Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Rest in peace Mosi Tatupu.
The former New England Patriots running back and special teams ace is one player that stood out, along with my father's all-time favorite, quarterback Steve Grogan, while I was a very young Patriots fan.
I can remember sitting in the stands in Foxboro with my dad (it was usually a Jets game, too) and having him hoist me up in the air whenever the Patriots scored a TD.
And usually during the Pats' scoring drive, Tatupu and Grogan played key roles.
It's a part of my childhood that I will always remember and can always thank my father --and Tatupu and Grogan -- for that.
So I got goose bumps when I read on ESPN.com -- take a look at the link -- that Tatupu had passed away in an Attleboro hospital.
My dad -- a blue collar guy who has always worked hard and always put his family first -- obviously respected Tatupu because he played the game of football with a workmanlike approach, doing the dirty work while always trying to outwork the other guy.
Yes, just like how my father has worked in his job since as long as I can remember.
Tatupu wasn't a superstar, but he was a guy that always came to play, and you have to respect a player that does that. Tatupu was the epitome of a team player.
I'm now looking back at the time that I had the honor -- yes, it was an honor -- to meet Tatupu. It was in Leominster at historic Doyle Field. Tatupu was an assistant coach under Ronnie Lippett -- another former Patriot -- and I went up to Tatupu outside of the locker room before his team came out for warmups and he graciously signed a newspaper article I wrote about the former Pats coming to Leominster to coach the visiting semi-pro football team. I don't remember the actual conversation I had with him, but I still, to this day, recall walking away thinking how nice of a guy he was.
While many Patriots come and go, there's no doubt I'll remember the name Mosi Tatupu for the rest of my life.
Rest in peace Mosi, and thanks for all the great memories.
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