Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 11, 1 November 2016 — POLYNESIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTS 5 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

POLYNESIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTS 5

ive football players of Polynesian i descent were k inducted into " the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame last month, including the first player of Māori

descent to play in the NFL and win the Super Bowl. The inductees, selected from a field of 18 finalists, are players Junior Ah You, Riki Ellison, Chris Naeole and Ma'a Tanuvasa, along with contributor John Manumaleuna. The Class of 2017 will be honored Jan. 20-22 during Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend. They will also be recognized at the inaugural Polynesian Bowl, an all-star football game featuring top players of Polynesian and other ancestries. "The Class of 2017 has won five Super Bowls, two Grey Cups and a College Football National Championship," said Jesse Sapolu, Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Co-Founder and Chairman. "They represent the very best of our Polynesian people." The selection committee included former head coaches Dick Tomey, LaVell Edwards, Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil; ESPN SportsCenter anchor Neil Everett; NFL player personnel expert Gil Brandt; past NFLPA president Kevin Mawae; and Hawai'i sportscaster Robert Kekaula. "On behalf of the Selection Committee, I congratulate this outstanding class," said Dick Tomey, chairman of the selection committee. "Their accomplishments on and off the field are truly worthy of this recognition." The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame provided more information about the inductees: > JUNIOR AH YOU (Player) Samoan Ancestry: Defensive

By Ka Wai 0laStaff Line ... Arizona State University . . . 3x A11-WAC Selection ... Selected by Patriots in the 17th Round, 425th player overall (1972 NFL Draft) ... 13 Seasons... Montreal Alouettes (1972-81) ... Chicago Blitz (1983) ... New Orleans Breakers (1984) ... Arizona Outlaws (1985) ... 2x CFL All-Star (1976, 1979) ... 2x Grey Cup Champion ( 1974, 1977) . . . Grey Cup MVP (1974) ... Arizona State Athletics and Canadian Football League Hall of Fame Inductee ...Born December 30, 1948 in Sale Miu, American Samoa. > RIKI MORGAN ELLISON (Player) Māori Ancestry: Linebacker ... University of Southern California . . . 2x Rose Bowl Champion (1979, 1980) ... College Football National Champion (1978) ... Selected by 49ers in the 5th round, 1 17th player overall ( 1983 NFL Draft) ... 9 Seasons . . . San Francisco 49ers ( 1983-89) . . . Los Angeles Raiders (1990-92) ... 3x Super Bowl Champion (XIX, XXIII, XXIV) . . . First player fromNew Zealand and of Māori Ancestry to play in the NFL and win a Super Bowl ... Born August 15, 1960 in Christchurch, New Zealand. > CHRISTOPHER KEALOHA NAEOLE (Player) Hawaiian Ancestry: Offensive Line ... University of Colorado . . . Con-

sensus All-American (1996) ... 2xAll-Big 12 Selection (1995, 1996) ... Selected by Saints in the lst Round, 10th player overall (1997 NFL Draft), one of the highest Polynesians

ever seiected ... 11 Seasons . . . New Orleans Saints (1997-2001) ... Jacksonville Jaguars (2002-09) ... Missed only one game in his 11 NFL seasons, and started 150 of 154 games ... Born December 25, 1974 in Kailua, Hawai'i. > MA'A TANUVASA (Player) Samoan Ancestry: Defensive End ... University of Hawai'i ... WAC Champion (1992) ... First-Team A11-WAC Selection (1992) ... Selected by Rams in the 8th Round, 209th player overall (1995 NFL Draft) ... 8 Seasons ... L.A. Rams (1993) . . . Pittsburgh Steelers ( 1994) . . . Denver Broncos (1995-2000) ... San Diego Chargers (2001) . . . Atlanta Falcons (2002) . . . 2x Super Bowl Champion (XXXII, XXXIII) ... Broncos Sack Leader(1998, 1999) ... Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame Inductee ... Born November 6, 1970 in Nu'uuli, American Samoa. > JOHN MANUMALEUNA ( Contrlbutor) Samoan Ancestry: Staunch advocate and mentor for Polynesian youth and families as they migrated into the California communities ... A great proponent of Education and responsible citizenry . . . He encouraged football and sports as a path to a better life for Polynesian kids . . . Founded Samoan Athletes in Action, whieh heeame the Big John Foundation shortly after his passing . . . BornMarch 13, 1950 in Ameriean Samoa ... Died in 1980 at the age of31.B

Junior Ah You

Riki Morgan Ellison

Christopher Kealoha Naeole

Ma'a Tanuvasa

John Manumaleuna