Smitty and Lucas in a fight?

or his agent saying it

not that agents can be trusted

 

Smith doesn't strike me as stupid, thus he must know he fucked up.

However,

I actually think pointing a gun at a civilian is WAY worse than one football player sucker-punching another. I don't even think it's close.

 

That's why I ultimately left the cube scene...I was finding it difficult to not beat the hell out of people in the office. I once had a dream I walked into the office and punched everyone with in reach (women excluded). After my boss followed me to the bathroom and later to a co-workers desk when I was one of the top 3 performers in the office, I decided it was time for a career change or throw down...I'd still like to beat my former bosses ass though.
I wasn't a perfect employee, but no one deserves to be ridden bareback when they are performing at a level as I was.

On Topic: Scuffles happen, but this was a little more extreme than your typical football brawl. Words being exchanged on the sidelines and no one steps up and squashes it...THAT is a leadership problem.
Lucas likely pushed it too far, but that doesn't excuse Smith. Smith should be suspended a minimum of 2 games and Lucas should probably get a game for his part. You can't dance without a partner.

 

As fucked up as it is that Smitty did that - and it's totally fucked up in a loose nut kinda way - that's exactly what I love about the guy.

He's tiger balm on the ballsack crazy. But he's our tiger balm on the nutsack crazy, and he's damn good.

 

Dennis Rodman crazy?

 

Am I the only one having flashbacks of Kevin Greene choking Kevin Steele mid-game?

 

uhhhhh....

....it all comes back to money! 'Ol Stevie probably could care less of his part in the beat down, but when the man strips him of his duckets, he'll be sorry.

 

The pic of Smitty talking (assuming he's appologizing) to Lucas speaks volumes.

 

Gannt from the Rock Hill Herald (or Heraldonline.com) just chimed in

One of the next sounds Steve Smith can expect to hear is a ticking clock.
That's when what he did on Friday is going to hit him harder than he hit Ken Lucas.

When Carolina Panthers players do something dumb, usually one of their first stops is the home of owner Jerry Richardson. When they enter the house, they're usually shown to a side room, which includes a grandfather clock.

Richardson makes them wait there, with the only sound the ticking, or their own heartbeats in their throats.

Smith's heard it before, which is going to make this meeting more pointed and more important to his future and the franchise's.

Smith and Richardson have a unique bond.

Richardson picks certain players as if he's adopting them, takes them under his wing, counsels them about making good decisions -- with their money, with their lives. Smith's one of those guys. They dine together, talk -- and not on an employee-employer level.

"We have a different relationship," Smith said earlier this summer. "The things we talk about, 75 percent of the time, aren't even about football. We talk about things, and sometimes football is the last thing on the agenda."

The next time they talk, the agenda includes one item.

Ever since his 2002 punching of a teammate, Smith's been on guard and getting help.

Anger management counseling's been part of his life ever since he jumped Anthony Bright. Those close to him can't believe the changes they've seen. By all accounts, the transformation from angry young man to respected leader was amazing. He was voted a captain last year and stood in genuine awe of the announcement, since he'd never had such an honor.

People were counting on him. For a guy who works alone, that mattered.

There was no way to see this coming.

Earlier this week, Smith whiled away the moments between practices at a computer in the cafeteria lobby. He was checking his stocks, chatting on the phone about buying and selling. His wife and kids showed up later that day, and he was beaming, forgetting for a moment the drudgery of camp.

Then, inexplicably, he snapped again.

He's been after Ken Lucas since the Panthers signed the cornerback in 2005. In Smith's mind, catching touchdowns is part of his job. But he also feels a responsibility to help pick the roster, and Lucas became his target. Pecking orders were going to be established, and it started with their first camp confrontation. Throughout the years, their battles have been among the fiercest you can imagine between guys on the same side.

But it never came to this.

After arguing over who was using dirty tactics on whom, Smith got up and punched Lucas in the face. Lucas was still on one knee, unable to defend himself.
Just like Smith's going to be when he hears that clock.

There's no explanation for this one. Nothing he can say to make it better. Chances were offered before, and although there were years before the relapse, it's happened again.

That's why his mentor, his counsel, the guy he respects (and there aren't that many) is going to have to be the one to punish him.

They could kick him out of training camp, but he hates it, so that's no harm.

They could fine Smith, and that'll hurt him because his wallet fits tighter than his helmet, but not enough.

They have no choice but to suspend him.

Make him sit, a game or more. Four's the most they can, and that sounds about right.

The question's already been asked today -- how can a coach perceived to be on the hot seat sit a guy who's central to his future employment?

That answer's easy. If they don't drop the hammer on Smith, and make it sting, they're going to lose much more than a football game.

Let him off the hook, and the rest of the locker room will know there's a star system, that the rules are different for some players. Let that get out there, and this season could be over before it starts.

There's no question they have to suspend him. The only question is for how long.

But the worst part for Smith's going to come when he hears that clock tick, the one he's heard before.

He's disappointed a man who trusted him and gambled on him.

Making amends with him's going to take longer than any suspension could ever last.


Why in the hell, if Smith has had a hardon for this guy hasn't someone put an emd to this shit earlier

 

15 fucking seconds could have just flushed our season down the motherfucking toilet.