Maa Tanuvasa didn't expect the Denver Broncos to be on the verge of a 7-0 record and he certainly didn't expect to be one of the American Football Conference's leading sack men. Broncos’ Tanuvasa
By Pat Bigold
sack happy
Star-BulletinBut that's the way it is.
"Funny how it worked out," said the former Mililani High and University of Hawaii defensive line standout.
Tanuvasa sacked the New England Patriots' Drew Bledsoe three times in Denver's 34-13 Monday Night Football victory over the previously unbeaten Pats (5-1). That doubled his season total and gave him six for the season -- his best start ever as a pro.
Sunday in Oakland, Tanuvasa's target will be Jeff George of the Raiders.
"I just felt like I was in the zone that night," he said.
But Tanuvasa, who comes off the bench for pass rushes, said he has to credit the rest of his front.
"I have those other three guys who are Pro Bowlers and they help me get the one-on-ones I need," said Tanuvasa, referring to 10th-year defensive end Neil Smith, 10th-year defensive tackle Michael Dean Perry, and 7th-year defensive end Alfred Williams.
Asked if he thinks he might get more attention than usual from opposing lines after the sack hat trick, Tanuvasa said he doubts it.
"We have some pretty good guys out there and they can't double-team all of us," he said.
Tanuvasa said he sees some similarities between the Raiders and the Pats, despite the fact that their records are at different poles.
"Bledsoe likes to throw it and have that vertical game," said Tanuvasa. "The Raiders have a vertical game also. But they also have a good running game in Napoleon Kaufmann. We'll probably just do the things we did against the Patriots."
DALLAS -- Injured left tackle Mark Tuinei might have played his last game for the Dallas Cowboys. Tuinei might
Star-Bulletin wire services
be finishedTuinei, who is sidelined for up to two weeks with a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, told ESPN yesterday that if the injury requires surgery he will not play again.
It is the second time Tuinei, 37, has injured his left knee, which was surgically repaired in 1987. He played with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee last season, which required off-season surgery.
Also in Cowboys' camp, fullback Daryl Johnston will have surgery to repair a bulging disc in his neck and miss the rest of the season, according CNN-SI, which reported that Johnston is being advised by doctors to not play again and he would be risking paralysis if he plays after the surgery.
NAEOLE'S SEASON OVER: New Orleans Saints rookie guard Chris Naeole underwent surgery yesterday for a left knee injury he suffered in training camp, sidelining the first-round pick for the rest of the season.
Naeole, the former Kahuku High School star, tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee on July 21. Rest didn't help the injury and Naeole missed most of the Saints' first seven games. He will be in a cast for the next six to eight weeks.
KAANAPALI, Maui - Lee Trevino withdrew from the Kaanapali Classic golf tournament yesterday due to a scheduling conflict. Trevino withdraws
from tourneyTrevino was to be replaced in the field by Kapalua professional Dean Prince when the tournament got under way today at the Kaanapali North Course.
Jim Colbert, who will be making his first appearance on the Senior PGA circuit this week following prostate cancer surgery, shot a 7-under-par 64 yesterday for the day's best individual score in the pro-am competition.
SUTTON ADVANCES: At Barra Beach, Brazil, Hawaii's Shawn Sutton, a rookie on the ASP World Tour, surfed to solid wins over Shane Dorian and Conan Hayes, both also from Hawaii, in the opening rounds of the Kaiser Summer Surf contest yesterday.
SILVERSWORDS COME BACK: At Silver City, N.M., Danielle Robbins had 31 kills and Doris Bikar added 28 to lead the Chaminade University women's volleyball team to a come-from-behind victory over Western New Mexico University, 12-15, 11-15, 15-13, 18-16, 15-8, in a Pacific West Conference match last night.
The Silverswords improved to 10-5 overall, 5-1 in conference.
Western New Mexico dropped to 7-11 and 0-5.
SEA WARRIORS WIN: At Newhall, Calif., the Hawaii Pacific University women's soccer team defeated The Masters College, 2-0, as goalkeeper Carissa Manangan made 10 saves in her school-record third shutout of the season yesterday.
Teresa Bennett scored off an assist from Myrissa Olanda from six yards out to give Hawaii Pacific a 1-0 lead at the 35th minute.
Jannicke Snildal, the Sea Warriors' leading scorer, added a goal, her seventh of the season, five minutes later.
The Sea Warriors improved to 6-6 for the season.