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battle the struggling Boston Red Sox in game two of their three game set
at Fenway Park. Custom Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jersey .com) - Tyreke Evans poured in 27 points and the
New Orleans Pelicans put together a strong fourth quarter to come away
with a
104-93 victory over the still-struggling New York Knicks.SANTA CLARA,
Calif. -- Alex Smith ran off the field at Candlestick Park two weeks ago
to a standing ovation and cheers from the sellout crowd, not much
different from the reception last January when he took the San Francisco
49ers oh so close to a Super Bowl.
Now relegated to a backup role with the NFC champions, Smiths trip to
the Big Easy this week leading up to Sundays Super Bowl against
Baltimore is hardly how he envisioned it.
This used to be his team. Now, he plays Joe Flacco in practice.
Smith expected to be under centre chasing the franchises sixth
championship, not watching strong-armed second-year pro Colin Kaepernick
direct the offence against Ravens star Ray Lewis and Co.
"I think a lots being made of that. For one, Id be lying if I said it
wasnt a little bittersweet," Smith said. "Yeah, I want to be out there.
Thats what you work for. Coming into the season, thats what I was
thinking about. That was the mindset for me; that was the goal for me.
At the same time, it is a team sport and these are all my teammates."
As he has done during each such trying time in an up-and-down career
full of them, Smith has handled the change with class and the shared
team-first attitude that is a big reason his club made it this far.
And Smith, the No. 1 pick from the 2005 draft out of Utah, left no doubt
that he would appreciate and relish the rare opportunity before him.
"Absolutely, yes, very much so," Smith said of enjoying this experience
despite the high-profile, midseason demotion.
Smith acknowledged when he lost the job to Kaepernick back in November
that he had done nothing wrong but get hurt. Not only had he completed
26 of his previous 28 passes -- 18 of 19 for 232 yards and three
touchdowns without an interception and a 157.1 passer rating in a Monday
Night Football win at Arizona on Oct. 29 -- but Smith earned NFC
Offensive Player of the Week honours after that victory.
He then sustained a concussion in the second quarter of a 24-24 tie
against St. Louis on Nov. 11. He sat out the next game as Kaepernick
dazzled in his debut as an NFL starter, beating the Bears handily at
home on Monday Night Football.
After that, coach Jim Harbaugh stuck with the "hot hand," as he
regularly put it, while complicating matters by still referring to Smith
as a starter.
The eighth-year quarterback is already fielding his fair share of
questions about how it feels not being on the field for the biggest
moment in a players career.
"If you cant be happy for them, then somethings wrong with you," Smith
said of his teammates.
Smith revealed last week that he actually got his shot in college when
the starter went down injured. At Utah in 2003, starter Brett Elliott
broke his wrist on the last play of the game in the second week of the
season. Smith took over, and Elliott wound up transferring to Division
III Linfield College.
So how could Smith possibly be angry at Kaepernick?
"Itd be pretty hypocritical to be upset about it," Smith said. "Its the
nature of sports. He got an opportuniity, stepped up and made the most
of it. Austin Seferian-Jenkins Buccaneers Jersey. "
Smith made a few things clear: No, his confidence isnt shaken, and, no,
he hasnt thought about whats next -- where he might end up, or as a
starter or a No. 2. When the 49ers faced Arizona to end the season,
Smith was asked if he looked at his brief playing time as an audition to
be the Cardinals QB for 2013.
Not with unfinished business this season.
"Hes a very classy guy," said Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, in Smiths draft
class.
San Francisco lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants
20-17 in overtime of the NFC title game last January. That fueled
everybody, the 28-year-old Smith included.
Smith tossed a perfect 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Vernon Davis
with 9 seconds remaining as the Niners stunned Drew Brees and the New
Orleans Saints 36-32 in the divisional playoffs last year.
Smith, once booed by the home crowd as he struggled to find a groove for
an ever-changing list of offensive co-ordinators, finally shined last
season and produced a career year while thriving under the guidance of
former NFL quarterback Harbaugh.
It was Smith, unsigned at the time, who organized San Franciscos summer
workouts at nearby San Jose State during the 2011 lockout. Harbaugh
handed over his playbook, fully trusting that Smith would be back. He
did return on a one-year deal and guided the 49ers to a 13-3 record to
end an eight-year playoff drought. Then, he received a three-year
contract last spring after Harbaugh and the 49ers flew to North Carolina
to work out Peyton Manning, who wound up in Denver.
Smith showed no hard feelings and went back to work. Heres a guy who
threw for 1,737 yards and 13 touchdowns with five interceptions and
posted a 104.1 passer rating this season.
His family life certainly helps him keep everything in perspective.
Smith and his wife, Elizabeth, are expecting their second son in
mid-March to join big brother-to-be Hudson, who turns 2 in May.
Smith has said all the right things and quietly left much unsaid. He has
stayed behind the scenes and out of the spotlight -- rarely seen in the
locker room, even -- praising Kaepernicks clutch decision-making and
cool demeanour all the while.
"Alex has been a class act as far as handling everything that is going
on," Davis said. "Hes been through a lot. But he also understands that
its the nature of the business. And this is a business."
Its not as though it was Smiths first benching. There were several
changes during the 2010 season alone.
These days, Smiths backup job is far from complicated.
"For me, its just being worried about being ready to go," Smith said.
"Thats my responsibility, knowing the game plan, staying in it, staying
focused in the meetings. You dont get the reps that you used to get, so
its a different style of preparation. For me, I have to take the reps
standing back there watching, and really do it through Kap.
"You never know when your opportunitys going to come. The good ones are
ready when they do come."
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