As a student of business management at a well-respected university, Joe Anoai comes across as a controlled and reserved young man, eager to do a good job and enhance his career prospects.

Listening to him, there's no indication he comes from wild and crazy stock, but it's true.

His father, Sika, and his uncle, Afa, formed the Wild Samoans tag team that entertained WWE fans in the early 1980s. They certainly looked the part with their unruly hair, Fu Manchu moustaches, floral print shorts and the occasional shrunken head prop.

"I got to experience them in the ring toward the end of their careers," said Anoai, a defensive tackle for Georgia Tech, which plays Utah in the fourth annual Emerald Bowl on Thursday at SBC Park. "I've definitely seen my share of wrestling. Anytime your profession puts food on the table, you have to respect that. It's definitely hard on your body. A lot of people say it's fake, but when you pick up someone over your head (or get picked up in return), it doesn't feel good."

Like a lot of activities, pro rasslin' is a familial enterprise. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's father, Rocky Johnson, trained with the Wild Samoans. Joe Anoai's brother Rosey tag-teams with Hurricane, and his first cousins, Rikishi and Yokozuna, are in the wrestling entertainment business as well.

On the football front, another of Anoai's (pronounced an-uh-WHY-ee) cousins, Afa Jr., is a defensive tackle at UConn.

"It's somewhat competitive, but it's more the dads who are competitive," Joe said. "We trade tips more than get competitive."

Uncle Afa runs a wrestling school in Bethlehem, Pa., that has turned out the likes of Batista, Hurricane Havoo, Sugaa and Gene Snisky. Dad Sika is retired in Pensacola, Fla., and enjoys playing with his grandkids.

Joe Anoai grew up in Pensacola and attended the same high school, Escambia, that produced Emmitt Smith. Though he grew up surrounded by the flash, fakery and flimflam of pro wrestling, Anoai is committed to football and would like to play in the NFL. However, if that's not to be, he is an athletic 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds with a certain ring legacy.

"If (the NFL) doesn't work out, hopefully I can resort to wrestling,'' Anoai said. "I've played around with it a little. It helps me control my balance and to use other people's weight against them, not as much for the ring but the field."

At Georgia Tech, Anoai is part of a defense ranked 10th overall in the NCAA. In a 7-4 season, the Yellow Jackets relied on their defense to preserve wins over two top 10 teams, Auburn (23-14) and Miami (14-10). This season, Anoai had 41/2 tackles for losses and two sacks. He helped Tech limit Auburn, with its strong tradition of running backs, to 50 yards rushing.

"As a defensive unit, that's everything to us," he said. "That's where we put our pride. That's why we walk around with so much pride. We want to end up with a good defensive performance. We have a lot of veteran players."

Georgia Tech will face a 6-5 Utah team that took two big hits after the 2004 season: Coach Urban Meyer left for Florida and quarterback Alex Smith left after his junior year for the NFL, where he's currently shoveling sand against the tide for the 49ers.

The Utes still can score points, however. They piled up more than 40 in three games, all wins, including a season-ending 41-34 overtime decision over

BYU.

"They definitely have weapons and a good scheme we'll have to look out for; otherwise, they'll make you look stupid," Anoai said. "We've faced a couple offenses like this. Clemson ran a scheme similar to that with the shotgun formation and a lot of screens. We have to refresh on it."

Anoai and his Tech teammates were scheduled to arrive in San Francisco on Saturday. An obligatory trip to Alcatraz awaits them, as does a helicopter tour of the city. For Anoai, the Emerald Bowl also means a family reunion. He said he has relatives all over California -- Los Angeles, Long Beach, Sacramento, San Francisco -- and expects between 35-40 for Thursday afternoon's game.

If someone in Anoai's cheering section comes bearing a shrunken head, not to worry. It's either dear old dad or his crazy brother -- those Wild Samoans.