For this week’s Throwback Thursday article, the Miami Dolphins take a look at a former fan favorite of the team: fullback Lousaka Polite.

The Lousaka Monster.

Former Miami Dolphins fullback Lousaka Polite fit that nickname given to him here on The Phinsider perfectly. If you needed him to blow up a blitzing linebacker, he could do it. If you needed him to gain that one yard for a first down, he could (and nearly always would) do it. If you needed an emergency receiver in the flat, he could do it. Polite was everything the Dolphins wanted and needed in a fullback, and he was a player fans absolutely loved.

Polite began his career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2004, playing three years there before a one-year stint with the Chicago Bears in 2007. Then, in 2008, the Dolphins struck gold when they signed Polite, who appeared in 43 games with 24 starts in three seasons with the club. He carried the ball 86 times, picking up 270 yards with a touchdown, along with 29 receptions for 136 yards. In that span, he converted 41 of 43 3rd-and-1 attempts, going 11-for-12 in 2008, a perfect 16-for-16 in 2009, and 14-for-15 in 2010.

After Miami, Polite spent one year with the New England Patriots, appearing in just one contest, then spent his final year in 2012 with the Atlanta Falcons.

On Thursday, Dolphins Vice President of Historical Affairs Harvey Greene posted a story on Dolphins.com for their Throwback Thursday series “Where are they now.” The article is definitely worth the read, especially if you still remember watching Polite move piles forward to make sure the Dolphins got a new set of downs.

Some of the highlights of what Polite has been doing since retirement includes opening “Pro Performance” gym in Davie, Florida with the two trainers who worked out with him during the 2011 NFL lockout. He also returned to school, graduating from the University of Miami with an MBA over July 4th weekend.

He also, now, is back in the Dolphins organization. Having returned to South Florida after retirement, Polite was helping the team with the community outreach programs as a volunteer. Now, however, that role is formalized, as Polite explained to Greene:

“I am the Coordinator for Youth Programs, working with (former Dolphins) Twan Russell and Troy Drayton. That position wears many hats, but a lot of my job entails coordinating operations for all of our Youth Programs department events. We do a lot of high school events, 7-on-7 tournaments, school visits, JTCs (Junior Training Camps) where we visit schools and try to pass along a positive messages to students there and try to keep them inspired. We have “Play 60” activities and other events that take place in the calendar year like our All-Star Game, girls flag events, and summer camps. It’s all pretty much football related. My particular focus is high school, so I do a lot of things that help build relationships with the high schools, while Troy has youth football.

“I find it rewarding because I was ‘that kid” growing up. I never had the opportunity to be inspired or being taught by the pros, to learn a lot of things, to have camps to go to. I never went to a camp in my life. I just put myself in the shoes of a kid now and realize that this is a great opportunity and it’s changing lives. A lot of these kids don’t have a father or a male figure, and this is another opportunity to give back to my community while also being able to stay close to football and the Dolphins.”

The article also explains how Polite’s work is also a family affair, involving his 14-year-old daughter. It really is a good read, and one I would highly suggest to you.