Hawai’i Football Fanatics

Check out Crystal Akana’s (of Island 98.5 FM) Top Three UH Football Centurions picks. A series featured in the Honolulu Star Bulletin and covered by Dave Reardon (@davereardon) and HSB writers. Her picks were posted yesterday on Twitter (@crystalakana). Countdown UH Football . . .

You may still vote for the Number One Player via Dave Reardon’s Star Bulletin article “Gametime for Readers.” If you missed it during the last couple of weeks, you can also follow the series via the Honolulu Star Bulletin online . In addition, check out Tombo Ahi’s blog for a quick review and analysis of the series.

Most of all, make sure you get your hands on this Sunday’s Honolulu Star Bulletin to find the special section on the series.

Tombo Ahi on his UH Football Fan Blog has really got things started! Great highlight videos and information on the recent UH Football “I’m A Warrior” campaign. He also continues with the Centurions series on the Star Bulletin. Wow! Lots of memories and the players astounding sacrifices and contributions to Hawai’i. I hadn’t realized how much Hawai’i football has come since 1909! 100 years! Phew! Mahalo to all the players and their commitment to Hawai’i sports and communities!!!

In the Pros, Tombo Ahi, reports that David Veikune has signed a four-year, 3.5 million dollar contract with the Cleveland Browns. Yes! Go Browns!

Aloha everyone and thanks for your patience. I’m transitioning this blog over to its own domain and to the WordPress format. Not a lot of time and lots of work has contributed to the sparse posting. So again sorry for that and I hope to let you know as soon as I’m done!!

Check out my new Hawaii Football Fanatics Facebook Fan page and let me know what you think. Don’t forget I’m also on Twitter and you can tweet me via the sidebar links. Mahalo!

Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman, Deuce Lutui, is now on Facebook . I’ve looked far and wide for Polynesian NFL football players on the web and Deuce is just one of a handful out there.

Buffalo Bills linebacker, Kawika Mitchell, is also tweeting away as @Ka_Mitchell55. He has a bunch of followers. 885, when I last saw his Twitter page.

I have also added Baltimore Raven, Haloti Ngata’s web site . So check it out!

If anyone has information for web sites, Facebook, MySpace or Twitter pages of ex-Hawaii Warriors, former islanders in the NFL, or Polynesian NFL players, please send me their links!

Mahalo!

Picture courtesy of Arizona Cardinals

The Orange and Brown Report has posted that Kaluka Maiava (USC and Baldwin High (Maui) Alum) agreed to a four-year deal with the Cleveland Browns on Monday.

The OBR’s John Taylor is reporting that the Cleveland Browns and OLB Kaluka Maiava have to agreed a four-year deal. The four-year deal is believed to be worth just under $2.5 million, and was agreed to yesterday. Maiava would be the second Browns draft pick to sign, following a reported contract agreement with sixth-round pick RB James Davis late last week.

Maiava was a surprise selection by the Browns in the fourth round of the 2009 draft (104th overall). While Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, and Clay Matthews, Jr., received far more attention, Maiava demonstrated a great deal of versatility at USC, playing both the inside and outside linebacker positions. The 5-11, 232 pound Maiava could be considered somewhat small for the linebacker position at the NFL.

Maiava played in 13 gamesfor USC in 2008 with 66 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss with an interception and five passes broken up.

Congratulations! Kaluka! Go Browns!

Picture courtesy of SCPlaybook.com

The Salt Lake Tribune has reported that Roy Miller has signed a four-year deal with the Buccaneers.

Third-round draft pick Roy Miller, a defensive tackle from Texas, agreed to a four-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who cut backup quarterback Brian Griese to make room on their roster.

Aaron Wilson from Profootballtalk.com reports on the details of Roy Miller’s contract deal.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers third-round defensive tackle Roy Miller’s four-year rookie contract includes a $770,000 signing bonus, according to a league source.

The total base value of the deal is worth $2.52 million, which includes minimum base salaries of $310,000, $395,000, $480,000 and $565,000.

However, the maximum value of Miller’s contract could be boosted significantly by a fourth-year escalator clause, according to our source.

Drafted 81st overall, the former University of Texas lineman registered 138 career tackles and 10 sacks for the Longhorns.

As a senior, the 6’1,” 310-pounder posted 49 tackles, 11 tackles for losses and 5 1/2 sacks.

Congratulations! Roy! Go Bucs!

Picture courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baltimore Ravens, Haloti Ngata, is a great NFL player and Sporting News has a nice blurb on him as an AFC breakout player for the upcoming 2009 NFL Season.

DT Haloti Ngata. It’s impossible to single-block Ngata on running plays. Not only does he control the gap, but in 2008, his third season, he took a step forward by getting penetration and interrupting plays. On every snap, Ngata has to be accounted for at the point of attack.

Coach John Harbaugh says: ” Haloti does a lot of the grunt work, and knowledgeable people in the league are aware of him and what he does. This should be his year to get recognized.”

Recognize! Haloti! Go Ravens!
Picture courtesy of Sporting News

It’s about time! According to Geoff Hobson of the Cincinnati Bengals web site, Fui Vakapuna, has agreed to a four-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.

According to Dave Lee, the agent for seventh-round draft pick fullback Fui Vakapuna, the Bengals have reached a four-year deal with his client.

Vakapuna becomes the fifth Bengals draftee to agree to a deal, joining sixth-rounders Morgan Trent (CB) and Bernard Scott (RB), and fellow seventh-rounders Clinton McDonald (DT) and Freddie Brown (WR).

Congratulations! Fui! Go Bengals!

Also The Salt Lake Tribune’s, Jay Drew, has more details.
Picture courtesy of Cincinnati Bengals

The Chicago Bears really do have an up-and-coming player in safety, Al Afalava (Oregon State and Kahuku Alum). I was looking around YouTube and came across this video segment during the 2007 Annual “Civil War” game that really highlights his aggressive play. I for one cannot see how the Oregon receiver held on to the football! Phew! I would never wish a hit like that on anyone. This might be dated but it’s the first time I’ve seen it. Check it out!

Video courtesy of YouTube and specialedster.

There is even a frame-by-frame flickr slideshow by BChainsawMassacre. Yikes! That’s gotta hurt!