'Bruce Smith: "A Football Life"

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said:

eh, I wouldn’t be so quick to judge him. Bruce was a Dick. There were numerous instances -well publicized- of questionable decisions, comments & actions to confirm this. Most Bills fans took the stance that ‘yes, he’s a Dick. But he’s OUR DICK!’  

I’m glad to see this side of him revealed!

always thought he was kind of mellow  

 

 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

4 hours ago, John Adams said:

Maybe the opinion of one guy whose agenda you know nothing about shouldn't be your only source. Or one you vaguely share here in double anonymous  hearsay. 

Well, I’m not really trying to prove anything. And this former player wasn’t trying to either— I was shooting the bull with him and asked him about some of the players on those 90s teams, and that’s what he said about Bruce. Also said he was the most talented player he had ever seen.  But certainly take it for what it’s worth. 

[dave mcbride]

1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said:

eh, I wouldn’t be so quick to judge him. Bruce was a Dick. There were numerous instances -well publicized- of questionable decisions, comments & actions to confirm this. Most Bills fans took the stance that ‘yes, he’s a Dick. But he’s OUR DICK!’  

I’m glad to see this side of him revealed!

Yep. 

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

on a serious note. the showcase of Bruce's life and football career was awesome. brought back a lot of memories. that team had a chip, kind of like this young team now does. but no doubt Bruce Smith was a dominate force to reckon with and became one hell of a human being.

Edited December 1, 2019 by DaBillsFanSince1973

[BillsPride12]

2 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

This is interesting (to me) and I wonder if it's generational.

 

After maybe Aaron Rodgers, I can't think of a starting QB who is the historical arrogant, smug, pompous d-bag (that Aaron Rodgers is).

 

I do think Rosen comes off that way, but for some reason, I think that kid is misunderstood.

It does seem like a generational thing to me as well but I'm not exactly sure why.  A lot of the superstar athletes from the 90s and I'm sure before then had a larger than life feel to them and they carried themselves that way whereas it seems a lot of athletes nowadays seem a bit more grounded.  Part of me wonders if its the power of social media and if they are being coached up to carry themselves a certain way. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, Gugny said:

This is interesting (to me) and I wonder if it's generational.

After maybe Aaron Rodgers, I can't think of a starting QB who is the historical arrogant, smug, pompous d-bag (that Aaron Rodgers is).

I do think Rosen comes off that way, but for some reason, I think that kid is misunderstood.

 

Ha.  Well, to your "generational" point - my first thought was Big Ben, who was of course drafted the year before Rodgers.  I have kind of had that "vibe" from Cam Newton.  I think if he'd stayed healthy after the Superbowl loss he'd likely have gone there. 

 

Mayfield IMO shows fine promise of becoming the same kind of chap. 

 

Winston was headed down that road, but he took a left turn at the "you aren't that good, Son" detour

 

Rosen has had the d-bag beaten out of him I think.  He's had to swallow a huge dose of humility and come to terms with the fact that he didn't, in fact, know as much as he thought he knew, and if he wants to play in the league he better batten down and start learning.

 

I think part of the issue is that we don't have any up-and-coming QBs who came into the league as the Annointed One and have made good, long term, in the same kind of way as Brady-Rodgers-Brees-Big Ben. 

 

[Gugny]

13 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Ha.  Well, to your "generational" point - my first thought was Big Ben, who was of course drafted the year before Rodgers.  I have kind of had that "vibe" from Cam Newton.  I think if he'd stayed healthy after the Superbowl loss he'd likely have gone there. 

 

Mayfield IMO shows fine promise of becoming the same kind of chap. 

 

Winston was headed down that road, but he took a left turn at the "you aren't that good, Son" detour

 

Rosen has had the d-bag beaten out of him I think.  He's had to swallow a huge dose of humility and come to terms with the fact that he didn't, in fact, know as much as he thought he knew, and if he wants to play in the league he better batten down and start learning.

 

I think part of the issue is that we don't have any up-and-coming QBs who came into the league as the Annointed One and have made good, long term, in the same kind of way as Brady-Rodgers-Brees-Big Ben. 

 

 

To your point, the most recent gigantic d-bags to be drafted early/anointed, who come to my mind are Mayfield and Manziel.

 

Manziel never saw the sign for the "you're not that good, Son," detour.  I doubt Mayfield will, either.  And I don't think he'll be a great QB when it's all said and done.

 

Allen's got swagger, which I love.  Mayfield doesn't have swagger.  He's just a jerk.

[buffaloboyinATL]

On 11/30/2019 at 6:40 AM, Frez said:

 My wife stayed up last night and watched it before she came to bed.

Did she come to bed ready to “rush the quarterback”?

 

 

 

p.s. I watched it this morning and it was very good. Made me wish I could go to Chefs today for a Bruce Smith special.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2019 by buffaloboyinATL

[KD in CA]

12 hours ago, JR in Pittsburgh said:

Bruce is my all-time favorite Buffalo Bill. I need to see this. 

 

That said, I was talking to a former teammate of his who said Bruce was pretty much a jerk during those 90s years—ie, not a good teammate at all. Sort of changed my view of Bruce. 

 

From watching the show it sounds like Bruce more or less acknowledged that he was a jerk in his early years and then eventually grew up and became the man he is today.  That's part of what makes his story compelling.

 

 

p.s.  same story with Jim....and probably lots of other guys who play pro sports.

Edited December 1, 2019 by KD in CA

[bbb]

 

3 hours ago, Helpmenow said:

Thought was good, but not like the Kelly and Thomas one. Boomer thought highly of Bruce. Taster did a lot talking

 

I didn't get Tasker saying "I saw him come in as a fat, arrogant rookie" or something close to that.....................Tasker wasn't on the team until Bruce had already played a year and a half for the Bills??

[Dirtyd415]

6 minutes ago, bbb said:

 

 

I didn't get Tasker saying "I saw him come in as a fat, arrogant rookie" or something close to that.....................Tasker wasn't on the team until Bruce had already played a year and a half for the Bills??

I think he meant come into the league, and being the #1 overall pick I’m sure people were watching/reporting about him on all the other teams. 

[bbb]

36 minutes ago, Dirtyd415 said:

I think he meant come into the league, and being the #1 overall pick I’m sure people were watching/reporting about him on all the other teams. 

 

It can be interpreted that way, but if you didn't happen to know he didn't come a year and a half later, you would think Tasker was witnessing this first hand in the Bills locker room. 

[PonyBoy]

Having watched this show on Bruce. In todays NFL he would have had only about 50 sacks for his career. He crushed, drilled and pummeled qb's. League would never allow so many of his sacks anymore. Forgot how much the NFL used to be a league for men, qb's included. They didnt whine getting up looking for flags every sack. Show was well done, made me long for the old days,  Superbowl losses included.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

5 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

This is interesting (to me) and I wonder if it's generational.

 

After maybe Aaron Rodgers, I can't think of a starting QB who is the historical arrogant, smug, pompous d-bag (that Aaron Rodgers is).

 

I do think Rosen comes off that way, but for some reason, I think that kid is misunderstood.

 

Faker?

[Gugny]

24 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

 

Faker?

 

I meant good QBs.  

[njbuff]

You learn after watching this...............

 

Great football player, better human being.

[Houston's #1 Bills Fan]

On ‎12‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 1:23 PM, PonyBoy said:

Having watched this show on Bruce. In todays NFL he would have had only about 50 sacks for his career. He crushed, drilled and pummeled qb's. League would never allow so many of his sacks anymore. Forgot how much the NFL used to be a league for men, qb's included. They didnt whine getting up looking for flags every sack. Show was well done, made me long for the old days,  Superbowl losses included.

Yeah, totally agree. I loved watching Bruce grab a QB by just the jersey and swing him around!! Can you imagine the whining from Brady if he played against Bruce?!?!?!?!?!? He wouldn't have last this long, that's for sure. Bruce was special and I'm so glad I got to see him play every weekend.

 

I think that's one thing this team is missing currently. A truly dominant, opposing defense, have to plan for type of player. You think back to the LT days, Bruce days, Reggie White days, etc. One guy that you HAD to plan for. That's what we need. Watching the Houston/Louisville Ed Oliver highlight game, maybe Ed can be that guy.

[Steve O]

On 12/1/2019 at 8:46 AM, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Well, in the Football Life film, Steve Tasker said as much about what Bruce was like in the '80s - that he and Kelly didn't like each other at all initially, and that was "understandable because neither one of them was very likeable".  Some of the other guys, Bennett and Talley, implied similar - that if they all went to a restaurant Bruce was all "I need a table...I need a drink...bring me some bread, I'm starving" and he's like "hello, we all feel the same, that's why we're in a restaurant"

 

The implication, though, was that he changed or at least smoothed things out after a few years.  That he and Kelly became huge friends.

 

And he did some really good things, too, as the film profiles.  Most people are complicated, neither 100% good men or 100% jerk.

 

I will say in contrast to Kelly or Smith I have the impression that Allen is a good teammate and very likeable.  He came from a different path - no one was all over him as the rising star/5 star recruit in high school or college, he had to persuade people to "buy in" and support him - which you do by making people laugh and generally being likeable and leading from the front, giving it your all physically (on top of probably a few jerk-y traits like never wanting to get off the ping pong table - hopefully minor in the scheme of things)

"There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it ill behooves any of us to find fault with the rest of us." - James Truslow Adams

 

 

[BADOLBILZ]

On 12/1/2019 at 2:23 PM, PonyBoy said:

Having watched this show on Bruce. In todays NFL he would have had only about 50 sacks for his career. He crushed, drilled and pummeled qb's. League would never allow so many of his sacks anymore. Forgot how much the NFL used to be a league for men, qb's included. They didnt whine getting up looking for flags every sack. Show was well done, made me long for the old days,  Superbowl losses included.

 

 

Actually Bruce was known for being a pretty genteel sacker for his era.   It used to piss some people off when he would pull up against Marino and others and you almost never saw Bruce spear a QB in the back.......a signature of more violent hitters of the day.

 

And interestingly he had 5 sacks negated by defensive holding in 1990.    His sack numbers were definitely depressed by the Bills 3-4 read and react scheme and the fact that teams ran the ball a lot more then than now.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

On 12/1/2019 at 11:33 AM, bbb said:

 

 

I didn't get Tasker saying "I saw him come in as a fat, arrogant rookie" or something close to that.....................Tasker wasn't on the team until Bruce had already played a year and a half for the Bills??

 

Correct, both drafted in '85 and Tasker acquired by the Bills in '86.

 

Don't know.  I'm pretty sure Smith played ST esp. his first years, and Tasker undoubtedly played Teams for Houston.  We played them '85 so perhaps that's what he means.