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Against the grain Vikings RB Smith defies conventional wisdom again
Updated: Thursday February 08, 2001 9:01 AM
Less than 24 hours ago, I wrote that I would be shocked to find out that Vikings running back Robert Smith is preparing to walk away from the biggest payday of his eight-year NFL career. But with Wednesday's Cleveland Plain Dealer report, the Smith retirement rumors have become reality. And, yes, you can consider me officially shocked. But maybe I shouldn't be. Robert Smith has never been your typical NFL player. Smith's agent, Neil Cornrich, confirmed the news Wednesday morning. But not with great clarity. When asked what had changed in Smith's thinking from last week, when Cornrich was refuting the retirement rumors, the agent said: "I'm not sure. I don't know if there's any one thing that led him to this decision." Cornrich spoke of Smith wanting to move on to new challenges, his ability to think "out of the box," and his being driven by other motives besides financial concerns. Like Jim Brown and Barry Sanders before him, Smith is leaving while still atop his game, even while most of us find it almost unimaginable.
There was more mystery than substance to this story all along. At one point Wednesday at mid-day, neither Smith nor Cornrich had yet to contact either Vikings head coach Dennis Green or vice president of football administration Rob Brzezinski to confirm Smith's retirement. Brzezinski said until he read the Cleveland newspaper report early Wednesday, he still believed Smith would play and play for Minnesota in 2001, based on conversations a worried Green had had with Smith in recent days. But when the Vikings finally got the call from Cornrich, informing them that their most important free agent and all-time leading rusher was indeed retiring, the agent by then had already spoken to several media members to confirm the news. Interesting approach, to say the least, even if it's true that Smith only made up his mind to retire Tuesday, as Cornrich maintains. Why did Smith walk away despite coming off his career year in 2000? Several rationales have emerged from discussions with some close to the situation: 1. Smith lost the degree of passion for the game that is necessary to make the physical commitment that playing in the NFL requires. He simply didn't have the motivation to go through another offseason of preparing his mind and body for the rigors of another long NFL season. A superbly conditioned athlete with sprinter's speed, Smith was something of a workout fanatic even in the workout-mad NFL. His regimen didn't begin in June or July and end with the last game of the season. It became harder and harder for him to commit himself to that type of lifestyle with his other interests competing for his attention. 2. Smith, who will only be 29 next month, wanted to walk away from football while he could still do so without a limp. Last Wednesday, Smith underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in Vail, Colo. But once Dr. Richard Steadman was into the procedure, he realized that Smith needed more than just the clean-up of loose cartilage that was scheduled. A second procedure was added to the surgery and performed at the same time. It was at least the third time that Smith has undergone knee surgery, and he didn't want to press his luck and wind up doing the bum-knee shuffle that so many ex-running backs employ. "He has played eight years and had a lot of injuries," a source said. "He has broken a lot of records, a lot of team records, and maybe he just wanted to go out on top." 3. Smith decided he didn't need the money, and is well prepared to live the lifestyle of his choice drawing interest on the millions he has already banked. Never motivated by greed, Smith is the rare NFL athlete who knew when enough was enough. Even if he was poised to become one of the most prized free agents on the market this spring. "It makes no difference to Robert if he has $10 million or $15 million in the bank," another source said. "He can live the life he wants to live without making any more." Smith has always been among the most intelligent of football players. That was his rep when he took a stand for education over football at Ohio State in 1991, and it followed him into the NFL, which he entered at the age of 21 after just two collegiate seasons. His love of astronomy and computers has been well chronicled -- one Twin Cities columnist long ago nicknamed him "Copernicus" -- and he spent many of his off-field hours putting together programs to aid and encourage children who have been hospitalized. In the Vikings' locker room, Smith was always rather quiet and private, but also very well respected. He was the team's union representative and was active enough in the NFLPA to be selected to serve on a board of players and officials who took part in player grievance hearings. Smith was also never afraid to speak his mind. He commented on anything he found interesting and didn't back down even if the topic was controversial.
He took on the Rev. Reggie White's direct pipeline to God in one memorable interview, later admitting even he was surprised at the strong reaction his words generated. Above all, Smith always treated the game with the utmost respect -- right down to his low-key, flip-the-ball-to-the-ref touchdown displays -- and disdained players who treated themselves as larger than the game. Even if they were in his own locker room. That's why some think that in addition to tiring of the commitment he had to make for the game, Smith also might have been fatigued of dealing with the antics of superstar Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss. An incident that took place before Minnesota's 41-0 NFC title-game loss at New York might have crystallized that feeling for Smith, who has great respect for Moss's on-field gifts, but is less enamored of his commitment level and me-first persona. Moss engaged in a profanity-laced shouting match with a Giants security guard before the game, after the guard wouldn't allow five friends of Moss' to leave the stands and join him on the field. Then after the debacle of a loss, Moss questioned his team's preparedness, saying he knew the team wasn't focused even before the game began. While Smith held his tongue regarding the juxtaposition of Moss's two stances, the disrespect for the game that those actions and words conveyed undoubtedly troubled him. "If he's going to sacrifice his body for this game, and then he's got Randy Moss arguing with security guards before an NFC title game, and then Moss saying he knew they weren't ready to play, that kind of thing might have played a role in Robert's decision," a source said. The Vikings' collapse against the Giants might have also played a role. Smith might also have tired of Minnesota's pattern of getting close to the brass ring, only to fail again and again in the playoffs. With their defense shockingly exposed, the Vikings appear no closer to that long-pursued Super Bowl appearance than they've ever been. Smith probably figured that out as well. Cornrich disputes that Smith's medical situation had anything to do with his retirement decision. But he sheds little light on what drove Smith to quit on top or what his now former client will do in the future. Smith is said to be planning no retirement news conference and wants as little fanfare as possible. If that's the case, he'll probably get his wish. In the end, Smith's getaway was about as sudden and unexpected as one of his patented 70-yard game-breaking touchdown runs, which usually came on about his 23rd carry of the day. He would see a hole, hit it, and be gone. Game over. But all along we knew that Robert Smith had more to do with his life than merely run with the football. We just didn't know the rest of his life would get here so soon. Don Banks covers pro football for CNNSI.com.
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