Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

[mayoclinic]

Nice read on Michael Hoomanawanui from Peter May at the NY Times, and on how the "Patriot Way" occurs to outside players coming in:

He said he always wondered. It’s human nature, perhaps, to look at the New England Patriots from the outside as a football voyeur. How do they do it? Will I ever be able to find out for myself?

In his first two seasons in the N.F.L., Michael Hoomanawanui played tight end for the anti-Patriots. He was on the St. Louis Rams, playing in just half their games. He was living out the meaning of his last name — “to be patient” — hoping for better things to come. A fifth-round pick from Illinois, he had 20 receptions for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns in two years.

Hoomanawanui headed to Hawaii after the 2011 season ended, to his ancestral home, not to the Pro Bowl. The Rams cut him last September — and Hoomanawanui’s world did a quick 180 in the next 48 hours. The Patriots were interested, his agent told him. Then Bill Belichick came on the phone, telling Hoomanawanui that they thought he could help them.

Hoomanawanui (pronounced Oh-oh-mah-NAH-wah-NEW-ee) quickly made his way to Foxborough, ready to do whatever he could for the Patriots. So far, life in New England has been all that Hoomanawanui had hoped, but dared not to expect.

“When you’re on the outside, you’re thinking what everyone else is thinking: why are they always great?” Hoomanawanui said after Sunday’s game. “What are they doing different that they have so much success? Well, when you get here, you quickly find out. It’s the Patriot way. You know, if something isn’t broke, don’t fix it.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/15/s...nawanui-eager-to-help-the-patriots.html?_r=0

Hoomanawanui has a little bit of similarity to Rob Ninkovich, who was profiled in a Grantland article recently. Uber-hard working, tough nosed, blue collar player. 5th round pick. Picked up off the scrap heap with little expectation, has worked himself in as a significantly role player and clearly passed Daniel Fells, who was a fairly significant off-season signing, on the depth chart. Like Ninkovich, a guy who just keeps working and exceeds expectations:

“In those first couple years we had him, you would never had thought he’d end up where he did,” said Jim Pry, his position coach at Illinois. “But he kept at it. He worked harder than just about any kid I ever had. And by the time the pro scouts came around to see him, I’d just tell them to watch Michael run a corner route and then remember that he’s 270 pounds.”

The phonetic spelling of his name also suggests lots of potential nicknames: "Oh-oh", "oh-mahn", for starters. Good kid. I hope the Pats can keep him for the future.

 

[PatsFan2]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

Nice, BB calls him whoo-man the kid can block and I love that long catch he made against the 49ers...wouldn't mid seeing more of that.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

Nice read on Michael Hoomanawanui from Peter May at the NY Times, and on how the "Patriot Way" occurs to outside players coming in:



http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/15/s...nawanui-eager-to-help-the-patriots.html?_r=0

Hoomanawanui has a little bit of similarity to Rob Ninkovich, who was profiled in a Grantland article recently. Uber-hard working, tough nosed, blue collar player. 5th round pick. Picked up off the scrap heap with little expectation, has worked himself in as a significantly role player and clearly passed Daniel Fells, who was a fairly significant off-season signing, on the depth chart. Like Ninkovich, a guy who just keeps working and exceeds expectations:



The phonetic spelling of his name also suggests lots of potential nicknames: "Oh-oh", "oh-mahn", for starters. Good kid. I hope the Pats can keep him for the future.

I believe in the Pats video introducing him he also said he gets called "Hoo-man" a lot.

 

[Bella*chick]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

I keep rereading the name pronunciation and I still can't get it.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

I keep rereading the name pronunciation and I still can't get it.

This should help.

Patriots Blog: Michael Hoomanawanui Teaches Pronunciation Lessons On Day 1 « CBS Boston

 

[PP2]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

I remember reading that he is sometimes called "uh-oh." Especially when he makes a mistake.

 

[DarrylStingley]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

Thanks for posting this.

These kind of articles make me pinch myself.

I've been a Pats fan since the early 70s. That OUR TEAM is the freaking model franchise is still so fresh and awesome and new to me. I know that BB has been at it for years and really this is now in its second decade.

But still...our Charlie Brown franchise is the epitome of class, intelligent design and winning. Players come here and buy in. Massive smile!

And I love reading idiots complain about BB or his media dealings. You morons: BB only tells the media what he thinks wont hurt the Pats and their chances of winning.

Oh, and love the HooMan. I'm guessing that he or Fells will catch a few passes against the Cravens.

 

[Wax Frog]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

I keep rereading the name pronunciation and I still can't get it.

Just for you, one of my patented visual pronunciation guides

 

[Mike the Brit]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

This should help.

Patriots Blog: Michael Hoomanawanui Teaches Pronunciation Lessons On Day 1 « CBS Boston

Huh -- oh -- man -- ooee -- wah -- nooee. Easy!

 

[Get it shawtaay]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

Hopefully next Sunday he can make the national audience say "Hoo dat?"

 

[ctpatsfan77]

re: Nice Read on Michael Hoomanawanui and the "Patriot Way"

Huh -- oh -- man -- ooee -- wah -- nooee. Easy!

His name only has seven syllables.

 

[patfanken]

Thanks for posting this.

These kind of articles make me pinch myself.

I've been a Pats fan since the early 70s. That OUR TEAM is the freaking model franchise is still so fresh and awesome and new to me. I know that BB has been at it for years and really this is now in its second decade.

But still...our Charlie Brown franchise is the epitome of class, intelligent design and winning. Players come here and buy in. Massive smile!

And I love reading idiots complain about BB or his media dealings. You morons: BB only tells the media what he thinks wont hurt the Pats and their chances of winning.

Oh, and love the HooMan. I'm guessing that he or Fells will catch a few passes against the Cravens.

Darryl. I can't agree more. All the mediots are constantly trying to force the image of BB being a curmudgeon and a bad guy. The polar opposite of a "players coach", when the exact opposite is true. If you are willing to work hard, love football, and can accept constructive criticism, then Foxboro is football heaven. A great player's environment, where, like Hooman states, "everyone is excited to be there"

So in reality, our grumpy old curmudgeon, is actually the ultimate player's coach, and like most things the haters would have you believe, that image they want to portray is nothing more than a myth

 

[mayoclinic]

Darryl. I can't agree more. All the mediots are constantly trying to force the image of BB being a curmudgeon and a bad guy. The polar opposite of a "players coach", when the exact opposite is true. If you are willing to work hard, love football, and can accept constructive criticism, then Foxboro is football heaven. A great player's environment, where, like Hooman states, "everyone is excited to be there"

So in reality, our grumpy old curmudgeon, is actually the ultimate player's coach, and like most things the haters would have you believe, that image they want to portray is nothing more than a myth

I suspect that made a difference when it came to wooing contested UDFAs like Brandon Bolden and Jeff Demps. And I hope it will help with Armond Armstead. Guys know that they are dealing with a stable situation, that they will get a fair chance to compete, that BB will be upfront and honest about what's expected of them, and that they'll be part of something bigger. If goes don't buy in to that, they probably are better off going elsewhere.