Florio's history vs. Smitty (last Florio thread I SWEAR!!)

[Dpantherman]

I did some digging, and heavy research. and I found old stuff of Florio w/ a serious case of diarrhea of the mouth. I vow to quit talking about Florio for while. (hopefully for good). But this was noteworthy nonetheless. yes i edited this.

POSTED 9:15 a.m. EST, November 7, 2003

Panthers receiver Steve "So-So" Smith threw a hissy-fit a few weeks back when team officials allegedly referred to him as a "marginal receiver." Since then, Smith has blossomed into a marginal fantasy owner's dream-come-true, averaging 7.5 catches, 110.5 yards, and 0.75 touchdowns per game since being removed from the starting lineup.

But league insiders still view Smith as a fringe performer, and as a first-class turd. "His personal foul against Houston," said one league insider, which resulted from kicking an opponent, "really shows how he has matured and grown from his anger management problems." Suggesting that the penalty ultimately cost the Panthers the game against the Texans, the source said, "What [smith] doesn't understand is the rest of the league doesn't think he's that good, either."

Since he's completing only his third year in the league, the best Smith legitimately can hope for is a first-round tender as a restricted free agent. And given a history of swinging his fists, running his mouth, and kicking his leg, no one (except maybe the Redskins) will be making Smith a big-money offer, regardless of what he does over the rest of the season.

http://archive.profootballtalk.com/11-1-03to11-30-03archive.htm

11:08 a.m. EST, November 11, 2005:

Panthers WR Steve Smith doesn't want to talk about T.O. (but our guess is that Smith would love to sucker punch him in the film room).

http://archive.profootballtalk.com/11-09-05through11-15-05.htm

10:10 a.m. EDT, April 17, 2006

Panthers receiver Steve Smith hasn't exactly rolled out the welcome wagon for receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who signed last month with Carolina after being cut by the Cowboys.

During an April 7 celebrity golf tournament hosted by former N.C. State stars Torry and Terrence Holt, Smith told the Raleigh News & Observer that Keyshawn is no replacement for Muhsin Muhammad, who was dumped by the Panthers in 2005.

Asked if Johnson will help the Panthers' offense, Smith said: "I don't know. Everybody wants me to speculate. I can't speculate. The natural thing to say is 'yeah he's going to help us', but time will tell.

"Nobody plays like Moose," Smith added. "Nobody ever will play like Moose to me."

Smith, in our view, can expect a response -- public or private -- from Johnson, who has shown a tendency to fly off the handle from time to time. So has Smith, who several years ago suckered punch a teammate in the film room.

And it could be that Smith is in the process of developing into yet another NFL pass-catching diva, who might feel threatened by the arrival of a guy who once upon a time was far bigger than Smith has yet become. Though Smith is younger and, in our view, better than Johnson, Keyshawn could ring up superior numbers in 2006, since Smith will continue to be blanketed by opposing defenses -- making it easier for Johnson to get free.

http://archive.profootballtalk.com/4-17-06.htm

9:27 p.m. EDT, September 21, 2006

Panthers Steve Smith practiced at close to full speed on Thursday, only one day after he angrily rejected suggestions that his ssssslow recovery from hamstring injuries was influenced by his sssssubstandard contract.

Coincidence?

"You hold your breath, but it looks like he made it through pretty good," coach John Fox said. "He looked good in the things he did on the practice field today. We'll just see how he looks and feels tomorrow."

We have a feeling he'll look pretty damn good, and that he'll play on Sunday against the Buccaneers.

http://archive.profootballtalk.com/9-16-06through9-30-06.htm

10:36 a.m. EDT, September 21, 2006

Panthers receiver Steve Smith insisted on Wednesday that he's not embellishing a hamstring injury due to dissatisfaction with his contract.

"For the people who are insulting me and this organization, who think I'm going to stoop down to that level, that's not me," Smith said. "There are a lot of other things I can be doing if I'm holding out. [Editor's note: Such as . . . sucker punching a teammate in the film room?] I can go home. I can go to the lake house with my family. I can do a lot of things more important than to make a [fool] out of myself and the organization. You're foolish to think that."

Though the AP continues to refuse to acknowledge us in print, Wednesday's story at least implicitly recognized our existence with this paragraph: "Last week, an Internet site speculated that Smith might be sitting out to gain leverage for a new contract. The Tampa Tribune repeated the rumor this week."

Again, we're not saying that Smith is milking the injury so that the Panthers can realize how crappy they'd be without him. (By the way, if it's a ploy -- it's working.) But a growing number of league insiders who have considered Smith's substandard contract, his history of erratic behavior (such as sucker punching a teammate in the film room), and the inherently subjective nature of the resolution of hamstring injuries believe that there could be a connection.

And if there is, if Smith has decided to take this route, does anyone expect him to admit it?

"If I want to sit out, if I'm trying to make a point, Deion Branch is a great example of making a point," said Smith. "Sitting out with a real pulled hamstring, that's not the way to go. It's sickening, actually. All the stuff I had to go through -- the treatments, the surgery on my toe. There's a shorter route to go than all the stuff I went through the last 10 weeks."

But there are reasons to not follow the Deion Branch path. About 14,000 of them, per day. And then there's the $9 million in bonus money that Smith received in 2004. Depending on the specific language of Smith's deal, he could have been facing upwards of $6 million in repayment obligations if he had opted to breach his contract by holding out.

Bottom line -- Smith has a bad contract in comparison to other high end receivers, talks reported in June regarding an extension have gone nowhere, he hasn't played yet this year due to a leg muscle injury that is sufficiently fuzzy to permit player embellishment, and he denies that he's trying to make a statement to the team by not playing.

None of that means Smith is faking. But it doesn't mean that he isn't, either.

http://archive.profootballtalk.com/9-16-06through9-30-06.htm

Rams CB Tye Hill has angered Panthers WR Steve Smith with some trash talk. (Luckily for Hill, Smith only punches teammates, not opponents.)

Folks there is SO much more. You saw where it all started. Im tired. I actually did some digging. I will leave you with a funny little nugget that he wrote that should make you laugh. this one was from 2003:

PANTHERS POISED FOR A COLLAPSE?

Don't look now, but there are rumblings in league circles that the Carolina Panthers could collapse over the second half of the 2003 season.

Said one scout who attended the Panthers' 14-10 loss to the Texans on Sunday, "[T]he wheels are starting to come off this bus. They do not have a starting NFL type quarterback on this team, and the guys they have cannot rally them. Look for them to fade."

Since starting the season 5-0, the Panthers have struggled, getting blown out by the Titans at home, beating the Saints narrowly in overtime, and then losing on the road to the Texans, who were forced to play with forgotten-but-not-gone quarterback Tony Banks.

http://archive.profootballtalk.com/11-1-03to11-30-03archive.htm

of course we then went on a run all the way to the Super Bowl. Florio and his "sources".

[Dpantherman]

i really wanted to post more, because there is so much. but like I said, its time consuming, but its out there. (plus its too much read)

[Fiz]

lol

[Fiz]

how about everyone just stop going to PFT and posting articles that might help

[Kurb]

Fiz is right.

Stop clicking on that motherfugers shitass fuging site!

[Dpantherman]

how about everyone just stop going to PFT and posting articles that might help

Im REALLY going to try. the a-hole breaks news alot. but i guess if i dont click, he doesn't get the hit right? damn him!

[Montsta]

f**k Florio. Every article he writes about Smith involves sucker-punching a teammate. Get the f**k over it man. Florio, not you dpantherman09.

[Seal (SmittyIsOurSavior)]

Bet the Skins wish they could've had Smitty back in '03.

[Proudiddy]

how about everyone just stop going to PFT and posting articles that might help

hear hear!

He's a f*cking joke.

And everything he posts follows the same pattern.

1) Provide a fact in opening paragraph or so.

2) Use said fact to lead into speculative statements prefaced by "an unknown source" or a "source with knowledge" to try and give speculative statements credibility.

3) Use source as a platform for Florio's own views. Thus, Florio is speaking through the source, b/c HE IS the source. Who is going to question him? He has his own website.

But as I said in the other thread, I don't think he expected this to go this far, and now he's gonna get called on his b.s. Hopefully he loses his deal with NBC and falls off into obscurity. What people will do for a buck now... SMH.

Just don't go to his website anymore - I know it's hard dpantherman, lol...

[Dpantherman]

hey! why does everyone think im going to be the first one to crack under pressure?! i got this man!!! :hurray:

[Swarly]

it's fine to post articles, just don't put the links in.