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Interview With Chuck Smith

Aired September 04, 2003 - 14:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the serious business of pregame predictions. Fans in every city are full of great expectations, of course, right now.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The question is, of course, this time of year which are the contenders, which one are the pretenders? To help us on all that we're turning to Chuck Smith who is a former NFL player who is now sports director at Atlanta's V-103 radio.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Tell us about your NFL career, quickly.

PHILLIPS: He's still big. He's still lifting weights.

CHUCK SMITH, FORMER NFL PLAYER: I played nine years in the National Football League. Of course, eight years here in Atlanta, one year in Carolina. But this is home. Atlanta is the team I finished. I played nine years and so I'm blessed. And I went to college at the University of Tennessee, so go Big Orange.

O'BRIEN: This is your turf.

SMITH: I am at home. CNN, this is like coming into my backyard.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Well let's start off with tonight's game. Jets and Redskins, that's always a rivalry, that's been there forever. Interconference rivalry. Do we care?

SMITH: Yes, you'd say have to the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets fans (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: We do care. But the reason why, of course, you know Chad Pennington being out now. The real -- all kinds of kind of subplots here. Vinnie Testeverde, no the old man gets a chance to start.

And you know of course, Laveranues Coles and all the -- what they're calling "the Jet-skins" now with the Redskins. All these players basically left with -- of course lead by Laveranues Coles, the great wide receiver. Go to the Redskins with Steve Spurrier. I mean four of them and it's like crazy, all kinds of stuff. Guys are talking trash back and forth. But the games are going to be played on the field. But great game starting off tonight...

PHILLIPS: Athletes talking trash?

SMITH: Oh come on. You guys were talking trash to me when I stepped out here.

O'BRIEN: Now Testeverde's about, what, 53 now?

(LAUGHTER)

SMITH: No, Vinnie's probably -- I don't know what he is.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: He's been around.

SMITH: Just say he's old enough to drink.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: All right, so you brought a few props with you.

SMITH: Well, you know, I got a few props. But I'm going to talk about the sizzle and fizzle in the National Football League this year.

Let me start out in the NFC, of course, because I'm going to get to the AFC. I know your team. I know you're an NFC lady and you're an AFC guy.

PHILLIPS: He knows it so well.

SMITH: I know you guys, I know you guys. But I'm going to start out with the Giants. Let me start out with the New York Giants.

The Giants this year, Tiki Barber, Michael Strahan, they're going to make beautiful music this year. Last year they were arguing and bickering. But this year, the Giants look good. They got a shot to get to the big dance.

Now I've got to move down to Philly, down where they serve the best cheesesteaks. What up, Geno's? But anyway, Philly does real good.

PHILLIPS: Little free shout-out there.

SMITH: Little free shout-out. My favorite spot when I go to Philly. One of my uncles always takes me there.

O'BRIEN: He's getting a free sandwich out of that deal.

(CROSSTALK) SMITH: No, but Philly does well. Donovan McNabb's healthy this year. Andy Reid and Philadelphia. Starting with a new defense. They lose Hugh Douglas. But I expect Philly to really step up. So, Philly fans, you won't have to beat up Santa Claus this year with the snowballs. You guys are going to be all right.

Now, let's talk about your boys.

PHILLIPS: My boys!

SMITH: The Packs are back.

O'BRIEN: Are they back?

PHILLIPS: They never left.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: Somebody came and say something to you. Brett came to say hello.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: ... big Green Bay fan. But let me tell you about Packers, an interesting team. Brett Favre is that leader. Any time you've got a leader on the level of Brett Favre you've always got a shot.

And expect the Pack this year -- if they can get homefield advantage -- they're one of my -- I will call them a sleeper team. Everybody's really putting Tampa up there now. They're talking about St. Louis. But, Brett, can we ever count you out? I don't think so.

PHILLIPS: Hey that happened about 10 years ago, remember? They came out of nowhere, they won the championship...

SMITH: Brett, can we ever count you out? No.

Anyway, moving on, now let's talk about my favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons. Of course, everybody knows about the most famous broken fibula this year, Mike Vick.

O'BRIEN: Oh, man. That's a crushing -- quite literally.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: And one thing the Falcons have been doing, of course, me being a part of the radio broadcast team, I'm always inside on a lot of Falcon talk over at Z93 (ph).

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: I started a lot of scoop but that's between us.

PHILLIPS: Rumor starter.

SMITH: This guy right here, Mike Vick. How many weeks do you think he'll be out? Four weeks.

But anyway, Doug Johnson...

O'BRIEN: Will he be back 100 percent though? That's the question.

SMITH: You know what? It's unrealistic to think Mike Vick will be back 100 percent. Donovan McNabb from Philly went through the same thing last year. Comes back, you know, in the playoffs...

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: But let me tell people what's going to make Mike Vick -- this is going to make him that much better. And this is a scary thought. He has a chance to really sit back and examine what Doug Johnson does, the new starting quarterback, and understand that...

O'BRIEN: So go to school a little bit.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: You've got to remember now, the NFL become the quarterback's a process (ph). You know Mike Vick's success is not guaranteed. You've got to develop your legs as well as your arm. And that's a bad part about what happened to Mike Vick, he was developing that arm. And this is not -- it's hard to say it's a good lesson, but a lesson is being learned by this. the guy is smart player.

O'BRIEN: He was scary to watch for me. You're just watching him out there. It's like...

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: ... the spirit of Vince Lombardi...

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: He's coming up too. I've got a lot of surprises for you today, young lady.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: I'll behave myself.

SMITH: All right. But the Falcons are going to be a lot better than advertised. Doug Johnson's back there. The key with the Falcons is the offensive line. We got everything else.

And I think the Falcons right now have the best young defensive linemen in the league in Patrick Kerney. Lot of people don't talk about him. He's back to back, double digit sack years. But he's going to shatter all my records. Couldn't happen to a better guy.

I'm glad what the Falcons are doing. Coach Dan Reeves is healthy. And the Falcons are on the right path. Now let me talk about Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay, all I'm going to say is Sapp and Gruden are back. Enough said. This team can win the Super Bowl if they play up to their potential, which is hard. It's hard for you to repeat.

O'BRIEN: And they're going to be there with the patriots, right?

SMITH: Well, we'll get to the...

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: Let me run down the line.

PHILLIPS: Like a football player, run fast.

SMITH: Carolina, New Orleans, they're going to be good enough to win this year. The NFC South is the toughest. But my sleeper in the NFC, watch out for the Minnesota Vikings.

Now let me talk St. Louis. St. Louis right now is a bully. St. Louis is back where they were. Kurt Warner's healthy. Big shout-out to may man Isaac Bruce who's going to have a fantastic year this year.

San Francisco. T-O, yo! Is this the show, baby? It's going down in the Bay. I love T-O...

PHILLIPS: Chuck Smith has now hijacked CNN'S LIVE FROM...

SMITH: I'm not going anywhere, baby! Come on. Where are we going? You can't let me go yet.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: I'm not going anywhere yet. It's NFL time in America.

But anyway, let me move on. I'm going to get through this. Seattle's my sleeper team.

I have hijacked you guys?

O'BRIEN: Yes, we've got to get going.

SMITH: All right, we got get going.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Seattle is sleeper team.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: OK, you want the Super Bowl. I got Tampa Bay and St. Louis in the NFC Championship. Pittsburgh and Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship. But Peyton Manning comes out, throws for all kinds of yards, but Warren Sapp shuts it down. Shut to the gate. Tampa Bay goes and repeats. Big ups to (UNINTELLIGIBLE). That's the team to beat right now. Defense wins championship. Offense sells tickets, baby. This is Big Chuck Smith with V-103. All right.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: We'll bring you back, I promise. Part 2 with Chuck Smith.

SMITH: Hey.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: All right, we'll see you, Chuck.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired September 4, 2003 - 14:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the serious business of pregame predictions. Fans in every city are full of great expectations, of course, right now.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The question is, of course, this time of year which are the contenders, which one are the pretenders? To help us on all that we're turning to Chuck Smith who is a former NFL player who is now sports director at Atlanta's V-103 radio.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Tell us about your NFL career, quickly.

PHILLIPS: He's still big. He's still lifting weights.

CHUCK SMITH, FORMER NFL PLAYER: I played nine years in the National Football League. Of course, eight years here in Atlanta, one year in Carolina. But this is home. Atlanta is the team I finished. I played nine years and so I'm blessed. And I went to college at the University of Tennessee, so go Big Orange.

O'BRIEN: This is your turf.

SMITH: I am at home. CNN, this is like coming into my backyard.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Well let's start off with tonight's game. Jets and Redskins, that's always a rivalry, that's been there forever. Interconference rivalry. Do we care?

SMITH: Yes, you'd say have to the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets fans (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: We do care. But the reason why, of course, you know Chad Pennington being out now. The real -- all kinds of kind of subplots here. Vinnie Testeverde, no the old man gets a chance to start.

And you know of course, Laveranues Coles and all the -- what they're calling "the Jet-skins" now with the Redskins. All these players basically left with -- of course lead by Laveranues Coles, the great wide receiver. Go to the Redskins with Steve Spurrier. I mean four of them and it's like crazy, all kinds of stuff. Guys are talking trash back and forth. But the games are going to be played on the field. But great game starting off tonight...

PHILLIPS: Athletes talking trash?

SMITH: Oh come on. You guys were talking trash to me when I stepped out here.

O'BRIEN: Now Testeverde's about, what, 53 now?

(LAUGHTER)

SMITH: No, Vinnie's probably -- I don't know what he is.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: He's been around.

SMITH: Just say he's old enough to drink.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: All right, so you brought a few props with you.

SMITH: Well, you know, I got a few props. But I'm going to talk about the sizzle and fizzle in the National Football League this year.

Let me start out in the NFC, of course, because I'm going to get to the AFC. I know your team. I know you're an NFC lady and you're an AFC guy.

PHILLIPS: He knows it so well.

SMITH: I know you guys, I know you guys. But I'm going to start out with the Giants. Let me start out with the New York Giants.

The Giants this year, Tiki Barber, Michael Strahan, they're going to make beautiful music this year. Last year they were arguing and bickering. But this year, the Giants look good. They got a shot to get to the big dance.

Now I've got to move down to Philly, down where they serve the best cheesesteaks. What up, Geno's? But anyway, Philly does real good.

PHILLIPS: Little free shout-out there.

SMITH: Little free shout-out. My favorite spot when I go to Philly. One of my uncles always takes me there.

O'BRIEN: He's getting a free sandwich out of that deal.

(CROSSTALK) SMITH: No, but Philly does well. Donovan McNabb's healthy this year. Andy Reid and Philadelphia. Starting with a new defense. They lose Hugh Douglas. But I expect Philly to really step up. So, Philly fans, you won't have to beat up Santa Claus this year with the snowballs. You guys are going to be all right.

Now, let's talk about your boys.

PHILLIPS: My boys!

SMITH: The Packs are back.

O'BRIEN: Are they back?

PHILLIPS: They never left.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: Somebody came and say something to you. Brett came to say hello.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: ... big Green Bay fan. But let me tell you about Packers, an interesting team. Brett Favre is that leader. Any time you've got a leader on the level of Brett Favre you've always got a shot.

And expect the Pack this year -- if they can get homefield advantage -- they're one of my -- I will call them a sleeper team. Everybody's really putting Tampa up there now. They're talking about St. Louis. But, Brett, can we ever count you out? I don't think so.

PHILLIPS: Hey that happened about 10 years ago, remember? They came out of nowhere, they won the championship...

SMITH: Brett, can we ever count you out? No.

Anyway, moving on, now let's talk about my favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons. Of course, everybody knows about the most famous broken fibula this year, Mike Vick.

O'BRIEN: Oh, man. That's a crushing -- quite literally.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: And one thing the Falcons have been doing, of course, me being a part of the radio broadcast team, I'm always inside on a lot of Falcon talk over at Z93 (ph).

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: I started a lot of scoop but that's between us.

PHILLIPS: Rumor starter.

SMITH: This guy right here, Mike Vick. How many weeks do you think he'll be out? Four weeks.

But anyway, Doug Johnson...

O'BRIEN: Will he be back 100 percent though? That's the question.

SMITH: You know what? It's unrealistic to think Mike Vick will be back 100 percent. Donovan McNabb from Philly went through the same thing last year. Comes back, you know, in the playoffs...

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: But let me tell people what's going to make Mike Vick -- this is going to make him that much better. And this is a scary thought. He has a chance to really sit back and examine what Doug Johnson does, the new starting quarterback, and understand that...

O'BRIEN: So go to school a little bit.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: You've got to remember now, the NFL become the quarterback's a process (ph). You know Mike Vick's success is not guaranteed. You've got to develop your legs as well as your arm. And that's a bad part about what happened to Mike Vick, he was developing that arm. And this is not -- it's hard to say it's a good lesson, but a lesson is being learned by this. the guy is smart player.

O'BRIEN: He was scary to watch for me. You're just watching him out there. It's like...

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: ... the spirit of Vince Lombardi...

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: He's coming up too. I've got a lot of surprises for you today, young lady.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: I'll behave myself.

SMITH: All right. But the Falcons are going to be a lot better than advertised. Doug Johnson's back there. The key with the Falcons is the offensive line. We got everything else.

And I think the Falcons right now have the best young defensive linemen in the league in Patrick Kerney. Lot of people don't talk about him. He's back to back, double digit sack years. But he's going to shatter all my records. Couldn't happen to a better guy.

I'm glad what the Falcons are doing. Coach Dan Reeves is healthy. And the Falcons are on the right path. Now let me talk about Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay, all I'm going to say is Sapp and Gruden are back. Enough said. This team can win the Super Bowl if they play up to their potential, which is hard. It's hard for you to repeat.

O'BRIEN: And they're going to be there with the patriots, right?

SMITH: Well, we'll get to the...

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: Let me run down the line.

PHILLIPS: Like a football player, run fast.

SMITH: Carolina, New Orleans, they're going to be good enough to win this year. The NFC South is the toughest. But my sleeper in the NFC, watch out for the Minnesota Vikings.

Now let me talk St. Louis. St. Louis right now is a bully. St. Louis is back where they were. Kurt Warner's healthy. Big shout-out to may man Isaac Bruce who's going to have a fantastic year this year.

San Francisco. T-O, yo! Is this the show, baby? It's going down in the Bay. I love T-O...

PHILLIPS: Chuck Smith has now hijacked CNN'S LIVE FROM...

SMITH: I'm not going anywhere, baby! Come on. Where are we going? You can't let me go yet.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: I'm not going anywhere yet. It's NFL time in America.

But anyway, let me move on. I'm going to get through this. Seattle's my sleeper team.

I have hijacked you guys?

O'BRIEN: Yes, we've got to get going.

SMITH: All right, we got get going.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Seattle is sleeper team.

(CROSSTALK)

SMITH: OK, you want the Super Bowl. I got Tampa Bay and St. Louis in the NFC Championship. Pittsburgh and Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship. But Peyton Manning comes out, throws for all kinds of yards, but Warren Sapp shuts it down. Shut to the gate. Tampa Bay goes and repeats. Big ups to (UNINTELLIGIBLE). That's the team to beat right now. Defense wins championship. Offense sells tickets, baby. This is Big Chuck Smith with V-103. All right.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: We'll bring you back, I promise. Part 2 with Chuck Smith.

SMITH: Hey.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: All right, we'll see you, Chuck.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com