CLIMBING OUT FROM THE SHADOWS TAFT'S MALCOLM SMITH IS MORE THAN USC STAR STEVE'S LITTLE BROTHER.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer Malcolm Smith Malcolm Smith may refer to:
Steve Smith went over to greet Malcolm and was greeted with some discomforting news. His little brother, only a freshman at Taft High of Woodland Hills, already was bigger than him. Now a junior, Malcolm, at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, dwarfs Dwarfs Fannie Mae issued mortgage-backed securities pools that have an original maturity of 15 years. his 6-foot, 195-pound brother. Yet his brother's shadow towers over him, following him wherever he goes. That's life with a brother who starts at receiver for the hottest ticket in town, defending national champion USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. , following one of the greatest prep football careers in California history. ``People are asking about him all the time,'' Malcolm Smith said. ``When I was younger, I was always introduced as Steve's brother. Then there's the times I'm walking around campus or the mall with some USC gear on, and people actually come up and say, 'Hey, Steve, great game Saturday.' ``It's like, I have my own name.'' Being Steve Smith's brother hasn't been all that bad for Malcolm. It fits his personality. Steve likes to be out and about, and Malcolm prefers to stay home immersed im·merse tr.v. im·mersed, im·mers·ing, im·mers·es 1. To cover completely in a liquid; submerge. 2. To baptize by submerging in water. 3. in his studies or video games See video game console. . Malcolm doesn't mind doing his thing in the background. He likes his place in the shadows. ``At some point, we've all been tired of being Steve's mother, Steve's father or Steve's brother, because people don't let us forget,'' said Audrey Smith, Steve and Malcolm's mother. ``I don't hear (Malcolm) complain a lot about it. He's comfortable with who he is and content to just go out and do his job.'' It's amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. that Malcolm has stayed relatively under the radar This article is about the magazine. For other uses, see Under the Radar (disambiguation). Under the Radar is an American magazine that bills itself as "The solution to music pollution." It features interviews with accompanying photo-shoots. , given his lineage LINEAGE. Properly speaking lineage is the relationship of persons in a direct line; as the grandfather, the father, the son, the grandson, &c. . As a sophomore, Steve was one of the best-known prep football players in the state. He finished his high school career with state records in receptions and yards. Perhaps because Taft has so many talented players, Malcolm never felt the pressure of expectations from being Steve Smith's brother. Last season, Toreadors quarterback Josh Portis received most of the attention - and a scholarship to play at Florida. This season, senior receiver Jamere Holland is the hot recruit. Malcolm also hasn't put up spectacular statistics, like his brother did, although that's not because he's lacking talent. Steve focused on playing as a receiver and cornerback, but Malcolm is used all over the field. This season, he has played tailback tail·back n. Football The back on an offensive team who lines up farthest from the line of scrimmage. tailback Noun Brit a queue of traffic stretching back from an obstruction , receiver, fullback, linebacker, cornerback, safety and kicker Kicker A right, warrant, or some other feature added to a debt instrument to make it more desirable to potential investors. Notes: The ability to trade a bond or other debt instrument in for stock may entice investors, if they feel the stock will appreciate. . Smith leads the team in total yards, is second in touchdowns and tied for first in receptions. ``He's a force to deal with,'' said Taft coach Troy Starr, who also coached Steve. ``Malcolm hasn't been showcased as much as Steve, but he's still a great player, and the sky's the limit for him.'' Although he will never put up the prep statistics of his brother, Malcolm could do something Steve did not: bring home a City Section title. Steve's teams twice reached the final, losing both times. Taft again is a City favorite, along with Dorsey of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . Steve Smith watches game tapes of his brother and offers advice whenever he is home. One of the most important lessons he passed down involved working with weights. Steve's natural talents allowed him to succeed in high school without lifting weights. When he reached USC, the strength of other players shocked him. ``He told me the first practice he went to, they were lifting weights, and he couldn't handle it,'' Malcolm said. ``He was nearly crying and feeling like he was going to throw up. The coaches were yelling yell v. yelled, yell·ing, yells v.intr. To cry out loudly, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm. v.tr. To utter or express with a loud cry. See Synonyms at shout. n. at him. He said, 'Don't come in weak like me.' '' Malcolm also is stronger academically than Steve, who has seen academics as a necessity to play football. Malcolm is an honor-roll student taking honors and advanced-placement classes. During Steve's junior and senior seasons at Taft, the Smith households - Steve and Malcolm's parents are divorced - were besieged be·siege tr.v. be·sieged, be·sieg·ing, be·sieg·es 1. To surround with hostile forces. 2. To crowd around; hem in. 3. with attention from colleges and media. The family is bracing bracing, n a resistance to the horizontal components of masticatory force. for a repeat with Malcolm. ``I think the people that really matter know of him now,'' Steve Smith Sr., the boys' father, said of Malcolm. ``But the spotlight will be on him next year. He will be right where he should be, as far as publicity.'' Starr thinks linebacker is Malcolm's best position, and that's where he believes he'll play in college. Malcolm loves being a running back, but he doesn't mind playing on defense. His brother has an opinion where he should play in college. ``I definitely think he's an 'SC-caliber guy,'' Steve Smith said. ``He can play so many positions, I think he's really more of a threat than I was.'' Malcolm said he could deal with a few more years in his brother's shadow. ``If 'SC offers, it will definitely be somewhere I'll look at,'' Malcolm said. ``It won't have the upper hand just because my brother went there. But I wouldn't mind following in his footsteps again. It hasn't been a big problem at Taft, plus USC seems like the place to be right now.'' Matthew Kredell, (818) 713-3607 matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Malcolm Smith File photo |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion