Channeling the Hammer

Despite Hamlin being out, we still got to see a couple of good lickson Sunday. They inspired me to to start an award for the best Ken Hamlin impersonation of the week. I probably won't have pictures ofthe actual hit, and the number of trips to the beer stand will clearly impact the results, but here we go.

There are two nominees for the this week's inaugural Ken Hamlin Impersonation award, the KHI.

The runner up for this week's award is Marquand Manuel. It was 2nd and 1, 2nd quarter and the Cards ran Shipp to the left between the guard and tackle. Lofa picked up the fullback, and Manuel move perfectly into the hole to blow the play up. It was a text book hit--driving through the man--and laid Shipp flat on his back. Now in my opinion, and I think the replay confirmed it, Shipp didn't make the first down--of course the stinkin' refs gave Shipp a pity first down. Either way, Manuel made a Hamlin worth hit.

The winner of the this week's KHI is Robbie Toebeck. It was 1st and10 on the Cards 13, late in the 2nd quarter, and still a one possession game. The Hawks ran a swing pass to Morris. The play set up nicely, Mo had a couple blockers in front of him, and Toebeck behind the play to seal off the inside. Then it happened. Toebeck realized the linebacker was a non-factor and set his sight on the trailing DT. The DT didn't even see it coming. Toebeck just leveled the guy and sprung Mo to the 1. The next play Matt scored and the Hawks went into halftime with a two possession lead. It was an absolute snot-knocker of a hit.

As Toebeck recalled, "I was supposed to go down field and try to pickoff a linebacker. But I saw that guy out of the corner of my eye. When you get a peel-back block like that..." You pull a KHI.