Hamilton’s newest snow plow will be named after Tiger-Cats’ linebacker Simoni Lawrence after he took the top spot in the city’s annual fan vote.
The new vehicle, dubbed Snowmoni Lawrence, tallied a whopping 1,041 votes in the Name the Plow contest to crush the competition. The second-place finisher, Taylor Drift, was named after super-star recording artist Taylor Swift and managed just 633 votes, proving once and for all that the only demographic more fanatical than Swifties is CFL fans.
The results are in #HamOnt – it’s time to reveal the 10 winning names for this year’s Name the Plow initiative! Drum roll… 🥁 Full list of all 10 winning names at: https://t.co/7q7EmQmfE8 pic.twitter.com/5dxgPCOKFz
— City of Hamilton (@cityofhamilton) February 2, 2024
The top ten finishers in the contest will all have their names slapped on the new municipal vehicles, including a second Ticats-themed selection, Holy MackinTHAW, which landed in eighth place with 268 votes. It will join the pre-existing snow plow Icekee Wee Wee, which took fifth place in 2023.
Lawrence has been a staple of the Tiger-Cats’ defence since 2013, becoming the face of the franchise over 10 seasons with the team. The five-time East Division all-star and three-time finalist for Most Outstanding Defensive Player is Hamilton’s all-time tackle record holder, having amassed 758 total tackles, 34 sacks, 15 interceptions and seven forced fumbles in 150 career CFL games.
The 35-year-old’s future in Hamilton remains in question, as he is scheduled to hit free agency on February 13. General manager Ed Hervey was non-committal about re-signing the veteran when asked last month, calling it “up for conversation.”
Whether or not Lawrence is retained by the Ticats, his legacy in Steeltown is now secured. His namesake will now be a permanent fixture clearing the 6,478 kilometres of municipal roadways.
