Geno Smith might be New York Jets quarterback-in-waiting, but the rookie is on a short leash. In fact, Smith has already caught heat for making a playoff prediction seconds after he was drafted by the Jets. "I've already gotten in trouble for saying some things about playoffs and things, which I don't regret," Smith said Sunday on SiriusXM Radio, speaking from the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles. "I don't think I'll go as far as being as bold as Joe was." Was that wrong? Probably not. You have to love the kid’s confidence. Late last week, Geno met with a pool of reporters at Sunrise Elementary in Los Angeles and backed up his previous statement about his belief in a Jets’ playoff run. “Yeah, I honestly do,” Smith said. “I think all 32 teams have the same goals and I don’t think that’s a negative thing. I think we’re working towards that. I’m not making any promises, there’s a lot of work to be done, but every team should go in with the mindset to win the Super Bowl.” Since being drafted, Smith has been criticized for his off-the-field demeanor and diva perception. He even fired his agents, days after being selected in the second round, which didn’t help. "I don't think I'm a bad guy," Smith said. "I don't think I'm some of the things they try to make me out to be. It's a part of the media. The one thing that I understand is you can't take it personally. Those guys have jobs and the key to their jobs is to sell papers and to keep the fans looking. So they're going to spin things and try to make an interesting story out of something that may not be so interesting." Good thing Geno is getting the idea. The white-hot spotlight in New York could be your best friend or your worst enemy. Questions? Comments? Send them to lacesoutmail@gmail.com and we might respond in our weekly mailbag!
