Lori Posted July 20, 2009 Posted July 20, 2009 http://chat.nfl.com/front/index/354 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM ET Bruce SmithHall of Fame inductee Bruce Smith is one of six members that make up the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2009. Smith, the NFL's all-time sacks leader with 200, was the first overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft and was voted to 11 Pro Bowls. Chat live with Smith on Monday, July 20 starting at 11 a.m. ET.
Chandler#81 Posted July 20, 2009 Posted July 20, 2009 Thanks! Anyone who can listen, please report. Why do I get the feeling Skoooooby will attest he doesn't show..
Lori Posted July 20, 2009 Author Posted July 20, 2009 Hmmm. Starting to think this chat isn't happening. Okay, they're beginning right now, at 11:30. Just like Bruce to show up late, no?
buffaloaggie Posted July 20, 2009 Posted July 20, 2009 Bruce Smith Hello, everyone. Sorry I'm late, but I'm here and ready to go. Let's get started. brian, stephens city 11:31 AM ET First of all huge fan and congraduations on your HOF induction. Who was your best friend on the team and who was your toughest matchup? Bruce Smith It's difficult to pick between so many great friends and great teammates, but I would have to give that title to Darryl Talley. As for my toughest matchup, that's a hard one, too, because I faced so many great tackles. But three of them that come to mind would be Anthony Munoz, Bruce Armstrong, and Jonathan Ogden. Lanny, Winnipeg, Canada 11:33 AM ET Congrats on the HOF induction. Growing up, the Bills were my favorite team. I always thought your defense was underrated and just as exciting as the offence. Who do you regard as the most underrated defensive teammate that you played with? Bruce Smith That title would go to Darryl Talley as well. I don't think Darryl ever got the credit he deserved and often times sacrificed his own personal statistics for the good of the team. Cole , Baltimore 11:34 AM ET You are going into the Hall of Fame describe your feelings and emotions when you first heard you were inducted? Bruce Smith It was a euphoric feeling. All the emotions and the body of work, all of the influences, first and foremost my parents and the work ethic they instilled in me, my high school basketball and football coaches, my teammates, Marv Levy, Ted Cottrell, my college coaches ... the roles each and every one of them played in not only in my career but in my life was just overwhelminbg. Ollie, Dublin, Ireland 11:37 AM ET Hi there Bruce, as along time jets fan that i am and i still have bad memories of you tormenting our QBs , i was just wondering how you thought your Bills might do this year with the addition of Terrell Owens . Its great to see you getting into the Hall of Fame you were one of the best to watch in your position. Bruce Smith I think that TO can have a positive impact, as far as opening things up for Lee Evans and giving the quarterback different options to throw to. Along with the support of the running game, he's definitely a weapon that would give us the ability to stretch the field. You can't double team Evans all the time. John B., Houston TX, 11:39 AM ET Congrats on the Hall of Fame Bruce! I was looking at your stats page, and noticed you had two interceptions. Just wondering if you remember which quarterbacks you picked off? Bruce Smith No, I do not remember who I picked up. I do remember that one of them came against the New York Jets. Nick, Norwich,NY 11:40 AM ET Do you think the Toronto series is a good thing, and will the Bills ever have an 8th HOME game again? Bruce Smith When we played our American Bowl game, I enjoyed the experience of playing in Toronto and I think the majority of players did, too. But I guess, with the Bills being in Buffalo, it's such a driving force for the economy and the spirit it creates for the Buffalo Bills and their fans. However, if it were my preference, I would like to see all the home games in Orchard Park. Rich, Long Island,NY 11:42 AM ET What is your favorite moment as a bill? Bruce Smith There are so many, it's impossible to single out one. Max, Moreno Valley, Ca. 11:43 AM ET Who was the most elusive Quarterback you have ever played against? Bruce Smith I would go with Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, and Doug Flutie. Jemond Smith, New Orleans 11:44 AM ET Bruce, Other than yourself, name 4 of the next best DE's that played during your era you strongly believe will make it to the HOF. Bruce Smith I'll come up with two. Michael Strahan will obviously be there. I think Dwight Freeney from the Colts also has a great shot. Matt, Red Bluff, CA 11:46 AM ET Would you trade your hall of fame career, all 200 sacks, and your four straight super bowl appearances for a short lived career with one super bowl win? Bruce Smith Good question. No. I'm extremely proud and grateful to have had the opportunity to play on such great teams. Being a Hall of Famer recognizes a body of work, commitment, overcoming playing with pain, the perservence, and that I was part of a group of players that will go down as one of the greatest to play the game. Not winning the Super Bowl doesn't take away from those accomplishments. Earl Palmer, Newport, Wales, UK 11:50 AM ET huge bills fan. ben watching you on youtube as i have just started my rookie season playing aerican football here in wales. you are a legend. any tips for a rookie D end like me bruce??? Bruce Smith Work on your foot quickness, your agility. If the offensive linemen can't grab you, they can't hold you, so work on knocking hands down and also work on maintaining a lower center of gravity than the offensive lineman across from you. And study, study, study your opponent. Rico , Washington DC 11:52 AM ET How did you like playing in Washington and Do you think that the additions of Albert Haynesworth, Brian Orakpo, and Jeremy Jarmon on the redskins front line will turn them into a dominate unit instead of a bend not break defense this you? Bruce Smith I enjoyed playing for the Washington Redskins and for Dan Snyder. The only regret is that I wish we would have won more. I think the additions of Haynesworth, Orakpo and Jarmon will be a big help to the defense, especially Haynesworth. But I think one of the keys to having a dominant pass rush is having a dominant defensive end that can get around the corner. A tackle is important as far as getting a puch, but you have to have a dominant end to get around the corner. And, also, pass coverage and pass rush go hand in hand. Mike H, Bayville, NY 11:55 AM ET Bruce, Congrats on all of your success. I am coaching a 7th/8th grade team this fall and want to stress mental toughness. What was the toughest mental obstacle you had to overcome in your career? How did you do it? Thanks! Mike Bruce Smith The most important thing to stress to these kids is that success will not come overcome. It's a process of training, a process of committing yourself, a process of being unselfish, a process of doing everything you can to make that team better. It's not an individual sport, it's a sport that requires your doing everything you possibly can for the good of the team. sean claw, nothampto ma 11:57 AM ET Mr. Smith what were your feelings when Wade Phillips benched Doug Flutie for Rob Johnson when Doug had been wining for you all year long Bruce Smith While we understood what was taking place, we had our own issues. We were trying to do everything we possibility could to put our offense in the best position to score points. That was a coach's decision. Don, Raliegh, NC 11:58 AM ET Who is more fun to sack, Marino or Favre? Bruce Smith Marino. It was just that intense rivalry that we had and they drafted Richmond Webb to specifically neutralize my pass rush. Marino was so difficult to sack because his presence and awareness on the field when a pass rusher was close was second to none. He had the quickest realease of any quarterback at that time, and fortunately, I was able to sack Marino more times than anyone else during his career. Antonio Tomaselli, Buffalo NY 12:05 PM ET I know you have always been a big food fan. whats a resturant from the town you miss the most here in buffalo and what is meal or food? Bruce Smith Chef's. Spaghetti parm. Ben, Springfield MO 12:06 PM ET Why is it that no other 3-4 End has been as successful as you at sacking the QB? Bruce Smith I was blessed with athleticism and speed from playing basketball in high school, and when you incorporate that with being taught properly and you put that together with the conditioning factor and the desire to be the best, that's when special things happen. I spent countless hours studying film. I would go in on my days off and work out. I didn't want to leave any stones unturned. These were things I had control over. I had control over what shape I was in and knowing my opponent and that he was giving away tips that maybe even he didn't realize he was giving. It was my responsibility to find out his weaknesses and take advantage of them. And the crowd noise in Buffalo helped a great deal. And don't discount the importance of playing the run, which was something I prided myself on doing as well as rushing the passer. Jason Picardo, Rochester, NY 12:10 PM ET Hey Bruce... Rumor has it that you were so physically fit that you used to burn out the StairMaster in the training room. Any truth to this? Bruce Smith Yes. I went through two. Lee Miller, Detroit, MI 12:10 PM ET Mr. Smith i would first like to say watching you play inspired me to start playing football and i always wanted to know did you have a pre game ritual and if so what was it Bruce Smith I wouldn't say it was necessarily a ritual, but I liked listening to music and to pray, not only for the safety of myself but for the safety of all of the other players on the field that day. Kori, Cincinnati 12:12 PM ET Hey bruce as a pass rusher my self in Highschool what are the nfl scouts looking for? Bruce Smith NFL scouts are looking for quickness, speed, potential, and especially desire -- the inner strerngth, and that overall wanting to compete at a higher level. ConnectiCat, Trumbull, CT 12:14 PM ET Has the NFL gone "soft" as some players claim? Bruce Smith There's just a different mentality now. Don't get me wrong; it's still a great game. But there's so much money involved today and players think, if there's a chance of further injuring themselves when they're not one hundred percent, they're reluctant to play. A lot of old timers played when they shouldn't have been playing and are paying the price now. Stan Puckett, Houston, TX 12:17 PM ET Bruce, have ever thought about coaching? Surely young guys like Maybin could learn a lot from you. Bruce Smith I have given it some thought, but my first priority right now is to raise my son and once he gets off in college, I'll revisit the possibility of coaching. Bruce Smith Thanks so much for your questions. You can tell, by some of these questions, they are from true students of the game, I truly enjoyed the opportunity to chat with you online. I'll see you in Canton!
San Jose Bills Fan Posted July 21, 2009 Posted July 21, 2009 brian, stephens city 11:31 AM ET First of all huge fan and congraduations on your HOF induction. Who was your best friend on the team and who was your toughest matchup? Bruce Smith It's difficult to pick between so many great friends and great teammates, but I would have to give that title to Darryl Talley. As for my toughest matchup, that's a hard one, too, because I faced so many great tackles. But three of them that come to mind would be Anthony Munoz, Bruce Armstrong, and Jonathan Ogden. He didn't lock horns with Tony Boselli or Jumbo Elliot too often but I was a bit surprised he mentioned neither of them. Max, Moreno Valley, Ca. 11:43 AM ET Who was the most elusive Quarterback you have ever played against? Bruce Smith I would go with Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, and Doug Flutie. Of course I had to bold that one. Sorry guys. Antonio Tomaselli, Buffalo NY 12:05 PM ET I know you have always been a big food fan. whats a resturant from the town you miss the most here in buffalo and what is meal or food? Bruce Smith Chef's. Spaghetti parm. Did anyone mention Chef's spaghetti parm on all our food threads? Thanks for posting this Lori and Buffaloaggie. Good Stuff.
Recommended Posts