Monday, April 19, 1999
Smith shows 'special qualities'
Bengals see his leadership
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Akili Smith
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Forget the John Elway release, the Randall Cunningham legs and the Frank Merriwell season.
How about the Boomer Esiason leadership traits?
Akili Smith, the Bengals' top pick, arrived at Spinney Field Sunday and at least talked a Boomerish game. Smith flashed the charisma the Bengals hope gives them their first assertive, fill-the-locker-room presence since Esiason's heyday a decade ago.
“I'll let you speculate on that,' said Bengals offensive coordinator Ken Anderson. “I think this kid has got some special qualities.”
The Bengals have lacked a high-profile player who doubles as a spokesman for years, but Smith didn't shy away from what he sees as a quarterback's responsibilities.
“They didn't take the trade offer from (Saints coach) Mike Ditka, so now the responsibility is on me to change the franchise,” Smith said.
Asked if it is a quarterback's responsability responsibility to step up everyone's level of play, Smith said:
“If a team isn't doing it, then the leader of the team, the quarterback, or lineman, or whoever, it's your responsibility to do that. You can tell if a guy is in the weight room not working hard, just going through the workout, or a guy is just going through the practice. If you're the leader, let the guy know he's supposed to be (working hard).”
Oregon offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford watched Smith convince 60 players to stay in Eugene last summer to work out and get ready for the 1998 season.
“He's not your average kid coming out of college,” Tedford said. “He's been through some things. He's seen a lot of life. He certainly can lead.”
Tedford lived the process. In order to focus Smith's grasp of the offense, the two played “checkers,” by the hour. Tedford would be the defense. Smith would be across the board on offense, having to explain his every move.
Smith played pro baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization for two years, an experience he says matured him and prepared him for this moment. But it also was in baseball he was able to show his leadership.
He was upset when the Pirates moved him from behind the plate to the outfield. He had been a catcher since Little League.
“When you're a catcher, you see the whole field,” Smith said. “You're telling guys there are one or two outs or whatever ... Keep the guys motivated.”
Smith figures he has to be careful walking into a new situation. Especially when the starting quarterback is still Jeff Blake.
“I'm going to sit in here and talk to each person to get to know them,” Smith said. “See what kind of personality they have. Find the right approach to come and talk to those guys.”
It had to warm the heart of Bengals President Mike Brown to see Smith has taken the lead in stoking the Browns-Bengals rivalry. Brown's father, Paul, was fired by the old Browns as coach in 1962. Nearly 40 years later, the expansion Browns passed on Smith to take Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch.
Smith reiterated his belief Sunday the Browns negotiated with him the day before the draft merely as leverage to sign Couch. And he said how nice it was he would get to prove to the Browns twice a year what they missed.
“It's all right with me that he feels that way,” Brown said. “I just want the people in Cleveland to know I didn't have anything to do with it. It's going to jump-start this rivalry. It was our big rival, and I think this is going to start it up again. Which is something that I think will be fun for everybody.”
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