Published: Wednesday, February 02, 2011; Last Updated: Wed. Feb 2, 2011, 10:57pm
LOWER POTTSGROVE — Maika Polamalu discovered at a very young age it was a whole lot easier to block, tackle and run on a football field than it was to block out the comparisons, tackle the expectations and run away from all the gossip he heard off the field.
Everyone throughout the Pottsgrove neighborhoods as well as around the country, for that matter, knew his last name.
Understandably so. His father, Aoatoa Polamalu – better known as Al – made quite a name for himself as the starting nose guard for Penn State when the Nittany Lions won the national title in 1986. His uncle, Kennedy Polamalu — who shortened his name to Pola — was an outstanding fullback at USC and later, as he is now, the running backs coach for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL. And, of course, his cousin – Troy Polamalu – went from two-time All-American at USC to All-Pro safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“It was very hard at first,” he said when asked about growing up with such a distinguished last name. “It actually was difficult in the beginning, difficult to live up to. It was tough because a lot of assumptions were made, and there were a lot of expectations.
Everyone throughout the Pottsgrove neighborhoods as well as around the country, for that matter, knew his last name.
Understandably so. His father, Aoatoa Polamalu – better known as Al – made quite a name for himself as the starting nose guard for Penn State when the Nittany Lions won the national title in 1986. His uncle, Kennedy Polamalu — who shortened his name to Pola — was an outstanding fullback at USC and later, as he is now, the running backs coach for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL. And, of course, his cousin – Troy Polamalu – went from two-time All-American at USC to All-Pro safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“It was very hard at first,” he said when asked about growing up with such a distinguished last name. “It actually was difficult in the beginning, difficult to live up to. It was tough because a lot of assumptions were made, and there were a lot of expectations.
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