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Football sites littered with trash talking

By GREG AUMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 6, 2000

If one site was not completely surprised by Mississippi State's upset of then-No. 3 Florida last week, it would have to have been smootsmack.com, which is devoted to trash-talking Bulldogs defensive back Fred Smoot.

"We dominated them," the site quotes Smoot as saying of the Gators. "From the first quarter until the last quarter, we beat them. If a receiver caught a pass, they paid for it. That's why their fingers started getting shorter and shorter."

The site was created by a '93 MSU grad, Jeff Cook, who has met Smoot once and collects quotes from newspapers. The tongue-in-cheek site's main page has a photo of Smoot smiling and giving a thumbs up with "Smoot for Heisman" written in red script.

"ESPN mentioned the site as a joke on its Heisman preview show, and it's gone wild since," said Cook, a computer consultant who needed two hours to build the original site. "(MSU coach) Jackie Sherrill wasn't too fond of the site, but I guess it's just one more thing for him to worry about."

Cook, who belongs to a Bulldogs booster group, said that though none of the trash-talking on the site comes directly from Smoot, it comes from "reputable sources." He has made it clear the site is not Smoot's in any way, so as not to attract NCAA inquiries. A lengthy disclaimer on the main page states that "any content ... can and will be removed at the request of Fred Smoot, MSU or the NCAA. Do not operate heavy equipment, drive a car, or have a full mouth of food/beverage while viewing this website."

And though it's clear the folks in Starkville have far too much free time on their hands, the site is clever. One link asks "What does the WR Smoot is covering see after the play?" and shows an increasingly blurry photo of the defensive back. A brief bio touts the preseason All-America selection as having "4.4 40-yard speed" and "4.1 mouth speed."

The Smoot site isn't the only one that has been harsh on the Gators this week. In light of the Florida defense giving up 500-plus yards in back-to-back weeks, the message boards at gatorcountry.com have been merciless in skewering defensive coordinator Jon Hoke.

"Hoke = Quayle" is the title of one thread of messages, and another lamented that "We Have Become Kentucky." Fans went so far as to post makeshift resumes of candidates to replace Hoke immediately, with proposed successors (some serious, some less so) ranging from former Alabama assistant Bill Oliver to Buddy Ryan, Jack Youngblood and Deacon Jones.

MORE TALK: For anyone who thinks Bucs receiver Keyshawn Johnson says things only because the media keeps asking him questions, take a look at the columns he writes on his page at athletesdirect.com. This week Johnson has some pointed comments about the Bucs offense ("I would hope and I think that it would be a wise move to implement me in the game plan more") and says he will "talk privately" with ABC's Dennis Miller, who has made reference to Johnson many times during Monday Night Football telecasts but has yet to cover a Bucs game.

"I'm just going to ask him, "Do you want an autograph? Do you like me? Is there something you want from me?' " Johnson wrote.

If there's any justice, Johnson will line up against Smoot somewhere down the road. The matchup could be deafening.

CHATWATCH: Former Bucs fullback Lorenzo Neal, now opening holes for Eddie George with the Tennessee Titans, chats at 2:20 p.m. today at NFL.com. ... Olympic gold medal wrestler Rulon Gardner chats at 2:30 p.m. Monday at CNNSI.com. ... Former Olympic gymnast and commentator Cathy Rigby, starring in a theatrical revival of Peter Pan, will stop flying long enough to chat at 6 p.m. Wednesday at borders.com. TID-BYTES: Ipix.com, which has created camera technology allowing you to pan left and right for a 360-degree view, has a "virtual tour" of the late Wilt Chamberlain's 7,200-square-foot home in Bel Air, Calif. A quick look around the property, on the market for $7.75-million, reveals a large pink waterbed surrounded by mirrors in the "playroom." ... In CNNSI.com's Beat the Experts contest, swimsuit model Daniela Pestova (44-28) and comedian Drew Carey (46-26) have better records at picking NFL games than Sports Illustrated's Peter King (42-40).

- If you have a question or comment about the Internet or a site to suggest, send an e-mail to staff writer Greg Auman at aumanac1@aol.com.

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