IT was a run that turned Bill Cowher's scowling game face into an ear-to-ear grin, and had the crowd rising to its feet at Three Rivers Stadium. ‘Fu’ fits in with
Steelers’ power gameNeeding a few yards for a first down, Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala exploded into the Carolina Panthers' secondary, demolished a safety, and kept on going until he was wrestled down near the sideline.
"I was ready to cut when this safety comes up on me from the outside, so I just gave him my right shoulder," said Fuamatu-Ma'afala, explaining how he disposed of the lighter defender like a rag doll.
It was the kind of punishing run that puts Cowher on a high. The man loves running backs who think they are Sherman Tanks.
Fantasies of the pile-driving he could give a defense by starting Pro Bowler Jerome Bettis and spelling him with Fuamatu-Ma'afala must be dancing in Cowher's head. Two brutally aggressive 5-foot-11, 250-pound running backs in succession.
Fuamatu-Ma'afala carried more times (39) than any other back in the Steelers' preseason, scoring two touchdowns and running for 189 yards.
Richard Huntley had more yards and one more touchdown, but Fu's size and the way he maneuvers that battleship of a body has a special appeal to the fans.
They love to see him use his powerful build to fight his way past a tackler, and they marvel at how quick and nimble he can be around the corners.
They may not know what he means when he flashes the shaka sign (he did that twice during the ESPN2 coverage of the Steelers' 38-24 victory over Carolina), but they love the boy in him.
This is a pro football player who's major off-field preoccupation is not night-clubbing. It's calling home.
BUT while Fuamatu-Ma'afala was secure in his job Saturday, a former St. Louis teammate, Viliami Maumau, was losing his battle to stay in the NFL.
Maumau, a 6-1, 302-pounder, was cut this week. But he had his moments on Saturday.
One of those moments came against Fuamatu-Ma'afala on a first-down play.
Maumau blew past two blockers to nail his old buddy for a short loss in the backfield.
"I knew that move," said Fuamatu-Ma'afala, chuckling quietly on the phone line last night.
"I saw him swim my tackle. That's Vili's move. I thought my fullback was going to get him but he missed him too."
Fuamatu-Ma'afala said hearing Maumau was cut saddened him.
Another thing that must have bothered him was learning that the player who has been his close friend and roommate on the road, offensive lineman Paul Wiggins, was suspended for four weeks for taking androstenedione. That's the same muscle-building substance Mark McGwire gets away with using.
In the NFL, it's illegal, and Wiggins, who's only in his second year, didn't know that.
THERE is one other former St. Louis player still playing in the NFL.
Olin Kreutz, the 6-3, 297-pound Chicago Bears center, is currently No. 2 to veteran Casey Wiegmann.
Kaipo McGuire, the wide receiver who spent most of last season on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad, signed yesterday to be on the practice squad again.
McGuire was waived last week.
Another of the 13 players with Hawaii ties who survived the NFL cuts is, Itula Mili, the former Kahuku High and BYU star.
Mili said he was nervous about his chances with the Seattle Seahawks all summer. He is now their No. 3 tight end. They kept four at that position.
On Sunday, the game accelerates into warp speed, and it's time for these local boys to really prove themselves.
Pat Bigold has covered sports for daily newspapers
in Hawaii and Massachusetts since 1978.