Smith gives skeptics a little to think about
UpdatedSep 12, 2011 6:25 AM ETHallmark is rushing to Bay Area stores its new line of greetingcards. Look for 'em under the heading, "Sorry, Alex!" 49ers. Harbaugh's debut, Smith's newlife, the possibility of losing the opener to the truly challengedSeahawks.Smith completed 15 of 20 passes for 124 yards and had a passerrating of 90.4. He ran an offense that turned the ball over zerotimes.Yet Smith's game had something for everyone. For the hard-corehaters, his offense was 1-for-12 on third-down conversions, and thethird quarter was wretched - six total pass plays that resulted inminus-2 net yards passing.But Smith's drive just before halftime? Yessir. Five straightpassing plays, four completions for 29 yards and an 11-yardscramble, then his 1-yard touchdown plunge.So there's plenty of ammo for both sides in today's water-coolerdebates.Here's the thing you should know about the guy, though: It'salmost eerie how unaffected by the haters Smith seems.Other quarterbacks in his situation might have developed ashoulder chip the size of Alcatraz. Other quarterbacks might haveused Sunday's victory as a forum to suggest where the haters couldstuff their negativity.Not Smith. Either he somehow has ignored the criticism, he is afantastic actor, or he has a Teflon hide that deflects slings andarrows. Is he really such a nice, well-balanced young man that hecannot be simmering over all the bad stuff?Asked after the game if this win gives him a measure ofvindication over the doubters, Smith looked almost puzzled."I don't know about vindication," he said. "It's 1-0 - that'sgreat. The biggest thing for a quarterback is getting the win, finda way. Defense helped a lot tonight, special teams ... "If you're wondering what the heck Harbaugh saw in this guy togive him another shot in San Francisco, there's a clue. Smith canshut out a lot of outside bullcorn and focus on football. That's askill Harbaugh also possesses.They're both driven by a desire to play really good, efficient,winning football, not by a need to prove the world wrong.After all Smith has gone through - and, yes, after all he's putyou fans through - he's still the engaging, intelligent, likableguy next door.It's significant that when Smith scored on that 1-yard scramblewith time running out in the first half for a 16-0 lead, Harbaughgreeted him on the sideline with a hug. Yes, the 49ers' coach is channeling his innerTommy Lasorda.Clearly, these two men are in sync. Harbaugh is the voice inSmith's helmet radio before every play. Apparently, Smith respondsto logical, intelligent, creative input."I think it's just great to have the direct line with coachHarbaugh," Smith said. "You get the little things here and there,the little reminders."Harbaugh's voice has to be soothing reassurance to Smith,something new for him.It worked out great Sunday, although there were times theSeahawks didn't look so much like a team that was poorly coached aslike a team that was uncoached. For the 49ers, the road gets rockier nextweek against the Cowboys.Smith and Harbaugh will quickly move on to that challenge, butSmith left no doubt that this win meant something deep."It was special," he said, "to be able ... to hold up your endof the deal."This will be an intriguing ongoing story - Smith versus theleague and Smith versus the local doubters/haters/skeptics.One thing Smith knows is that you can't always be on top andthat you have to keep the faith. As he walked out of Candlestick onSunday, he was wearing a Giants ballcap.Of the quarterbacks who were the first QBs taken in the past 10drafts, only Smith and Matthew Stafford played and won onSunday.Smith, a Seattle native, has feasted, relatively speaking, onthe Seahawks' defense. He's had a 90-plus passer rating in 16 ofhis 55 career games 29 percent. But against Seattle, he's 5-of-9 56percent.
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Post je objavljen 13.09.2011. u 04:16 sati.