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!"