Saturday, July 31, 1999

Panthers picking
up Sagapolutele

The Pac-Five product, released
Thursday by the Saints, just needs
to pass his physical

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Pio Sagapolutele, whose contract was terminated by the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, said he will sign a lucrative bonus deal with the Carolina Panthers today if he can pass the physical.

Tom McCarthy, his agent of nine years, said last night that an ailing right elbow is all that separates Sagapolutele from becoming a Panther.

If Sagapolutele signs, the two players from Hawaii with the most experience in the National Football League will be on the same roster.

The 6-foot-6, 297-pound Sagapolutele, who played for Pac-Five out of Maryknoll, and the 6-2, 277-pound Esera Tuaolo, who played for Kailua, were both drafted in 1991.

Sagapolutele was a fourth round pick of the Cleveland Browns out of San Diego State while Tuaolo was a second round pick of the Green Bay Packers out of Oregon State. Tuaolo is a year older.

And they both play nose tackle.

"Esera is over there now?" asked Sagapolutele by phone from New Orleans as he packed his bags yesterday. "I didn't know that."

Sagapolutele, who has been told he has an excellent chance to start next to Pro Bowl veteran tackle Sean Gilbert, wasn't aware that the lighter Tuaolo was listed at his position.

"I figured he'd be an end because he's lighter."

By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Pio Sagapolutele at his Hilton Lagoon
Apartment earlier this year.

Sagapolutele said the Carolina strength coach (Jerry Simmons), the defensive line coach (Jacob Burney) and special teams coach (Scott O'Brien) were all with him in Cleveland. He spent five years with the Browns.

"So it's not a situation where I know no one," he said. "I have those coaches to inform the rest of the coaching staff on what kind of player I am. That will be helpful to me."

Tuaolo went to the Super Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons last January but was not re-signed by the club. He latched on with Carolina the week before the start of training camp.

Sagapolutele, who missed all of last season with a triceps tear and is currently suffering from an elbow ailment, said several clubs expressed interest almost immediately after he was released.

He said he sensed early that New Orleans had no plans for him.

"I talked to Mike Ditka in the morning and he said he didn't know if my elbow was going to hold up and he wanted to go with younger guys," Sagapolutele said.

But he said he is delighted with the reception he's getting from George Seifert and the Panthers.

If he can get past the elbow problem in the Carolina physical, he will sign for a bonus close to the seven-figure level and get the NFL minimum salary for players with his experience (over $400,000).

"At training camp, when a player is released from a team, the next team will tell him to take the minimum salary without any negotiation leverages happening," said Sagapolutele. "That's because most of the roster spots are already set. So for them to negotiate a one-year deal with good money up front makes me feel wanted. And they are picking up the tab to fly me back to New Orleans to close everything out."

Sagapolutele, who played with New England in the 1997 Super Bowl against Green Bay, had been a big brother figure to two younger Hawaii players in New Orleans: offensive lineman Chris Naeole and linebacker Ink Aleaga.

"I think they will be sorry to see me go, but they're gonna do all right there," said Sagapolutele.