A day later, Steve Smith was still mad. The Panthers wide receiver had some amazing brazen comments for young Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins. And Smith didn't back down on Tuesday.
Appearing on WFNZ the Fan in Charlotte with Taylor Zarzour and Marc James, Smitty was asked about wanting to "punch [Jenkins] in his [bleeping] mouth" and while he backed down a little on the physical threats, he was clearly still furious at Jenkins. Smith was also unhappy with other members of the Rams, though he didn't specify who.
"When I go against the opponent I talk and I may say hey I beat you and any of that stuff. But I'm not going to Google a guy's wife's name and try to find out little things," Smith said. "It wasn't just him, it was other guys on that defense that was saying it. And just to go to that extent.
"I talk mess and I love talking mess and that's part of the game. But I would never walk up to a guy -- first of all I don't really know outside of watching him on video -- and Google his wife's name and her birthday and call her outside of her name and call that in the jest of sportsmanship or gamesmanship."
Smith also made it apparent that Jenkins comments went above and beyond the usual chatter you'd hear from another cornerback and that because Jenkins is so young -- and Smith is such a well-respected veteran -- that the two players are "not on the same level."
"That's not my deal. I take that as clear disrespect," Smith said. "I feel like when you don't respect somebody well there's nothing much left. So if I don't respect you and you don't respect me there aren't any rules, there aren't any guidelines. I didn't like that. Second of all, i'm 34 years old. You're a couple of years older than my youngest son. We're not on the same level."
Of course, 89 couldn't let the interview end without taking a potshot of his own (or maybe he was trying to meet the expectations set the day before)
"It sounds like he needs to wear some condoms," Smith said. "That's what it sounds like he needs to wear."
