Steve Smith Is ON WFNZ Having A Confessional, Won't Let the Story End

[tiger7_88]

Ultimately, I believe it went down pretty much how Smitty said... 

 

 

Because of the well-known and studied reputation for accuracy of emotional drama queens?

[PhillyB]

Smith redefines a nice gesture by Rivera as something done for image only.  Consider, however, that Rivera didn't go looking for the cameras or make a big deal about going to find Smith.  In fact, he didn't do anything to try and publicize it at all. 

 

Smith, on the other hand, called a radio station far away from him that doesn't cover his current team specifically to talk about himself and how he saw things happening.  He made it a story when it wasn't one.

 

That is the response of a total narcissist.

 

end thread.

 

unless ron rivera is actually a shitheaded little weasel and none of us know it, steve has demolished the credibility of his narrative with this particular piece.

[Mr. Scot]

end thread.

 

unless ron rivera is actually a shitheaded little weasel and none of us know it, steve has demolished the credibility of his narrative with this particular piece.

 

Plenty of other players have expressed a load of respect for Rivera.

 

I might expect some of them to react to this, but my guess is Rivera will advise them not to.

 

 

[Proudiddy]

I was going to let it go having said my piece, but I just heard part of the interview and I have no idea how people are questioning Smitty's credibility.

Now, I didnt hear the "you hit your teammates but not your wife," part, but in particular what he just said about Rivera. How do you think that's misjudged or embellished because of narcissism? LOL. That's pretty cut and dry. Rivera does take pride in being a player's coach as a former player, and a lot player's appreciate that (See guys like Gross, TD, and IIRC, Smitty even stood up for him when he was on the hotseat a few years ago).

There was no lying about that. It was classless. Maybe Rivera just doesn't do well with confrontation or conflicts, but there is no excuse. All Smitty wanted was some feedback and insight. "How do you feel about things?" That would be like having a good friend at your work who happens to be a supervisor and management decides to fire you, so your friend cuts you off.

You all think that is acceptable? Lol. A lot of people are claiming sour grapes on Smitty's behalf, but if you ask me, the way a lot of our fans have turned on him for being unceremoniously kicked from the team, that shows who is really sour.

I didn't hear anything to suggest he was making it up or that it was colored in his own narcissistic perception of things. It sounded very straightforward and honest.

Some of ya'll trip me out... you act like our franchise is infallible and wouldn't possibly mishandle the situation. And usually, it's the same people that were posting "just be patient, there's plenty of season left" every time Fox started a mediocre 7-9 season and then Rivera as well. I don't understand. I bleed black and blue. The Panthers are in my DNA, but they ain't paying me to toe the company line. They are humans. They can become involved in personal disputes and spats. They can make mistakes.

[Cpt slay a ho]

I seriously doubt what Smith described being said is anywhere close to the truth.

 

But to be perfectly honest, I don't really give a rip if my team's GM says "sorry, we're releasing you" or "don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out" as long as he builds a good team.

 

He built one that looked pretty good last season.  This season doesn't look as good, though injuries play a role.  We'll see how it looks by season's end.

 

Bottom Line: I worry a lot less about whether a guy's feelings were hurt by his release than I do about whether he was released for good reason.

 

although i agree to a certain point, there's a way to get business done without acting as described by smith(if true)

 

 

he can still built the team as he please and give players respect, you can be a likeable boss and still get the job done.

 

this also can affect the FA's who come here, would guys rather play for an a hole boss or a guy who gives equal respect

 

again this is if this is true about DG,which i doubt smith is lying but i'm hoping so

[CatMan72]

What reason does he have to lie?? He already embarrassed our franchise and the whole world saw it. He doesn't have to throw our lies to make Dave look bad because he did that on the field.

 

Yeah, I mean it's not like he's bitter about being cut or anything - right? 

 

I don't think he's telling outright lies, I think he's just grossly misrepresenting the things that were said and done to justify his hurt feelings. 

[tiger7_88]

Why did Steve feel the needs to call in? This has to be the first time I've ever heard of a professional athlete calling a radio station on his own terms to "set the record straight." I feel somewhere down the line GMan told Smitty's agent that he appeared to have lost a step, lost of some of his competitiveness or whatever and told his agent Smitty would be evaluated. The agent twists this with typical agent speak, Smitty gets worked up (as he always does) and now we're here.

I also felt like Garcia was tooling around to encourage some of those responses.

There's a latin phrase to determine the source of a problem... "cui bono?"

"Who profits?"

The Panthers? No... it cost the Panthers money to make this move.

Steve Smith? Well, Smith is making his payoff from the Panthers plus a Ravens salary, but his family life (including a new-born) has been placed into turmoil.

Smith's agent?

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... there's the rub.

[Proudiddy]

Yeah, I mean it's not like he's bitter about being cut or anything - right?

I don't think he's telling outright lies, I think he's just grossly misrepresenting the things that were said and done to justify his hurt feelings.

So are we believing the narrative that he was cut again or that he demanded his release because he's a misanthropic asshole midget (because he's not on our team anymore we can say that now, right?)?

This isn't directed towards you Catman, just a general question.

[CatMan72]

I was going to let it go having said my piece, but I just heard part of the interview and I have no idea how people are questioning Smitty's credibility.

Now, I didnt hear the "you hit your teammates but not your wife," part, but in particular what he just said about Rivera. How do you think that's misjudged or embellished because of narcissism? LOL. That's pretty cut and dry. Rivera does take pride in being a player's coach as a former player, and a lot player's appreciate that (See guys like Gross, TD, and IIRC, Smitty even stood up for him when he was on the hotseat a few years ago).

There was no lying about that. It was classless. Maybe Rivera just doesn't do well with confrontation or conflicts, but there is no excuse. All Smitty wanted was some feedback and insight. "How do you feel about things?" That would be like having a good friend at your work who happens to be a supervisor and management decides to fire you, so your friend cuts you off.

You all think that is acceptable? Lol. A lot of people are claiming sour grapes on Smitty's behalf, but if you ask me, the way a lot of our fans have turned on him for being unceremoniously kicked from the team, that shows who is really sour.

I didn't hear anything to suggest he was making it up or that it was colored in his own narcissistic perception of things. It sounded very straightforward and honest.

Some of ya'll trip me out... you act like our franchise is infallible and wouldn't possibly mishandle the situation. And usually, it's the same people that were posting "just be patient, there's plenty of season left" every time Fox started a mediocre 7-9 season and then Rivera as well. I don't understand. I bleed black and blue. The Panthers are in my DNA, but they ain't paying me to toe the company line. They are humans. They can become involved in personal disputes and spats. They can make mistakes.

 

I don't hear Rivera or Gettleman calling WFNZ on their day off to rant about how Smitty treated them...

 

Whether or not Rivera/Gettleman handled it the right way, what purpose was served by Smitty calling into a radio show to rant about it, other than to satisfy his own ego? 

 

The only thing Smitty accomplished today was making himself look petty and bitter while simultaneously validating one of the main reasons he was cut. 

[Mr. Scot]

although i agree to a certain point, there's a way to get business done without acting as described by smith(if true)

 

he can still built the team as he please and give players respect, you can be a likeable boss and still get the job done.

 

this also can affect the FA's who come here, would guys rather play for an a hole boss or a guy who gives equal respect

 

again this is if this is true about DG,which i doubt smith is lying but i'm hoping so

 

Again, having an a--hole making the decisions hasn't affected New England.

 

[Proudiddy]

I don't hear Rivera or Gettleman calling WFNZ on their day off to rant about how Smitty treated them...

Whether or not Rivera/Gettleman handled it the right way, what purpose was served by Smitty calling into a radio show to rant about it, other than to satisfy his own ego?

The only thing Smitty accomplished today was making himself look petty and bitter while simultaneously validating one of the main reasons he was cut.

If you knew you were wronged and then had people in respected positions of power use their resources to badmouth you and make themselves appear as though they handled things professionally and with respect, would you or would you not want to tell anyone that would listen what actually happened?

If someone was lying about you to millions of people, would you or would you not want to defend yourself?

And would you or would you not fight the urge to throw dirt on them in the process?

It's power dynamics and our expectations that are blinding people from what happened here... we expect coaches and GMs (generally older than players with longer resumes, more experience, responsibilities, and maturity) to handle themselves as such, while players are fickle, immature, selfish, manipulative, malcontents. These are the ideas that many approach this situation with, and so their conclusions reflect that.

I have seen, heard, and witnessed grown men in professional positions act petty and manipulative. It happens everyday, regardless of title or workplace environment. Those in power get to write the stories though, and that is the difference. Again, for example, Goodell just got caught lying and being manipulative while trying to cover up his own dirt for the sake of his own image. You catch his recent presser? You're telling me his beyond reproach? That guy is one of the biggest scumbags alive, just because he wears a suit (rather than a jersey) doesn't change that.

[CatMan72]

So are we believing the narrative that he was cut again or that he demanded his release because he's a misanthropic asshole midget (because he's not on our team anymore we can say that now, right?)?

This isn't directed towards you Catman, just a general question.

 

Understand, please don't take any of my responses as anything other than healthy debate. 

 

It's interesting that you bring the cut/demanded release question up because if you listen to his story, you could see how both could be true depending on the timing. 

 

He says G-man told him he was going to be traded (or presumably released if they couldn't find a trade partner) and then both he and his agent were left hanging till sometime in June which was after the start of free agency and something he clearly resented. He then said that both he and his agent made numerous attempts to contact Gettleman to find out what his status was. If one of the sources for Rappoport's story was monitoring that communication, it could have easily been interpreted as Steve asking for his release and for all we know at one point his agent did ask G-man to release his client once FA had begun and no trade partner materialized so Steve could select his own destination. 

 

If I was Steve and the GM told me they were trading me, I would ask for my release so I could choose my next stop, so I wouldn't hold that against him one bit.

 

What I do hold against him is calling up a radio show to rant about all this water under the bridge after he was triggered by the monumental assumption that the Panthers leaked info to Rappoport to paint Steve as the bad guy (said he likes being the bad guy). Regardless of what really happened, it was petty and immature to call up a radio show and rant about it. He got his revenge on Sunday he should have left it at that, because it says more than he could ever put into words.

 

Like they say... living well is the best revenge. 

[fjblair]

what makes steve great and awesome and a real man's man for aggressively doing what he wants and telling anyone who gets in the way to fug off yet gettleman is an asshole and a terrible person for the same thing

 

What a load of BS. Apples and oranges.  Steve Smith is an asshole too but one guy is a GM, essentially a CEO,  and one is a WR.

[Proudiddy]

Understand, please don't take any of my responses as anything other than healthy debate.

It's interesting that you bring the cut/demanded release question up because if you listen to his story, you could see how both could be true depending on the timing.

He says G-man told him he was going to be traded (or presumably released if they couldn't find a trade partner) and then both he and his agent were left hanging till sometime in June which was after the start of free agency and something he clearly resented. He then said that both he and his agent made numerous attempts to contact Gettleman to find out what his status was. If one of the sources for Rappoport's story was monitoring that communication, it could have easily been interpreted as Steve asking for his release and for all we know at one point his agent did ask G-man to release his client once FA had begun and no trade partner materialized so Steve could select his own destination.

If I was Steve and the GM told me they were trading me, I would ask for my release so I could choose my next stop, so I wouldn't hold that against him one bit.

What I do hold against him is calling up a radio show to rant about all this water under the bridge after he was triggered by the monumental assumption that the Panthers leaked info to Rappoport to paint Steve as the bad guy (said he likes being the bad guy). Regardless of what really happened, it was petty and immature to call up a radio show and rant about it. He got his revenge on Sunday he should have left it at that, because it says more than he could ever put into words.

Like they say... living well is the best revenge.

Understood and same here.

As far as how it played out, I don't things that get leaked are coincidence. That's just my opinion. We were taking a beating in the media all week leading up to the game, I think that was strategic on our front office's behalf.