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ChampWJ
02-18-2008, 02:40 AM
Found this in Peter King's MMQB article this week. I thought it was really cool to see Rod getting some praise by a major sportswriter with a usual East Coast bias.


I think I've got a receiver in mind, and I want you to guess who he is.

First clue: You never got to know him, which is not his fault; he's a team-first guy who never drew attention to himself, even though he put up ridiculous numbers.

Second clue: He's 12th on the all-time receptions list (849).

Third clue: He caught 99 more passes than Hall of Famer Michael Irvin in the same number of seasons played (12), and played on one fewer Super Bowl team than Irvin's three, and caught three more touchdowns passes than Irvin ... yet I doubt he'll ever get in the Hall of Fame.

Fourth clue: He's had two hip operations over the last year and was placed on the reserve/retired list this year, meaning his team doesn't have to guarantee him his base salary this year. A fact of life in today's NFL.

The man: Rod Smith.

It's a sad day for the NFL if Smith isn't going to play anymore -- which, barring a very unlikely recovery by the 37-year-old, is likely. And it's sad beyond the fact that he gave one of the league's annually great offenses in the neighborhood of six catches per Sunday, year in and year out. (Check out the reception totals from these nine straight seasons, from 1997 to 2005: 70, 86, 79, 100, 113, 89, 74, 79 and 85 ... while playing all but three games in those nine years. Eight 1,000-yard seasons in nine years.)

It's sad because he's one of the best people, and hardest-working players, I've met while covering the game nationally. What a gym rat. Fun fact: For 11 straight years, Smith had 100 percent attendance in the Broncos' offseason training program. And Mike Shanahan revered him for what he showed every other player in that locker room.

Last summer, at Broncos camp, I saw this lonely figure working out while the team was practicing. Rod Smith. Trying to get in shape enough to begin practicing. He was one of those guys you knew was doing everything to get back to play. Smith's one of the five or so guys I have vivid memories who led by their mere presence. George Martin with the Giants, Brian Dawkins and the late Jerome Brown in Philadelphia, Ray Lewis in Baltimore, Darryl Talley in Buffalo, Aeneas Williams in Phoenix and St. Louis, Bryant Young in San Francisco... bargains because of what they meant to their teams by playing and leading and influencing.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/02/17/long/3.html

shank
02-18-2008, 02:58 AM
good find, and i'm glad to see it.

rod deserves this kind of respect from everyone who knows who he is.

i truly respect and idolize the man, and will be very sad the day he is no longer involved with the broncos (which i hope isn't for a very long time).

TimBuff10
02-18-2008, 03:05 AM
Well, if he is done, at least he has that backup career running precise routes for Blackjack Pizza.

Great career and he totally deserves to be in Hall!

shank
02-18-2008, 03:11 AM
Well, if he is done, at least he has that backup career running precise routes for Blackjack Pizza.

Great career and he totally deserves to be in Hall!

it's an effing shame that he most likely won't get into that joke of a hall of fame.

with numbers an ass-hair shy of michael irvin's (who was not much of a role model off the field), his work ethic, team-first mentality, toughness, background as an undrafted rookie... and he will probably still be black-balled.

hall is a joke, rod is a god.

SoCalBronco
02-18-2008, 11:34 AM
"yet I doubt he'll ever get in the Hall of Fame."?

WTF!?!

Of course Rod will get a bust at Canton. Why the Hell would he be snubbed? He won't be a first ballet guy, but I'm certain He'll get His canary yellow jacket at some point.
The writers respect Him becuase they KNOW what it means to do what Rod has done, especially as an undrafted FA.
They may not have given Rod love in their respective collumns, but that's becuase Rods not a headline grabber. He's never been the "it" guy or the attention whore, but that's all the more reason He'll be up on that podium someday, accepting His enshrinement from Elway.
The only tards that don't KNOW about Rod Smith are the fair weather (so called) fans of OTHER teams.
Not get into the Hall. My Arse

IN ROD WE TRUST!

MOtorboat
02-18-2008, 12:30 PM
"yet I doubt he'll ever get in the Hall of Fame."?

WTF!?!

Of course Rod will get a bust at Canton. Why the Hell would he be snubbed? He won't be a first ballet guy, but I'm certain He'll get His canary yellow jacket at some point.
The writers respect Him becuase they KNOW what it means to do what Rod has done, especially as an undrafted FA.
They may not have given Rod love in their respective collumns, but that's becuase Rods not a headline grabber. He's never been the "it" guy or the attention whore, but that's all the more reason He'll be up on that podium someday, accepting His enshrinement from Elway.
The only tards that don't KNOW about Rod Smith are the fair weather (so called) fans of OTHER teams.
Not get into the Hall. My Arse

IN ROD WE TRUST!

Nobody knows who he is...that doesn't mean that they don't know who he is, he just doesn't have the rep. I just don't know if he's going to get in. We all know he should, but we're Broncos fans, not sportswriters. I guess with the Broncos past experiences with the Hall, I'm not getting my hopes up.

jrelway
02-18-2008, 12:41 PM
screw the hall. rod doesnt need the hall of fame. so long as his name is on the ring of fame, its all good.

Scarface
02-18-2008, 12:47 PM
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/Denver%20Broncos/2031728.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/Denver%20Broncos/72352419.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/Denver%20Broncos/246655.jpg

Lonestar
02-18-2008, 02:39 PM
While he should be a first ballot guy based on numbers, personal strength, and character he will never make into the HOF..


He was the leader of this team for as long as I can remember, but he never had the attention shining on him in Den, let alone where all the voter's for the HOF reside..

He will have to be content with the ROF in Broncoville.. Damned shame he could not have played two more years..

topscribe
02-18-2008, 03:03 PM
Rod Smith was my favorite active Bronco.

Now that it is unlikely he will ever come back, he joins the likes of John Elway,
Terrell Davis, Floyd Little, Lionel Taylor, Randy Gradishar, Steve Atwater, and
a few others as a Broncos icon, legend, immortal.

Rod Smith incites in me deep feelings of admiration and respect, and
gratefulness for providing me the thrill and privilege of watching him all
these years.

People keep saying he is the G.O.A.T. undrafted receiver. Rod Smith is one of
the greatest receivers ever. Period.

Moreover, Rod Smith is one of a vanishing breed: A real man off the field.

-----

lex
02-18-2008, 03:32 PM
Why will Rod not make it into the HOF though? Ive heard that Peter King has some sway. I wonder if he is just trying to placate the Broncos fans who have a valid grievance against the selection committee to which he belongs? It would be kind of farcical for him to carry on like that and then not lobby for him.

NameUsedBefore
02-18-2008, 03:53 PM
Rod Smith should get in the HoF not only because of his stand-alone stats, but because he is a remarkable success story. If Lynn Swan can get in for catching some bombs every so often than Rod Smith can get in for having an astronomical rise from undrafted practice squad receiver to league leading receiver. Plus, like was said, he's a stand-up man; something the likes of Irvin is not.

LoyalSoldier
02-18-2008, 05:56 PM
it's an effing shame that he most likely won't get into that joke of a hall of fame.

with numbers an ass-hair shy of michael irvin's (who was not much of a role model off the field), his work ethic, team-first mentality, toughness, background as an undrafted rookie... and he will probably still be black-balled.

hall is a joke, rod is a god.

I think he beat all of Irvin's numbers. He is tied with Art Monk at 68 TDs and beat Irvin by 3. The funny thing is there are 7 in the HOF that have worse stats than Rod Smith.

AlWilsonizKING
02-18-2008, 08:18 PM
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/Denver%20Broncos/2031728.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/Denver%20Broncos/72352419.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff302/ScarfaceBroncos2007/Denver%20Broncos/246655.jpg



My favorite pic/play is during a Chefs game in KC (we lost), when he tipped the ball to himself and still caught it while falling to the ground over an opposing Chefs player.....IMO one of the best catches ever....

And like SoCal said.....

In ROD We Trust!!!




PEACE!!!

Denver Native (Carol)
02-18-2008, 08:34 PM
:salute::salute: ROD SMITH:salute::salute: ONE OF THE GREATEST BRONCOS EVER

BANJOPICKER1
02-19-2008, 10:12 PM
Any chance he could become a WR coach for Denver??I love the guy and everything Bronco wise he stands for...He is a team first guy and thats what we are missing...HE DA MAN!!!!
GOOOOOOOOOOO BRONCOS!!!!:D

Broncolingus
02-19-2008, 11:02 PM
Awesome article and spot-on!!!

studbucket
02-20-2008, 06:25 PM
That was a great article by Peter King, thanks for posting it!

studbucket
02-20-2008, 06:27 PM
Here's something I posted today over at Cover Four. As always, the formatting is better over there, and I have pictures and stats.

LINK TO ARTICLE (http://www.cover4blog.com/blog/jt/43)
----------------------------------
Rod Smith was a wide receiver by trade, but not by attitude. In a world filled with prima donnas, me-first, money-hungry, and attention-starved wide receivers, Rod Smith was a first class teammate and player. He combined all the abilities of a star wide receiver with none of the baggage.

His work ethic was second only to Jerry Rice among wide receivers. Undrafted out of Missouri Southern State University, he worked his way from the practice squad to a position atop the Broncos list of all-time leading receivers. With the exception of Isaac Bruce, he outperformed every receiver drafted in 1994.

His leadership skills were among the best to ever grace the locker rooms in the Mile High City. He commanded respect from his teammates the way few people could, and it wasn’t from placing himself on a pedestal. He led by example, sprinkling in wisdom and life lessons when needed, more Robert E. Lee and less Norman Schwarzkopf.

Rod epitomized toughness for a WR, something seen only in a select few such as Steve Tasker. He never ran out of bounds on a play, it didn’t matter if there were 3 guys waiting for him; he plowed forward to get those extra inches. Rod rarely caught the ball only to get knocked backwards after the catch, rendering forward progress of little use to him. When he was tackled, he was always the furthest forward he had been on that play.

In the 2006 preseason, undrafted rookie Mike Bell ran out of bounds at the end of a nice 34 yard scamper; waiting for him on the sideline afterwards was Rod Smith. Smith came not to congratulate, but to scold Bell for running out of bounds. If the 36 year-old Smith could fight for the extra yards, so could everyone else on the team.

Throughout his career, Smith found the end-zone more than any other Bronco in history, yet you’d never know it. After every touchdown he simply handed the ball to the referee: From his first touchdown, a game-winner against Oakland in 1996, to his last, a 10 yard grab from Jay Cutler against Arizona. Smith had been there before, and acted like it.

He is the only undrafted player ever to reach the 10,000 receiving yard plateau and retired ranking 12th in NFL history in receptions and 19th in yards. He led the league in receptions in 2001, grabbing 113 balls for 1343 yards and 11 touchdowns. His success was not limited to the regular season, however, as he helped the Broncos win two Super Bowls, including a 152-yard effort against Atlanta in Super Bowl XXXIII.

As a wide receiver, he did more than just catch passes. He was one of the reasons the Denver running game was so effective as he sealed off his man time and time again. Often overshadowed by Ed McCaffrey’s ferocious blocks, Smith often went through his career like an offensive lineman: vastly important and relatively unrecognized. He also showed his versatility on special teams. In 2003, even after not fielding a punt for 6 years, returned one for a touchdown at the age of 33.

In 2006, he had a down season, catching only 52 balls for 512 yards and 3 TDs. “He’s getting old,” “He’s washed up,” “The game’s passed him by” people said. It was made public a year later that that he played the previous two seasons with a hip injury. He admitted that at one point in 2006 he hadn’t had a restful night’s sleep in over a year due to the pain. Washed up? No. Tenacious? Yes. On a hip that is soon to be replaced, Rod Smith played two full seasons garnering a total of 137 receptions, 1617 receiving yards, 9 TDs, and one Pro-Bowl berth.

Having to sit out the 2007 season was tough on Rod Smith; he had missed only two games in the previous ten years. For those ten years, Smith was the only constant on offense, racking up eight 1000-yard seasons while the running-backs received all the glory. However, he always shifted the credit to his teammates, never wanting to be in the limelight.

He didn’t just credit and lead his teammates on the field; he was also a leader and a teacher off the field. He often helped teammates manage their money carefully and wisely, helping them save and plan for a life after football. He was also very active in the community, doing what he could to help out Denver and those less fortunate than him, winning the Broncos’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2004.

It’s anyone’s guess how and if Rod will be remembered by the national media in the years to come. Many great players have been lost in the annals of history, and Rod may join them, penalized for being polite and humble during his time in the league. Even if he is not remembered by the general populace, he will never be forgotten by those whose lives he touched. Fans of the Denver Broncos, citizens of Denver, and former teammates will never forget what he did for them, and I’m sure that’s more than Rod would ask for.

G_Money
02-20-2008, 07:30 PM
Rod will be the next Art Monk. As he himself said, "If the Monk ain't in, then I don't have a chance."

Well my friend, The Monk now IS in, and you will be too.

Eventually.

Give it 10 years, and we'll party in Canton like it's 1999.

I just gotta hear that speech.

~G

Lonestar
02-20-2008, 07:36 PM
Rod will be the next Art Monk. As he himself said, "If the Monk ain't in, then I don't have a chance."

Well my friend, The Monk now IS in, and you will be too.

Eventually.

Give it 10 years, and we'll party in Canton like it's 1999.

I just gotta hear that speech.

~G

As much as I love the guy.. He is not gonna make it.. it took Art Monk a lifetime to do this and he is connected with all of the voters being out on the east coast..

Had Zimmerman never played somewhere else he would not be in either..

G_Money
02-20-2008, 07:43 PM
Zimm was in Minnesota. Not exactly a hot-bed of media activity.

The Pro Bowls and the ring helped him, I think.

Rod has the Pro Bowls and the rings too, as well as the very visible "Best undrafted WR ever" tag that will get mentioned every year.

He'll make it. It took Art 8 years, not a lifetime - he retired in 95, didn't he? 5 year waiting period makes it 8 years til election.

Rod's "lack" of TDs compared to someone like Chris Carter may hurt him - also like it hurt Monk - but I think he'll get in.

~G

mclark
02-20-2008, 07:53 PM
Rod Smith is the ultimate Bronco icon. Under-rated, he dedicated himself to disciplining himself mentally and physically and perfecting his craft, and made himself the ultimate professional. Never whining; never beating his breast; never quitting. I hope he stays with the Broncos as a coach if he has an interest in it. Rod Smith and Lynch should both stay on as coaches.

Lonestar
02-20-2008, 07:57 PM
Zimm was in Minnesota. Not exactly a hot-bed of media activity.

The Pro Bowls and the ring helped him, I think.

Rod has the Pro Bowls and the rings too, as well as the very visible "Best undrafted WR ever" tag that will get mentioned every year.

He'll make it. It took Art 8 years, not a lifetime - he retired in 95, didn't he? 5 year waiting period makes it 8 years til election.

Rod's "lack" of TDs compared to someone like Chris Carter may hurt him - also like it hurt Monk - but I think he'll get in.

~G

I hope your right I just do not see it.. If it does indeed happen I'll really be glad.. But DEN does not have the voters horsepower ZIM at least played in the NFC heavy voter cities CH GB and TB.. Rod plays in OAK, KC and SAN twice a year.. not exactly loaded with voters.. Art monk played Against the heavy weights in NYC WAS DAL X 2 a year.

Not to mention the other NFC cities predominantly on the east coast..

A huge long shot at best, even with the hardware and being a UDFA..