Grantland: Steve Smith vs. The World

[Kramerica]

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/73517/steve-smith-vs-the-world

 

Some great nostalgic quotes/videos from Smitty here. Sort of a brief history of his "altercations" over the years, on the field and off.

 

 

 

Steve Smith vs. Referees and the Infirm

Here's Smith after a 2011 loss to the Vikings: "If the ref says it’s holding, I can sit here and say this and that. But at the end of the day he’s the guy with the flag and he calls it ... I got a few texts already saying in the HD it didn’t look too bad. But for a 70-year-old man gimping down the field, I guess that’s what he saw."

 

 

Nothing brand new here, but entertaining nonetheless. This stuck out to me:

 

 

This is the you-get-half-a-bar of peer reviews if there ever was one. Football is supposed to be about individual battles and team wars and all that, but few NFL players actually exemplify that conflict and turmoil, nor show their emotion and passion inherent in living that kind of life, quite like Smith does. He is one of the more bracingly human athletes that I can remember watching.

 

 

[UNCrules2187]

Lot of memories, good and bad, in that post. Loved the last two videos...

[Growl]

Steve Smith on the New York Jets quarterback, while cohosting a Carolina sports radio show: "He sucks. I wouldn’t let Mark Sanchez throw me a paper bag sandwich."

 

lol this was hilarious. I still remember 90% of Jets fans rallying behind Smith and demanding a trade for him preceeding a mark sanchez release.

[Growl]

oh and in before CRA demands to know why they're still writing articles about this old guy

[top dawg]

If Smitty were a movie, he'd be The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Three characters all rolled up into one that creates the enigma. 

[PantherKyle]

Great article. Thanks.

[Seltzer]

Steve Smith's performance in 2005 against the Chicago Bears was my personal favorite.  The Bears were so arrogant coming into that game about how they were going to contain Smitty, etc.  I can't remember, who was the Defensive Coordinator who must have been high to have thought that...

 

Seattle sure didn't take any chances the following week.  Great article.  I personally am coming to believe Smitty would be considered almost a lock for the HoF even now had he played in a big market (like Dallas), even without the narrative of not having consistent QB play (even though it's true).  Think of the publicity Dez Bryant has had, and last year was the first year he really put up the numbers to justify it.

 

Whether or not 89 ultimately makes the HoF (am I tend to doubt he will), his highlight reel (and story for that matter) stack up against any WR that has ever laced them up. 

 

To me, for whatever reason, when I think of 89 I tend to think of Mike Tyson in the sense that people will talking about him (for what he did on & off the field) for many years to come & his dominance from 03-08 was so unprecedented for a 5'9" receiver.  Even if the Panthers ever have another receiver down the road put up these types of numbers, I can't imagine they will ever be as compelling as 89.

 

Steve Smith really encapsulates what being a Panthers fan over the last 18 years has been.  Many times overlooked, some bad off-the-field stuff, but the playoff runs (outside of 2008) were so magical (literally b/c of Smitty in 03 & 05) that you always believe

[TheRed]

Steve Smith's performance in 2005 against the Chicago Bears was my personal favorite.  The Bears were so arrogant coming into that game about how they were going to contain Smitty, etc.  I can't remember, who was the Defensive Coordinator who must have been high to have thought that...

 

That would be the one and only Ron Rivera.

[SpeedOFLight]

I remember watching that Bears game. They were so cocky. I believe the 1st game willl played them in the season that we didn't even score a touchdown and then Smith happened lol. I remember that i had just walked in ham's when Steve burnt that DB (forgot his name) and made the safety look silly on that one play. That was a fun year to watch Smith. He won the triple crown that year, sadly Seatle spoiled are SuperBowl berth that year.

[CarolinaNCSU]

We've got some damn characters on this team that's for sure.

 

So glad I've gotten to see Smitty stay in Carolina all these years. Now get the man a ring.

[JBloc]

Steve Smith really encapsulates what being a Panthers fan over the last 18 years has been. Many times overlooked, some bad off-the-field stuff, but the playoff runs (outside of 2008) were so magical (literally b/c of Smitty in 03 & 05) that you always believe

Pie'd for this, Sir.

[jtnc]

In a world without Steve Smith on the Panthers is a world I don't want to live in. 

[AceMan]

That 2005 montage was beautiful

[PhillyB]

i honestly expect steve to be here another four years.