AP:Smoot comes back better, more serious, after injury

[TK]

http://www.wvec.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D7VCEDI80.html

Smoot comes back better, more serious, after injury

12/11/2003

By JOSEPH WHITE / Associated Press

Something funny has happened to Fred Smoot.

Or, rather, something unfunny.

He's no longer the nonstop class cutup of the Washington Redskins. Sure, he still trash-talks and zings some one-liners, but he's developed a serious side — and he's been playing better than ever — since returning at midseason from a serious chest injury.

"Different roles come," the third-year cornerback said. "I feel like I'm growing up in the team a lot, and soon I will be one of the serious leaders on the team. Just maturing. You know, ain't nobody ever going to stop me from talking. I'm just talking more maturely."

Actually, something did stop Smoot from talking. He broke his sternum and bruised his chest while tackling Keyshawn Johnson in the loss to Tampa Bay on Oct. 12. Suddenly, it hurt to laugh, shout or just breath deeply, and the self-proclaimed "Mouth of the South" fell silent.

Amazingly, Smoot missed only one game. He played in pain and even needed oxygen after a hard hit when he returned, but he went back in and hasn't missed a game since.

"I was going to hurt anyway," Smoot said. "If I was at home, not playing, watching the game and we're losing, I'm going to be hurting. If I go out there and play, I'm still going to feel pain. I said I might as well go out here and try to suck it up."

Coaches and teammates were impressed with such courage from one of the smallest players on the team. At 174 pounds, Smoot doesn't come with much natural padding.

"I told him, 'Take your time. You want to make sure your body's well because if you make it any worse, you're going to kill yourself in the future,'" cornerback Champ Bailey said. "He wants to be on the field all the time."

An unexpected side effect has been Smoot's improved play, which has been easy to overlook on a team that has lost seven of nine games. Before the injury, Smoot exuded with confidence and natural ability to the point that he didn't feel the need to concentrate on the study and technique that goes with playing cornerback in the NFL.

"You look at yourself and realize you know how talented you are, you don't need the small things," Smoot said.

As a result, Smoot was flashy but inconsistent. But when he was hit with the physical limitation, he suddenly realized the rest of his game was lacking as well.

"I think it humbled me to a point where I realize that it takes everything to make a complete player," Smoot said. "While I was hurt, I knew I had to really get the mental part of the game down, and I think that's what I have done."

Said Bailey with a smile: "He has been playing better — maybe he needs to get hurt more often."

Now that he's taking the game more seriously, Smoot has become a credible locker room voice. Previously, most of his interviews had been strings of one-liners. "The most dangerous place to be is between Fred Smoot and a microphone," he once said.

That's not to say he's lost his sense of hyperbole. Asked about Sunday's game against NFC East rival Dallas, Smoot called it "our Super Bowl."

"This is the game we're going to rise up," Smoot said. "This is the game we want. I hate the idea of spoiling. I'd rather somebody try to spoil us because that means we're going to the playoffs. But I hate Dallas. I ain't trying to let them out of here a winner — no way."

Smoot is one of many players fed up with the yearly turnover of coaches and players in Washington. He's a vocal advocate of the status quo — particularly coach Steve Spurrier, defensive coordinator George Edwards and Bailey. There's a decent chance all three could be gone next season.

"We don't need no change," Smoot said. "I think we need to go into the year knowing what we've got, knowing what's there."

Notes@: A mammoth flood, caused by heavy rains and melting snow, made for an incredible sight Thursday at Redskins Park. All four practice fields were surrounded by acres of knee-deep water that will take days to recede, forcing Thursday's and Friday's practices to move to a nearby indoor facility. The recent nasty weather prompted Spurrier to make a pitch for owner Dan Snyder to build an indoor complex. "I'm sure Mr. Snyder and the Redskins will look into getting one for us," Spurrier said. "The weather's been pretty rough the last two years." ... RB Chad Morton missed practice with the flu, further depleting the running back pool. Ladell Betts (arm) and Trung Canidate (foot) have already been ruled out, leaving John Simon and Rock Cartwright to take most of the snaps Thursday. ... LB LaVar Arrington (knee) and WR Laveranues Coles (toe) also didn't practice, but both are expected to play Sunday.

[bubba9497]

:applause:

and to think of all the people ready to ship him to the Vikings for a second rounder :doh:

[Leonard Washington]

goes to show that we should't be running this team. though i was a smoot supporter.

[Art]

I should be. I wanted to give Smoot a contract extension this offseason of five years with a $5-8 million bonus. Now, I fear we're at the high end of that .

[AvidFan]

"Smoot is one of many players fed up with the yearly turnover of coaches and players in Washington. He's a vocal advocate of the status quo — particularly coach Steve Spurrier, defensive coordinator George Edwards and Bailey. There's a decent chance all three could be gone next season. "

.......well....maybe two of the three.

but as meatloaf said.....

[Reaganaut]

I have always loved Smoot from before we drafted him. I was beside myself when Marty was able to lock him up in the second round. He is a mouth, but if you listen to what he says it is almost always positive and inspirational. I think of him as the anti-Deion even though he idolizes Sanders. I don't care how many times Sanders talks about Jesus, he is a bad hombre. Smoot has a better heart and I think can play up to Champ's level. If he gets a lot of money he deserves it.

[Mark28]

Smoot's set a great example this year. Who woulda thunk it? I've always loved him and he's getting Arrington/Coles type of respect now. Dan, please don't let this guy go! He deserves what he'll get and he's a model example of the type of guy we need on the team.(except for the mouth, his is enough)

[sashae]

Gotta love Smoot... it's a rare team that has two high-quality corners like we do.

-s

[Sanders 83]

Smooooooooooooot