DAVIE, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins lead the league in Samoans, who are making their presence known less than two weeks into training camp.
The Dolphins have six-and-a-half players of Polynesian descent - five from Samoa, one from Tonga (Tun-ga) and a Mormon who has earned partial distinction. There's center Samson Satele (Suh-tell'-uh), fullback Reagan Mauia (Mow-ee'-uh), guard Tala Esera (Uh-sar'-uh) and defensive tackles Paul Soliai (So'-lee-uh), Brian Soi (Soy) and Steve Fifita (Fee-fee'-tuh), who is Tungan.
The half? Rookie quarterback John Beck, who learned some Samoan at Brigham Young, has the honory title by his Samoan teammates.
They communicate in their native language, but also speak fluent English. They eat together, go out together, study playbooks together and say they tell jokes only a Samoan would find funny.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press