Polamalu Quotes & Sayings

My joy in my life comes from my strength in my life and in my experience with God. That cannot be separated from football. It is all the same to me. It is one. I am one with it. — Troy Polamalu

My wife is Greek. I was a non-denomination Christian before we got married. — Troy Polamalu

I've been surfing for a couple years, in the offseason in California and in Hawaii. I'm not very good, but it's just something that to be out there in the water, no cell phone, no music ... very few sports are as pure as that. — Troy Polamalu

I love Hawaii. I really enjoy surfing in Oahu, and Waianae is such a great area. And Maui - I like Maui a lot, too. — Troy Polamalu

The Coca-Cola Mean Joe Greene ad is one of the most famous commercials of all time, so I was blown away when they asked me to be in this new spot. — Troy Polamalu

There's so much built-up camaraderie and sacrifice, and football is such a tough man's game. I think that's why it's so popular. That's why so many blue-collar communities and people can really feel attracted to this because it is a blue-collar struggle that football players go through. — Troy Polamalu

Orthodox chanting is non-emotional; it's very monotone. — Troy Polamalu

I always try to sacrifice my body for the team. — Troy Polamalu

As a territory, American Samoa has no representation in the U.S. Senate, and we Samoans lost a respected and powerful ally with the passing of Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye. — Troy Polamalu

Our sport is not made for anybody to be able to play it, especially at the NFL level, so there's obviously some risk that we all take knowingly. — Troy Polamalu

Football is pretty much played 16 times a year, where training is kind of a year-round thing. — Troy Polamalu

My hair has become part of my identity; it's almost an appendage to me. — Troy Polamalu

I've never thought about the end of my career. I've had this growing motto in my life to live day to day - and when you live day to day, it's hard to talk years. — Troy Polamalu

People have this idea that the more pious and devout I am, the more successful I am. Which is very dangerous. If you look at faith in that way, you're bound to fail at both - spiritually and in your career. — Troy Polamalu

All of my Polynesian counterparts in the NFL with roots in American Samoa understand how the values embedded in our South Pacific culture - community, hard work, perseverance, respect - contribute directly to our success. — Troy Polamalu

America needs football. It's a real blue-collar sport; it's played with a blue-collar mentality, a mentality that's the backbone of this country. — Troy Polamalu

If you don't eat right as an athlete, you'll get tired and won't be as sharp. It's simple to drink sodas and sports drinks, but water is the most essential drink to put in your body. — Troy Polamalu

Some of us might not understand why LeBron James is the way he is, but fortunately he found his great craft in life. — Troy Polamalu

The barefoot component of my training is about strengthening the toes. — Troy Polamalu

Injury in general teaches you to appreciate every moment. I've had my share of injuries throughout my career. It's humbling. It gives you perspective. No matter how many times I've been hurt, I've learned from that injury and come back even more humble. — Troy Polamalu

Any time you can squeeze out the opportunity to get better, you should. — Troy Polamalu

When I cook, it's something nobody else would enjoy. — Troy Polamalu

Playing professional sports, it's important to eat healthy and take care of your body. In the offseason, rest is really important to me. — Troy Polamalu

You have the women sitting on the left and the men sitting on the right. Everything is to keep your mind focused on God ... To me the most beautiful thing anyone on earth can experience, other than maybe marriage and child-bearing, would be the Orthodox Liturgy. — Troy Polamalu

I really enjoy surfing a lot. It's an awesome sport. With surfing there are no mind games versus Peyton Manning, or versus anyone else. It's not me trying to throw a certain shot put further - or to put a ball in a hoop, it's just me against mother nature. — Troy Polamalu

In Pennsylvania, I love the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington. It's a scenic area. We also enjoy visiting the Laurel Highlands in Western Pennsylvania. The mountains are really something to be seen, and it's a great area to be outside. — Troy Polamalu

I love the atmosphere football brings; I love being around my teammates; I love the struggle in football. I love the fact that it is a part of my life. I don't look at it as any more important or less important as any other part of my life. — Troy Polamalu

I take pride in my life-my wife, my family. I try my best not to have football define the person that I am. — Troy Polamalu

I don't feel that I need a tattoo to represent myself as a Samoan or a Christian. — Troy Polamalu

Fighters are raised into MMA. It's more about what's internal, not what's God given. When you have a great fighter like Rickson Gracie or Fedor Emelianenko-they're greater than the others because they have an internal spiritual being that separates them from the rest in their craft. They have the warrior spirit. — Troy Polamalu

I try to take what's given to me and then mold it to be a better football player. — Troy Polamalu

Pride is tough. You go to high school, and its 'pride,' 'courage;' it's all these types of words that we use to motivate us. I don't think there's anywhere in the Scriptures through the saints' lives where pride was ever a positive characteristic of anybody. — Troy Polamalu

I've always been a very self-aware person. — Troy Polamalu

I would say I'm more traditional than I am superstitious. I don't, for example, have to do things ritually before the game in order to feel comfortable going to the game. But I don't think I'm naturally a football player. I don't have that grit and that killer instinct. — Troy Polamalu

A demon, in a way, is a test of your faith. Because if you're doing God's work, there's no reason for any demon to do anything to you. — Troy Polamalu

Orthodoxy is like an abyss of beauty that's just endless. I have read the Bible many times. But after fasting, and being baptized Orthodox, it's like reading a whole new Bible. You see the depth behind the words so much more clearly. — Troy Polamalu

Football doesn't define me. It's what I do [and] how I carry out my faith. — Troy Polamalu

What's really neat about the Orthodox church is that it's like walking back in time 2,000 years to the time of the Apostles, when they created these services. You walk into that and it's really like ... living it. They have maintained the truth ever since the beginning. — Troy Polamalu

I believe it has changed so much because of the impact you can have from that position. You are so involved in the game from both a pass and a run standpoint. Anyone that can have an impact on a game like that is going to be held to high standards. You have guys like Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu who make big-time plays which can change the outcome of the game. — Eric Berry

I love to create this green juice shake made from kale, spinach, cucumber and wheatgrass. The nutrients in the juice help me recover after a tough workout. The Kale Banana Smoothie at LYFE Kitchen is very similar to my recipe and is fantastic. — Troy Polamalu

I don't look at football as a violent, barbaric sport. It's a very spiritual sport, especially for someone facing the challenges during a game: the fear of failure, the fear of getting too big an ego, of making a mistake and everybody criticizing you. — Troy Polamalu

Being patient ... and not becoming too stressed out over the big plays, those are the things to remember. — Troy Polamalu

I became a millionaire overnight by signing a piece of paper. I made more money in that one second than my entire family did in their lifetime. — Troy Polamalu

I've never been a fan of individual awards because football is such a team sport. There's so many things that goes into making plays. It's about teammates trusting one another and working together. — Troy Polamalu

As a football player, you just deal with injuries. It's all part of the football game. I've dealt with injuries as much as everybody else. People have dealt with worse injuries than I've dealt with. It's all part of the game, all part of getting that tackle. — Troy Polamalu

When people say that you kind of just get - you know, just feel like a little buzzed or dazed or had your bell rung - they consider that a concussion. I wouldn't. But if that is considered a concussion, I would say any football player at least records 50 to 100 in the course of a year. — Troy Polamalu

It's the perfect environment for prayer. Chanting in Greek ... is like a beautiful opera, but way better. — Troy Polamalu

Probably the label 'Jesus freak' is fine with me. Because I know who I am. — Troy Polamalu

I grew up as a kind of nondenominational Christian. I have two uncles who are Baptist ministers. I went to a Samoan church when I was younger. I went to a Catholic school, so I was actually able to experience a lot of different religions. Mormonism, as well. My father in-law, who I'm very close with, is a Muslim. — Troy Polamalu

There's so much that I like about Pittsburgh, actually. The cultural district and museums are wonderful, and I encourage everyone to check them out. And the food is excellent, too! — Troy Polamalu

A big hit is all part of the game. If you want to make a lot of big hits, you forget about the one you just made and move onto the next one. — Troy Polamalu

There are very few sports where you can find that tranquility. Some people find that in golf, but when you're in the water it's such a difference from the golf course or the basketball court. That's what makes surfing unique over any other sport. — Troy Polamalu

When I'm done playing football, I just might be the couch potato dad. — Troy Polamalu

Three English bulldogs count for one kid. — Troy Polamalu

I do have a trophy room-it's in my attic, in boxes. — Troy Polamalu

People call me crazy and a madman. Even 'Tasmanian Devil.' I'd rather be called the 'Tasmanian Angel.' — Troy Polamalu

Material things aren't important to me. — Troy Polamalu

People are paralyzed on a football field. People die. You just never know when it's going to be your last moment. I was the kind of guy who would never talk to my wife on game day. Now I'm the guy who's like, 'I love you.' I want my children to know I love them because I don't know what's going to happen out there. — Troy Polamalu

Being compared to the greatest-ever safety is pretty ridiculous. I continue to work toward that, but I'm not there and I know that. — Troy Polamalu

There are times I am happy. There are times I am sad. But I always try to separate emotion from the need to reach for something stronger, deeper. And then no matter the emotion, I can reach for a stability that helps me accomplish what is the goal. — Troy Polamalu

The best thing about football for me is the reacting. It's a lot of instincts. But training, for me, it's more for the meditating. And I spend more time training than actually playing football. So I get into that zone during training more than anything. — Troy Polamalu

I work barefooted on balance plates. I do explosive squats on balance surfaces that your body has to use muscles it's not used to. It's all kinds of exercises that your body isn't really used to, and it tricks your body into getting stronger every time. — Troy Polamalu

It's important for me to have strong hair in case someone pulls it and tries to rip it all out. — Troy Polamalu

Whenever I do the sign of the cross, it always brings comfort in situations when you are faced with adversity and stress. — Troy Polamalu

After a training camp workout, my body is eager to replace nutrients and energy that are lost during the workout. It's best to have a quick bite about 30 minutes after practice. I like to have yogurt and granola, the combination of carbs and protein helps me recover after a long and tiring workout. — Troy Polamalu

I have developed a Samoan mentality. You have to be a gentleman everywhere but on the field. — Troy Polamalu

I am proud of my heritage and have happily taken advantage of every opportunity to educate my teammates and Steeler Nation about American Samoa, both as a player and in the community, through the Troy and Theodora Polamalu Foundation Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation. — Troy Polamalu

I try to be passionate about every aspect of my life, how I love my wife, how I serve my wife, how I serve God. In the same way, I try to be passionate about football. I try to serve my coaches with passion. I try to serve my teammates with passion. I try to serve God, through football, with passion. — Troy Polamalu

I think that's a struggle of every Christian, to be able to get to that point where they're in constant prayer with God - so that everything they do, in thought, in speech, in work, is praising God and worshipping God. — Troy Polamalu

I didn't grow up around my father. I didn't really grow up around my mother, either. I was raised by a community of people. Spiritually speaking, my father is in Heaven, and that is who I look to for all my answers. And that's why my faith is very strong and why my passion is strong. — Troy Polamalu

Some days I'm just flipping through the iPod trying to get pumped, some days I don't want to listen to anything and just focus. From game to game from day to day, whatever people do to motivate themselves, they do. I do all kinds of things. — Troy Polamalu

Throughout history, every great warrior-the Greeks, the Samurais, the American Indians, the Mongolians, you name it-had long hair and would dress it before battle. — Troy Polamalu

We kind of knew what they were doing. They brought pressure on the side with (Troy) Polamalu. The
way that they played the coverage was a little unique. Again, I've just got to do a better job than that. — Mike Tomlin

When I let my hair down, I just let it down. It's more comfortable in my helmet. — Troy Polamalu

I am a National Football League player of American Samoan heritage. Because of my status as a professional athlete, I have been blessed to play a role in educating players and fans about the culture and history of America's southernmost territory. — Troy Polamalu

We're a road team. We're the Pittsburgh Steelers. We have fans everywhere. — Troy Polamalu

My best vacation memory is getting barreled at the beach in Hawaii. — Troy Polamalu

In football, you're taught to react by being aggressive, taught to react with violence. If you can't separate that on the field and off the field, you're going to be in a lot of trouble in your life. — Troy Polamalu

My parents separated before I was 1 year old. I moved in with my aunt and uncle when I was in fourth grade. I was, like, 8 or 9 years old. I was getting in a lot of trouble when I was in Southern California. My older sisters were in gangs. My older brother was in gangs. — Troy Polamalu

I think it's important to cross train. Surfing is a good cross training sport for your shoulders. I don't think I know of any other football player who does it, who can go and paddle out past the sets. — Troy Polamalu

God has control over everything, and obviously, everything to everyone is god-given. — Troy Polamalu

I know where I'm supposed to be at the time of the snap. Now, where the play dictates I'm going to go is a different story. — Troy Polamalu

I've never really been aware of what is said about me, whether it's positive or negative. I ignore it. I've always had the mind-set: 'No one can challenge me better than myself.' — Troy Polamalu

There's rule changes every year. I do wish, however, that the NFL did have a voice from the players' side, whether it's our players' union president, or team captains, or our executive committee on the players' side. Because we're the guys that realize the risk; we're the guys on the field. — Troy Polamalu

It takes a tremendous amount of skill to be a football player. And some of these guys have enough skills to do other sports. Soccer could be one. Basketball could be another. Things where you need incredible hand-eye coordination are always options. I think a football player would be able to adapt to a lot of sports. — Troy Polamalu

The greatest joy I get is setting up plays for somebody else. I take a lot of pride in helping other people make plays. — Troy Polamalu

On the field is a place where you can just let it loose and react to everything with violence. — Troy Polamalu

I don't think I have a split personality. I believe the same person I am on the field is the same person I am at home - passionate about everything I do, whether it's reading a Bible or just hanging out with my wife. — Troy Polamalu

Anybody who's away from what's normal is just kind of pushed aside as, 'Oh, he's crazy.' But in reality, this world is crazy. It's just chaos everywhere. It's really hard to be part of this world, because it's very possessed. And very egocentric. — Troy Polamalu

The greatest thing for me football-wise is that it's a test of will. — Troy Polamalu

I think that's one of the great things about the Pittsburgh Steelers - we're not a big free-agent team. We build guys up through our system to have a better understanding of our defense. — Troy Polamalu

I knew that I had it tough compared to children around me. But I felt like I needed it. I think I had the wisdom as a child to know that it would help me later on. — Troy Polamalu