Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Posted: 11:10 a.m.
By John Mullin
CSNChicago.com
Tackle JMarcus Webb was the winner of the Bears prestigious Brian Piccolo Award, named for the former Bears running back and created in 1970 following death due to cancer on June 16 of that year.
Defensive tackle Anthony Adams, already the winner of the Bears Ed Block Courage Award this year, was honored Tuesday as the winner of the award for veterans. The veteran award was established in 1992 and first presented to Mike Singletary, who was retiring at the end of that season.
The winners are chosen by the players. This is the 41st anniversary of the award. Piccolo wore No. 41 when he played for the Bears from 1966-69
When an award is voted on by your teammates, it is special, said coach Lovie Smith.
Adams was a particular hit with one fan in attendance. Daddy, youre funny, son Anthony III piped up as Adams finished at the podium.
Coordinator Mike Martz presented the award to Webb, a seventh-round draft choice out of West Texas A&M. The odds of him making this team were pretty remarkable, Martz said. To accomplish what Webb did says a lot about JMarcus and the kind of many he is.
NFL
Webb was visibly moved by the moment. I stand here humbled by the Brian Piccolo Award, Webb said. He was a man who inspired people from all walks of life with his dedication... Im not sure Ill be able to measure up to such a man but I will seek to inspire others with my hard work and dedication.
Adams epitomizes the term and concept of teammate, said defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli in presenting Adams.
I just appreciate everybody, on down to the training staff that kept us on the field, Adams said. Its definitely a great honor and it was definitely a great experience this year, being one game away from the Super Bowl...
Im sorry to be talking about Green Bay but I hate having this bad taste in my mouth.
Following Piccolos death, the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund was established and proceeds sent to the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York for research on embryonal cell carcinoma. The disease that was 100 percent fatal at the time of Piccolos death had the rate reduced to 50 percent today.
The late Ed McCaskey played a prominent role in helping Piccolo through his illness and in the work against cancer after Piccolos death. The Fund has since turned its work to breast cancer research and raised more than 8 million since 1991.
John "Moon" Mullin is CSNChicago.com's Bears Insider, and appears regularly on Bears Postgame Live and Chicago Tribune Live. Follow Moon on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Bears information.