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Cool Stuff: TMO Sevens is a signature event

The American Samoa Marist TMO Sevens is a wonderful event that was growing and was beginning to take on its own special identity. It’s an international regional sevens that acts as a springboard for future IRB International Sevens players, and provides a level of competition for those who are excellent, but just don't make the higher level cut.

 

So I am reading it is all over? How could that be? Marist started it, and if anyone else wants an event shouldn’t they simply create their own event? Maybe covering international rugby, and being away from the Territory I don't know the back story. Maybe I am naive.

 

It is not just rugby that makes a sevens tourney. It is the vibe of the crowd, it is the local family/community group oriented food stands.

 

The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sevens crowd is the greatest in modern sports history. The Tokyo Sevens, besides great rugby, has these incredible food carts from mini mini vans (photos soon). The USA Sevens has an outside carnival/food court atmosphere. The Marist TMO Sevens has great family togetherness, faleaigas, and Samoa's always unrestrained enthusiastic crowd.

 

The Marist TMO Sevens is unique because it is a reunion of the Samoas. The players are related in this East vs West Samoan rivalry. The fans are related. It costs a whole lot less to travel from Apia to Tutuila and aiafu off your relatives, than to fly to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Las Vegas, Wellington, Glasgow, London, or Dubai.

 

Rather than having the Marist TMO Sevens fold and die for reasons I don't fully comprehend... the ASG Turisi peeps need to jump on the bandwagon and make this a signature sports tourism event. Heck, with its schedule close to Flag Day, you could have Australian, New Zealand, US, and Asian tourists extending the average American Samoa stays from 4-5 days to 10. More jobs, more restaurant and hotel monies and taxes. More money for Hawaiian Air, Polynesian and Inter Island. I pray you are well Honourable Governor. I pray you step in to facilitate a resolution through traditional consensus and Samoan values. Oh I wish our uncle Tufele F. Lia was around with his kind ways of making peace.

 

Sorry Mates, I don't see any downside to the continuation of the TMO Marist Sevens. Just embrace the HK Crowd wild side fa'a Samoa and keep it going, keep it growing.

 

If there is some petty differences between Marist and the ASRU, then they need to bury them for the greater good. Sevens rugby is the future, it’s Olympic, it’s less injurious than traditional gridiron, and it costs less to travel 7's teams.

 

I sincerely apologize if I am speaking out of turn, and out of ignorance. But maybe we Coolios, who are not in the battle, have a wider perspective of what sometimes works and what is sometimes right for the Territory.

 

To players, visiting and local fans, have a great and safe Marist TMO Sevens. To you wonderful food vendors: stock up, you left me hanging the second day last year. It takes a lot of calories to release that camera shutter.

 

Soifua Coolios