Making a name for himself
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist
ESPN announcers mangled the pronunciation of linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa's name so badly at times Saturday you wonder if his family recognized it.
But not even the announcers' most tongue-tied attempts at identification could obscure the brilliance of the University of Hawai'i linebacker's remarkable performance against 14th-ranked Alabama.
After three hours in an effort that included 19 tackles (14 unassisted), four tackles for loss and two sacks, the ESPN crew finally settled for just "Pisa," which was altogether fitting in a game where Crimson Tide quarterbacks and ball carriers saw enough of him up close and personal to leave on a first-name basis.
Advertiser library photo • Aug. 14, 2002
"He had the best single game of any defensive player since I've been here," marveled Kevin Lempa, the Warriors' defensive coordinator of three seasons. "We calculate what we call 'production points' based on how a player performs with two points for a tackle, etc.
Pisa Tinoisamoa had 19 tackles (14 unassisted), four tackles for loss and two sacks in Saturday's game against Alabama.
"Let me tell you that 20 (points) is about what most players get; 30 is real good and Pisa came up with 53, which is just unbelievable."
Had Lempa been here longer he might have called it Noga-esque, recalling the dominating performances of UH's last All-America defender, Al Noga, and his brother Niko.
In a game in which the UH defense turned in as stellar an effort against a nationally ranked opponent as has been seen in a decade or more, Tinoisamoa was the pace-setter. On a day when the defensive stars were out for UH in numbers, witness Houston Ala, David Gilmore, Travis Laboy, Matt Wright and many others, Tinoisamoa was the leader.
But for how much longer?
For as inspiring as Tinoisamoa's game was, it also underlined that it might have been one of his last. Unfortunately, there could be as few as just two more — Saturday's regular-season finale against San Diego State and the Christmas Day Hawai'i Bowl — before Tinoisamoa wrestles his last ballcarrier to the turf in UH colors.
Because he entered UH as a partial-qualifier in Aug. 1999, sidelined for the first season under NCAA eligibility rules, Tinoisamoa must earn a bachelor's degree by this summer to receive a fourth season of eligibility.
Teammates have said they expect him to enter the NFL draft in 2003, though Tinoisamoa is exploring his options.
In the meantime, it would be a good idea to enjoy his play — while you can.
