As usual, it all starts with a question and 10 minutes later you're trying to identify the origin of a Girl Scout cookie name.
"What's up with the hair?" I asked the other night while watching a Bengals pre-season game with CTR. I was referring to Cincinnati defensive tackle Domata Peko.
You should know that I lovelovelove to ask questions and it generally annoys the poo out of people. However, CTR is a pretty tolerant guy, so he will usually indulge me in my sports-related inquisitions. His response: "He's American Samoan." Quizzical look from me. "There are a lot of Samoans in the NFL."
The hair, it seems, is something the Samoan players wear as a nod to their heritage. Just within the Bengals organization, you have long hair on Peko, Jonathan Fanene and Rey Maualuga. Samoans who aren't rocking the hair are Vakapuna and Kapanui. I just love this awesome flying hair image of Peko.
But I had another question: Why are there are a lot of American Samoans in the NFL? CTR told me that football is really big there. Interesting... I had no idea.
I didn't want to admit it to him and I don't want to admit it to you, but for the sake of CNATI, I will: I had a joke of a geography teacher at Dodge County High School and therefore couldn't tell you where American Samoa is on a map, and whether it's somehow different from Samoa (it is) or even what our relationship, as a nation, is with them.
So we did what all good learners do: we grabbed the laptop and consulted our friends at Wikipedia and learned that American Samoa is an unincorporated US territory and that it is part of the greater Samoan island group. Geographically, the Samoan islands are located in the South Pacific, 2,300 miles south-southwest of Hawaii. They have a non-voting US congressman, Eni Faleomavaega. And according to Frommers.com, American Samoans are "noncitizen nationals" of the United States. Although they carry American passports, have unrestricted entry into the United States, and can serve in the U.S. armed forces, they cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections.
But back to football. In the words of ESPN.com's Greg Garber, "[American Samoa] is to the NFL what the Dominican Republic is to Major League Baseball." Plenty of people have written about the fact that men growing up in Samoa are 40 times more likely to be drafted into the NFL. And if like me, you're fascinated by the tiny country of raw talent, you'll want to read this excellent article, packed with history and information.
Everything I've read suggests that American Samoan culture lends itself to the physicality, discipline and teamwork necessary for football. In the ESPN article linked in the previous paragraph, Ted Miller writes, "They [play] with uncanny power and skill due to a potent brew of genetics and culture. Their bodies are naturally big-boned; traditional dances make them nimble; and a disciplined upbringing emphasizes the group over the individual, wiring them for team sports."
I found it fascinating that most American Samoan players haven't played organized football before high school. In 2008, USA Football and American Samoa announced the establishment of the island's first youth tackle football league (many elementary schools already have flag football teams), so perhaps this will change. Can you imagine the kind of talent that will be coming out of the South Pacific in ten years? I just hope they keep the hair -- I dig it.
And the Girl Scout cookies? The interwebs couldn't tell me exactly why they're called Samoas, so I'm going to guess it's as simple as the fact that they're covered in coconut. (See, CTR, sometimes I really can answer my own questions...)
FURTHER READING:
ESPN.com: The Dominican Republic of the NFL
ESPN.com: American football, Samoan style
NFL.com: Postcard from Hawaii: The American Samoa Dream
Samoan Kids Hoping to Play in the NFL
"What's up with the hair?" I asked the other night while watching a Bengals pre-season game with CTR. I was referring to Cincinnati defensive tackle Domata Peko.
You should know that I lovelovelove to ask questions and it generally annoys the poo out of people. However, CTR is a pretty tolerant guy, so he will usually indulge me in my sports-related inquisitions. His response: "He's American Samoan." Quizzical look from me. "There are a lot of Samoans in the NFL."
The hair, it seems, is something the Samoan players wear as a nod to their heritage. Just within the Bengals organization, you have long hair on Peko, Jonathan Fanene and Rey Maualuga. Samoans who aren't rocking the hair are Vakapuna and Kapanui. I just love this awesome flying hair image of Peko.
But I had another question: Why are there are a lot of American Samoans in the NFL? CTR told me that football is really big there. Interesting... I had no idea.
I didn't want to admit it to him and I don't want to admit it to you, but for the sake of CNATI, I will: I had a joke of a geography teacher at Dodge County High School and therefore couldn't tell you where American Samoa is on a map, and whether it's somehow different from Samoa (it is) or even what our relationship, as a nation, is with them.
So we did what all good learners do: we grabbed the laptop and consulted our friends at Wikipedia and learned that American Samoa is an unincorporated US territory and that it is part of the greater Samoan island group. Geographically, the Samoan islands are located in the South Pacific, 2,300 miles south-southwest of Hawaii. They have a non-voting US congressman, Eni Faleomavaega. And according to Frommers.com, American Samoans are "noncitizen nationals" of the United States. Although they carry American passports, have unrestricted entry into the United States, and can serve in the U.S. armed forces, they cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections.
But back to football. In the words of ESPN.com's Greg Garber, "[American Samoa] is to the NFL what the Dominican Republic is to Major League Baseball." Plenty of people have written about the fact that men growing up in Samoa are 40 times more likely to be drafted into the NFL. And if like me, you're fascinated by the tiny country of raw talent, you'll want to read this excellent article, packed with history and information.
Everything I've read suggests that American Samoan culture lends itself to the physicality, discipline and teamwork necessary for football. In the ESPN article linked in the previous paragraph, Ted Miller writes, "They [play] with uncanny power and skill due to a potent brew of genetics and culture. Their bodies are naturally big-boned; traditional dances make them nimble; and a disciplined upbringing emphasizes the group over the individual, wiring them for team sports."
I found it fascinating that most American Samoan players haven't played organized football before high school. In 2008, USA Football and American Samoa announced the establishment of the island's first youth tackle football league (many elementary schools already have flag football teams), so perhaps this will change. Can you imagine the kind of talent that will be coming out of the South Pacific in ten years? I just hope they keep the hair -- I dig it.
And the Girl Scout cookies? The interwebs couldn't tell me exactly why they're called Samoas, so I'm going to guess it's as simple as the fact that they're covered in coconut. (See, CTR, sometimes I really can answer my own questions...)
FURTHER READING:
ESPN.com: The Dominican Republic of the NFL
ESPN.com: American football, Samoan style
NFL.com: Postcard from Hawaii: The American Samoa Dream
Samoan Kids Hoping to Play in the NFL
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