Stallions Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Don scored the 1st touchdown for the Bills in Super Bowl XXV. That was his last carry in the NFL. He was released the following year and his life went down hill after that. Former NFL player Don Smith, convicted of drug charges, held his head in his hands and wept in 1994 as a judge sentenced him to a mandatory 15 years in prison. Smith, a second-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987, was arrested in April 1993 after trying to purchase a half kilo of cocaine from an undercover police officer for $9,500. The former All-Southeastern Conference quarterback for Mississippi State was found guilty Tuesday of conspiracy and trafficking in cocaine. A co-defendant, Raul Maldonado, was convicted of a lesser charge of possession of cocaine. Under current state law, Smith will have to serve the entire 15-year sentence because of the amount of cocaine involved. Smith, 30, played running back for the Bucs for three seasons before signing as a free agent with Buffalo in 1990. He scored a touchdown for the Bills in the team's Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloboyinATL Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Wow, I thought I knew this team well and I have no recollection of Don Smith. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 5 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said: Wow, I thought I knew this team well and I have no recollection of Don Smith. go ahead and turn in your fan card. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloboyinATL Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Just now, NoSaint said: go ahead and turn in your fan card. I handed that over years ago during the great “Flutie v Johnson” debates. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatdrinks Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Sad story, wow. I remember Smith, as I met him briefly and got his autograph in August of 1990. He was in the building where I worked at the time for an appearance on Budweiser Sportsline with Paul Maguire. Paul often brought players back to our office, but I bumped into Smith as he was leaving. I recall he was very nice , and we briefly discussed the upcoming season. Of course, I had no idea what an amazing season was about to unfold , and he was an unlikely candidate to score the Bills first SB touchdown in franchise history. I was never aware of what happened to him, except that he wasn’t in the Bills the next season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 (edited) This is an example of why I never idolize a player. I’m all behind my team, but I don’t know these guys from Adam. I wear Bills gear, but trust very few players with being worthy of a jersey. EDIT: If I were to pick a player for a jersey, Kyle Williams would be high on my list of options. . Edited December 27, 2019 by Augie 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfanmiami(oh) Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 26 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said: Wow, I thought I knew this team well and I have no recollection of Don Smith. I remember how slow he was returning kicks in tecmo super bowl 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon Grundy Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 58 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said: Wow, I thought I knew this team well and I have no recollection of Don Smith. Wore #30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Dont remember him 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bookie Man Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 I remember when he scored that touchdown in SB XXV, I was like who the heck was that guy lol!? If Thurman scored that TD, giving him 2 scores and 190 all - purpose yards, then he definitely wins mvp, becoming only second player to do so in a superbowl in a losing effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 I remember the Bills using Don Smith in a "direct snap" role several times during the '90 season; he also caught a decent number of passes. Sad story. I guess if he served his 15 years he's been out for 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 8 hours ago, buffaloboyinATL said: Wow, I thought I knew this team well and I have no recollection of Don Smith. He was used a lot at the goalline to jump over the pile. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Defense Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 (edited) Kind of confusing and misleading post--you should include the date of the publication on it so it is clearer. The Tuesday spoken of was almost 30 years ago. Anyone know how Smith is doing now, as he supposedly has been out of prison for over a decade? I remember him as he was one of the main kickoff returners in the Bills first Super Bowl year and decent at it. Had a few good runs as well, but tough to get touches that year. Edited December 27, 2019 by Mister Defense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Wouldn’t have guessed the name in a million tries Did Thurman lose his helmet and they didn’t tell us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 6 hours ago, NC Book said: I remember when he scored that touchdown in SB XXV, I was like who the heck was that guy lol!? If Thurman scored that TD, giving him 2 scores and 190 all - purpose yards, then he definitely wins mvp, becoming only second player to do so in a superbowl in a losing effort. Thurman would have won MVP anyway, except many of the MVP voters didn't know you could vote for someone on the losing side. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in Horseheads Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 10 hours ago, buffaloboyinATL said: Wow, I thought I knew this team well and I have no recollection of Don Smith. I was going to reply who remembers Don Smith, so same as you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleaky Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 A Vote for Don Smith as unsung Herohttps://buffalonews.com/1990/12/19/a-vote-for-don-smith-as-bills-unsung-hero/ Bills Lose Smith to Miami via Plan B https://buffalonews.com/1991/04/01/bills-lose-plan-b-free-agent-don-smith-to-miami/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons1992 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 I absolutely remember Don Smith, and it's only because of Plan B free agency. Yes kids, real free agency in the NFL didn't exist until 1993 (I think). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 1 hour ago, DC Tom said: Thurman would have won MVP anyway, except many of the MVP voters didn't know you could vote for someone on the losing side. they didn’t vote for him because he didn’t remotely deserve it 95 percent of voters at the time would have remembered a losing team member winning it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34-78-83 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 45 minutes ago, Bleaky said: A Vote for Don Smith as unsung Herohttps://buffalonews.com/1990/12/19/a-vote-for-don-smith-as-bills-unsung-hero/ Bills Lose Smith to Miami via Plan B https://buffalonews.com/1991/04/01/bills-lose-plan-b-free-agent-don-smith-to-miami/ Going to Miami likely got him too close to and into the coke thing. What a bad decision for a guy with such opportunities. Too bad. Hopefully he’s picked up the pieces. 10 minutes ago, row_33 said: they didn’t vote for him because he didn’t remotely deserve it 95 percent of voters at the time would have remembered a losing team member winning it No he totally deserved it. He was almost unstoppable ( yard per play was insane) if it weren’t for his coach being too stubborn to run 30 times into a 2-5 front. Facts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 4 minutes ago, 34-78-83 said: Going to Miami likely got him too close to and into the coke thing. What a bad decision for a guy with such opportunities. Too bad. Hopefully he’s picked up the pieces. No he totally deserved it. He was almost unstoppable ( yard per play was insane) if it weren’t for his coach being too stubborn to run 30 times into a 2-5 front. Facts. I don’t remember a thing about him that game I will on my death bed remember Bavaro and Ingram through total guts and sheer desire earning those first downs in horrible situations and Norwood of course.... Thurman is remembered for losing his helmet and cratering the second half against the Cowboys in the one that wasn’t a total massacre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 17 minutes ago, row_33 said: they didn’t vote for him because he didn’t remotely deserve it 95 percent of voters at the time would have remembered a losing team member winning it Many of the voters said the next day "Oh, you can vote for someone from the losing team? If I'd known that, I'd have voted for Thurman Thomas." Enough said that to swing the vote his way. No, I don't have a link. Search the NYT archives. It's where I read it after the game. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34-78-83 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 (edited) 5 minutes ago, row_33 said: I don’t remember a thing about him that game I will on my death bed remember Bavaro and Ingram through total guts and sheer desire earning those first downs in horrible situations and Norwood of course.... Thurman is remembered for losing his helmet and cratering the second half against the Cowboys in the one that wasn’t a total massacre Different game and irrelevant to SB 25. 15 carries- 125 yards. Plus catches. It’s too bad Marv blew that game... sigh Edited December 27, 2019 by 34-78-83 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 I remember him. His NFL career did not live up to the potential Tampa Bay bestowed upon him on draft day. He had a brief stint in Buffalo and I lost track of him. It’s sad to read these stories. 15 years and no parole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Sad thing is, he didn’t have ‘intent to sell’. He just drew the small straw for supplying Kelly’s post game parties. ? btw, @Stallions, @Punt750 wrote the same thread ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Gun Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 14 hours ago, Augie said: This is an example of why I never idolize a player. I’m all behind my team, but I don’t know these guys from Adam. I wear Bills gear, but trust very few with being worth a jersey. You root for the laundry... Can't remember which ESPN hot air bag said that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Flanders Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 10 minutes ago, pop gun said: You root for the laundry... Can't remember which ESPN hot air bag said that Was actually Jerry Seinfeld... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Gun Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 42 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said: Was actually Jerry Seinfeld... Ahh, ok I haven't watched any ESPN show other than live sports in a long long time and I never was able to watch much Seinfeld. Thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 It's insane that someone should have to spend 15 years in prison over cocaine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotAGuy Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 10 minutes ago, skibum said: It's insane that someone should have to spend 15 years in prison over cocaine. Spoken like a ski bum. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Not to go sideways... Isn't that entrapment how they got him? Yay... Mandatory sentences... Haven't those been turned on their heads too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Brown Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 7 hours ago, row_33 said: they didn’t vote for him because he didn’t remotely deserve it 95 percent of voters at the time would have remembered a losing team member winning it Besides being by far the best player on the field he didn't deserve it???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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