Lauvao Ready For Challenges @ Camp

Browns rookie offensive lineman Shawn Lauvao is hardly overwhelmed by his new surroundings. Actually, he's conquering them with tremendous poise.

Lauvao is not baffled by an unfamiliar, complex playbook.

He's not having problems holding his own against veteran players.

He's not even fazed about moving from Arizona to Northeast Ohio. (Sure, it hasn't snowed since his arrival, but you get the point.)

Lauvao is confident, intelligent and mature. And there's a reason he displays those attributes.

After graduating from Farrington High School in his hometown of Honolulu in 2005, Lauvao had to grow up fast.

'I graduated kind of early,'' Lauvao said. ''In Hawaii, it's a lot more different. They'll start kids at 4. By the time I got to college, I was 17.

''As soon as I went to college, I was on my own. My parents live in Hawaii. My dad got real sick and then from there, they went back to Samoa, so I barely see my parents.''

But before Lauvao's departure, his parents, Sisifo S. Lauvao Jr. and Faumuiana Lee Lauvao, prepared him well for the road ahead. He earned a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with a focus on education and sociology. He's also close to earning a master's degree in curriculum and instruction.

''My parents, they're hard-working people,'' Lauvao said. ''At a young age, I had to leave them. But fortunately because I've gotten drafted, I've been able to kind of link up again with them, so it's been really good.''

Lauvao has not only adjusted well in everyday life, but he's also done it on the football field. During training camp Monday, he played right guard with the first-team offense for the second consecutive day.

''I think Shawn's been doing a really good job,'' Browns Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas said. ''It's hard for any rookie to be thrown into the fire, getting reps with the ones against the one defense, but he's a really smart kid. He's showing he can pick up the offense very quickly. He's got really nice feet, and he's got a willingness to learn and work hard. I think he's going to be very successful.''

The Browns drafted Lauvao, 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, in the third round (92nd overall) of this year's draft. He finished his career at Arizona State University with 33 consecutive starts, including 17 at left guard, 12 at left tackle and four at right tackle.

With the Browns, Lauvao's primary position has been guard, but he has also served as a backup center despite his limited experience snapping a football.

''He'll work some at guard, some at center, both sides,'' Browns coach Eric Mangini said. ''He's doing a good job with what we're asking him to do right now.

''If he can build in that versatility where he can play center and guard, that improves his chances of going to the game that much more each week because one guy can play really three spots. He can play center and both guards.''

Lauvao said there have not been any discussions with his new coaches about him trying tackle. Instead, veteran Floyd Womack has been playing first-string right tackle the past two days while another potential starter, Tony Pashos, had been sidelined with an illness but returned for the second practice Monday. Womack and Lauvao have been expected to compete at right guard for some time.

''It's been a tremendous opportunity,'' Lauvao said. ''Coach is really making it a point that he wants me to learn as much as possible and just come in and compete.''

It won't be easy for Lauvao to surpass a veteran for a starting job during training camp, but he eagerly accepted the challenge.

''These are guys who have been doing it for a while,'' he said. '' . . . These are all guys who know what they're doing. From there, it just elevates the competition.

''I'm gonna be my own worst critic. I want to play as best as possible. I want to come in and compete. . . . I want to get better. You know what I mean? I'm not afraid to get dirty. I'm not afraid to work.''

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Polamalu Paving The Way For Samoans

After years of nothing but terrorizing the Cleveland Browns, Troy Polamalu is inadvertently helping to change the landscape of the Cleveland Browns. Known for his hard-hitting plays and physical toughness, Browns' management has been recently scouting and looking to the Pacific Islands recently in a quest to find players of his same caliber.

In the 2009 NFL Draft, Rey Maualuga of Samoan descent, was high on the list of the Cleveland Browns fans in the days preceding the event. Instead passing on Rey Maualuga, who later went to the Cincinnatti Bengals, and selecting David Veikune 52nd overall out of Hawaii, before then picking up Kaluka Maiava 104th out of USC.

Is it sheer coincidence? Or is there something in the water surrounding those islands?

"Polynesians, they're pretty strong, very powerful, physical people," said Veikune. "The NFL is a very physical game, so I think they put two and two together and started recruiting over there."

"We're just people trying to play football and have a job," Maiava said modestly. "I don't know if we're the chosen few or anything. We're just trying to make a living."

This year was no different in Cleveland, as the Browns picked up another Samoan player with a high motor in Shawn Lauvao. An offensive tackle out of Arizona State, that head coach Eric Mangini praises as a player that never stops working, hitting his man and then 'cleaning out the pocket' until the whistle blows.

Lauvao's attitude is one that has been sorely missed in Cleveland for years, “I like to knock heads, if I don’t have anything to do, I’m going to go see if I can smash somebody else."

Fast-forward to today, the Cleveland Browns announced the signing of undrafted free agent Martin Tevaseu, a Samoan nose tackle out of UNLV. In attendance at his Pro Day, Cleveland scouts undoubtedly walked away impressed by his performance, but Tevaseu went overlooked on draft day.

Tevaseu shed weight from an over-sized 420 pound frame, to an absolutely dominating 335 pound monster. Coming from a smaller school like UNLV, Tevaseu had to work harder to even be noticed, much like 2009 Browns' Eric Wright and Beau Bell.

Tevaseu's impressive 2009 season where he overpowered double-teams all year, earned him a spot in the East-West Shrine Game where he was coached by NFL legend Marty Schottenheimer. It's reported that the blown away coach ran up to Tevaseu in the parking lot afterwards, introduced himself, and then said the words, “I want to tell you, son, you are doing a hell of a job. A hell of a job."

It remains to be seen if Tevaseu makes the opening day roster, but with current nose tackle Shaun Rogers facing a gun possession charge, it seems his chances are that much better.

Martin Tevasau highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EmSnKXjJPI

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Shawn Lauvao Brings Power to Browns ‎

Shawn Lauvao has never pulled a van, lifted a giant tire, flipped a log or done any of the other bizarre and entertain­ing events that make up the world’s strongest man competitions.

But the newest Browns offensive line­man, and 2005 Hawaii Strongest Teen, is open to the possibility.

“Maybe in the future,” he said over the weekend at Browns rookie minicamp. “It’s definitely a big hobby of mine. I enjoy lift­ing weights. I’m kind of strong.”

Lauvao was drafted in the third round at No. 92 overall.

The pick came just seven selec­tions after that of Texas quarter­back Colt McCoy, so Lauvao has been largely an afterthought.

The afterthought has a much better chance of contributing this season.

Lauvao, who finished his Ari­zona State career with 33 straight starts, played left tackle as a sen­ior, but at 6-foot-2, 315 pounds projects as an NFL guard. Vet­eran Floyd Womack is penciled in as the starter at right guard, but Lauvao could immediately push him for playing time.

“The biggest thing is I want to make the team and help the team any way possible,” said Lauvao, who grew up in Hawaii and whose parents live in West­ern Samoa. “Whatever the coaches see fit, I’m more than willing to do.”

If Lauvao gets on the field, his strength will be a significant factor. He can bench press 500 pounds, squat 700 and clean 350. He benched 225 pounds an impressive 33 times at the combine, and was disap­pointed he didn’t do more.

“Shawn came in strong, had a tremendous work ethic the entire time he was here and got much stronger,” Arizona State strength coach Ben Hilgart said by phone. “What’s more impressive is that pound for pound he’s very good. He han­dles his body weight very well.” Hilgart said Lauvao’s “relative strength” was obvious when the linemen did chin-ups.

While plenty of 300-pounders struggle to do one, Lauvao ups the ante and doesn’t disap­point.

“We’ve got chains we use that weigh about 20 pounds apiece,” Hilgart said. “He’ll drape three of those around his back, kinda Mad Max style. It turns him into 375 pounds, 60 of which is dead weight, and he’ll bang out 10 chin-ups.”

If strength were enough to make a good NFL player, the behemoths from the strong man competition — Magnus and Andrus — would be raking in millions. But that strength must be converted to opera­tional power. “There’s a lot of guys who can lift a lot of weight, who are strong, but not very athletic,” Lauvao said. “The biggest thing is playing with better leverage, better knee bend, dropping your hips more, having better reaction, as opposed to trying to run and smash people.
You’ve got to do it in a more controlled manner.”

Hilgart’s seen Lauvao do that on the field, and he also saw it at the scouting combine when Lauvao posted the best time of any offensive lineman in the short shuttle drill.

“It’s a great indicator of how a guy can change direction, burst off the line and drop his hips,” Hilgart said. “It shows versatility. He’s an athletic and strong kid. He’s not just a big, slow, strong kid.

“I’ve seen it in games and practices. When he gets hold of you, it’s lights out. I’ve seen him lock ’em out with one arm and just stone that person.

That’s an application of where strength is translating to the football field.”

Lauvao earned his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies, specializing in educa­tion and sociology. He said he’s six to nine units from getting his master’s and would like to use the degrees to go into coaching.

The Browns targeted charac­ter and toughness in the draft, and Lauvao appears to bring both. As a senior, he was voted captain by his teammates and won the Hard Hat award, given to the MVP of strength training. “It’s not about the strongest person, it’s who’s working the hardest, doing the little things right and motivating people in the weight room,” Hilgart said.

“He just happened to also be our strongest guy.

“He’s a great football player, a hard worker and a great per­son. All that stuff’s legit. All that stuff’s authentic.”

The coaching staff worked Lauvao at both guard spots during rookie minicamp, and he said they want him to mas­ter guard before expanding his repertoire.

“He’s tough, he’s physical,” coach Eric Mangini said. “One of the things that you like about watching offensive line­men or something that always jumps off the screen to me is guys that clean the pocket.
Which means when they are not blocking somebody, they go and help somebody else out, and it’s usually one of those hits that defensive line­men remember.

“There were quite a few of those with him. You appreciate that.”

Lauvao had a simple expla­nation for what Mangini spot­ted on film.

“I like to knock heads,” he said. “If I don’t have anything to do, I’m going to go see if I can smash somebody else.”

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Kaluka Maiava Proving Doubters Wrong

One rookie that never got the kind of credit he deserves is linebacker Kaluka Maiava.  For a guy that was selected in the fourth round, with lingering doubts about his size, Kaluka made an impact in his rookie season.  He played in every single game for the Browns.  He had 45 tackles, 2.5 sacks (for 6 lost yards) and 2 forced fumbles.  And he really rose to the occasion against division rivals – he had 5 solo tackles againat the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 5, 6 solo tackles against the Baltimore Ravens in week 10, and another 3 solo tackles against Pittsburgh in week 14.

Equally important, the coaches and his defensive teammates speak highly of Maiava.  He is a smart player who approaches his job in a business-like, no-nonsense manner.  He plays much tougher than he appears.  The competitiveness at USC prepared him well.

It is always a pleasure to land a player beyond the third round of the Draft who makes an immediate impact and who has the potential to become one of the better players at his position on the defense.  Kaluka fits that bill.

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Shawn Lauvao Selected by The Cleveland Browns in Third Round

Shawn Lauvao was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 92nd overall pick

Lauvao has been a powerful offensive lineman for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Playing in 42 games and making 33 consecutive starts to close out his career, Lauvao has been ASU's most consistent and experienced guards throughout the past three years.

Standing at 6'3" and weighing 315 lbs., his big stature will be a big contribution to the struggling Cleveland Browns. He shows great agility and quickness with his big frame and will fit in nicely with the rebuilding Browns team.

Having starting experience at guard, left tackle, and right tackle will give the Browns some options as to where he will fit in best.

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Will Cleveland, Cincinnati Gamble On Iowa TE Tony Moeaki?

Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki reminds a lot of Hawkeye fans of Samuel L. Jackson's character in the movie Unbreakable .

In Unbreakable , Jackson plays Mr. Glass, a guy with a rare disease that causes his bones to be as brittle as eggshells. At one point, Mr. Glass takes a tumble down a flight of stairs and breaks about 12 of his bones.

That was Moeaki in 2007, when he dislocated his elbow and broke his hand on the same play in a game against Wisconsin, an injury that eventually forced him to take a medical red-shirt that year.

During the 2008 season, he dealt with foot, hamstring, and calf issues, and only saw limited action in nine games. In the second game of the 2009 season, he suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss three more games.
Can you see how fitting the nickname is?

Yet, despite his seeming calcium deficiency , Moeaki overcame the adversity of the injury bug to become one of Ricky Stanzi's favorite targets in the clutch.

In a Big Ten game against Michigan, he caught two touchdown passes of over 30 yards to help secure the victory.

In the fourth quarter of the Ohio State game, Moeaki made a key catch off a tipped pass to give Iowa a first down, helping them force the game into overtime.

The injuries aside, this kid can play some football.

Moeaki is a complete tight end. At 6'4'', 250 lbs, he has the size it takes to make it in the NFL. And that size doesn't slow the kid down at all, either.

To go along with the great size and speed, he also has great hands, as demonstrated against Wisconsin when he made a ninja-like touchdown catch in the back of the end zone to tie the game.

Perhaps his greatest, and most overlooked skill, is his ability to run block. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz hasn't overlooked it, and thinks the senior from the Island of Tonga is one of the most talented tight ends he has ever coached.

When someone like Ferentz says that about a player, NFL teams take notice.
With four months left before the 2010 draft, it is still anyone's guess as to which NFL teams will target Moeaki. The injuries might have diminished his stock a little, but there is plenty of time for him to prove himself.

So, which NFL teams need help the most from a player like Moeaki?

More Google searches for mock drafts won't help much.  Moeaki is anywhere from the fourth- to 13th-best tight end in the draft. Some mock draft sites have him as high as the late second round, others have him late in the sixth.

The Cleveland Browns might be a logical prediction at this point. With the No. 93 and the No. 104 pick in the draft, Cleveland has a few picks to use on a new tight end for Brady Quinn (or a new quarterback) to target.

Moeaki would help the Browns' passing game, as well as their running game because of his superior blocking ability.

The Cincinnati Bengals also have a need for a tight end, specifically a blocking tight end who can catch well. That's Tony to a T.

Eleven-year pro Reggie Kelly is in his seventh season with the Bengals, but was lost for the season to a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in practice. The reward in getting an all-around tight end to help fill in for Kelly could outweigh the risk.

There are several other teams rumored to be interested, too. The Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals also seem to have a need for a tight end and seem like logical options, but they might end up selecting a tight end sooner in the draft.

The only thing that is for sure is there are almost four months until the draft, and anything can happen.

The 2010 NFL Draft will kick off on Thursday, April 22.
That's when Moeaki will find out which team is willing to take a chance on him.

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Polynesian Player Pool Growing

As the popularity of the NFL increases around the world, the diverse pool of players contributing to the game continues to expand.

When the Browns drafted linebackers David Veikune (52nd overall) and Kaluka Maiava (104th) in the second and fourth rounds respectively, they welcomed two new Pacific Islanders into the NFL.

"Polynesians, they're pretty strong, very powerful, physical people," Veikune said. "The NFL's a very physical game, so I think they put two and two together and started recruiting over there."

"We're just people trying to play football and have a job," said Maiava. "I don't know if we're the chosen few or anything. We're just trying to make a living."

The Bengals, this Sunday's opponent and the Browns' in-state rival, added a player of Samoan descent when they selected linebacker Rey Maualuga with the sixth pick in the second round (No. 38 overall).

Maualuga played linebacker next to Maiava at the University of Southern California and knows what his fellow Samoan brings to the field.

"Kaluka's a great linebacker in my eyes, an undersized linebacker, but has a lot of heart and determination to get things done," Maualuga said in a teleconference Wednesday. "He's a playmaker. Given the opportunity, he will make plays."

Veikune is a native of Wahiawa on the Island of Oahu, while Maiava hails from Wailuku on Maui. Maiava also has roots in American Samoa and proudly displays his heritage with tattoos around his right arm and leg.

In addition to Maualuga, Bengals defensive tackles Jonathan Fanene and Domata Peko are also of Samoan descent.

They are the latest players with roots in the Pacific trying to make an impact at the NFL level. Last season, almost 30 Polynesian players played in the NFL.

Steelers free safety Troy Polamalu has been one of the more high-profile Samoan players to compete in the NFL. He has 438 career tackles, 332 solo stops and 7 quarterback sacks over his seven seasons in Pittsburgh. He has 18 interceptions and returned one for a touchdown during the 2004 season.

Before Polamalu was bothering quarterbacks with blitzes off the edge or providing big hits to receivers going across the middle of the field, linebacker Junior Seau was setting the standard for Samoan players.

Seau played in the NFL from 1990 to 2008 with the Chargers, Dolphins and Patriots. During his career, Seau collected 56.5 quarterback sacks and 18 interceptions.

With the success of Hawaiian and Samoan players in the NFL, more people are paying attention to high school and college football in that region. Every coach who scouts in the area is trying to land the next big star from the islands.

"In Samoa, a lot of coaches go over there to recruit out of college," said Veikune. "A lot of guys are getting opportunities that they used to not get before."

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Maiava Gets Practice Time w/ Browns Defense

Kaluka Maiava's role in his first two games with the Cleveland Browns has been on special teams, but that doesn't mean the rookie linebacker and 2005 Baldwin High School graduate can't be a factor on defense this season.

''I think both (rookie linebacker David Veikune) and Kaluka are moving forward a little bit each week,'' Browns coach Eric Mangini said at his news conference Thursday. ''And, they've gotten work with the unit, the defensive unit, through the course of practice.''

Maiava, a fourth-round draft pick out of Southern California, has two tackles through two games --- one on kickoff coverage and one on punt coverage.

Cleveland faces the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

When asked further about Veikune, who led the University of Hawaii in sacks last season, Mangini said: ''He's got some versatility, which is positive. So, he's worked outside. He's worked inside. He needs to keep improving with his overall understanding of the defense, of that week's opponent and contributing on special teams. Sometimes, you go to the game and you may not get any defensive reps, or offensive reps, but you make a real impact on teams. What we're look for, ideally, is everybody that goes to the game has an impact in whatever role they're asked to play.''

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Browns Still Looking for a Place to Keep Veikune

He might play a lot. He might play a little. He might play here. He might play there.

Not even the boss knows what he’s going to do with second-round draft pick David Veikune.

Veikune was a defensive end at Hawaii, which automatically meant he would get a crash course at outside linebacker in the Browns’ 3-4 scheme. His big body, overall skills and football IQ gave coaches the bright idea he could play inside linebacker, too. Indeed, he has.

“He has to be swimming,” Head Coach Eric Mangini said. “He’s played inside, outside, the buck position, defensive end.

“He’s going from a three-point to a two-point stance. There’s a lot of information. It will serve him well over time.”

What has it done for him lately? Veikune says he has “no idea” what his role will be in the season opener.

Has it been a quantum leap from Honolulu? A gradual one?

“I wouldn’t say quantum,” Veikune said. “Maybe in between those two.”

NOW THIRD STRING

Veikune heads into tonight’s game at Chicago listed as a third-string linebacker behind D’Qwell Jackson and Beau Bell. Bell, though, didn’t make a single tackle while appearing in four games as a 2008 fourth-round draft pick.

Veikune was drafted two rounds higher than Bell. He was the new regime’s first defensive draft pick. Will he move ahead of Bell? Do the math.

“One important thing that I’ve tried to get across to everybody, especially the rookies, is understanding the whole defense,” Mangini said. “If you understand why we’re doing it, what it’s designed to stop, what it should look like, where people should fit, then problems aren’t as tough to figure out.

“When you just know your spot, other stuff doesn’t make any sense.”

In Veikune’s case, he isn’t just soaking up knowledge. The staff envisions him as a versatile guy who can be solid in a base defense or move around and spring surprise attacks.

“I have a good amount of knowledge from Mangini in the teaching aspect,” Veikune said. “He makes sure we know everything.”

In Veikune’s case, he’s been practicing everything. Soon the games will be real.

“Everyone’s excited about the season,” Veikune said. “It’s really close.”

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Maiava Has One Tackle in Regular-Season Debut

Cleveland rookie Kaluka Maiava, a 2005 graduate of Baldwin High School, had one tackle, the Browns' first of the regular season, in a 34-20 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

''This was everything I've been working for my whole life, my first real NFL regular-season game,'' Maiava said.

Maiava, a fourth-round draft pick out of Southern California, combined with James Davis to bring down Percy Harvin at the 30-yard line on a kickoff return after the Browns kicked a field goal on the game's opening possession.

''I tried to go for the ball, but I didn't want to try for something that would take too long,'' Maiava said.

Maiava was also flagged for one penalty, a holding call on a kickoff return by Josh Cribbs in the third quarter. Listed as a second-string linebacker, Maiava played exclusively on special teams Sunday.

Maiava had 14 tackles in the preseason, tied for the team lead.

''I was worried about, after preseason, guys were saying how it's going to be a lot faster in the regular season, and I was thinking, 'I can't run any faster than this,' but it was OK,'' he said. ''Football is football.''

The Browns will play on the road against the Denver Broncos next Sunday.

Adrian Peterson ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings, and Brett Favre passed for 110 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.

Favre made his 270th consecutive start, tying the NFL record set by former Viking Jim Marshall.

''I had a blast,'' Favre said. ''It wasn't a 400-yard passing game, but it doesn't have to be. As long as we win, that's what it's all about.''

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Mangini Compliments Maiava’s Work on Special Teams

Cleveland rookie linebacker Kaluka Maiava, a 2005 Baldwin High School graduate, drew praise from Browns coach Eric Mangini during a news conference Tuesday.

Maiava, a fourth-round draft pick who while at Southern California was twice named the Trojans' co-special teams player of the year, had six tackles, including two on kickoff coverage, during the Browns' 27-10 victory over the Detroit Lions in a preseason game Saturday.

''He's gotten better in the last couple weeks in terms of his production on special teams,'' Mangini said Tuesday. ''That was something he was very good at USC, and he also, when he got a chance, was a pretty good defensive player. It took a little time, he had to work into a role and what I'm looking for is kind of the same thing from him as everybody else.

''What are you going to do on teams? And then that gets you to the 53 (-player roster). Are you good enough to get to the 45? If you're on the 45, you're always live, because at any point you could be in the game. So, that's what I'm looking for from him, is to keep carving that out.''

NFL rosters must be cut down to no more than 75 players by Tuesday, and must be at 53 by Sept. 5.

Maiava has eight tackles in two preseason games -- he ranks second on the team, two behind Kamerion Wimbley. All eight of Maiava's tackles are solo stops, best on the Browns and tied for 18th among all NFL linebackers in the preseason.

Cleveland will play at home against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday before finishing its exhibition schedule on the road against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 3.

The Browns will open their regular season at home against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 13.

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Maiava Debuts in Preseason Opener

Cleveland rookie linebacker Kaluka Maiava had two tackles Saturday as the Browns lost 17-0 to the Green Bay Packers in both teams' preseason opener.

Maiava, a 2005 Baldwin High School graduate taken by the Browns in the fourth round of April's draft out of Southern California, played on special teams throughout the game, and began rotating into defensive plays in the second quarter.

''I had to get those butterflies out of the way, and they were out of the way after the first hit,'' Maiava said.

Maiava had both of his tackles in the second half, on carries by Kregg Lumpkin each time. Maiava tackled Lumpkin on a 7-yard gain in the third quarter, and on an 8-yard gain in the fourth.

''Obviously, we wanted the game to go a different way, but that's the NFL. They get paid to play football, too,'' Maiava said.

Maiava said he took a moment to take in the fact that he was playing at Lambeau Field.

''You've definitely got to soak it in,'' he said. ''You've got to cherish the moment.''

He also noted, however, that the real focus was on the game.

''The veterans reminded us that you can't be in awe of playing against people you grew up watching,'' he said.

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Multiple Members of Browns with Hawaii Ties

There are four in all --- a taste of the Pacific in northern Ohio --- who will toil on the banks of Lake Erie, down the street from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Two are linebackers, although different in stature and background. One is a seemingly always-smiling gentle giant who will man the defensive line. The other is from the smallest place, but has made the biggest impact in the National Football League.

Kaluka Maiava and David Veikune are the linebackers; Melila Purcell is a behemoth of a defensive lineman living in a foreign land; and Kimo von Oelhoffen, a 14-year NFL veteran with a Super Bowl ring, is a slimmed-down

version of the 300-pound defensive-line monster he used to be, now taking on the role of coaching intern.

Cleveland Browns all. Men who are chasing their dreams at camp, living in dorms, eating in the cafeteria.

Maiava, the 2005 Baldwin High School graduate who played in four Rose Bowls for Southern California, says Cleveland actually has him recalling his hometown, especially after spending the last four years in Los Angeles.

''It reminds me of Maui, it reminds me of Wailuku, you know, a slow town, not too fast,'' he said. ''Coming from L.A., it is real different. It just kind of reminds me of Maui, but it is a little hotter.''

He is thankful to have some local brethren with him.

''It is real good,'' Maiava said. ''It helps me get adapted to Cleveland, being far away from home. Mel is from Samoa and David is from Oahu, so it is real good to have a couple guys from home out here. It's fun.''

Maiava was the 104th pick of April's NFL draft, going in the fourth round, two rounds after Veikune. Maiava spent his first three years at USC as a special teams standout before rising to the starting lineup as a senior and garnering defensive player of the game honors in the Trojans' 28-24 win over Penn State in the Rose Bowl.

As Maiava fights to make the Cleveland roster, his time at USC is valuable. He was the man at Baldwin --- playing linebacker and fullback and returning kicks --- and arrived in Los Angeles as Rivals.com's 11th-rated linebacker in the nation. After he committed to the Trojans, however, Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers --- all on the Rivals.com top-10 list of linebackers --- followed suit. When Rivers left a year early, Maiava took his starting spot and earned Pac-10 second-team honors.

Cushing was the 15th pick of the draft, by the Houston Texans. Maualuga went 38th overall, in the second round, to the Cincinnati Bengals. Clay Matthews, who joined Maiava on the first string as a senior, went to the Green Bay Packers with the 26th pick.

''I tell them, 'Let me borrow some money,' because they got a lot more than me,'' said Maiava, who signed a four-year, $2.5 million contract with the Browns last month. ''I might ask them for a job, too, if this doesn't work out. I can be in their entourage or whatever. Nah, it's the same old stuff, we say 'good luck' to each other. We are all good friends.''

Purcell, a University of Hawaii graduate, was on the Browns' practice squad last season. He said he knows of a plate-lunch diner in Cleveland --- Kimo's Sushi Shop --- but it is temporarily closed as the owner battles health concerns.

''It is good to have us all here, the connection with all the island guys,'' Purcell said. ''It doesn't matter where you are from. We have a strong bond together.''

Veikune, who at 6-foot-2 and 257 pounds is two inches taller and 28 pounds heavier than Maiava, said he has never experienced anything like the crowd of 4,000-plus that showed up for the Browns' first practice nine days ago.

''Man, I have never seen this,'' Veikune said. ''When I first came out here and saw this, I was like, 'Wow, this is the NFL.' I have never seen so many people out at practice. They are great fans, and Cleveland is a great place.''

Veikune remembers being on the UH team with Purcell in 2006.

''Mel is just a great guy and it is just reminiscent of all that, which for me is a great thing,'' Veikune said. ''Having all four of us here is great. It definitely helps, especially if anybody gets homesick, you can always lean on them. It is definitely a great thing to have some support.''

Von Oelhoffen --- whom they all look to for inspiration, waiting to see the Super Bowl ring he won with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005 --- is perhaps the most unlikely participant in the Browns' camp.

He graduated from Molokai High in 1990 after being a standout on the basketball team that featured 1988 state player of the year Jarinn Akana, and the 1989 Maui Interscholastic League championship baseball team. The Farmers do not field a football team, but that didn't stop von Oelhoffen from walking on to the team at Boise State and then being a sixth-round choice by the Bengals.

Purcell said Veikune and Maiava are both strong candidates to contribute to the linebacking corps behind him.

''I think both of them are great athletes,'' Purcell said. ''You know, both of them on the field, they will make the plays regardless. They just need to get better. It feels good to have guys that you can play around with. We are going to work together and get the job done. We all eat together in the caf(eteria). Camp is pretty tight, but we all hang out whenever we have a chance.''

Maiava said his family is planning to attend the Browns' home game against the Oakland Raiders on Dec. 27, which will be his 23rd birthday. Little brother Kai Maiava, an offensive lineman for UCLA, may not be able to make that trip if the Bruins are in a bowl game.

When that comes up, Kaluka Maiava's college allegiance suddenly springs into action.

''Yeah, I don't think so,'' he said. ''Kai will be here --- he won't have anything else to do.''

Maiava said that he is working hard to adjust to the NFL --- a large change, even from a top-ranked program like USC --- and trying to make a name Cleveland fans will remember.

''Speed kills,'' he said. ''That is the biggest difference I have seen so far. Also, the boys are a lot bigger. ... Everybody here is still trying to learn how to pronounce my name. I haven't done many interviews, but I'm pretty sure they have pronounced it wrong --- 'My-Eva,' 'May-Ah-Voo,' stuff like that. They can't really get it. It is confusing for them.''

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Kaluka Maiava Good to Go

With the 4^th pick in the fourth round of the NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns selected USC linebacker and special-teams captain, Kaluka Maiava. Maiava often seemed to slip under the radar behind the on-field accomplishments of Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga, and Clay Matthews. However, Maiava managed to put up solid numbers his senior season, registering 62 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, three pass deflections and one interception in twelve starts with the Trojans. While overshadowed by some of his fellow linebackers, Maiava's contributions to the football team should not be taken lightly, especially his performance against Penn State in the Rose Bowl, in which he earned the Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player Award.

Maiava missed a few of the minicamps due to an undisclosed injury; however, it appears he is getting into the full swing-of-things after returning to practice. Eric Mangini, for one, seems to be very high on Kaluka, telling reporters in his press conference that:

"He’s done a good job. He’s been working inside, both spots inside and some work on sub, which we haven’t gotten to at this point, but we will here shortly. He’s a guy that I thought was very smart when I interviewed him. I liked his style of play. I liked what he had done on special teams in college and I think that he’ll get a chance to contribute in a lot of different ways if he continues to progress."

Mangini is known for playing “his guys,” which is a good sign for Maiava this coming year. He may not see much playing time at linebacker unless there is an injury, but Maiava will get ample opportunity to display his football prowess on special teams.

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