Hard Hat Award (Game #3, @ Cinci)
Stillers WR Mike Wallace is the winner 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.
In a tight game against divisional rival Cinci, the rookie Wallace practically came out of nowhere and suddenly became THE �go to guy�, snaring 7 passes for 102 yards, leading the team in both categories. Wallace didn�t pile up a bunch of cheesy 4-yard outs, either. He caught several passes over the middle, in traffic, on 3rd down, to move the sticks. And, unlike most of the receivers on this team, Wally didn�t allow any passes to clang off his mitts for a harmless incompletion. And, unlike Tonio Holmes, Wallace doesn�t do any preening, gesturing, or strutting after a big 1st down grab. He pops up, lobs the ball to the ref, and gets his ass back into the huddle�.which is what yer supposed to do as a professional football player.
There really was no one else in consideration by The Committee. It bears repeating that there is almost always -- if not always -- a strong correlation between the number of players in consideration for the Hard Hat, and if the team won or lost. A tell-tale sign of lack of Hard Hat play was the fact that the defense forced zero turnovers. Turnovers are typically generated either by ferocious hits or menacing harassment on skill players such as QBs and receivers. In this case, nothing of the sort happened.
An honorable Hard Hat Award is, however, being given this week to longtime Stillers.com follower and bassist for Alice Cooper, Chuck Garric. Still Mill and Sister of Still Mill were Chuck�s guests at Tuesday�s Alice Cooper concert, and Chuck and the gang kicked some serious ass with a bevy of high-quality hard rock tuneage. Chuck was a man possessed on the bass, and Mill and his sister were fortunate enough to be able to discuss Stiller football with him after the concert. Chuck has been a dedicated reader of this here web site for over 5 years, and he was current enough to cite a few points from the latest Loose Slag article despite a hectic road schedule. I can attest that Chuck is a Hard Hat kind of guy, and if the Stillers had just half of Chuck�s intensity and energy, they�d be sitting 3-0 right now instead of 1-2.
Kudos to Wallace and Garric for winning the Hard Hat Award. Wear the Hard Hat proudly, fellas!
Previous 2009 Hard Hat Winners:
Game #1, vs.
Game #2, @