honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, September 14, 2006

Hawai'i guys in lead role

Advertiser Staff

Kreutz

spacer spacer

Raiola

spacer spacer

Two NFL centers from Hawai'i who "are like brothers" have been selected their team's captain for the season.

The Chicago Bears' Olin Kreutz and Detroit Lions' Dominic Raiola, both Saint Louis School alums, will represent their respective teams.

They probably will meet for the coin flip when Detroit plays at Chicago Sunday.

"They grew up together, trained together," said Tony Raiola, Dominic's father who recently returned from watching the Lions lose 9-6 to Seattle. "They'll see each other pregame. After that, it's all business."

Kreutz and Raiola were selected by their teammates.

"It's a great honor," Raiola said on the Lions' Web site. "And it's a bigger responsibility."

Raiola, who is entering his sixth season after playing collegiately at Nebraska, was named offensive captain along with quarterback Jon Kitna.

Raiola is known for his vocal leadership at the line of scrimmage.

"He's just very intense," Kitna said on the Web site. "Every day he is a leader. Every single day in the offseason workouts he was always in the front of the lines, always working his butt off, always here early. The same thing in practice, he's always one of the first one's on the field. He gets people focused in the huddle and aside from me, he has the loudest voice on offense in terms of making sure everyone is going in the right direction."

Kreutz, an eight-year veteran who played at the University of Washington, has been named to five consecutive Pro Bowls. He and receiver Muhsin Muhammad were selected captains for the offense.