Troy Polamalu Nickname The Tasmanian Devil, Is Troy Polamalu the most fascinating player in the NFL? Maybe not for everybody, but he has to at least be in the discussion. The man plays the game like no one else. Opposing offenses are always aware of him, and not just because of his hair. He has a supreme tackling ability, and he seems to get faster with every step as he zeroes in on an unlucky ball carrier.
He has a knack for making big plays at key moments. He bops around the field like a pinball, with so much reckless abandon that his teammates nicknamed him the “Tasmanian Devil.”
He has become a cult hero in Pittsburgh, where legions of fans—especially female fans—worship at the altar of Troy.
In case you wouldn’t have guessed, he’s also a bit of an enigma.
He blesses himself with the sign of the cross before and after every play (sometimes more than once). He’s a fierce player and hard hitter on the field, but he speaks in a soft falsetto voice, kind of like a munchkin crossed with Mike Tyson, without the lisp.
He hasn’t had a haircut since the turn of the century.
He has blossomed into one of the premier defensive players in the NFL, yet he couldn’t crack the starting lineup as a rookie.
Oh, and I almost forgot, there’s the Puhlahmahlu song, the greatest song ever made about a safety from USC.
Would Polamalu be my first choice if I could interview anyone on the Steelers? Absolutely.
Here is what I would ask Troy…
You said before Super Bowl XLIII “this is, by far, the best defense I’ve ever been a part of.” What do you think made that defense so special?
I get what he’s saying here. The defense last season was huge—it kept the team in a bunch of close games by forcing lots of turnovers and making big plays.
But I think the 2005 defense was on another level.
In the playoffs, the Steelers shut down four consecutive top-six offenses: Cincinnati (6th overall), Indianapolis (3rd), Denver (5th), and Seattle (2nd).
The performance against the Colts was especially remarkable. That was perhaps the best Indy team of Tony Dungy’s tenure.
If Troy’s interception in the fourth-quarter would have been ruled correctly, the Colts’ offense would have been held to just 10 points at home. Impressive.
You’ve faced nearly every quarterback in the league, some more than others. Which is the most difficult to prepare for, and why?
Has to be either Brady or Manning. Just to clarify, I mean Peyton Manning, not Eli. Also to clarify, I mean Tom Brady, not Brady Quinn.
Do you share a special bond with the other Samoan players in the NFL?
I didn’t realize this, but there are a ton of Samoan players in the league.
The Steelers had Kimo von Oelhoffen and Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala long before Polamalu arrived, and there are plenty of other players of Samoan descent around the league.
I wonder if they have some sort of mini-NFL fraternity, like the guys from the University of Miami.
You play the position of safety, but you are all over the field in every game. Does defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau allow you to improvise because you’re so versatile? Or is this just a regular part of the defense?
Polamalu often lines up as a linebacker or blitzes around the corner like a defensive end. He even sometimes pulls off Lavar Arrington’s old move where he times the snap and tries to jump over the line of scrimmage. Other times he will sprint away from the formation as soon as the ball is snapped.
No wonder they call him the Tasmanian Devil.
You’ve been to five Pro Bowls and have two Super Bowl rings. What drives you at this point in your career?
(Don’t I sound like Andrea Kramer?)
The Steelers have what seems like a pretty tight locker room. Why does this group get along so well?
The two Super Bowl wins might have something to do with it. And if anyone ever gets bored, they can always call Jeff Reed.
What was Carson Palmer like as a roommate?
Note: I would never ask this.
I would rather ask something like, “What was it like to intercept a pass thrown by Carson Palmer, your old roommate, and flatten him like a pancake as you crossed the goal line?”
For the uneducated ones, Troy did this in a 2004 game against the Bengals.
You came in as a high draft pick but didn’t start for most of your rookie year. What effect did this have on your development as a player in this league?
Note: McKeesport’s finest, Mike Logan, beat him out.
Logan has quite the resume: Super Bowl Champion, started over Polamalu, and now, he runs his own nail salon in Pittsburgh. He also uttered the famous “Forget Disney World, I want them to open up Kennywood!” line after Super Bowl XL. Mike Logan is the best.
What makes coach Mike Tomlin so well-liked by his players?
This one is easy—Tomlin is much cooler than everybody he meets. The players have no choice but to like him.
If—I mean—when you make the Pro Bowl this year, will you miss going to Hawaii?
I can’t believe the Pro Bowl is now in Miami and will be played the week before the Super Bowl.
What if you made the Pro Bowl as a member of either 1) a Super Bowl participant, or 2) the Dolphins? How disappointing would that be?
Do you believe your former coach, Bill Cowher, will be back in the NFL soon?
Note: I would not ask this either.
I would rather ask something like, “When will Coach Cowher get tired of fake laughing and jump on the next head coaching job that opens up?”
When was the last time you got a haircut?
The rumor is that his hair hasn’t been cut since 2000, his sophomore year of college.
Which Super Bowl parade was rowdier, 2006 or 2009?
This question is a lay-up.
I wasn’t at the most recent parade, but the one in 2006 was pretty chaotic.
There were no barriers to hold back the fans, and they just swarmed around every vehicle. People were hanging from parking decks and windows, climbing on trees and bus stops.
This past year, the crowds were held back from the road. Although Troy was able to crowd-surf at both parades.
He has a knack for making big plays at key moments. He bops around the field like a pinball, with so much reckless abandon that his teammates nicknamed him the “Tasmanian Devil.”
He has become a cult hero in Pittsburgh, where legions of fans—especially female fans—worship at the altar of Troy.
In case you wouldn’t have guessed, he’s also a bit of an enigma.
He blesses himself with the sign of the cross before and after every play (sometimes more than once). He’s a fierce player and hard hitter on the field, but he speaks in a soft falsetto voice, kind of like a munchkin crossed with Mike Tyson, without the lisp.
He hasn’t had a haircut since the turn of the century.
He has blossomed into one of the premier defensive players in the NFL, yet he couldn’t crack the starting lineup as a rookie.
Oh, and I almost forgot, there’s the Puhlahmahlu song, the greatest song ever made about a safety from USC.
Would Polamalu be my first choice if I could interview anyone on the Steelers? Absolutely.
Here is what I would ask Troy…
You said before Super Bowl XLIII “this is, by far, the best defense I’ve ever been a part of.” What do you think made that defense so special?
I get what he’s saying here. The defense last season was huge—it kept the team in a bunch of close games by forcing lots of turnovers and making big plays.
But I think the 2005 defense was on another level.
In the playoffs, the Steelers shut down four consecutive top-six offenses: Cincinnati (6th overall), Indianapolis (3rd), Denver (5th), and Seattle (2nd).
The performance against the Colts was especially remarkable. That was perhaps the best Indy team of Tony Dungy’s tenure.
If Troy’s interception in the fourth-quarter would have been ruled correctly, the Colts’ offense would have been held to just 10 points at home. Impressive.
You’ve faced nearly every quarterback in the league, some more than others. Which is the most difficult to prepare for, and why?
Has to be either Brady or Manning. Just to clarify, I mean Peyton Manning, not Eli. Also to clarify, I mean Tom Brady, not Brady Quinn.
Do you share a special bond with the other Samoan players in the NFL?
I didn’t realize this, but there are a ton of Samoan players in the league.
The Steelers had Kimo von Oelhoffen and Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala long before Polamalu arrived, and there are plenty of other players of Samoan descent around the league.
I wonder if they have some sort of mini-NFL fraternity, like the guys from the University of Miami.
You play the position of safety, but you are all over the field in every game. Does defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau allow you to improvise because you’re so versatile? Or is this just a regular part of the defense?
Polamalu often lines up as a linebacker or blitzes around the corner like a defensive end. He even sometimes pulls off Lavar Arrington’s old move where he times the snap and tries to jump over the line of scrimmage. Other times he will sprint away from the formation as soon as the ball is snapped.
No wonder they call him the Tasmanian Devil.
You’ve been to five Pro Bowls and have two Super Bowl rings. What drives you at this point in your career?
(Don’t I sound like Andrea Kramer?)
The Steelers have what seems like a pretty tight locker room. Why does this group get along so well?
The two Super Bowl wins might have something to do with it. And if anyone ever gets bored, they can always call Jeff Reed.
What was Carson Palmer like as a roommate?
Note: I would never ask this.
I would rather ask something like, “What was it like to intercept a pass thrown by Carson Palmer, your old roommate, and flatten him like a pancake as you crossed the goal line?”
For the uneducated ones, Troy did this in a 2004 game against the Bengals.
You came in as a high draft pick but didn’t start for most of your rookie year. What effect did this have on your development as a player in this league?
Note: McKeesport’s finest, Mike Logan, beat him out.
Logan has quite the resume: Super Bowl Champion, started over Polamalu, and now, he runs his own nail salon in Pittsburgh. He also uttered the famous “Forget Disney World, I want them to open up Kennywood!” line after Super Bowl XL. Mike Logan is the best.
What makes coach Mike Tomlin so well-liked by his players?
This one is easy—Tomlin is much cooler than everybody he meets. The players have no choice but to like him.
If—I mean—when you make the Pro Bowl this year, will you miss going to Hawaii?
I can’t believe the Pro Bowl is now in Miami and will be played the week before the Super Bowl.
What if you made the Pro Bowl as a member of either 1) a Super Bowl participant, or 2) the Dolphins? How disappointing would that be?
Do you believe your former coach, Bill Cowher, will be back in the NFL soon?
Note: I would not ask this either.
I would rather ask something like, “When will Coach Cowher get tired of fake laughing and jump on the next head coaching job that opens up?”
When was the last time you got a haircut?
The rumor is that his hair hasn’t been cut since 2000, his sophomore year of college.
Which Super Bowl parade was rowdier, 2006 or 2009?
This question is a lay-up.
I wasn’t at the most recent parade, but the one in 2006 was pretty chaotic.
There were no barriers to hold back the fans, and they just swarmed around every vehicle. People were hanging from parking decks and windows, climbing on trees and bus stops.
This past year, the crowds were held back from the road. Although Troy was able to crowd-surf at both parades.
0 comments:
Post a Comment