� "73"
Hard Hat Award (Game #4, vs. Cinci)
Stiller QB Ben Roethlisberger and SS Troy Polamalu are the
co-winners of the weekly Hard Hat Award, given to the Stiller player who
best embodies the iron-tough, hard-as-steel attitude of the steel workers
inside the blast furnace of a still mill.
Roth, making his first home start of his young career, had a good game, completing 17-25 and 1 TD.� More importantly, he threw no INTs and didn't fumble, either.� What really stood out was the headiness and the competitive spirit of Roth.� Trailing by 3 late in the 3Q, he calmly marched the Stillers 90 yards for the go ahead score, showing the kind of moxy and savvy typically found in far more experienced QBs.�
Pola started out the game a lil' slow, including a badly
missed tackle on the end around in the 2Q.�
But Troy came on, and with Cinci trying to repeat last season's
last-minute comeback, Troy read the play like a preacher reads the Holy Bible,
and then leapt and plucked the ball for the INT.� Not content to merely grab an INT, Troy weaved, juked, bobbed,
and weaved his way toward the end zone, displaying the kind of sheer
athleticism that made him a #1 draft pick.�
In true Hard Hat fashion, Pola would not be denied from
paydirt, and steamrolled former USC-teammate Carson Palmer at the 1-yard line
and scored the game-clinching TD.
Kudos to Roth and Pola for winning the weekly Hard Hat
Award.� Wear the Hard Hat
proudly, fellas!�
Past 2004 Winners:
Week 1, vs. Oak: Casey Hampton and Clark Haggans
Week 2, @ Balt.: No one
Week 3, vs. Miami:�
Chris Hope
(Note: Stillers.com will pay tribute to Justin Strzelczyk
this season by placing "73" in the Hard Hat Award article each
week.)�