J Smith

[RamBall]

I see there has been alot of talk about his demotion and the way he accepted it.

I got to wondering, he has had 2 season ending concussions in his short career, could they have something to do with the reason he seems to be struggling to catch on to what coach Boo has been teaching him?

 

[brokeu91]

I see there has been alot of talk about his demotion and the way he accepted it.

I got to wondering, he has had 2 season ending concussions in his short career, could they have something to do with the reason he seems to be struggling to catch on to what coach Boo has been teaching him?

That's a good question, I've often wondered this myself. I have not done research on brain injuries, but I have worked closely with some who have.

There's a lot about brain injuries that we don't understand. Studies have definitely shown a decline in cognitive performance, which could mean picking up technique from Boudreau. There are also studies showing that it decreases cognitive processing speed, so maybe it's taking him a split second longer to recognize a blitzer, a stunt, etc. and that split second difference could be enough to make a difference between getting your hands on a guy and him getting by you. Or, none of this could be happening to him and he's just having a hard time picking it up.

 

[Anonymous]

I see there has been alot of talk about his demotion and the way he accepted it.

I got to wondering, he has had 2 season ending concussions in his short career, could they have something to do with the reason he seems to be struggling to catch on to what coach Boo has been teaching him?

I don;t think he "accepted it" at all. I think that's just people misconstruing his interviews. As a rule, offensive linemen are real big on "taking the criticism." This is a generality but over the years, I have seen that they speak as humble technicians who should always be improving, and who take their criticism and just get back to work. Think about it--they strive to be anonymous, to be part of a unit. For example, I remember one year when the 49ers were getting Young sacked a lot, and some sports show interviewed a well-known (at the time) SF lineman. The interviewer asked if he thought the 49er OL was getting too much criticism, and the player said "I don't think they are criticizing us enough."

Linemen just speak that way.

I think that just got completely misread by a lot of different people.

He's not giving up--if you account for Lineman Speak, he was displaying his resolve to take his punches and keep improving.

 

[RamBall]

I see there has been alot of talk about his demotion and the way he accepted it.

I got to wondering, he has had 2 season ending concussions in his short career, could they have something to do with the reason he seems to be struggling to catch on to what coach Boo has been teaching him?

I don;t think he "accepted it" at all. I think that's just people misconstruing his interviews. As a rule, offensive linemen are real big on "taking the criticism." This is a generality but over the years, I have seen that they speak as humble technicians who should always be improving, and who take their criticism and just get back to work. Think about it--they strive to be anonymous, to be part of a unit. For example, I remember one year when the 49ers were getting Young sacked a lot, and some sports show interviewed a well-known (at the time) SF lineman. The interviewer asked if he thought the 49er OL was getting too much criticism, and the player said "I don't think they are criticizing us enough."

Linemen just speak that way.

I think that just got completely misread by a lot of different people.

He's not giving up--if you account for Lineman Speak, he was displaying his resolve to take his punches and keep improving.

You're right. A better way of stating it would have been his accepting accountabilty.

 

[DR RAM]

I see there has been alot of talk about his demotion and the way he accepted it.

I got to wondering, he has had 2 season ending concussions in his short career, could they have something to do with the reason he seems to be struggling to catch on to what coach Boo has been teaching him?

That's a good question, I've often wondered this myself. I have not done research on brain injuries, but I have worked closely with some who have.

There's a lot about brain injuries that we don't understand. Studies have definitely shown a decline in cognitive performance, which could mean picking up technique from Boudreau. There are also studies showing that it decreases cognitive processing speed, so maybe it's taking him a split second longer to recognize a blitzer, a stunt, etc. and that split second difference could be enough to make a difference between getting your hands on a guy and him getting by you. Or, none of this could be happening to him and he's just having a hard time picking it up.

Jason Smith has struggled his whole career. He's probably playing better than I have ever seen him play, but expectations have changed. What he said could be interpreted a million ways, but we may never know what is really going on in his head. By what he said, I think last year scared the heck out of him, and it appears to still be on his mind. Is it affecting his play? Probably. Have the concussions changed him? Well, he's had some bad ones, so maybe they have.

 

[Anonymous]

I see there has been alot of talk about his demotion and the way he accepted it.

I got to wondering, he has had 2 season ending concussions in his short career, could they have something to do with the reason he seems to be struggling to catch on to what coach Boo has been teaching him?

I don;t think he "accepted it" at all. I think that's just people misconstruing his interviews. As a rule, offensive linemen are real big on "taking the criticism." This is a generality but over the years, I have seen that they speak as humble technicians who should always be improving, and who take their criticism and just get back to work. Think about it--they strive to be anonymous, to be part of a unit. For example, I remember one year when the 49ers were getting Young sacked a lot, and some sports show interviewed a well-known (at the time) SF lineman. The interviewer asked if he thought the 49er OL was getting too much criticism, and the player said "I don't think they are criticizing us enough."

Linemen just speak that way.

I think that just got completely misread by a lot of different people.

He's not giving up--if you account for Lineman Speak, he was displaying his resolve to take his punches and keep improving.

You're right. A better way of stating it would have been his accepting accountabilty.

Fair enough.