Patriots Blog: Michael Hoomanawanui Teaches Pronunciation Lessons On Day 1
FOXBORO (CBS) -- I made it a point to make it the first question I asked to the newest Patriots' tight end.
It was simple: Could you say your last name?
He said it. "Hoomanawanui."
Please say it again.
" Hoomanawanui," he replied casually.
How To Pronounce "Hoomanawanui"
No, it doesn't translate well in type. But I was sure that's been a question he's been asked before and I was correct.
"I'm used to it, just as long as you don't make the name derogatory," he explained. "It's a tough last name, not Smith or Johnson. I realize that and take it in stride, and try to have fun with guys."
When asked if he had any nicknames, he said "Hoo-Man" or "Uh-oh".
I guess Steve Spagnuolo, his former coach in St. Louis, used to just call him "Illinois Mike," a reference to the college he attended.
It may seem complicated, but here's a way to spell it out phonetically: "Oh-oh-mah-NAH-wah-NEW-ee."
Fairly simple, huh?
Meet Them All
The Patriots are in love with tight ends this year, but after what Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez did in 2011 can you really blame them?
Just in case you were wondering, here's a list of all the tight ends the Pats have had something to do with from the off-season until now. Grab some popcorn, this might take a while...
- Rob Gronkowski: New Contract
- Aaron Hernandez: New Contract
Gresh & Zo: Frank Whycheck On Pats' Stockpile of Tight Ends
- Jake Ballard: Claimed on waivers from the Giants and then placed on injured reserve
- Visanthe Shiancoe: Signed as a free agent and then put on the injured reserved with designation to return
- Daniel Fells: Signed as a free agent
- Bo Sciafe: Signed as a free agent and then released
- Alex Silvestro: Was defensive end, and was given #49 to become full-time tight end. But he was released and then re-signed to the practice squad
- Tyler Urban: Released
Tweet Throwdown: Who Will Have More TDs: Gronk Of Hernandez?
- Dallas Clark: Free agent visited the Patriots
- Michael Hoomanawanui: Signed by the Patriots
- Kellen Winslow: Free agent visited the Patriots
Currently there are seven players on this list who in some form or another are still with the Pats. Needless to say, the Patriots are loaded at that position.
Mankins Ready To Work
Logan Mankins is the man when it comes to the Patriots offensive line. The guard is the Pats' O-line veteran, he's been through Patriot battles and he understands what needs to be done for the team to succeed. So when asked about progress, the Pro Bowl left guard gave a very telling answer.
"We have a lot of work to do between here and Sunday, and hopefully we can put our best out on the field," Mankins said. "We have to trust in each other and work together. We're going against a good team. They are a young defense, very athletic, very fast, and they play really hard. It's going to be a big challenge."
Now, there is change around Logan. At the beginning of last year, to his left was Matt Light and to his right was Dan Koppen. Both of those players are no longer with the team. Yet Logan says he's getting used to the change and he has confidence in the players who have taken the spots.
"The main thing is you do your job and trust them to do theirs and everything will be fine," he said. "It's when we start worrying about [what] the guy next to you is doing is when things get messed up. It's the three of us seeing it through the same set of eyes. There should only be one call, and that's the right call. If we start making too many calls, and guys are saying too many things that we don't need out there, it gets guys confused. We have to be on the same page and trust that call and everyone do what it says."
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