I got to meet former Falcons HC Mike Smith today

[mbmasu32]

Mike Smith is a former East Tennessee State (ETSU) Buccaneer football player and he spoke at a small lunch function in Johnson City, TN today.  Hands down, he is a great guy and currently helping ETSU raise money for a new football stadium.  After he finished his speech, I couldn't help but raise my hand and ask him a couple of football related questions.

I asked him who was the toughest NFL player to game plan against during his coaching career and his answer was no other than Cam Newton.  He was extremely high on Cam and said there was no other player like him in the NFL at his position.

I also asked him about his favorite to win the Super Bowl.  He said his choice is the Carolina Panthers.  

What stuck out to me the most though was what he said about "Culture" being the most important thing for an organization.  He referenced his 3 winning seasons in Atlanta but it made me think of what we are experiencing here in Carolina.  What Rivera is doing with the "Team First" mentality, what our owner & GM are doing by bringing in and keeping high character guys like Thomas Davis, Peanut Tillman, Olsen, Cam & Luke.  But most importantly how all of this is translating into wins.

This season has been great to watch and experience.  I hope we claim our first Super Bowl and I'm excited to see what lies in the future for our organization and the "Culture" that is being created.  Since I was at a work function, I couldn't wear my Luke Jersey but I couldn't resist flashing a little Panthers gear with my keep pounding bracelet.

[SOJA]

damn this is a pretty cool story bro 

[The Huddler]

If you were wearing any panthers gear or if he knew you were a fan somehow before he andwered those questions, its null and void imo. 

 

Hes helping raise money right?

[Doyle]

Everyone just ignore this story because you won't be able to cry about someone hating on us.  

[PhillyB]

1 minute ago, The Huddler said:

If you were wearing any panthers gear or if he knew you were a fan somehow before he andwered those questions, its null and void imo. 

 

Hes helping raise money right?

i doubt he noticed a little bracelet. it's not really that hard to believe anyway. the panthers helped run him out of town by kicking his ass and being special as hell, and the last time he coached a game against us was when cam had reached the cusp of greatness.

i always liked mike smith, i just had to hate him for being a falcon. cool to see him give props.

[hepcat]

No poo he's going to say all that stuff about the team that bashed his team and cost him his job!

[uncfan888]

He was the coach in our division out of all of them that I hated the most. Something about him just rubbed me the wrong way. 

With that being said, it's cool that you got to meet him and that he had high praise for us. Thanks for the write up

[CRA]

cool story.

my initial response was going to be "you better of dabbed on him".  However, considering his reply to your question you appeared to of handled it correctly and let the man be.

[TheRed]

Cool stuff, enjoy some pie.

Though he was the head coach of a division rival, I never really disliked Mike Smith. He always seemed like a pretty decent guy in general. In all honesty, he probably should have been given one more season anyway, their GM is who should have been shown the door a long time ago. But, that's the Falcons for you.

[Lemory]

Nice story. I think Mike should be given another chance to be a HC this year. No one could've won with that falcons squad last year.

[mbmasu32]

Just now, The Huddler said:

If you were wearing any panthers gear or if he knew you were a fan somehow before he andwered those questions, its null and void imo. 

 

Hes helping raise money right?

He wasn't raising money at the luncheon, he was the keynote speaker for a regional economic development organization.  Since he is currently out of football he has been up here more frequently helping ETSU out with their new football program.  I doubt he noticed my keep pounding bracelet when raised my hand, lol.

[jackson113]

Did he pipe in crowd noise?

[teeray]

Smitty was a pretty good coach.  Front office screwed him.  He was scapegoat for bad moves and a noodle armed QB

[Chaos]

You should have asked him what he really thinks about Artie the weasel, and the new sphincter dome.  But cool story.