Hard Hat Award (Game # 13, @ New England)
Stiller RBs Willie Parker and Najeh Davenport 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.
Last week, Parker suffered from a case of the dropsies, but he rebounded with a strong, hard-nosed effort. Parker ripped off several strong, and long, runs against the Patsies, and finished with 124 yards on only 21 carries. He also grabbed 4 passes.
Davenport was trusty in relief of Parker. He converted two big short-yardage situations, plowing for 1st down yardage on 1 attempt and vaulting over the stack on another. Davenport also had the football sense to turn his short route upfield when Benji scrambled, and then made a superb, leaping catch in the end zone for the Stillers� lone TD.
Sadly enough, these 2 players are the only ones that showed up -- without being overawed -- and gave their best efforts. Had just half of the roster done the same, this game could have been much closer.
Kudos to Parker and Davenport for winning the Hard Hat Award. Wear the Hard Hat proudly, fellas !
Previous 2007 Hard Hat Awardees:
Game 1, @ Clev: Jamie Harrison and Danny Sepulveda
Game 2, vs. Buffalo: Jamie Harrison
Game 3, vs. San Fran: Willie Parker
Game 4, @ Arizona: Santonio Holmes
Game 5, vs. Seattle: Ben Roethlisberger, Najeh Davenport, and Aaron Smith
Game 6, @ Denver: Nobody
Game 7, @ Cinci: Jamie Harrison
Game 8, vs. Balt: Jamie Harrison
Game 9, vs. Clev: Jamie Harrison and Ben Roethlisberger
Game 10, @ Jets: Nobody
Game 11, vs. Miami: Tyrone Carter
Game 12, vs. Cinci: Hines Ward