🏈 Andre Smith: On the Move

[Perdido Tide]

ATLANTA - As Andre Smith's truck pulls into the sweeping driveway of the Great Gatsby home overlooking the sprawling Sugarloaf Country Club earlier this week, the Bengals No. 1 pick has the NFL lesson plopped in front of him.


Tony Jones, the old left tackle who anchored playoff teams in Cleveland and Denver in the '90s, welcomes the protégé to his home and cocks his head to an even bigger house across the street.


"Michael Vick's house. I don't even think the grass has been cut," says Jones simply and, really, what else can be said?


What you can say is that Smith is taking one last deep breath before heading to Cincinnati to take part in the rookie camp that begins Friday. Although he's taking a day off from working out, before he leaves he's checking in with the people who worked him back into a top 10 pick.


They range from Olympic Gold Medalist Chryste Gaines, to Jones, the man who protected John Elway's blind side when he finally got the ring, to a fiftysomething who turns eternal every time he goes into his gym and outworks kids half his age.


"He never gave up; that was the big thing," says Ty Felder, the fiftysomething who goes by "Ropeman" because, legend has it the veins pop out of his arms.


"I never say my age," he says, although the white in his beard spreading to his smile is a clue. "I'm in my 50s. But I’ll tell you I've got a son 35, a daughter 36, five grandkids and one great grandson."


Jones is 42, but he sees the future of left tackle and it is Smith. Even though the Bengals figure to line him up at right tackle Friday, Smith isn't so sure he'll end up there once they see what they've got.

More here.

 

[TerryP]

:icon_salut:

'preciate the link!

 

[bamabarney]

Hope he does well up there.

 

[bamaboyinmn]

i hope he stays focus and makes all of us proud.

 

[austexbama]

Nice, Thanks for the update

Roll Tide Roll!!

 

[wildbilladams]

Wish all the luck for Mr. Smith and hopes he makes all tide fans proud.:a:

 

[kc]

Good luck Smitty. Lets see some pancakes....and I do not mean at the table.

RTR