Smack talk always has and always will be part of what makes football a little more fun; a little more interesting. It heightens the stakes -- except for when it's done poorly by a has-been out to seek attention.
That's exactly the situation former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel found himself in when he recently tried to call out Minnesota Vikings legend Cris Carter on a podcast.
"Cris Carter is overrated to be honest. Cris Carter is one of the most overrated cornerbacks to ever come into the NFL or Hall of Fame," Samuel said.
First of all, Mr. Samuel, Cris Carter played wide receiver, as I'm sure you actually do know. But, it's funny how karma comes back to bite you when you're trying to unjustly poke fun at someone.
That's not the only hilarious part of his attack, though.
Asante Samuel made a fool of himself trying to call out Cris Carter
"He was a hell of a route runner. He had some of the best hands in football. That's what he was known for, route running and having really good hands," Samuel first said about the former Vikings wideout.
After a correct compliment, Samuel would go on to backtrack, kind of, trying to argue against the point he just made:
"As a cornerback, what do I have to worry about covering Cris Carter? He's gonna run a nice, crispy route and get tackled immediately ... what fear does he put in cornerbacks or defenses?"
Let's get this straight. If a wide receiver runs a perfect route, beats the cornerback and catches the football for a first down, that isn't considered to be threatening? That doesn't worry Samuel who, mind you, is a former All Pro?
This is an odd take. When the NFL started tracking receptions for a first down (1994), Carter's legacy only grew.
From 1994 to the time of his retirement, Carter caught 774 passes.
499 of those receptions went for a first down.
So, if we're using simple math, then over 64 percent of the time, Carter's reception resulted in a cornerback (or defense, in general) giving up a first down. That's where we're at.
Let's try and make sense of this question again, shall we?
"As a cornerback, what do I have to worry about covering Cris Carter? He's gonna run a nice, crispy route and get tackled immediately."
That. Exactly that. That's what you have to worry about -- a perfect route, a catch and a first down.
Think before you speak next time, Mr. Samuel.