As a member of the Pro Football Writers of America, I have a vote in the Annual PFWA Awards. Below are the five categories, the nominees, and who I voted for.

Horrigan Award (for the person — not a player or team PR staffer — who helped the media best do its job last season):

• Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner. Roger’s background in NFL public relations and his understanding of our jobs have helped improve the lines of communication between the media and teams. His appearances at our writers meetings at the Super Bowl, where he asks about our concerns, are further proof of his commitment to getting it right.
• Mike Holmgren, Seahawks coach. Mike enters his final season as the Seahawks’ coach — and perhaps his last as a coach anywhere. Those who cover him regularly consider it an upset that he has never won this award, considering his openness and incredibly consistent availability, even to those critical of him. Mike is very patient in explaining his thinking about a variety of issues, including those that other coaches might be reluctant (read: paranoid) to discuss.
• Jerry Jones, Cowboys owner. Since purchasing the Cowboys in 1989, Jerry has been one of the most outspoken owners in all of sports. Never shy about giving his opinion, he is willing to speak to reporters on just about any subject, and fill your notebook to the brim. He is occasionally criticized for his opinions, but the fact that he is always willing to give them makes him one of the most valued people in the league.
• Bill Polian, Colts president/general manager. Bill has been particularly good at providing big-picture observations about the league, competition committee issues, and the Draft. A number of writers have commented about his candor at the Scouting Combine. Bill is never shy about stating his opinions, even if he occasionally ruffles the feathers of the people he works with throughout the league. In other words, he’s good copy.
• Dan Rooney, Steelers owner. A previous Horrigan nominee, Dan remains a go-to-guy among NFL owners. He is consistently available, and the fact that he speaks his mind on a variety of subjects — whether they pertain to the Steelers or the NFL — makes him one of the league’s most important voices. Perhaps the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree; Dan’s father, Art Rooney Sr., is a previous Horrigan winner.

My Vote: I’m going with the Commissioner. While I have not worked with him personally, I’m impressed with what he has done during his short time in office. Plus, he’s originally from the town I currently live in.

Good Guy Award (for the player who best helped the media do its job).

• Brett Favre, Packers. One of those who nominated him said, “No better interview in the game. Ask the guy a question and he’ll bare his soul.” Also noted that he continued to do conference calls, at least more than some of his quarterback brethren.
• Bob Sanders, Colts. Cited for his willingness to be accessible and have something to say, win or lose, good or bad.
• Darren Sharper, Vikings. One who nominated Darren called him “terrific” over a long period of time.
• Fred Taylor, Jaguars. One who nominated him said, “His career has been a media learning curve, and this year was the best by far.”
• Jason Taylor, Dolphins. Several folks noted his willingness to be candid and offer something to say in what was a difficult season all around.

My Vote: This was easy. Brett Favre. I’ve interviewed him three times and he’s the best interview. I’ve gotta say, I like the Bob Sanders nomination, too. Bob’s also a great interview, but Brett’s in a league of his own on and off the football field.

Halas Award (for the individual in the NFL who overcame the most adversity to succeed last season.)

• Eli Manning, Giants quarterback: Playing under intense scrutiny in the largest media market, Eli got hot in the last half of the season and led his team to three postseason victories on the road and into the Super Bowl. He played the best games of his career when they mattered most.
• Kevin Everett, Bills tight end: In the opener, Kevin sustained a fracture and dislocation of his cervical spine that his doctors characterized as “life-threatening” the day after the injury, and stated it is likely to leave him with permanent neurological impairment. However, on September 11, 2007, Kevin showed significant movement in his arms and legs, which led doctors to speculate that he may eventually be able to walk again. Kevin walked in public for the first time at Ralph Wilson Stadium before the home finale against the New York Giants on December 23, 2007.
• Washington Redskins: The entire team rallied together after the shooting death of teammate Sean Taylor, piecing together a four-game winning streak to qualify for the playoffs. One Seattle writer — the Redskins lost a wild-card game there — was impressed by the sincere closeness of the players and the spirit of cooperation with the media.
• Plaxico Burress, Giants wide receiver: He endured a season of serious ankle injuries that limited his ability to practice. Still, he was the Giants’ top receiver with 70 receptions for 1,025 yards. He also set a franchise playoff record in the NFC title game with 11 receptions for 154 yards as the Giants advanced to Super Bowl XLII, where he caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the Giants’ 17-14 upset of New England.
• Greg Ellis, Dallas linebacker: The NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2007, Greg returned from a torn Achilles’ tendon suffered Nov. 12, 2006. He returned in Game 4 of 2007 and had the first of 12.5 sacks, tying for the team lead. During his injury and contract squabble with the Cowboys, Greg was credited with his mentoring and leadership to younger players.

My Vote: These are all great stories, but how can I vote for anyone other than Kevin Everett? He’s a walking miracle and it was inspirational to be as close to his situation as I was this past season.

Rozelle Award (for the P.R. staff that best helped the media do its job):

• Arizona Cardinals: Mark Dalton, senior director, media relations. The Cardinals have never won the Rozelle Award.
• New York Giants: Pat Hanlon, vice president of communications. The Super Bowl champion is a multiple Rozelle award winner.
• Philadelphia Eagles: Derek Boyko, director of football media services. The Eagles are a multiple Rozelle award winner.
• San Diego Chargers: Bill Johnson, director of public relations. The Chargers are a finalist for the second consecutive year.
• Seattle Seahawks: Dave Pearson, director of communications and broadcasting. Seattle has become a perennial finalist and received the most nominations for the second time in three years.

My Vote: This is another easy one. The Philadelphia Eagles are great to work with. Who else would get Lito Sheppard on the phone with me while he’s eating breakfast in the team cafeteria? There are some teams that didn’t get enough votes to be on this list, but I’d like to credit the Bills, Jags, Browns, Steelers and Ravens for always going the extra mile for me and being teams I can count on.

McCann Award (named in honor of the first executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Dick McCann Award is given annually by the PFWA to honor one of its members for distinguished service)

• Vic Carucci: After a cup of coffee with the Utica Observer Dispatch in 1979, Vic Carucci gained his first NFL beat with the South Jersey Courier Post, where he covered the Eagles for three seasons. He then went to the Buffalo News in 1982 and tracked the Bills for 17 seasons, all four Super Bowl losses included. He served a two-year term as PFWA president. Vic joined NFL.com in 1999 and has been there since. He has authored nine books on NFL subjects, five of them New York Times best-sellers. He continued to work this past season despite undergoing cancer treatment, which has been successful.
• Vinny DiTrani: Never having worked for another paper, “The Sage” started out at the Bergen Record in 1967. He took over the Jets beat in 1969, the season after they won Super Bowl III, and assumed the Giants beat in 1974. Aside from a stretch when he covered the league from 2001-03, Vinny has covered the Giants ever since, going to four Super Bowls as a beat reporter. Vinny is a longtime member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors.
• Peter Finney: The Big Easy native is nearing 63 years at the New Orleans States, then States-Item, then Times-Picayune. Peter Finney was hired as a high-school writer in 1945 and became sports columnist in 1961. His tenure easily encompasses the lifespan of the Saints; they were 40 by the time he could write about their first NFC title appearance. Peter continued to cover the Saints (and the city) through the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. He has covered every Super Bowl except for the first two — because his sports editor thought it was a fad.
• Alan Greenberg: The longtime Hartford Courant writer died in March 2007 of a heart attack. He was 55. Alan, a Baltimore native and Syracuse grad, got his first big break from the Atlanta Constitution and was hired by the Los Angeles Times in 1979. Six years later, he joined the Courant. He covered all three of the Patriots’ championship teams.
• Len Pasquarelli: After graduating from Pitt and working as a teacher, coach and stringer for a few years, Len Pasquarelli became editor of Pittsburgh Steelers Weekly in 1978. He joined the Pro Football Weekly staff in 1982 and then went to the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel to handle the Colts beat in 1986. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution hired Len to cover the Falcons in 1989. A decade later he continued his nomadic trek, entering cyberspace with SportsLine.com before landing at ESPN.com in 2001. Len became ill during Pro Football Hall of Fame voting at the last Super Bowl and had emergency, quintuple bypass surgery — but not before he voted and wrote his column.

My Vote: Vic Carucci. I worked alongside Vic during the Bills home games this season and have nothing but respect for him. I am pretty humbled by what these guys have done. I’ve been covering the NFL for about eight years now and I’m quite confident in my abilities, but I feel like a rookie compared to this list. I know when to keep my mouth shut and my ears open. And when I’m around these guys, that’s exactly what I do.

Special thanks to Mark Curnutte, Bob Glauber, Tim Graham, John McClain and Jeff Legwold for compiling the finalists; and to PFWA president Alex Marvez for the mini-bios.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Pro Football Writers of America Awards