the highest rental market. Last year we were only getting $630, my rent was $650. That was supposed to cover rent and
food. Once I saw the soap and a bunch of other stuff going on, I felt like I needed to say something to get things going. We’ve already got soap dispensers donated within hours of that article being printed.” (CBS Sportsline)

About being targeted by criminals, Colt said:
“When the season ended I got my house broken into, my car broken into twice. After that, I was just really, really irritated and frustrated. They got me the first day. The just got my golf clubs and some other stuff, a phone charger and Ipod. For some reason the next day at 3 in the afternoon they decided to come back. I happened to leave my wallet in that day.” (CBS Sportsline)

About how they only have one janitor to take care of their whole team’s facilities, Colt said:
“They have one janitor to clean up after 80 people. He recycles shampoo bottles, fills them up with soap and gives them back to us. People should really realize how impressive it’s been with Hawaii succeeding at the level they’re succeeding at.” (CBS Sportsline)

• The school’s response to Brennan’s claims:

University of Hawaii at Manoa
Athletics Department

UH Response To Items In The Honolulu Advertiser
Story In The Friday, May 4, Edition
“Brennan Fires Away At UH Facilities”

Soap Dispensers
Individual soap dispensers in the football locker room have been replaced numerous times over the last year because of vandalism. Twice, all 25 dispensers had to be replaced at a cost of $4,000 each time. New dispensers were in place at the time the Brennan story was published.

Nagatani Academic Center Staffing
There are eight full-time employees to service the student-athletes at the Nagatani Academic Center. There are plans to add two additional full-time employees. Also, there are a total of 56 other people working as tutors, mentors, computer-support assistants, and study
hall monitors.

Facilities
There is a capital improvement campaign that was set in motion two years ago. It includes: improvement projects for Cooke Field, Les Murakami Stadium, and the Duke Kahakamoku Aquatic Complex. The “Verizon Room,” a computer room for football players, has been closed indefinitely due to ongoing vandalism and improper computer usage. Currently, it is available for use by appointment only.

Parking
Student-athletes, like the rest of the UH student body, are afforded the opportunity to obtain a parking pass through a lottery, since parking spaces are limited. Daily parking is available on a first-come first-serve basis for the remaining stalls on campus. Providing student-athletes free parking or permitting them to park in “special” unmarked areas on lower campus would be against NCAA rules. Student-athletes are not allowed to receive any benefits that are not available to the entire student body.

Licensing & Merchandising
Licensing rights for UH-logoed items are managed by the UH Office of External Affairs and merchandising rights are managed by the Department of Auxiliary Services. The UH Athletics Department receives a percentage of licensing and online merchandise revenue. These percentages are determined by upper-campus administration.

Quotes from Leonard Peters

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/May/14/br/br5126948073.html

Showing off the huge scar that covered his right bicep, LP said:
“There’s worse. The skin didn’t melt. If the skin melted, it would be bad.” (AP)

Happy to have a shot with the Jets, LP said:
“Who thought a guy from a small island in Hawaii would come in and try out for the Jets? I am just grateful for the opportunity.” (AP)

About his hair and comparisons to Polamalu, LP said:
“Having a Polynesian background, it has always been a warriorlike thing to grow your hair. I don’t know about comparing me to Troy Polamalu because he is one of the greatest players, but I am glad to just try to make the team.” (AP)

About spending time with Polamalu when he was in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl, LP said:
“I actually walked around with him and his wife for two days straight and got to know him and pick his mind about things. He is a great guy and an inspiration.” (AP)

About his respect for LP, Jets coach Mangini said:
“When I was watching tape of Hawaii, there were a lot of big hits and he’s involved with them. The most impressive thing about him was in sitting down with the other players, how they constantly reference back to him, his qualities and what he meant to that team. That was probably what moved me most in terms of him as a person is how many other people were talking about him, because he’s a very humble guy by nature.” (AP)

Not minding his coaches yelling at him, LP said:
“If they yell at you, it means they care about you a lot. I take it as a positive.” (AP)

About how even experienced fire knife dancers get injured, LP said:
“It does not matter how many times you spin the knife, the best dancers in the world get bruises and scratches from it. It is the nature of the business, just like football.” (AP)

Not thinking ahead to the rookie talent show, LP said:
“I just go hour by hour. If the coaches call you up into the office, then you are done. I am just trying to enjoy the experience and try my hardest.” (AP)

Quote from Nate about the speed in the NFL

http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/homeNewsDetail.jsp?id=69130

About how NFL players are much faster than college players, Nate said:
“The tempo of how practices are run, I was able to adjust to that quickly, but as far as the players go, they’re coming fast. In college you’re able to get away with only a couple players being real fast, out here everyone’s fast. Even the coaches are kind of fast running these drills.” (philadelphiaeagles.com)

Quotes about Nate and how he fits into Philly’s offense

Great find by Tombo! I never would have thought to check this paper for news about Nate.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/99-05142007-1346170.html

About how their RBs have to be versatile, Eagles OC Marty Mornhinweg said:
“We ask the running backs here to do an awful lot.

We ask them to run the football, of course, and we ask them to block in the run game. Then we ask them to protect, and then we ask them to run routes like a receiver would from the backfield and the slot out wide, and then we expect them to catch the football like a receiver would.

So we ask them to do virtually everything you can ask a skill player to do. We do move them around quite a bit, and so — (considering) verbiage, alignment, assignment, that’s one of the tougher positions (to learn).” (Burlington County Times)

About the 2 RBs they drafted (Tony Hunt and Nate), Mornhinweg said:
“Tony’s a good all-around player, at least he was in college. He runs the ball very well. He has very quick feet. He’s physical. He’s done a very good job in college in the pass protection aspect of it. When he’s been asked to block on running plays, he’s done a good job there. Lastly, he’s been effective and productive in the passing game. So he’s very good all-around. (Ilaoa has) very good feet. He’s highly productive, both in the pass and the run game.” (BCT)

About his advice to Tony and Nate, starting RB Brian Westbrook said:
“I told the younger guys, it’s their job now, so they have to get in the (play book) no matter what – if they’re tired, in between meetings, in between practices, they have to get in the book and study, because it’s not natural for a lot of these things they’re asking them to do. The terminology is so different from different schools. They have to learn a lot. They’re going to be tired, and they have to be able to study even when they’re tired and learn this offense, because we can’t allow them to make mistakes out there.” (BCT)

Another Leonard Peters Interview after Day 1 of the rookie minicamp

http://www.jetnation.com/?p=936#more-936

Asked if he knew how interested the Jets were in him, LP said:
“I think every NFL team does its homework and they all seemed interested. During the draft it is all a chess match between each team so you never know where you’re going to go. I’m just glad I have an opportunity to come here.” (JN)

Asked about the Jets being far from home, LP said:
“Yes, but it’s OK. I grew up dancing [National Polynesian dancing] since I was in fourth grade all the way through high school, so I have traveled all over the world, Taiwan, Japan, so it’s OK. I got to see a little bit from the airport to the hotel of the great atmosphere around here and I am grateful to be here.” (JN)

Asked if his background would help him take on this challenge, LP said:
“It doesn’t matter what background I have, I’m just glad I have this opportunity. Who knew that a person from the Samoan Islands would come here and get a chance to play or at least try out to play NFL football.” (JN)

Asked about his hair resembling Troy Polamalu’s, LP said:
“With a Polynesian background it has always been a warrior-like thing to grow your hair. I don’t know about comparing me to Troy Polamalu because he is one of the greatest players, but I’m glad to just try to make the team.” (JN)

Asked about Rich Miano (his college position coach) saying he was a country boy going to New York, LP said:
“My defensive backs coach, Rich Miano, played here years ago, as a free agent also. All I can do is try my hardest to fit in on a team, no matter what it is.” (JN)

Asked what advice Miano gave him, LP said:
“He played here years ago and he said it doesn’t matter where you go and play, just focus on the task at hand.” (JN)

Asked about football’s popularity in Hawaii, LP said:
“I went to a high school in Hawaii that’s called Kahuku and I think we are tied or leading for the most players to come out of one high school. It is a good thing for our state and our community.” (JN)

About Polamalu being an inspiration to him, LP said:
“He is a good friend of mine. I got to meet him when they came to Hawai’i for the Pro Bowl — our high school football team actually helps out with the security, so we get to meet them and get to know them and stuff like that. I actually walked around with him and his wife for two days straight and got to know him and pick his mind about things. He is a great guy and an inspiration.” (JN)

Asked what advice Polamalu gave him, LP said:
“He said to keep your feet on the ground, stay level-headed, focus on the littlest things and try your best.” (JN)

Asked about the scars he has on his hands from fire-knife dancing, LP said:
“The fire knife dancing championship of the world is actually taking place in Hawai’i this week. It’s at the Polynesian Culture Center. It doesn’t matter how many times you spin the knife, the best dancers in the world get bruises and scratches from it. It is the nature of the business, just like football.” (JN)

Asked if he would be dancing at the championship now if he weren’t with the Jets, LP said:
“No, just helping out.” (JN)

Asked how long it takes to learn how to dance, LP said:
“A while, and the best dancers still perfect their profession just like football players. To be the greatest you can be, you have to practice your technique and stuff like that.” (JN)

Asked about the dance he did with teammates before Hawai’i games (the haka), LP said:
“Every team has something to bring the team together. Because we are from Hawai’i and are called the Warriors, we tried to think of something from a Polynesian background that we could do. So we asked some New Zealand Maori people if we could dance the Haka and they said OK. And we asked some mainland players who were on the team and talked to them about it before we even danced or practiced it, and they said they were OK with it. I think it just draws us closer as a state and as a football team.” (JN)

Asked about players with the Jets asking him about the dance, LP said:
“A lot of teams have seen us do it, but I am in the WAC and a lot of the players here are not in the WAC, so I don’t think they know about it.” (JN)

Quotes from Leonard Peters

http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/117911711581570.xml&coll=1

Asked about the difference between performing with flaming knives and playing football, LP said:
“Both are tough in different ways. The best dancers in the world get bruises and scratches from it. … Just like a football player, to be the greatest every year you have to practice your techniques to try to better yourself.” (NJ Star-Ledger)

About the frequent comparisons to Troy Polamalu, LP said:
“Of course, it’s the long hair, the Polynesian background. It’s always been a warrior-type thing to grow your hair, though I don’t know if you can compare me to him. He’s one of the greatest.” (NJ Star-Ledger)

Giving high praise to Leonard Peters, Jets coach Eric Mangini said:
“Leonard, when I was watching tape of Hawaii, there was a lot of big hits and he’s involved with them. The most impressive thing about him was in sitting down with the other players, how they constantly reference back to him, his qualities and what he meant to that team. That was probably what moved me most in terms of him as a person is how many other people were talking about him.” (NJ Star-Ledger)