Mooolight Graham Award

[Continued from 12 Seahawks Street]

For finally stepping out of NFL obscurity, with the best record in the league, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, this week's MGA goes to the entire Seattle Seahawks team and organization.

So pour yourself a large glass of Egg Nog (preferably with several shots of rum), throw another Yule Log in the fireplace, and sit back and enjoy these Seahawks renditions of your favorite holiday classics:

GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN

Should Mike rest his healthy starting men
as they gameplan for Green Bay?
Should he risk a major injury
to get records for SA?
Rushing and TD titles are in reach
but 2,000's too far away
Not to mention Lofa's Qwest for the D-ROY
Qwest for D-ROY
Not to mention Lofa's Qwest for the D-ROY!

LET IT SNOW

Oh the weather up north is frightful
Making home field so delightful
and the next game we'll play on the road
is the Super Bowl, Super Bowl, Super Bowl.

SILENT NIGHT

Silent Crowd, Rowdy Crowd
All is calm, when we have the ball
Number 12, Loudest fans in the league
Helpless foes get false start penalties
Sweep the NFC teams
Seahawks bring Superbowl Dreams

JINGLE BELLS

What the hell?
I hear Jingle Bells
Am I asleep or half awake?
I dropped back to pass
now I'm flat on my ass
I'm a Darby-Tubbs-Rocky pancake!

FROSTY THE SNOW MAN

Shaun Alexander
Is a happy, holy soul
but when he has the rock
and Mack throws a block
he's gonna take it to the goal

He's a free agent
and a lock for MVP
After our superbowl win
Ruskell better sign him
he's the best in History!

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER

You know Wistom, and Fisher and Lewis and Sharper
Rocky, and Tubby and Darby, Tafoya
But do you recall, the most fearsome defender of all?

Lofa the little linebacker
has a very violent streak
but all the pundits mocked him
said the Seahawks made a reach

All of the other rookies
were thought to be much better than him
now they all get to watch him
thoughout the playoffs as we win

On one snowy Monday night
Lofa picked off an errant pass
then kicked the goal posts' ass in fight
Now he's standing pretty tall

Now all the pundits love him
said they knew it all along
but Seahawks fans know better
they couldn't have been more wrong

Hated us all season long
Like they're toking off a bong!

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN!

You'd better watch out
You'd better not try
You'd might as well punt
I'm telling you why
Joe Tafoya's bringing you down!

He's knows the snap count
and when you hut twice
He's coming with Tubbs
Like Miami Vice
Joe Tayoa's bringing you down

He sees you when you hand off
He knows when it's a fake
And when he takes your knees out
it'll feel like an earth quake

Oh, you'd better watch out
You'd better not try
You'd might as well punt
I'm telling you why
Joe Tafoya's bringing you down!



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W15: Moonlight Graham Award

[Continued from Main Blog Page]

When you team is on this kind of roll, with second and third stringers contributing throughout the run, it's getting harder and harder to find a player who is considered obscure, let alone one who steps out of that roll during the game.

Watching the game you see guys named Etric Pruitt, Cornelius Wortham and the newly signed Michael "no not that one" Harden stepping up and making tackles, and at this point of the season, we're getting used to it. Now, none of these guys made a substantial enough contribution to compete for this week's MGA, but I'll bet way back in training camp, NONE of them thought that their names would even get mentioned in conjunction with this prestigeous piece of hardware.

My first thought for this week's award is Darrell Jackson. "Darrel Jackson?" you say? "The perennial #1 receiver on the Seahawks?" you say? "The dude who still held the lead in receptions and yardage three weeks after being injured? you ask?

To all those I say "Yes, THAT Darrel Jackson!"

Anyone who REALLY believed that a guy could be out for 10 weeks and come back and play like THAT...6 catches for 72 yards and 1 TD, not to mention 7 yards on an end around, and great downfield blocking in the running game...please take two steps forward. I didn't think so!

But really, as impressive as DJACK was in his triumphant return after a 10 week layoff, I don't think he's really eligible for this award.

Looking at the stat shet, I got to give a lot of consideration to Kevin Bentley, who's been thrust into the starting LB position due to the injury to D.D. Lewis, and all he did was come out and lead the team with 8 tackles! It's this sort of "plug replaceable" team that we all knew we wanted, but didn't realize we were getting, when Ruskell was making his off season acquisitions and draft choices.

But this week's Moonlight Graham Award is going to a guy who doesn't ever show up in the stat sheet, but did his best to keep the guy in front of him from showing up either. If Walter Jones is "the Eraser", then Sean Locklear is quickly earning the title "White Out", with his performances against the opposition's edge rusher on the left.

Kyle Vanden Bosch of the Titans came into the game leading the league with 12.5 sacks, and after the long day that Osi Umenyiora of the Giants gave "the Eraser" a few weeks ago, this I'm sure was a major focus of the Titan's defensive game plan.

What was the result? Matt had all day to pass, completing 21 of 27 and was sacked only once, by Travis LaBoy. The final line on Vaden Bosch? One tackled. One Assist. One bad case of being "whited out".

It's hard to remember that if it weren't for the preseason injury to Pork Chop, Sean Locklear wasn't even supposed to be starting. And on a day where the defense was struggling at best, and we really needed the offense to step up and win the game on its own, it's only right that the award goes to one of the unsung heros on the front line, who open up those huge holes for Shaun to run through, and protect Matt (and the aspirations of the franchise) with superb pass blocking.

So congratulations Sean Locklear. What may seem like one small step for you, as been one major leap for all Seahawk-kind! And with the way you're playing this season, don't be surprised if your lunar module splashes down a little West of Seattle in Hawaii!




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A Christmas Carrol

[continued from the main blog..]

The game brought us pleasure
as we watch most intently
to find a Moonlight Graham winner
could it be Kevin Bentley?

He seemed to be everywhere
three tackles in the bag
but sadly we heard his name more often
after every seahawk flag

So our reseach continued
through this blowout of a game
and names that were mentioned
already won MGAs, or had fame

Like Hasselbeck on offense
or Babineaux on D
Shaun, Bobby, Juriviscus
can't win this, you see

Then ever the good sportsmen
As Mike Holmgren tends to be
In came the replacements
near the end of Quarter three

On Mo Mo, on Spencer
On Weaver and Wallace
To close out a huge win,
we'll call you (don't call us!)

Don't take that line literally
it was meant quite in jest
for you guys contributed
in our dominance of the West

And we know you'll come in
and play your hardest to the end
which make all fans confident
that upon y'all we can depend

So to all Seahawk reserves
we bestowe this Moonlight Graham
because you prepare and are ready
when big Mike hollers "play 'em"

And you're just as important
as the team reaches goals
and our biggest Chirstmas wish
is to watch you close out the Superbowl.

We'll have home field advantage
as contenders book flights
so Merry Christmas to all
see y'all in Detroit!


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OH WHAT A FEELING!

continued from main 12SS blog...

My first reaction was to bestow this award on the Seattle Seahawks. Not the offense. Not the defense. Not just the team. But the entire Seattle Football franchise and its ill fated 30-year legacy. Last night, the Seahawks definitely stepped out of NFL obscurity, shedding yet another perennial monkey from its back, winning a game in the Eastern time zone. Again, the fact that this game was under moonight, instead of sunlight, may have assisted in that respect, but it was a global coming out party for the franchise who everyone thought still needed to prove something.

Then there was the image of billionaire software magnate Paul Allen, standing on the sideline snowstorm, in his Dr. Zhivago fez, and I thought, THERE'S a potential MGA Award winner. I mean, in a league with Jerry Jones, Daniel Snyder and Al Davis, Paul Allen is one of the MOST obscure major sports team owners, who for the fist several years of presiding over this franchise, only seemed to be moonliging in the NFL. Then reality set in and I figured that anyone who cofounded Micro$oft with Bill Gate$, and is described as a BILLIONAIRE software magnate couldn't really be considered for this award.

So I had to look at the players.

On the initial scoring drive, the big name 'regulars' stepped up, Matt, Jerramy, Shaun, Bobby, the O-line, so there were no MGA eligible players there. By the time the game was out of reach, Holms called it so conservatively, not to show up his good friend Andy Reid, that AVIS, Weaver and MoMo didn't get a chance to pick up some MGA love either.

The game was put out of reach by two Andre Dyson TDs, one Lofa Tatupu TD, and a Michael Boulware INT that was returned inside the 5, setting up an each TD for Shaun Alexander. Even though Lofa is a rookie, and this was definitely a breakout game for Dyson as a Seahawk, these guys are all household names, at least to the Seahawk faithful, so they didn't fit the MGA requirements.

NO, this week's MGA award goes to a guy who really won it before the game really got going, as he announced his name, position, and college on the MNF player self-introductions. This award goes to a guy claimed off waivers who was described as the "Seahawks' summer boy on the bubble" in training camp, and to someone who nearly gave up on his NFL dreams as he bounced from team to team trying to make a roster.

"It's disheartening to get a call and then get your hopes up and then nothing. You don't get a call back from anybody. While everybody was playing the games, I was just working out, trying to be ready for that one call I hoped would be the right one. But there was nothing I could do about it."

In true MGA fashion though, this player did NOT give up, and hung in there until the RIGHT TEAM did make that call.

"He's not going to be the guy that runs the fastest, or does all the jumps," Ruskell said. "But when you watched him at the University of Arizona what struck you was just the effort at everything that he does. That's the only way he knows. He can't choke it down. He can't only go half. He's one of those high-motor guys."

So, when he got his first NFL START, on Monday Night Football, and said these fateful words, "Joe Tafoya, Defensive End, University of Arizona", he stepped out of obscurity and into the MGA Limelight. Then he proceeded to go out and pick up 2 Tackles, 1 Assist, a Sack and a Forced Fumble, cementing his selection as the Week 12 Moonlight Graham Award winner.

Congratulations, to the "average Joe". Much like the Seattle football franchise, and all of their long-suffering, faithful fans, your patience, persistence and never-say-die attitude has finally paid off!

BONUS: click the picture of Joe Tafoya to hear his post game comments.

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Yuengling, Chicken Wings and Home Field Advantage!

First of all, let me say HOLY FREAKING SCHNIKEES BATMAN...WHAT A FREAKING GAME??!!!

Second, let me say I'm really sorry not to be on the gameday chat thingy agonizing along with you guys, but let me set the stage for you. Me and SimpleHawk got together in a dive bar in a small town with an incredibly beautiful bartender named Rachel, the chicken wings were on special, and there was an obnoxious giants fan two stools down from us, who was a woman who went 315lbs if she weighed an ounce.
(GOX, I think you own several naked pictures of her!!!)

Anyhow, the Yuenglings were flowing, the wings were on special and me and Simple were as obnoxious as to grown men can be in public without getting yourselves thrown out. The bar was packed with Giants fans, most of whom "got" our good natured schtick, and a couple of Cowgirl fans who were sympathetic to our cause, but this ignorant woman just wanted a piece of us.

This is our usual Wednesday night watering hole after our golf league, so the bartenders and a few of the regulars knew me, so I knew we could get away with pushing the envelope. As a matter of fact, Rachel (man she's good looking) came over a few times to warn us about getting "Jabba the Giants Fan" riled up, as I guess she's a regular with a pretty bad drinking problem, and just as bad of an anger management issue. Of course, this was just more ammo for our arsenal, as Simple and I just reveled in yanking her chain. I told Rachel, "don't worry, I seen that movie and I don't want to wind up chained to Jabba in nothing but a sting bikini" which was a disturbing mental image, but she understood.

She called me a F*cking Dickhead (or something like that) and us "losers" among other things, but we wouldn't be deterred. As a matter of fact, as things were looking bleak in the 4th quarter, and the Seahawks were giving up 3rd downs like they were snickers on Halloween, Simple and I were high-fiving and shouting "4 more downs, 4 more downs!" indicating that we were psyched to see our defense play some more.

Anyhow, the only thing better than the Seahawk win, after THREE failed Giant field goal attempts to win the sucker, was watching the fat, old ugly barfly try to preserve whatever shred of dignity she may have come up with by calling us LOSERS as she left the bar. The question wasn't rhetorical, but when we asked "what is a team that loses to LOSERS called", she didn't provide an answer.

Now, on to this week's Moonlight Graham Award presentation.

The NY Giants must have felt like they were Jamie Lee Curtis and we were the infamous Michael Myers, as every time they were SURE they had us killed, we rose up and found a way to continue to haunt them until we could finish them off. However, anyone who has 6 or 7 major studio sequels to their name cannot be considered coming out of obscurity. Coming out of the woods with a bloody butcher knife maybe, but not obscurity!

From what I can remember between the yelling, Yuenglings and chicken wings, MGA consideration must go to Joe Juriviscius, Josh Brown and Michael Boulware. However, JJ has a superbowl ring, so he can't be considered, Josh Brown has been money since the Washington game so he's out, and last year Michael Boulware could have racked up a half dozen MGAs, but he's a known entity now.

So, before I get to this week's recipient, I need to say, that second Shockey catch was NOT A TOUCH DOWN. Last I checked, a receiver needs to get TWO feet in bounds for it to be a catch, whether you're in the middle of the end zone or on the sidelines. He clearly got one foot down, and then was ROCKED with a viscious hit, which dislodged the ball, but never got his second foot down. We was ROBBED on that one. (figures)

That all being said, this week's MGA goes to D.J. Hackett. The dude has been playing his heart out trying to earn some "alba love" and kept coming up a little short in the recent weeks. While he only had two catches for 47 yards, making him the second leading receiver on the team, none was bigger than his 38 yard reception with 6:00 left in overtime on second-and-21. That set up 4 Shaun Alexander runs, to pad his stats and get him is 100 yard game, and then a Josh Brown 36 yard chip shot to win it.

Much like my fellow bar patron, it wasn't pretty, as a matter of fact it was down right ugly, but it's a W just the same, and we'll just have to clinch the division next week. (freaking Texans can't hold a 10 point 4th quarter lead...who do they think they are, the 2004 Seahawks??!!)

Sure the media pundits will say we should have lost that game, so at 9-2 will go back safely under the radar, leaving them to fawn over the likes of the Bears, Panthers and Falcons, and maybe after we kick Philly's ass at the Vet next week, they'll start to take notice.






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Many Happy Returns

Since several other contributors shunned the opportunity to consider me for their award, give the fact that I was in attendance at the game, being a well documented glory-whore, I'm compelled to submit my own name for this week's Moonlight Graham Award.

Making the cross country trek to the game, representing in the stands with Seahawks gear, and posting great pix of the players and cheerleaders could definitely be considered "stepping up and out of obscurity" for dear old Alba. However, given the fact that the travel was paid for, I worked in a family visit, and I forgot to bring the freaking Pay $haun Now sign to the game, even I can't justify giving the award to me!

From being at the game, it was hard to really identify good candidates for the MGA this week, so I wanted to wait until I could review the game tape before posting the award. So, like an idiot, I stayed up until 1:45am watching the game last night. (of course, I was really interested to see if I got on TV at all...I didn't)

I had a hunch that Marquand Manuel, D.J. Hackett and Josh Scobey would be candidates, and saw a lot of stuff on the tape to support any of them. Honorable mention must go to Niko Koutouvides, a pre-draft favorite for the starting middle linebacker spot, who was finally activated for a regular season game, and saw some action on special teams.

D.J.Hackett is quickly establishing himself as a deep threat to be recogned with, and a sure handed receiver. However, there were a couple of dropped passes, and he had that long bomb in his grasp before it was knocked out by the SF linebacker, so this wasn't his most outstanding outing of the year.

It's well documented that I have an unhealthy man-crush on Josh Scobey, who once again exhibited his north-and-south running style for positive kick return yards, setting up the offense with good field position when not negated by foolish penalties. He also continued his run of sure-handed returns, showing that the opening day fumble was more the exception rather than the rule. Add to that the Scobey recovery of the fumble we forced on punt coverage, and Mr. 12:30 is again a finalist for this week's MGA award.

Marquand Manuel had another solid game, and has really made the loss of The Hammer a lot easier to handle. Going up and getting that on-side kick was HUGE (unlike Jerheme Urban waiting for the ball to come to him in last year's Cowboy game) However, the forced fumble that was originally credited to him on the punt was actually initiated by Jimmy Williams, who is a surprise finalist for this week's award. Williams also had a good day on punt returns, and did his part to help the Seahawks beat his former team.

So once again we have co-winners of the MGA award, and they go to two guys who are trying their best to make our special teams special, Josh Scobey and Jimmy Williams. Enjoy this recognition and your time in the moonlight, because the Seahawk faithful are looking to you both for "many happy returns!"




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Make-Up Call

This is a make up call.

You know, like when the refs blow a call, and know it, but know they can't reverse their ruling. So a few plays later, they call a touch foul on the opposition to make up for it, and the game goes on.
(like what the refs should have done for us after missing the PI call on Stevens which lead to Matt's first INT)

Last week, I admittedly didn't pay that close attention to the game, so I didn't have enough material to specify an individual effort of someone stepping out of obscurity, so I gave the MGA to Mike Holmgren and the entire team, for finally breaking the bye-week curse.

After reading the comments, and the newspaper reports of the Cardinal game, I think I slighted Marquand Manuel by not giving him the award last week, which seemed to bring additional inspiration to his play in the Rams game.

While the Rams seemed to be running through would-be Seahawks tacklers, like a canned beverage ran through Shaun Alexander last week, there was Marquand Manuel sticking his head in, wrapping up, and driving guys to the ground. Last week he was the leading tackler, this week he was 1.5 tackles behind Lofa, with 8 solo tackles.

And he was around the ball all day long, harrassing the Ram receivers and nearly picking off a late game pass from Mark Bulger.

He fought like hell to even MAKE this team, and then was forced to step in for our inspirational leader on defense, and has all but filled the shoes of Ken Hamlin with pride and dignity. So for this level of sustained effort, this week's Moonlight Graham Award goes to Marquand Manuel.

Since I don't like to give out multiple awards, D.J. Hackett will have to settle for first-runner up status, as he also stepped up HUGE in this game, with 78 yard and a TD, numbers good enough to make him our leading receiver, even though he only caught two passes. Effort like this from our reserve receivers has really supplied ballast to this ship while we're waiting for Engram and Jackson to heal up.

Keep up the good work D.J., and with a breakout game in San Francisco, you too could be basking in the Moonlight of an MGA, which will be personally awarded in post-game on-field festivities, since I'll be in Monster Park for the game.

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BYE-BYE LOVE!

When we headed into the BYE week, knowing there would be a dark Monday with no Contributor Awards, I thought about suggesting a mid-year review, where we would hand out each of the awards for the best accomplishment of the year so far.

Well, that obviously didn't happen, but as I sat down to write this week's Moonlight Graham Award, it kind of unfolded that way.

The Week 7 MGA winner, Ryan Hannam had only one catch for 8 yards, but threw some outstanding blocks to contribute to the running game. Jerheme Urban, our Week 6 MGA winner, had only one grab, but it was good for 46 yards, making him the game's leading receiver, and sustained one of our scoring drives. One of Week 5's co-winners was Jordan Babineaux, who today had 4 tackles, 1 assist, 1 interception and another recovered fumble on special teams.

In week 3, Josh Scobey not only picked up an MGA, but a nickname as well. "12:30" finally had a huge kickoff return that wasn't nullified by the "yellow hankie of death", breaking off a 53 yarder in the second half to set up the Seahawks deep in Cardinal territory.

In Week #2, the MGA was shared by the entire Seahawks Defense, for keeping Michael Vick in check in the Falcons game. While not even Brenda could confuse Kurt Warner for Michael Vick, the Seahawks defense once again denied the opponent a 100 yard rusher, picked off 3 Warner passes, and held the Cards to FGs whenever they got deep within Seahawks' territory.

Admittedly, I was not watching the game as closely as I should have this week, being on "daddy duty" and knocking off some household chores as I viewed, but I do remember seeing D.J. Hackett throwing some key blocked, Maurice Morris breaking off some big runs while Shaun was "dropping the kiddies off at the pool", and Marquand Manuel stepping up HUGE in Hammer's absence, leading the team with 9 tackles and 3 assists, and just constantly being around the ball.

But the story of the day was the TEAM, more specifically, the TEAM stripping yet another hairy-asssed monkey off of its back with a huge win AFTER THE BYE WEEK, on the ROAD, against a Divisional Oppenent, that we were SUPPOSED to beat!

Last year, that was all the ingredients for "Seahawks Self-Destruction Surprise", but this there's a new Executive Chef running the kitchen, and mixing that stuff together just a little differently results in Divisional Domination Decadence - - - which is "Just Desserts" for this Seattle club.

So this week's Moonlight Graham award, which is given to someone who steps out of obscurity with an outstanding performance goes too.....Head Coach Mike Holmgren, who was previously 0-6 after the BYE week!

While he has been to the Superbowl countless times with previous teams, winning it once as the head man in Green Bay, he certainly has been toiling in obscurity since he arrived in Seattle, and this game-after-the-bye-week record is a perfect indication of the lack of focus and execution of previous Seahawk teams under Holmgren.

However, this year he has been leading by example, changing his focus to concentrate more on establishing the run, and executing his offensive schemes to perfection. He even mixed things up by giving the team the entire BYE week off, which means he's really rejecting the status quo and leveraging opportunity to the advantage of this team.

So Coach, strap on your helmet, crank up your Harley, and take a Moonlight ride to Albany so you can pick up your rightfully earned Moonlight Graham Award for Week 9.

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RYAN'S (td gives us) HOPE

In terms of Moonlight, this game was a total eclipse for 3-and-a-half quarters.

Instead of a player or two stepping out of obscurity, the league's number one offense seemed to be slipping into it, and the Seahawks seemed poised to once again give away an important game, at home, and with the national media finally getting behind them again.

With the heavy cloud coverage and rain falling at Qwest for the first time since it was built, it appeared there might not be any Moonlight tonight, especially when Jimmy Williams turned the ball over deep in Seahawks territory trying to make something out of nothing on a punt return. But the Seahawks Defense really rose to the challenge set before them, and twice stuffed Dallas holding them to only 3 points, when Dallas could have salted the victory away with a TD.

But this year's team is anything but the "same old Seahawks", and it was the home team who was standing and cheering the unbelievable comeback as the final seconds ticked off the clock. For this reason alone, the entire Seahawks franchise could be awarded this week's Moonlight Graham Award, but that would be too easy!

All candidates for this week's Moonlight Graham Award were selected during the final 2:01 of the game.

Jerhemey Urban started it off with a 22 yard interception, the longest of his three catches for the day.

D.J. Hackett, seemed to be open all day, and would be a hands down winner of this award if Matt hadn't floated a couple of passes to him, also stepped up big on the final drive. His drew a pass interference call and grabbed a critical sidelines pass at the one to set up our third MGA nominee.

While the announcers incorrectly stated that it was the first TD of Ryan Hannam's career, it was a HUGE one nonetheless, and the type of play that gets a third-string tight end who is counted on more for his blocking ability, some notice.

Jordan Babineaux, who two weeks ago had to share the MGA with J.P. Darche for salting away the Rams game, once again stepped up big time, intercepting Bledsoe and then returning it 25 yards into the realm of Josh browns beautiful right leg.

And last but not least, there's Josh Brown, he of left upright doing fame and a tough loss to another NFC East opponent. But that wasn't to be today. I still remember the graphic from the Redskins game: "Josh Brown has yet to hit a game winning field goal."

Well in this cloud covered, rain soaked afternoon in Seattle, a little Moonlight did poke through, as his game winning kick sailed 50 yards straight through the uprights, and then his helmet sailed about another 30 after he ripped it off and threw it in exuberant celebration.

The Award could easily go to all of these guys, but his isn't community soccer, so without minimizing their accomplishments, I gotta whittle down the contestants.

Babineaux and Urban already have won, and Josh Brown can't be considered an "obscure" kicker (Washington game excluded) and D.J. Hackett should have made a few catches that he didn't earlier in the game.


So, whether it was his first or second TD of his career, this week's MEGA goes to Ryan Hannam, because without it the Seahawks don't win this game, or even have a chance for overtime.

Put on some sunscreen Mr. Hannam, because with the bye week coming up, you'll have two weeks to bask in the glow of your Moonlight Graham Award!


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Midnight Cowboy!

Given the current hour in the Eastern Time Zone, I arrived at the title of this week's Moonlight Graham Award, which should make it no surprise that it is going to Jerheme Urban this week.

He was he the leading receiver for most of the game, but he really won the award on his first catch, a beautiful rainbow pass from Matt that he made a great adjustment to and caught before stepping out of bounds.

Granted, it was a run oreinted game, and Matt finished with less than 150 yards total passing, and our Urban Cowboy finished with only two catches for 37 yards, but the way this guy kept focused, and battled back onto the team, is enough to bestow this award on him every week.

He's also a GREAT downfield blocker, and given the way our RBs were burning up the yardage, I won't be surprised to see him throwing key blocks on a lot of those running plays.

Honorable mention goes to Leonard Weaver who threw a MONSTER straight-arm on a late 4th quarter run, and to Jordan Babineaux, who finished second in tackles and seem to be involved in every play of the game on defense.

The entire Seahawks Team was also considered for the award this week, because the way that the ESPN announcers were fawning over our greatness by the end of the game, it seems that we may have finally stepped out of obscurity as a franchise this evening!

But no, this week's award belongs solely to Jeheme Urban, who danced his way back into the hearts of the Seattle faithful, and hopefully solidified his position on this team.

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Who says McDonald's not good for you?

This edition of the Moonlight Graham award is late due to the holiday...no not Columbus Day...the first observance of the twice annual "Seahawks Kick Ram Ass" Holiday!

My only disappointments of the game are that Tory "Big Lame" Holt caught a TD pass against us, and that the failing health of Mad Martz will hang over this victory as a potential excuse. However, I loved EVERYTHING else about the game, which provided many great moments, and with so many of our starters out, or knocked out, many good choices for this award.

I'd love to give it to Joe Jurevicius, as dude stepped up HUGE when needed, with a career day in admittedly the hardest place of any for him to play. From the day he signed, I figured Joe and Matt would become close, and then after learning that he too lost a son, there seems to be an eerie similarity between he and the departed Trent Dilfer, Matt's previous confidante. However, JJ already received every accolade and honorable mention available for his performance on Sunday, and unfortunately, guys with Super Bowl rings are ineligeable for Moonlight Graham Awards!

If I hadn't seen the game, my boy Kelly Herndon might be a good candidate for this week's MGA, as he tied Lofa Tatupu for the team lead with 9 tackles. However, as anyone who did see the game would tell you, that's now knows as an "Antrel Rolle" stat, which means that Herndon picked up all those tackles because his guy was open all day, or he was caught out of position. Now if he had CAUGHT that sure interception in the endzone (like his fellow 9-tackle performer did) it may have been a different story.

I really wanted to give the award to Jerheme Urban this week, because a dude who had his bags packed and was ready to leave town on the very day he gets called back up by the Seahawks seems to embody everything about the Moonlight Graham Award. However, even though he did make a key downfield block on Shaun Alexander's second TD scamper, you got to catch the balls thrown your way and get into the official stat sheet for the game to walk home with contributor iron.

No, the co-winners of this week's Moonlight Graham award are none other than Jordan Babineaux and J.P. Darche, because these are two guys who NOBODY would be talking about, if it weren't for the forced fumble and recovery on the final punt, which allowed us to ice the game.

Let's face it, as Seahawks fans, we've seen it too many times before. The offense plays well enough for the game to be a blowout, but it's not. Then the offense gets too conservative, and has to give the ball back to the opponent, and ANYTIME left on the clock seems to be too much time to preserve the victory. And then even when the defense may step up and force a fumble or snag an interception, something bad seems to happen, like a 47 yard field goal doinking off the left upright. And that's even BEFORE taking into account that we were playing THE RAMS...IN ST. LOSER...where they have a 40-9 home winning record.

But not this week. Not this game. And not this Year!

Babineaux raced down and in making the tackle, forced the pivotal fumble, and then long snapper J.P. Darche had the presence of mind to drop on the ball and cover it up. Two first downs later we all were treated to the glorious site of seeing our offense taking the knee to salt away the victory, instead of scrambling in an all out red-alert in attempt to drive the length of the field with no timeouts in hopes of scoring to tie! (as it seems we're always trying to do in these big road games)

So enjoy your time in the moonlight this week Jordan and J.P., and tell the rest of your mates on Special Teams, that they too could be basking in the glow of an MGA, except for giving up that opening game kick return!

That's Using Your Head!

It's so much harder to do these after a loss, but the show must go on!

When the announcers said that Josh Brown had never kicked a game winning field goal, I thought that as he lined up for the 47 yard attempt with 1 second left in regulation, coupled with his second half touch backs, he was about to ice the victory and pick up his first MGA. But as the ball drifted left, and doinked off the upright, not only was the game in jeopardy, but his chances of picking up an MGA were wide left as well.

Kelly Herndon stepped up with a late game interception, which set up the final drive and 47-yard miss in regulation, but since he actually LOST yardage on the attempted return, instead of getting down and letting the offense take over, even though he's my boy, I couldn't give him the iron this week.

My other boy "12:30" once again did a decent job returning kicks and making tackles on kick offs, but Josh Scobey didn't do anything outstanding, which you'd have to do to pick up an MGA in back to back weeks. Maybe next week in St. Louis when he adds punt returner to his resume!

No, this week's Moonlight Graham Award goes to Special Teams player and back up D-Tackle Craig Terrill for the blocked field goal in the first quarter which kept the game from getting out of hand early, and gave us a chance to tie it up at the end.

"I got in there and got a hand on it," Terrill said. "I came through from the side and then it hit off my facemask. It’s very hard to get through. It’s pretty exciting when it happens. Too bad we didn’t get the last one at the end (of the game)."

Terrill, who was also credited with a tackle on defense is the first special teams player to step up and actually do something special.

Even though it was a tough loss, you can bask in the Moonlight for a week Mr. Terrill, and we'll look for more "heady" play from you next week in St. Loser.

The Clock Finally Strikes 12:30!

What a day to be a Seahawks Fan!

Instead of coming out flat, or letting a lead slip away, the team kept the peddle to the metal and finally blew an opponent, no - a DIVISIONAL opponent, off the turf at Qwest field.

Looking down the stats from the game, if I was not able to see the game, I might have to consider my boy Kelly Herndon for the Moonlight Graham award. Kelly was tied for the lead in tackles with 4, adding one assist, and got to start in place of an ailing Andre Dyson.

But if I was to go with the stat sheet alone, fellow defenders Leroy Hill (4 tackles, 1 assist, 1 sack) and Jordan Babineaux (3-T, 3-A and one meaningless INT at the end of the game) would have to be considered as well.

Even though Hass, Shaun, D-Jax, Engram, and company are usually not considered this way, our second half offense surely has been toiling in obscurity this season, and for this reason, the entire offense was a finalist for this award, finally coming out from the intermission as a team on a mission, instead of sleepwalking their way into another squeaker.

However, I'm finally able to bestowe a regular season Moonlight Graham award on the player recenly nicknamed 12:30 - Josh Scobey - who earned this new moniker for his consistent style of running north-and-south, rather than dancing around sideline to sideline.

With internet rumors circulating that he may be cut from the team, Mr. Scobey stepped up on both sides of our kicking game, averaging close to 30 yards on two returns, and making key tackles on kick coverage as well. Even on the kicks he didn't return, he showed presence of mind to down them in the end zone, rather than risk a return and cost our offense valuable field position.

So instead of looking over his shoulder at newly signed Jimmy Williams, or looking scared at the prospect of getting cut, Josh Scobey looked straight ahead and ran has hard as he could to either give great field position to our offense, or preserve it for our defense.

Week 2 Moonlight Graham Award

It's a lot nicer to be selecting a Moonlight Graham Award after a WIN, but it's not much easier. Most of the key players of the game, Hass, SA, D-Jax, Bobby, cannot be described as stepping out of obscurity, although after last week, you could make a pretty compelling case for Matt!

And speaking of Matt, if I may digress, I'm not sure what it is he does at halftime...nap, change his uniform, read scripture, play nintendo, but whatever it is it's not freaking working!. The only thing flatter than Matt after halftime is the beer you bought in the first quarter! (or the 12 year old who got cut from the junior SeaGals) But that's not what this award is about, so I'll get back on point.

I keep waiting for my guy Josh Scobey to figure out the mystery of kick returning and step up and earn a "Grahamy", but I think he was a little skittish after fumbling the opener last week. Still and all, he did well this week, just not well enough to take home the iron.

Same goes for P-Dub. Wasn't he supposed to be a bigger part of the offense this week?

Omare Lowe stepped out of obsurity and made a great special teams tackle. In pre-season, that would have been good enough for glory. Problem is, he plays for the Falcons now, and probably was pumping them with what little information he could remember from his stint with the Seahawks...sorry, no awards for traitors playing for the opposition!

Lofa Tatupu, aka "Tofu", continued to show his nose for the ball, and is amazing as a rookie calling the plays on a potent defense. He racked up his first official sack, again Mike Vick no less, and seemed to be around the ball on every play. However, I think that was him flat on his back in the end zone on the Duckett TD late in the game, and alba does not serve "Grahamy" with a side of pancake!

First runner up for this week's award is John Marshall, interim Seahawks Defensive Coordinator who is going an excellent job during Ray Rhode's recouperation. The defense played well last week, and we even more fired up this week, showing several different looks and getting to Vick all day. However, the award went to a coach, and he gets a share of it anyway, because the Week #2 Moonlight Graham Award goes to...

...THE ENTIRE SEATTLE DEFENSE!

We became infamous last year for blowing big leads, and losing close games in the 4th quarter. Not this year. Our offense put in for a half a vacation day, but the defense worked through their coffee breaks and assured that nobody was getting any overtime!

Sure there were a couple of fleet footed Falcons running free, but thanks to pressure by the front seven, Mike Vick could not get an accurate pass to them. Sure there was the touch pass interference call which lead to their second score, and the breakdown on giving up the two-point conversion, but those paled in comparison to the cajones we showed continually pausing the D.V.D.'s on third down. The defense even got screwed early on the quick whistle negating the Falcon fumble, but they didn't let that bother them or change their intensity and focus.

So this week's award goes to Grant, Bryce, Chuck, Tubby, Tofu, Jamie, DD, Tru, B-Ware, Dyson, Hammer and all the substitutes and backups who kept the Falcons in check all day.

Week 1 Moonlight Graham Award

I thought it would be hard to establish an award for the person who steps out of obscurity each week, but had no idea how much harder it would be after a loss and a lackluster performance.

I was hoping to award one of my two M.O.P. candidates the "Grahammy" this week, but Kelly Herndon didn't do anything compelling, and Josh Scobey put us in an immediate hole by fumbling the opening kickoff.

My first thought was to give it to the refs. Not for stepping OUT of obscurity, but more for stepping back INTO obscurity and not becoming a factor in the outcome of the game. It was a fairly called game where they basically let both teams play, and got most of the calls right. There were several opportunities for marginal calls to go against the Seahawks, like they seemed to all last year, but they didn't. It was also good to see the Seahawks cure the rash of penalties they racked up in the off season, but come on, who wants to give an award to a REF??!!

My next thought was Shaun Alexander. REALLY!

How can you give an award for stepping out of obsurity to the Franchise running back? Well, I wasn't thinking so much about his running but more about his blocking. I've been hearing all off season about what a terrible blocker he is and never picks up the blitz. Well, now that I have DirecTV, I got to see for myself, and I thought he did a pretty good job of sticking his nose in there when he had to and keeping guys off Matt. But the word "obscurity" just does not go together well with a player making $6.3 million this season !

So this week's Moonlight Graham award goes to none other than Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Clark, who is the handsome smiling guy above. Without really reviewing the game film, one of the biggest accomplishments on Sunday was that nobody got hurt, which has got to be in part due to the off season and training camp workout regime. Not only that, but our guys did not seem to be wilting in the 120-degree on field heat, which was key.

Our offense will undoubtedly bounce back from a 4 interception performance. Our defense showed glimses of hope and may play better once Rhodes returns. And I'm still waiting for something special out of our Special Teams. But the one thing that we can't do anything about is injuries, so I'm extremely thankful that everyone seemed to get out of Jacksonville with no major set-backs.

Now, I hope that we play well enough against Atlanta to actually consider some PLAYERS for this award next week!

[Wall of Fame!]

Preseason 2: Moonlight Graham Award

This was a very difficult week to decide on a Moonlight Graham Award winner. First of all, I had to "watch" the game on NFL.com, but the 12SS Live Chat helped, even though hardly anyone there had the game on either.

Second of all, as the roster seems to be taking shape, there are not too many players toiling in obsurity any longer, as they're all doing whatever they can to fight for a job.

And Third of all, there were SO MANY good options to choose from.

To quote the piece on Seahawks.COM, Jerhemy Urban when "from Urban Blight to Urban Renewal" last night, making the cut down at the wide receiver position that much more difficult for the coaches. However, since he's already pocketed the "Morning After" award, and since I don't want to jinx him, he's not this week's MGA recipient.

Tracy White made a strong case not only for sticking around past cut day, but for the MGA too. Tied for the lead in tackles, good special teams play, and described as being "all over the field" by one of the chatters was good, but just not good enough.

I also thought of giving it to the entire coaching staff for the way they came out in the third quarter and marched the length of the field, or to Coach Holmgren specically, for actually WINNING a challenge that reversed a fumble by Matt. I even thought of giving the award to myself, since I pulled the trigger this morning on DirecTV and should be all set up by the Sept. 11th opener!

But this week's winner of the Moonlight Graham award is rcently signed RB/KR Josh Scobey, whose started his career with the Seahawks with two fumbles last week in training camp, but rose to the occasion at game time, returning each of his three opportunities over 20 yards, setting up great field position for the offense.

With the RB position pretty well locked up, and the battle at WR sure to take a return man slot, Mr. Scobey may not make it to the 53 man roster, but for one shining moment in pre-season, he provided the necessary spark to get the Seahawks back to their winning ways.

Congratulations, Josh. Some may say that winning a MGA in your first game as a Seahawk is "not too SHAGGY!" (Rooby, Rooby Roooo!)

[Wall of Fame!]

This week's Moonlight Graham Award

Or should I rename it the "Day Late Graham" award, since it's late Wed. afternoon and I'm just getting around to bestowing it on someone!

Before you jump all over the selection committee though, BCS-style, you have to give me credit for having my priorities straight. I had a golf outing in New Jersey yesterday, which was 3 hours from Albany. I stayed home Monday to watch the game, left early Tuesday AM for Jersey, golfed, drank, ate, drank, and then we stopped for some cocktails! Crashed at my buddies house, got up at 4:00am to drive back to Albany for a 10:00am budget meeting with my boss. I'M TIRED!!!

But enough about me, cuz this award's not named "Red-Eyed Graham!"

Watching Jeremy Stevens catch everything, like some starry eyed Falcons fan after spending a night with Ron Mexico, my first though was that he'd be a shoe-in for my award. Then I realized that it's supposed to be for a player stepping up from obscurity, and figured that a former #1 pick would have a pretty hard time making the "obscurity" test, even if did have a disappointing rookie season.

So then my adopted Seahawk Kelly Herndon steps up and intercepts his first ball, so he was looking good for some Moonlight Iron. However, a stupid mistake on his part kept a drive alive on a bad pass interference call, so I had to temper my enthusiasm a bit. (you're always toughest on your own kids!)

Now anyone who was on the GameDay chat with me knows that in an attempt to "will" the Seahawks to victory, I started making "bold predictions", one of which was "The Seahawks will win this game on a defensive TD". Two plays later, Jamaal Brimmer introduced himself to Cowboys running back Marion Barber, dislodging the ball in the process, and Jordan Babineaux scooped it up and made a bee-line for the endzone, putting on some nifty moves on route to scoring what was believed to be a momentum changing touchdown!

Even though the TD was called back on an inconsequential block in the back by Omare Lowe (leading candidate for the "Sunset" award in recognition of the path is Seahawks career is heading), I got to give Babineaux his props for stepping up big-time and making the play.

I think this play will solidy his role on the team, and energized an otherwise lackluster performance by the Seahawks.

[Wall of Fame!]

albaNY Hawker "Moonlight Graham" Award

I wasn't sure if I was going to do an award, since it's so hard for me to see the games, but after seeing Blue's effort on his award, I just knew I had to come up with something!

If anyone remembers, my first selection for the Adopt-a-Seahawk program was often hurt but momentarily dazzling fullback Chris Davis, who I nicknamed "Moonlight Graham", and then he was unceremoniously released by the Seahawks a few weeks later.

So, in memory of my dearly departed SIDs case - Seahawks Injury Dismissal - I am dedicating the albaNY Hawker "Moonlight Graham" Award, for the player who steps out of obscurity and does something special each week.

With the number of undrafted free agents, bargain basement ex-Buccaneer pickups, and fledgling rookies running around trying desperately to make the team, there should be no shortage of nominees for this award.

In reviewing the articles on the game, and great play-by-play provided by my 12 Seahawks Street co-contributors on the Super Flooble, this week's recipient of the albaNY Hawker "Moonlight Graham" award is rookie fullback Leonard Weaver, for his 40-yard thunderous TD run that put the exclamation point on the complete and total domination of the Saints in the first pre-season game.

Weaver was an easy choice, not only because he plays the same position as the inspiration for this award, but because he's a converted tight-end to boot!

Honorable mention goes to his roommate, Marquis Weeks, who also turned in an almost "Moonlight" worthy performance with a game high 59 yards on 8 carries, and of course, Seneca "AVIS" Wallace, who seems to be moving much closer to stardom and further away from obscurity.

I would also like to immediately bestow the "Old Timers" version of this award on Dan Doornink, who was a great Seahawks running back who went on to become a doctor. To paraphrase the famous Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham line from the movie Field of Dreams, "playing football for only 5 minutes isn't a tragedy...had I only been able to be a doctor for 5 minutes, now THAT would have been a tragedy!"