Vincent Smith Talking about Clowney Hit
I know we all tired quickly of the replay of Clowney's hit on Vincent Smith. One of the guys at WolverineNation did a short article about Smith's perspective on the hit.
A good read and the best part of the article is how pissed Smith's older brother got at the endless replays for the next two weeks (can't say I blame him!). "Smith's older brother, Jaworski Bowie, actually took the impact of the hit harder. Bowie texted his younger brother, perturbed the hit was being shown ad nauseam. It reached the point where Smith told his brother to stop. Smith wasn't bothered by it, so why should his brother be? Besides, Smith said, he has been hit harder."
Smith's feeling on the hit reminds me of Jim Carey's great line in Liar, Liar, "I've had better."
January 15th, 2013 at 4:37 PM ^
The whole thing that's frustrating about THE HIT (OMG) is that it wasn't really the result of anything impressive that Clowney did. There was a communication error at the line where Kwitiakowski thought he and Lewan were to combo block the guy but instead it was supposed to be just him (an arguably ill-advised assignment).
So Clowney was essentially unblocked due to a missed assignment and, being large and strong, put a big hit on a guy in the backfield who had just received the handoff. Sure it looked gnarly, but it's not at all a great play by Clowney's part.
January 15th, 2013 at 4:41 PM ^
Uh, Clowney laid a safety-on-WR in open field-esque hit on a RB after taking like three steps. That was pretty impressive.
January 15th, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^
Not the same at all. Smith was in the process of receiving the handoff, so he had absolutely no chance to attempt to avoid the hit. The quickness with which Clowney got there, on the other hand, was impressive (blocked or unblocked).
January 15th, 2013 at 7:00 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 7:53 PM ^
1) It was a communication error, in which he made a line call that the TE didn't hear. It isn't a matter of "blame," but a question of whose assignment Clowney was.
2) Making allegations of the nature you made is frowned upon. Also, it's douchey.
January 15th, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^
your POV is very homer here. The speed at which Clowney burst into the backfield was very impressive, and actually the hit was impressive as well, not to mention the awareness to actually pick up the fumble. Most great plays arise because of a mistake by the other team. And while it wasn't a fact of Clowney going all T2 on Smith, it was still a nice play and a big hit.
I know a lot of Michigan fans are tired of seeing it (me too), but it was a very nice play by Clowney and it is an awesome play to any non-Michigan fan because Clowney pretty much looks like a badass. And if it was against OSU or ND or State I think almost every poster here would agree.
January 15th, 2013 at 5:14 PM ^
I understand that and, if you re-read my post, I acknowledge that it takes an impressive athlete to deliver a hit like that. It was a good play, but that doesn't crack the top 100 plays he's made if I'm an NFL scout.
If you go to any message board (and even talking heads on radio/TV) other than this one the narrative is that he straight up beat Lewan and that is what separates us mgoblogerati as football enthusiasts from the ignorant masses. I mean people are taking out ad space about it, for crying out loud.
January 15th, 2013 at 6:19 PM ^
makes sense. All the other caveats still hold, though: unblocked and hitting a tiny guy during the exchange. It also has context, context that gets ignored in the rush to celebrate the hit, and that is that Lewan was holding Clowney to a standstill.
January 15th, 2013 at 10:19 PM ^
It was a good play, but what made so many people see it as "great" was that fact that it was very showy and happened at a crucial time in the game.
Sorry to be a "homer," but that play looked a lot better than it actually was. Worse yet, the media decided to turn Clowney into God for a couple of weeks. I hope they don't play this hit for as many years as they did Stewart to Westbrook, but I have a feeling that they might play it for even longer.
January 15th, 2013 at 10:32 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 5:20 PM ^
The most impressive thing to me was how low Clowney was on impact. If he had been as high as you'd imagine a 6'6" guy would be when tackling a runner almost a foot shorter, he just would have swallowed him and not had nearly the jarring effect that caused Vincent to lose the ball.
January 15th, 2013 at 7:42 PM ^
Ah, but Vincent had gotten low himself earlier in the game when he picked up Clowney pass rushing and planted his facemask in Clowney's crotch. Of course, Vincent IS low; it wasn't an intentional dong-headbutt, but the physics of a fearless 5-6 mountain goat stopping a 6-7 ICBM dead in its tracks.
Clowney was down for the count and had to come out for a play or two, but he reportedly did mention to Vince that he was going to exact vengeance. Too bad a blocking screwup gave him the perfect opportunity. And really too bad that the tough-as-nails Vincent Smith will be remembered primarily for a hit he took instead of the many he delivered.
January 16th, 2013 at 6:59 AM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^
After all, the Kordel Stewart Play and The Horror has really died off the past couple years; I really missed having college promos, car commercials, top 10s, and GREATEST ___ EVER feature something Michigan-related in a bad way.
The Miami people have it made; that Flutie/Phelan play will just never go away
January 15th, 2013 at 6:19 PM ^
To be fair, Woodson's interception (I don't have to tell you which one) got a ton of airplay the rest of that season and beyond.
January 15th, 2013 at 4:47 PM ^
Clowney outweighs Smith by nearly 100 pounds. I would take the Taylor hit against the PSU TE in '97 as much more devestating of a hit. Sick and tired of the replays of Smith. V Smith is a tough kid, he had no shot.
January 15th, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^
...he couldn't play the game again. I don't mind the hit, I mind the final score of the game.
January 15th, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
That was a much more impressive hit by Taylor. That is all.
January 15th, 2013 at 5:11 PM ^
Yeah, i was telling some friends that hit was good and all but that it wasn't the most viscious i'd ever seen. I cite that example, but i feel like i'm coming off as a "hater."
January 15th, 2013 at 4:49 PM ^
the Tressel to Pryor cash handoff replay adnauseam?
January 15th, 2013 at 4:55 PM ^
GOOD TO HEAR SMITTY IS OK!!! DO YOUR THING AND IGNORE THESE HATERS!
January 15th, 2013 at 4:51 PM ^
Can someone who knows the rules explain how a helmet can do what Smith's did without there being illegal helmet to helmet contact? I keep getting joke answers but it's a serious question!
January 15th, 2013 at 4:57 PM ^
I don't think I've heard that called in cfb. Plus, I do believe Clowney got him under the chin. It seems more likely that Vincent didn't have his helmet on properly
January 15th, 2013 at 8:42 PM ^
You don't think they call that in cfb? You mean you don't remember the 2006 OSU game?
January 16th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
ever since the clock hit 0:00 I have not watched a single highlight of that game
January 15th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
Helmet to helmet contact against a RB isn't illegal. It is, on the other hand, not allowed against defenseless receivers and quarterbacks. Keep in mind spearing is illegal, but never called and not applicable here.
January 15th, 2013 at 8:43 PM ^
Sounds legit. Thanks for the clarification.
January 15th, 2013 at 9:40 PM ^
So, as I understand it, when a QB scrambles out of the pocket, he becomes a RB. Wouldn't that call in the 2006 OSU game then be even more ridiculous than it already was?
January 16th, 2013 at 6:54 AM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 4:55 PM ^
Vincent Smith handled it a lot better than I would have. Respect.
January 15th, 2013 at 5:19 PM ^
Only because I would still be in a coma.
Smith is very tough back.
January 15th, 2013 at 4:57 PM ^
A lot of times the really big looking hits aren't necessarily the hardest hits. Smith saw it coming as well, so he was able to brace himself a bit. The hit, while it looks bone crushing, was really only a good hit. It was a really big hit for a guy coming off of the D-line, but I'm sure LBs and safeties, not to mention special teams players, have all hit Smith harder.
January 15th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^
able to eat solid food -- or drink from a straw -- after a hit like that is impressive. Respect Part II..
January 15th, 2013 at 5:23 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 5:58 PM ^
The most interesting part of the article to me is when Smith says that he figured before the play that he would get hit in the backfield. What can of play is that, when the RB is expecting to get hit before the line of scrimage!?
January 15th, 2013 at 6:59 PM ^
i don't know who marked this as flamebait, but i had the same reaction. what kind of play is it where the RB thinks that before it even gets going?
January 16th, 2013 at 6:49 AM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 6:00 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 6:02 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 6:04 PM ^
The only thing that is more hit than Vincent Smith meeting Jadaveon Clowney, is my face.
I am MeganGoBlow.
January 15th, 2013 at 6:13 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 6:19 PM ^
Sorry this post makes no sense online. Posted from the android app in reply to a user who is now in Bolivia.
January 15th, 2013 at 6:19 PM ^
There is nothing funny about an individual so boring, so fat, so buttchin-y, who is on the verge of developing alcoholism just to have a personality trait.
Nothing AT ALL
You all should wish JustinGoAway luck at his first AA meeting. He is anxious about sharing the fact that he is a male who drinks Summer Shandy and sleeps with a girl who was born with a bigger penis than him.
January 15th, 2013 at 6:08 PM ^
January 15th, 2013 at 6:16 PM ^
was as good or better because he actually beat a man trying to block him and it prevented a team from scoring on the goal line. If Winton's helmet pops off its the same hit without a fumble.