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Steve Smith = Ricky Watters?

Proudiddy

By Proudiddy,
in Carolina Panthers

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Proudiddy Grand Master

Proudiddy

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We've all discussed before, who will be the first career Panther in the Hall of Fame? I personally think Sam Mills will be the first Panther in the Hall of Fame, but I doubt he'll go in as a Panther. Our best bet is Smitty, as far as a career Panther.

That being said, being nostalgic, I was looking up some of my old favorite players. I was still a kid when we got the Panthers, so when I had first got into football, I had to have a team to pull for before we got the Panthers. It was the 49ers, sad to say... I quickly learned to hate them though lol.

For the short time I was a Niners fan, it was great. I was drawn to them by the name/brand recognition of Montana, Craig, Rice, Taylor, Lott, etc. Guys I had read about in my history of teams books I checked out of the school library in 3rd grade. So when I actually started to watch and understand football, it was a beautiful thing - the first year I really paid attention to it - The Niners had my favorite player Deion Sanders. Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Ken Norton Jr., Eric Davis, Merton Hanks, William Floyd, Jesse Sapoulo (sp?), and of course RICKY WATTERS - my favorite RB at the time.

The guy was a beast. Anyone that watched him knew. The guy was a threat to score any time. Understand, I was still immature in my understanding of football, I had just begun to get all the rules and concepts when I started watching then. I also didn't keep up with off-field news as a kid, so I couldn't have told you anything about guys other than what I saw during a game.

But, I remember Watters being so quick and agile, yet at times would lower his shoulder and run into someone. He was like a more physical version of Deion Sanders if he was a RB, lol. I think I was drawn to the swagger the Niners had, all those guys were good and they let you know it. Watters was a threat both as a runner and as a receiver... I watched their Superbowl against the Chargers about 2,000 times every time I'd go to my uncle's house b/c he had it on vhs. I watched so many games while he was with the Niners and seeing him high step into the endzone.

In saying all this, for some reason I was thinking about my early days as a football fan, and was trying to remember why I liked the Niners before we got the Panthers... I started thinking of all the names... Bam! Ricky Watters. Looked up his stats... No doubt, Hall of Fame worthy. I had been wondering why I hadn't heard much about him in recent years. He was still a dominating force in his last few seasons with Seattle, but it was like he just fell off the face of the Earth. For a guy with those numbers, there wasn't any big retirement press conference or anything I remember...

So I started looking up other stuff... Anyway, no one disputes how big of a player Watters was during his time in the NFL. But, I found out that there was a large faction of fans/hall of fame voters that didn't care for him b/c of his swagger, emotion and attitude.

Then I happened to find out about the infamous, "For who? For what?" line he gave Philly media after alligator arming a possible catch on a throw from Randall Cunningham late in a game. When asked why he short armed it knowing he was about to take a hit, he said, "For who? For what?" It obviously stuck with him.

He was the #7 player in NFL Networks show "Top 10 Players: Not in the Hall of Fame."

During that piece, several media guys mention how his attitude and the legendary "for who? for what?" comment has stuck with him. Every time his name comes up, it seems his attitude and comments outweigh his on field accomplishments...

I thought about it, and I started to wonder, is Smitty the new version of Watters? If Smitty continues his outstanding numbers and puts the finishing touches on his hall of fame resume, will the first thing voters think of when his name comes up is "Ken Lucas, Anthony Bright" or will it be what he did on the field?

(I'd like to thank you in advance for bearing with me in my novel about childhood, 49ers, and Ricky Watters)

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Proudiddy Grand Master

Proudiddy

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You're right, but I see it. I had kind of forgot how loud/brash Watters was until I watched that piece on him again. Albeit, he didn't require 2 of his teammates to have their faces surgically put back together, but I can see it in terms of attitude and numbers.

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Wither Newbie

Wither

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I agree it's decent ground for a respectable discussion, but there are more people with 89 or smith in their member name than obese house wives watching Oprah.

So it isn't a good comparison? Is Smith better than Watters?

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The Don Newbie

The Don

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We've all discussed before, who will be the first career Panther in the Hall of Fame? I personally think Sam Mills will be the first Panther in the Hall of Fame, but I doubt he'll go in as a Panther. Our best bet is Smitty, as far as a career Panther.

That being said, being nostalgic, I was looking up some of my old favorite players. I was still a kid when we got the Panthers, so when I had first got into football, I had to have a team to pull for before we got the Panthers. It was the 49ers, sad to say... I quickly learned to hate them though lol.

For the short time I was a Niners fan, it was great. I was drawn to them by the name/brand recognition of Montana, Craig, Rice, Taylor, Lott, etc. Guys I had read about in my history of teams books I checked out of the school library in 3rd grade. So when I actually started to watch and understand football, it was a beautiful thing - the first year I really paid attention to it - The Niners had my favorite player Deion Sanders. Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Ken Norton Jr., Eric Davis, Merton Hanks, William Floyd, Jesse Sapoulo (sp?), and of course RICKY WATTERS - my favorite RB at the time.

The guy was a beast. Anyone that watched him knew. The guy was a threat to score any time. Understand, I was still immature in my understanding of football, I had just begun to get all the rules and concepts when I started watching then. I also didn't keep up with off-field news as a kid, so I couldn't have told you anything about guys other than what I saw during a game.

But, I remember Watters being so quick and agile, yet at times would lower his shoulder and run into someone. He was like a more physical version of Deion Sanders if he was a RB, lol. I think I was drawn to the swagger the Niners had, all those guys were good and they let you know it. Watters was a threat both as a runner and as a receiver... I watched their Superbowl against the Chargers about 2,000 times every time I'd go to my uncle's house b/c he had it on vhs. I watched so many games while he was with the Niners and seeing him high step into the endzone.

In saying all this, for some reason I was thinking about my early days as a football fan, and was trying to remember why I liked the Niners before we got the Panthers... I started thinking of all the names... Bam! Ricky Watters. Looked up his stats... No doubt, Hall of Fame worthy. I had been wondering why I hadn't heard much about him in recent years. He was still a dominating force in his last few seasons with Seattle, but it was like he just fell off the face of the Earth. For a guy with those numbers, there wasn't any big retirement press conference or anything I remember...

So I started looking up other stuff... Anyway, no one disputes how big of a player Watters was during his time in the NFL. But, I found out that there was a large faction of fans/hall of fame voters that didn't care for him b/c of his swagger, emotion and attitude.

Then I happened to find out about the infamous, "For who? For what?" line he gave Philly media after alligator arming a possible catch on a throw from Randall Cunningham late in a game. When asked why he short armed it knowing he was about to take a hit, he said, "For who? For what?" It obviously stuck with him.

He was the #7 player in NFL Networks show "Top 10 Players: Not in the Hall of Fame."

During that piece, several media guys mention how his attitude and the legendary "for who? for what?" comment has stuck with him. Every time his name comes up, it seems his attitude and comments outweigh his on field accomplishments...

I thought about it, and I started to wonder, is Smitty the new version of Watters? If Smitty continues his outstanding numbers and puts the finishing touches on his hall of fame resume, will the first thing voters think of when his name comes up is "Ken Lucas, Anthony Bright" or will it be what he did on the field?

(I'd like to thank you in advance for bearing with me in my novel about childhood, 49ers, and Ricky Watters)

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