Only 6 Poly's Drafted In 1st Round of NFL Draft Since 1970!

Only 6 players of Polynesian decent have been drafted in the 1st round of the NFL Draft since 1970 ,with the merger of the AFL and NFL.

The following players include:

1. Atlanta Falcons

1. 1977: Wilson Faumuina, San Jose State, DL
1. 
   

   Date of birth:	June 11, 1954 (1954-06-11) (age 55)
   Place of birth:	American Samoa
   Date of death:	1986
   Career information
   Position(s):	Defensive lineman
   College:	San Jose State
   NFL Draft:	1977 / Round: 1 / Pick 20
   Organizations
   As player:
   1977-1981	Atlanta Falcons

2. Cincinnati Bengals

1. 1979: Jack Thompson, Washington State, QB
1. 
   
   

   Date of birth:	May 18, 1956 (1956-05-18) (age 53)
   Place of birth:	Tutuila, American Samoa
   Career information
   Position(s):	Quarterback
   Jersey №:	12, 14
   College:	Washington State
   NFL Draft:	1979 / Round: 1 / Pick 3
   Organizations
   As player:
   1979-1982 1983-1984	Cincinnati Bengals Tampa Bay Buccaneers
   Playing stats at NFL.com

    
3. Seattle Seahawks

1. 1979: Manu Tuiasosopo, UCLA, DT
1. 
   
   

   Date of birth:	August 30, 1957 (1957-08-30) (age 52)
   Place of birth:	Los Angeles, California
   Career information
   Position(s):	Defensive lineman
   College:	UCLA
   NFL Draft:	1979 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18
   Organizations
   As player:
   1979-1983 1984-1986	Seattle Seahawks San Francisco 49ers
   Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com

    
4. San Diego Chargers

1. 1990: Junior Seau, Southern California, LB
1. 
   
   

   Date of birth: January 19, 1969 (1969-01-19) (age 41)
   Place of birth: San Diego, California
   Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	Weight: 248 lb (112 kg)
   Career information
   College: Southern California
   NFL Draft: 1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
   Debuted in 1990 for the San Diego Chargers
   Career history
   As player: San Diego Chargers (1990–2002) Miami Dolphins (2003–2005) New England Patriots (2006–2009)
   Career highlights and awards
   7× First-team All-Pro (1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000) 2× Second-team All-Pro (1997, 1999) 12× Pro Bowl selection (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team NEA NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1992) UPI AFC Defensive Player of the Year (1992)
   Career NFL statistics as of 2009
   Tackles	1,849
   Sacks	56.5
   Interceptions	18
   Forced fumbles	11
   Pass deflections	21
   Stats at NFL.com

    
5. Pittsburgh Steelers

1. 2003: Troy Polamalu, Southern California, S
1. 
   
   

   Date of birth: April 19, 1981 (1981-04-19) (age 28)
   Place of birth: Garden Grove, California
   Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	Weight: 207 lb (94 kg)
   Career information
   College: Southern California
   NFL Draft: 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16
   Debuted in 2003 for the Pittsburgh Steelers
   Career history
   As player: Pittsburgh Steelers (2003–present)
   Career highlights and awards
   5× Pro Bowl selection (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) 2× 1st Team AP All-Pro selection (2005, 2008) 1x 2nd Team AP All-Pro selection (2004) 2× Super Bowl champion (XL, XLIII) “Joe Greene Great Performance Award” (2003) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
   Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2009
   Tackles	452
   Sacks	7.0
   INTs	20
   Stats at NFL.com

    
6. Baltimore Ravens

1. 2006: Haloti Ngata, Oregon, DT
1. 
   
   

   Date of birth: January 21, 1984 (1984-01-21) (age 26)
   Place of birth: Inglewood, California
   Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	Weight: 345 lb (156 kg)
   Career information
   College: Oregon
   NFL Draft: 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 12
   Debuted in 2006 for the Baltimore Ravens
   Career history
   As player: Baltimore Ravens (2006–present)
   Roster status: Active
   Career highlights and awards
   1× Pro Bowl selection (2009) 2× Second-team All-Pro selection (2008,2009) 2005 College Football All-American (consensus) 2001 High School All-American (USA Today)
   Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2009
   Tackles	184
   Sacks	6.5
   INTs	3
   Stats at NFL.com

    

Mike Iupati, Offensive Guard for Idaho, looks like #7 on the list to be drafted in the 1st round of the NFL Draft.  From various 2010 NFL Mock Drafts, and scouting reports, he is considered to be the #1 Offensive Guard in the 2010 NFL Draft class.

Is there pressure being Jack Thompson's son?

McCumber never asked me what I thought of the nickname before giving it to me, which was probably a good thing because I would have told him it sounded pretty stupid. But it somehow stuck and I’ve been sheepishly hauling it around ever since.

As nicknames go, it’s a weak one, nothing compared to a really good one such as Throwin’ Samoan. We all know who that is. Jack Thompson is a Cougar quarterbacking legend, and I had the privilege of watching him all the time because we went to WSU at the same time, 1974-78.

At any rate, the person on the phone happened to be Tony Thompson, Jack’s son. During our 10 minutes together I had to ask him what it’s like being the Throwin’ Samoan’s kid, wondering whether it comes with advantages or disadvantages.

Can you imagine how often Thompson has been asked that question? I’ve never asked him before, but I’m sure everyone he’s crossed paths with has. It seems like it could be a burden because of the endless comparisons, plus there are the questions of why he’s not as good as his dad. But here’s the deal, who is?

Jack Thompson is one of only two Cougar football players to have his number retired, the other being Mel Hein and his No. 7. In what rates as one of the coolest stories of the summer, the Throwin’ Samoan has agreed to unretire his No. 14 so that Tony -- No. 43 the last couple years, No. 46 before that -- can wear it this year. It’s an honor for the Cougar tight end who clearly has a special relationship with his famous father.

“If there’s a burden, it comes from other people,” Tony Thompson said. “They’ll talk to me about him and say, ‘Can you throw the ball like your dad?’ It’s stuff like that.

“There’s no pressure from my dad. It’s more of a blessing than a burden because I’ve grown up with solid advice for so long. It’s awesome for me to have a dad who’s been where I want to be and tell me about every step along the way.”

During his sophomore year at Ballard, Thompson thought it was a far-fetched idea to think that he would play college football someday, let alone as a Coug.

“In high school, my dad was always pushing me to keep at it, to keep working hard, that it would pay off,” said Thompson, who wore No. 14 for the Beavers. “It was hard for me to see that.”

Thompson got no offers to play college football. Even small schools spurned him. So he decided to walk on at Washington State, figuring he might as well walk on at the highest possible level.

For the longest time, he was football’s equivalent of a grunt, doing the little things, showing up early for practice, playing on the scout teams and special teams, working his way up, first as a long-snapper.

He earned his scholarship in January 2007 and will never forget that. What his dad told him did pay off.

“When I got the scholarship, I know he’s very proud of that,” Thompson said of his dad. “The route I took, it’s really cool to hear him talk about it.”

Now Thompson’s a 6-2, 241-pound senior and a starting tight end. He arrived in Pullman in January 2005 and will depart with a degree in social sciences in December, nearly five years later. What blows him away is to think that incoming freshmen were seventh graders when he was a senior at Ballard. “Wow!” Thompson thinks to himself. “I’ve been here for awhile.”

He sees a different attitude and a stronger commitment from his teammates. No one wants to go through another 2-11 season like last year. “The stuff we’re doing in the weight room, I can see that guys are getting physically transformed,” Thompson said. “There’s a better attitude. I just feel different about this team.”

Things are bound to improve. And when they do, count on Tony Thompson to be one of the leaders in the bounce-back season.

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On a Mission to Samoa

Samson Satele could have kicked back in his limited down time prior to reporting to his first training camp with the Oakland Raiders.

Instead, the former Hawaii offensive lineman is taking some time to help teach the game to youths in American Samoa.

"This is my week break right here," Satele said. "There's nothing better than going down to Samoa and helping the kids out a little."

Satele is part of the contingent that departed yesterday bound for Pago Pago as part of the American Samoa Football Academy and Medical Mission headed by former Hawaii and current SMU head coach June Jones.

The June Jones Foundation established the mission last year. Along with Jones, current Warriors coach Greg McMackin and former UH players Jesse Sapolu and Ma'a Tanuvasa are returning for the second year.

"Those kids are so receptive and so respectful, it's an awesome feeling to go out there and see so many Samoan brothers out there," Tanuvasa said. "They just soak everything in.

"They're catching up to us, but a lot of the kids are coming in slippers and bare feet and still kind of grasping the game. The coaches out there have done a great job; they already know a lot of the basics."

Satele, UH assistants Craig Stutzmann and Tony Tuioti, former UH lineman Ta'ase Faumui also made the trip. Jack Thompson, known as the "Throwin' Samoan" during his days at Washington State and with the Cincinnati Bengals, will also be part of the clinics.

It's a homecoming of sorts for Tuioti, who was born in Samoa before his family moved to California when he was nine months old.

"The kids are passionate about their football. They work as hard as our kids here, they just don't have the resources and facilities," Tuioti said. "It really is humbling to see the love people have (for Samoa) and see the spirit and I'm really excited."

Close to 1,000 high school athletes -- up from 500 last year -- are expected to participate in the free clinics today and tomorrow at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Pago Pago.

The mission will also provide nearly $400,000 in medical supplies and services, $50,000 in football equipment, five $2,000 scholarships and several hundred pairs of football shoes.

Ellie Taft-Reinebold, the wife of SMU assistant Jeff Reinebold, is leading the medical mission along with a group of certified nurses and doctors.

Jones established the mission last year after visiting American Samoa on recruiting trips starting in 1999.

"I went down there and I had a vision that we needed to help," Jones said. "They didn't even have footballs, playing barefoot."

He saw even more pressing issues away from the field.

"Normally a ratio is one (nurse) to every four to five patients," Jones said. "In Samoa it's one nurse to 80 patients. They have a tremendous need."

McMackin noted the connections made with the athletes and coaches in Samoa can benefit recruiting, but "I really believe it's more than football," he said.

"It's getting to know the people, it's getting to bring the people together."

Sapolu also announced the formation of the Samoa 'Ioe Foundation. The organization will be led by Sapolu, Thompson and Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who proclaimed yesterday "Samoa 'Ioe Foundation Day."

Among the foundation's goals will be to build football fields and provide equipment. Sapolu said Jones has been in contact with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL owners in trying to raise support for the foundation's efforts.

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