Hard Hat Award (Super Bowl, vs. Ariz.)
Stillers LB James Harrison and LB LeMarr Woodley 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.
Each of these ferocious LBs contributed mightily to the championship victory.
Harrison had 1 of the most ultimate Hard Hat plays in Stiller history. On the last play of the 1st half, with the Cards at the Stiller 2 and poised to take the lead, Jamie stepped in front of a Warner pass and picked it off. Not content to merely pick it off, Harrison started to run like a man possessed, bobbing and weaving, and vaulting over tacklers, en route to a spectacular 100-yard INT return. This was the classic combination of skill, determination, and sheer will, outrunning the entire Arizona squad and never letting up until he tumbled into the EZ for the TD. Harrison gave the Cards fits in pass pro all night long. He drew a holding flag in the 4Q, getting FACEMASKED by Gandy in an attempt to slow down Harrison. He also had a hit on the QB at 10:33 4Q, and drew another holding flag on Gandy a short while later. He also laid a punishing hit on Arrington after a short dumpoff on the 2nd-to-last Arizona play of the game. And, he blasted the tar out of Aaron Francisco, who had the gaul to punch Harrison in the gonad area on an AZ punt. Harrison was given a bullshit “unnecessary roughness” penalty on this, although there never was a PUNCH thrown. There was a THRUST of the hand and a forearm shiver, and at the end of the skirmish, it was a 2-handed SHOVE -- ie, a BLOCK -- while the play was still live. This was Hard Hat football at its best, the kind of tough, intense, never-back-down football that wins championships.
Woodley was an absolute beast, continually tooling and manhandling Levi Brown and harassing Warner on just about every other play. He constantly pressured Warner, and had the huge strip and forced-fumble with 5 secs left in the game to seal the win. He also had a bullrush sack late in the 2Q. Woodley also hustled downfield on the Harrison INT return and helped pave the way.
Others receiving consideration by The Committee were QB Ben Roethlisberger, who constantly hung tough in the pocket and made one clutch play after another; LB Lawrence Timmons, who delivered several crisp tackles and helped on both special teams as well as Harrison’s long INT return; FB Carey Davis, who had a good lead block on the Russell TD and also broke up the batted pass near the GL in the 3Q; and TE Heath Miller, who caught all but 1 pass thrown to him and had a good pancake block on Parker’s 15-yard run in the 3Q. 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. Simply put, Hard Hat kind of football leads to victory; pansy football (a term used here long before Troy Pola popularized it) leads to defeat.
Kudos to Harrison and Woodley for winning the Hard Hat Award. Wear the Hard Hat proudly, Gents!
Previous 2008-09 Hard Hat Winners:
Week 1, vs. Houston: Willie Parker and LeMarr Woodley
Week 2, @ Clev: Keyaron Fox and Jamie Harrison
Week 3, @ Phil: Troy Polamalu
Week 4, vs. Balt: Jamie Harrison and LeMarr Woodley
Week 5, @ Jax: Ben Roethlisberger
Week 6, @ Cinci: Mewelde Moore
Week 7, vs. NY Giants: Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel
Week 8, @ Skins: Byron Leftwich and Jared Retkofsky
Week 9, vs. Colts: Jamie Harrison
Week 10, vs. Chargers: Jamie Harrison and Gary Russell
Week 11, vs. Bengals: Aaron Smith
Week 12, @ NE Pats: Jamie Harrison
Week 13, vs. Dallas: Troy Polamalu and Jamie Harrison
Week 14, @ Ravens: Hines Ward
Week 15, @ Titans: No one
Week 16, vs. Clev: Gary Russell
AFC Div Playoffs, vs. SD: Willie Parker and Brett Keisel
AFC Championship, vs. Ravens: Troy Polamalu