Sal Aunese Remembered at Tribute

Sal Aunese left here three years ago for the University of Colorado to play quarterback and get an education.

Aunese performed the first task brilliantly, leading the Colorado Buffaloes to an 8-4 season and a Freedom Bowl appearance in his second year as the starter.

Aunese did not have the opportunity to complete the second task.

He died of stomach cancer Sept. 23 at age 21.

More than 300 friends, teammates, coaches and family members paid tribute to Aunese Monday at the First Samoan Congregational Christian Church.

And they talked of lessons in life they had learned from Aunese.

“It wasn’t the great performances I will remember about Sal, but how humble he was,” Coach Bill McCartney said. “When we won, he would always deflect the praise. When we lost, he would always take responsibility.”

Gary Barnett, Colorado quarterback coach, remembered that a reporter told him Aunese was not a good interview after the quarterback had run for 185 yards in his first college game because he kept praising his teammates.

But after a loss to Oklahoma, Barnett said another reporter told how Aunese “called all the reporters over and said, ‘I’m the guy. I’m the reason we lost.’ ”

McCartney said he learned something from Aunese he never expected--a lesson in culture.

His family, the tremendous bond, the depth of their love--it touched us,” McCartney said. “They spent so much time with us that we couldn’t help but notice that Sal developed this winning, this humility, right there in the roots of his home.”

Barnett said Aunese brought the Samoan culture to the Colorado campus in Boulder.

“He taught us about heart, about love, about unconditional love,” Barnett said. “There was no one Sal didn’t accept or love.”

Colorado teammate Mike Jones, who played against Aunese in high school, said he will always recall his Aunese’s fighting attitude. Jones, who was joined at the memorial by eight other Colorado teammates and Athletic Director Bill Murray, said it was that attitude which pulled the team through in Saturday’s 45-28 victory over the favored Washington Huskies.

“A lot of people counted us out this weekend,” Jones said. “They didn’t know how we’d respond, but they didn’t know Sal. Sal left us with the will to win, survive through anything.

“When things got bad, our defense always knew if there was one tick on the clock and we gave the ball back to Sal, he’d pull some magic. And he usually did.”

McCartney also discussed his grandson. Aunese fathered the son of McCartney’s daughter, Kristin.

“He has that same smile, the same flair for life and the same mischievous streak that we saw in the left-hander from Vista,” McCartney said. “We’re going to love him and tell him about his daddy and see to it that he carries on the tradition. “

Aunese is survived by his parents, three sisters and three brothers.