Robert Scott Smith (born March 4, 1972 in Euclid, Ohio) is a former American football running back who starred at Ohio State and later for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. He was known for his academic hobbies including astronomy and medicine. He also starred in Track and Field while at Ohio State. Smith is a devout atheist. March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (64th in leap years). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Euclid is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. ... In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time. ... High school running back A running back, halfback, tailback or wingback is the position of a player on an American and Canadian football team who lines up in the offensive backfield. ... This is a list of athletic conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). ... This article is about Ohio State; there is also an Ohio University. ... The NFL Draft (officially the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting) is an annual sports draft in which National Football League (NFL) teams take turns selecting amateur college American football players and other first-time eligible players. ... The 1993 NFL Draft Round one External links 1993 NFL Draft Categories: | ... The Pro Bowl is the National Football Leagues all-star game. ... Bills Dolphins Patriots Jets Ravens Bengals Browns Steelers Texans Colts Titans Broncos Chiefs Raiders Chargers Cowboys Giants Eagles Redskins Bears Lions Packers Vikings Falcons Panthers Saints Buccaneers Jaguars Cardinals Rams 49ers Seahawks The National Football League (NFL) is the largest professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from... City Minneapolis, Minnesota Other nicknames The Vikes, The Purple People Eaters Team colors Purple, Gold, and White Head Coach Brad Childress Owner Zygi Wilf General manager Rob Brzezinski Mascot Ragnar League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1961–present) Western Conference (1961-1969) Central Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970... Robert Smith or Bob Smith or Bobby Smith is a common name. ... March 4 is the 63rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (64th in leap years). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Euclid is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... High school running back A running back, halfback, tailback or wingback is the position of a player on an American and Canadian football team who lines up in the offensive backfield. ... This article is about Ohio State; there is also an Ohio University. ... City Minneapolis, Minnesota Other nicknames The Vikes, The Purple People Eaters Team colors Purple, Gold, and White Head Coach Brad Childress Owner Zygi Wilf General manager Rob Brzezinski Mascot Ragnar League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1961–present) Western Conference (1961-1969) Central Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... A giant Hubble mosaic of the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant. ... Medicine is a branch of health science and the sector of public life concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, treatment and possible prevention of disease and injury. ... Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ...

While at Ohio State, he sat out a year to focus on his academic pursuits. Allegations were made that he sat out that year after a football coach told him to skip class so that he could attend practice.

NFL

He was selected in the first round by the Vikings in 1993, and had a number of ailments in his first few seasons. He finally broke through in 1997, gaining 1,266 yards and had several seasons in a row over 1,000 yards. His best year of 2000 had him leading the NFC in rushing with 1,521 yards. He immediately retired after the season, despite being at the peak of his career and likely being eligible for a huge contract the following season. 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Smith finished his 8 NFL seasons with 6,818 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns, along with 178 receptions for 1,292 yards and 6 touchdowns. Smith also returned 1 punt for 4 yards and gained 460 yards on 19 kickoff returns. Throughout his NFL career he was number 26.

After retirement

Among the reasons for retiring were that he had made enough money and wanted to walk away from the game before suffering a permanent injury. He has led a largely private life since his retirement.

Smith made a cameo in the TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000. He was in Season 8 Episode 3 The Mole People. He played a scantily clad, mute "hunk" given to Pearl (the series's antagonist) as a present by her minions. Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988–1999), usually abbreviated MST3K, is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc. ... The Mole People is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Virgil W. Vogel. ...

2004 saw publication of his book The Rest of the Iceberg: An Insider's View on the World of Sport and Celebrity. In it he discussed his background, his time at Ohio State and the NFL, and why he retired. He also analyzed the obsession placed on sports stars by the public.

As well as appearing as a guest on the ESPN news program Outside the Lines, Smith can be seen working on the NFL Network as an analyst. He has also appeared on The Score to discuss the goings-on in the NFL. ESPN (an acronym for the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... Outside the Lines began in 1990 as a monthly progam that examined a critical issue in American sports. ... NFL Network is an American specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League (NFL) and is also shown in Canada. ... The Score is a 2001 crime drama. ...

Smith has also appeared regularly on various ESPN programs, alongside regulars like Rece Davis, Mark May, and Lou Holtz. ESPN (an acronym for the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... Rece Davis (born December 14, 1965 as Laurece Davis in Muscle Shoals, Alabama), has been a journalist for ESPN since 1995. ... Mark May (born Nov. ... Lou Holtz (born Louis Leo Holtz on January 6, 1937 in Follansbee, West Virginia) is a former NCAA football head coach, and is currently an author and a motivational speaker who has spoken to the likes of Fortune 500 companies on topics such as the importance of teamwork and goal...

Robert Smith founded the Robert Smith Foundation, a charity whose goal is to "provide financial and moral support for Children's hospitals and cancer research."

External links

• Robert Smith ESPN.Com Profile