Vai Sikahema

The question has traveled with him like a carry-on bag for two seasons now, from Phoenix, through Green Bay and now to Philadelphia: How the heck could the Phoenix Cardinals let Vai Sikahema become a Plan B free agent after the 1990 season? Sikahema, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, had finished sixth among NFC punt returners in 1990, and averaged 20.1 on kickoff returns. Since being drafted by the Cardinals on the 10th round in 1986, not a league-leaders list had been circulated around the NFL without Sikahema's name on it. "With the coaching change (to Joe Bugel in 1990)

Eagles quarterback Ty Detmer says there's no doubt what matters most to him. In his life, his wife and two little girls are "The Things of Most Worth," he said Thursday during a program of the same title sponsored by a Mormon congregation. Detmer spoke along with Burgess Owens, retired free safety for the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders, and Vai Sikahema, Channel 10 (WCAU) sportscaster and former Eagle, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here. The three athletes gave testimony on their lives as Mormons.

Vai Sikahema noticed the rookie at Eagles mini-camp, boldly cutting in front of veterans to get repetitions and attention from the coaches. Sikahema liked the kid's attitude and the way his feet moved. So he adopted him. "You're my rookie," he told Vaughn Hebron, the Virginia Tech running back who was left unclaimed on draft day. Sikahema started his professional career as a near-nonentity, a 10th-round pick with the St. Louis Cardinals. He could understand the free agent's predicament, recognizing his anxiety as much as his talent.

Vai Sikahema made an impressive debut on Channel 10's "Sports Final" last Sunday night. Sikahema, who retired as an Eagles kick returner, is as comfortable as many TV veterans on camera. The only negative was that his story about being drafted by the Cardinals went on too long. "Professors" Sikahema and Fred Barnett, the Eagles' wide receiver, weren't overwhelmed by the team's draft: Sikahema graded the draft "a B, B- minus;" Barnett gave it a B. PENN RELAYS SCHEDULE TV coverage of the Penn Relays will be limited to two hours live tomorrow (2 to 4 p.m.)

Calling Reggie White a great player is like calling Bruce Springsteen a great singer. No kidding. "There's just so few people that really transcend their sport," said Vai Sikahema, White's teammate on the 1992 Eagles. "He transcended his time and the sport. " White's physical prowess was legendary, Sikahema said. "He ran the 40 [yard dash] faster than I did," Sikahema, a sleek former kick-return artist, said. He was referring to a day when his 4.7-second sprint was bettered by his Paul Bunyan-esque teammate's 4.6. "Once he stripped the ball and ran it in against Washington," Sikahema said.

Vai Sikahema isn't sure what it is. He knows it's not speed. He knows there are other return men in the NFL who are quicker than he is - and faster. The kid across the Eagles' locker room, rookie return man Jeff Sydner, could eat him alive in a 40-yard dash. "If I told you what I ran the 40 in, you'd say I have no business being in the NFL," said Sikahema, with the candor and quiet wit of a man who is comforable in his own skin. His compact body was curled up at his locker one day last week.

Going into yesterday, the Eagles' punt- and kickoff-return teams were above average - special enough, but certainly not spectacular. Several returns that had started out looking as if they had electric possibilities were ultimately short-circuited. As returner Vai Sikahema said, "It's becoming a cliche in this locker room, but we're always one block away. " They were still one block away yesterday against the Los Angeles Raiders at Veterans Stadium. But Sikahema did break a couple of big ones - a 40-yard kickoff return that helped set up an Eagles touchdown right before the end of the first half, and an 18-yard punt return in the third quarter that helped set up another TD. On a day in which excellent field position gave the Eagles' offense a splendid platform from which to launch itself to a 31-10 victory, Sikahema and the Eagles' return teams played a significant part - significant enough that Sikahema received one of the bushelbasket full of game balls that coach Rich Kotite handed out. "We came close today twice," Sikahema said.

Eagles coach Rich Kotite accomplished the first of the team's off-season goals yesterday by signing veteran kick-return specialist Vai Sikahema to a one-year contract. Owner Norman Braman said last month that for his team to be in championship contention this year it would need a proven kick returner, a speedy running back, and one or two solid veteran offensive linemen. Sikahema, a 29-year-old veteran of six NFL seasons, secures the first of those goals. He has been one of the league's top return men in recent years, and represented the Phoenix Cardinals in the Pro Bowl in 1986 and 1987.

Vai Sikahema, failed by his usually firm grip on a football, held on to his sense of humor yesterday. "Just leave something for my family to bury, all right?" the Eagles' return man told a swarm of reporters converging on his dressing stall. Sikahema wore a wan half-smile above his orange turtleneck. He had fumbled twice on kickoff returns in a 10-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and he had some explaining to do. He did it calmly and patiently, agonizing over what he had cost his team but never forgetting that the topic under discussion was a lost football game - a tragedy of limited proportion.

The milestone achievement everyone will remember from yesterday's Dolphins- Eagles game belonged to Don Shula, for whom the contest ended in career victory 325, an NFL record. But the Eagles also had an achievement worth noting by the time Vai Sikahema, a 5-foot-9, 196-pound wraith who probably enjoyed his best game of the season, finished his second punt return. A modest 8-yard journey, it moved Sikahema into the select company of Rick Upchurch and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, the only other players who have racked up more than 3,000 yards in that specialized part of special-teams play.

Ike Reese was getting annoyed with Vai Sikahema's reviews. Too long-winded apparently. Too attentive to detail. On Saturday, the ex-Eagles turned broadcasters were among a half-dozen celebrity judges at the Fox & Hound Pub in King of Prussia, ready to declare the winner of WIP's Great Hoagie Hunt. A huge crowd was on hand as well, devouring free samples and ready to vote for its favorite, too. The judges had just sampled Italian hoagies from Paesano's in Northern Liberties - which came into the event as the favorite.

Former Eagle and Brigham Young grad Vai Sikahema watched his alma mater play Texas A&M from a second-row seat near the Cougars bench. The NBC10 sports anchor was sporting a No. 23 BYU jersey, which is not worn by any of the school's basketball players. "It's my football number," Sikahema said. "The school brought it to town for me. " Sikahema was just as incredulous as everybody else as Texas A&M made its first 10 field goal attempts on its way to a 42-30 halftime advantage.

Calling Reggie White a great player is like calling Bruce Springsteen a great singer. No kidding. "There's just so few people that really transcend their sport," said Vai Sikahema, White's teammate on the 1992 Eagles. "He transcended his time and the sport. " White's physical prowess was legendary, Sikahema said. "He ran the 40 [yard dash] faster than I did," Sikahema, a sleek former kick-return artist, said. He was referring to a day when his 4.7-second sprint was bettered by his Paul Bunyan-esque teammate's 4.6. "Once he stripped the ball and ran it in against Washington," Sikahema said.

Reggie White was many things to his Eagles teammates. Exemplary football presence. Spiritual leader. Hall of Famer. Bankroll. Worst enemy you could have. Say what? Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes, said Vai Sikahema, White's former Eagles teammate and sports director and anchor for NBC10. "X's and O's-wise, Reggie was not above doing everything humanly possible to win games," Sikahema said with a laugh as he lovingly recounted his friend's passion. White, the late, great defensive end, will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, today.

Eagles quarterback Ty Detmer says there's no doubt what matters most to him. In his life, his wife and two little girls are "The Things of Most Worth," he said Thursday during a program of the same title sponsored by a Mormon congregation. Detmer spoke along with Burgess Owens, retired free safety for the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders, and Vai Sikahema, Channel 10 (WCAU) sportscaster and former Eagle, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here. The three athletes gave testimony on their lives as Mormons.

For what seems like forever, the sports staffs on Philadelphia's television stations have been intact. It's been quieter around here than Center City on a Sunday morning. Then, within one week, Channels 10 and 3 shook up their sports staffs. At Channel 10, Vai Sikahema, formerly the weekend sports anchor, becomes the main man. Ron Burke switches to weekends and weekday reporting and venerable Al Meltzer is assigned to reporting. Over at Channel 3, Ukee Washington leaves sports to co-anchor the expanded morning news with Pat Ciarrocchi.

As last season approached, Jeff Sydner didn't have to fret that each day of practice might be his last. Vai Sikahema, the former Pro Bowler, had retired. For once, the job of Eagles kick-returner was Sydner's. Now, less than two weeks before this season begins, a familiar worry clouds his mind - unemployment, to be exact. "Some things never change," Sydner said after yesterday's practice. "Sometimes, it seems like they never will. " In Sikahema-like fashion, Kelvin Martin returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown, igniting the Eagles' romp over the New England Patriots in a preseason game Thursday.

Until this season, Vai Sikahema was one of the Eagles: the troubled football team, not the rock band. But after joining Channel 10's sports staff full time, Sikahema became a member of the meddlesome media. In a short time, Sikahema has managed to do something many ex-jocks find difficult: separate himself from his old team. "When I was in the locker room, I was acknowledged as a prankster," Sikahema said. "Now, I have to be the straight (TV) professional. I get teased a lot about that.

As their emotional matchup with the Eagles drew closer, the Arizona Cardinals survived a freakish scare from one defensive end and signed another yesterday. The post-Halloween scare came from Michael Bankston, the Cards' left defensive end, who leads the team in sacks (six) and ranks second in tackles (70) by one. While getting dressed for practice at the Cards' training complex, Bankston said he suddenly felt a sharp hip pain. He was taken to a Phoenix hospital for an MRI test and later was pronounced fit for duty Sunday at the Vet. "He's fine.

Eagles defensive linemen were not trying to make a fashion statement when they wore their green practice jerseys inside out and taped tightly to their bodies. Yesterday's new look was in protest, said third-year defensive tackle Tommy Jeter, to what he and his fellow pass rushers perceive to be excessive holding by the offensive line throughout this training camp. "The practice jerseys are lightweight and loose fitting, so they're easy to grab," Jeter said. "After a while you just get tired of being held.