Blondie Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20080731/ca_pr_on_fo/nfl_redskins_smoot_2 Joseph White, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 2 hours, 43 minutes ago ASHBURN, Va. - Four players in yellow jerseys stood in a line at the conclusion of a Washington Redskins training camp practice, preparing to run sprints designed especially for quarterbacks. Suddenly, the four became six. Cornerbacks Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot joined the line. Rogers is recovering from knee surgery, so it made sense that he wanted to get a little extra conditioning. But Smoot? He's not a quarterback, and he hasn't been injured lately. What was he doing there? "Smoot and I have talked and he needs extra," coach Jim Zorn said. Zorn then dropped a hidden little secret. Smoot, the self-proclaimed "Mouth of the South" and trash-talker extraordinaire, has never passed the conditioning test given by the Redskins before the start of camp. Really? Hey, Fred, how can that be? "That test mentally has me," said Smoot, who has spent five of his seven NFL seasons with the Redskins. "Never physically. Because I'm never going to pass out, never going to miss a rep, and I'm going to be full speed at practice. I think mentally that 300-yard shuttle has destroyed my brain. I can't pass it." That's right. The player who can't stop running his mouth can't run the shuttle. To pass, according to Smoot, he has to run 12 25-yard sprints in 53 seconds, then rest 60 seconds and do the whole thing again. The time allotted varies according to position - the big linemen can go a bit slower. The only non-injured players not to pass the test before the start of camp were Smoot and rookie receivers Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas. So Zorn and Smoot had a heart-to-heart sit-down. The message: It's time to take this thing seriously. "He just hasn't done it. Can he? Yeah," Zorn said. "But because of that I think the players look at that and say, 'Well, this test isn't that important.' For he and I to get together and say, 'Listen, this test is important, so I want you to work extra with the quarterbacks,' that's what he's doing. He's trying to get himself in great shape so he can handle well the rigours of the season." Zorn has a point. Smoot has played in all 16 regular season games only once since the Redskins drafted him in 2001. He has missed 14 of 112 games over his career, including seven games during the two seasons he spent with the Minnesota Vikings. Last year he returned to the Redskins and missed three games with a nagging hamstring injury that dogged him most of the season. For Smoot, a player who loves to discover other players' weaknesses and shout them to the sky, the coach's words hit home. "Like he said, I've got a special gift when it comes to talking, and people listen to me. That's something everybody doesn't have," Smoot said. "And he said, 'Put the action behind it, and I think you'll be a complete player.' And that's what I'm trying to do." Smoot came back to Washington to be the No. 3 cornerback behind Rogers and Shawn Springs, but he started 11 games last year after Rogers went down with the knee injury. With Rogers on the mend, Smoot is again expected to be the nickel corner, a busy job in an increasingly pass-happy NFL. Which means there will be plenty of volume on the field. Smoot is so loud that reporters watching practice can check off his name by the sound of his voice instead of looking for his jersey No. 27. The player who last year launched Fred Smoot's Smack Energy Bar says the art of trash-talking is constantly evolving. "In the old days there was more direct talking," Smoot said. "Now it's more, 'I'm talking to all of y'all.' People ask me, 'Who are you talking trash to?,' and half the time I don't even know. It's really like whoever responds. I talk sometimes just to even myself out, make me feel better." Any trash-talking tips for the youngsters out there? "You'd better be able to back it up," Smoot said. "Point blank. If you can't back it up, keep your mouth closed." Notes: The Redskins signed LB Alfred Fincher, a fourth-year player who was cut by the Detroit Lions on Saturday. Fincher has played in 24 career games with Detroit and New Orleans. ... RB Eric Shelton, who has been experiencing numbness in his hands and legs, was waived. ... DE Chris Wilson, who has been sidelined with a calf injury, returned to practice. ... Zorn said several veterans will not play in Sunday's Hall of Fame game against the Indianapolis Colts. RB Clinton Portis, LT Chris Samuels, LB London Fletcher, DE Jason Taylor and Rogers are among those likely to sit out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedskinDaddy Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Good read Blondie. That shuttle sounds like a mother. In my best shape (many years ago) I know I couldn't have done that. Smoot, get your ass in shape brother!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRobi21 Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Yeah I heard Zorn talking about this in one of his pressers. It's pretty cool to know that he's grounded enough to know when he needs to put in that extra work on his own, even when he talks himself up all the time. Gotta love Smooooooot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny9TD Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Good read Blondie. That shuttle sounds like a mother. In my best shape (many years ago) I know I couldn't have done that. Smoot, get your ass in shape brother!! If he can do this his confidence and playing will improve. Get it done Smoot and reap the rewards. :point2sky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulRebel Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 "And he said, 'Put the action behind it, and I think you'll be a complete player.' Glad to see the players are respecting Zorn and going to put in the extra effort for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 So Zorn and Smoot had a heart-to-heart sit-down. The message: It's time to take this thing seriously...For Smoot, a player who loves to discover other players' weaknesses and shout them to the sky, the coach's words hit home. "Like he said, I've got a special gift when it comes to talking, and people listen to me. That's something everybody doesn't have," Smoot said. "And he said, 'Put the action behind it, and I think you'll be a complete player.' And that's what I'm trying to do." Anyone still think that Zorn is "too soft" and will let the players walk all over him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKM311 Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 This is great! I agree with the above poster, in that players are respecting Zorn. I also think these players WANT to win. They are going to do whats asked to get that W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redskins:Victory_or_Death Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 In a sign that I spend WAY too much time on ExtremeSkins - I honestly thought the title meant Colt Brennan (CB). :doh: Stupid Acronyms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRobi21 Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 In a sign that I spend WAY too much time on ExtremeSkins - I honestly thought the title meant Colt Brennan (CB). :doh: Stupid Acronyms! It's those darn Hawaiins I tell you!!! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSO Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Anyone still think that Zorn is "too soft" and will let the players walk all over him? It's amazing... everytime Zorn talks I get more and more impressed. The question isn't "Why did Danny and Vinny hire this guy?" anymore. It's "How could Vinny and Danny have NOT hired this guy after interviewing him?" Like you said, this presser definitely puts the "he's too soft" notion to rest. I was assuring myself that he wasn't too soft before after I had read that article about how tough he is with his family in terms of them being athletic. You could tell he hates to see any slackers just from that. This proves it though.:applause: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curb Feeler Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Smoot is one of my favorite players, but I do like the fact that Zorn is running a harder training camp than Gibbs 2.0. Smoot should take a lesson Kid Bro Sweets and prepare for the season so he does not get those nagging injuries that he seems to get every year. Santana do you hear me!!!! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cphil006 Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 run smoot run Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Champ Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 its okay smoot, i still love you even with your mental blocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty Gut Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Zorn seems to know the players very well; their weaknesses, their strengths. It looks like he doesn't miss a thing. This bodes well for us come regular season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 run smoot run :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny Joe Hog Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Mental block? Sounds like a physical block to me. Time to stop talking and start running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllAboutSkins08 Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 i'm about to jump out of my skin. there's just something different about coach zorn. i really feel like he has "it" and can take this team somewhere special (and i don't mean the cayman islands). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MustangSteve Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Im glad to see him take this serious, toughen him up and less injuries hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fourth King Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I would pay Smoot to just talk during games. I heard him at TC, and if him and Portis had a conversation, I would just listen for hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Burgundy Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I dreaded shuttles. They made your legs feel like jello when you were done with the first set, forget about the second! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 300 yards of shuttles. Ouch. I like the tough love from Zorn, regardless of who you are. Freddy will respond. Don't worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgundy&Gold4Ever Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I love the fact that Zorn is demanding a lot of the players, but he does it in a respectful way vs. an authoritative Parcells-type attitude. Zorn's way gets people to buy into what he's asking and believe in the system. This deserves two thumbs up! :applause: :applause: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balls City Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 "If you can't back it up, keep your mouth closed." NEVER expected a guy who refers to himself in the third person during interviews to say something like that. But truer words have never been spoken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Rob Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I'm winded just reading "300-yard shuttle with 12 25-yard sprints in 53 seconds, then rest 60 seconds and do the whole thing again" I need a gatorade now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kramdizzle Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 All he needs to do now is back up his mouth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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