AJC > Sports > Football Recruiting > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 23 > Entry

Douglass DT Garrison Smith challenged in checkers by elderly neighbor

At 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, Douglass defensive tackle Garrison Smith is an imposing presence on the football field.

That means nothing when he lines ‘em up against a neighbor several decades older. “Mr. Brown,” as Smith knows him, is a neighbor who is in his ‘80s and a former football player at Morris Brown College.

“He’s got old-school skills,” said the talented junior, one of Georgia’s top 2010 prospects who has around 15 scholarship offers from major programs. “He’s the best I ever seen. He’s the only one I can’t beat.”

The game is checkers, in case you’re wondering, one of Smith’s favorite things to do when he’s not in football mode. He frequently visits his neighbor for friendly games and conversation.

Mr. Brown shares his stories of playing at Morris Brown, growing up in Atlanta and life in general. “We talk a lot about life, how he came up, the opportunities I have that he didn’t have,” Smith said. “I think he helps guide me in the right path.”

Smith seems to heading that way, with a 3.5 grade-point average, intentions to graduate high school early and offers from such high-profile programs as Georgia, Florida, Georgia Tech and virtually every program in the SEC. His brother, Greg Smith, plays for Tech.

What he doesn’t have is a win over Mr. Brown, even though Smith beats nearly everyone else, like his father, brothers and most other takers. “If I beat him, it’s because he let me beat him. I can never just beat him flat-out.”

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Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Clemson, Florida, Other ACC schools, Other SEC schools, Other schools, South Carolina, Tech, Tennessee, UGA

Comments

By RealityYech

February 23, 2009 2:51 PM | Link to this

He’s all Dawg

By Tokyo jacket

February 23, 2009 3:14 PM | Link to this

Let’s start the legacy machine going…

By St simons

February 24, 2009 12:15 PM | Link to this

45-42!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahahahahah

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