ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The memories are more feelings now than actual stories.
"Competing," Sean Smith recalls. "Just competing. He always pushes the kids to go out there and compete. And you always want to do well in your community, because everybody talks and you definitely want to be one of the most talked-about guys around the neighborhood."
Smith was talking about being a youngster growing up in Pasadena, California, and taking to the tutelage of another native son of the 'Dena, All-Pro defensive back Marcus Robertson, as part of Robertson's football camps at the Jackie Robinson Community Center in the late 1990's.