BRUCE SMITH

I consider myself a gladiator.

Annie Lee Smith was my mother's name. My father's name was George Washington Smith. I have to tell you, I got all of my attributes from them, obviously, the tangibles, the intangibles. Particularly my work ethic, my dedication.

There's not a day that goes by that I'm not in pain. Multiple joints and things that I experience on a daily basis. It can be very frustrating sometimes and painful, but I'm very blessed.

The most I ever ate? In one sitting? Maybe four big plates of fried chicken, biscuits, chitlins, gravy. Then dessert. Apple pie, sweet potato pie. My mother cooked that stuff, good Southern food, and when I was 300 pounds, I never missed a meal.

My parents did an excellent job of bringing me up with values.

I know I wore number 70 in high school, and then when I got to Virginia Tech, I decided to go with the No. 78, and from that point, I just fell in love with and I wanted to make that number special.

College can seem stressful, but you have just as much fun as you can. Those were good years. You didn't have to worry about bills or your 401(k). Life was so simple.

I forget a lot of things sometimes. I'm not one to sit here and complain. While I did not know the severity of what continuous head traumas could do to an individual and the mind and so forth, I'm not going to sit here and complain.

As a kid, I'd eat at my mother's house, then go down the road to my girlfriend's and eat, and then sometimes go to my friend's house and eat again. I could gain five pounds in a day. In a week, there wouldn't be a scale to weigh me.

The most I ever ate? In one sitting? Maybe four big plates of fried chicken, biscuits, chitlins, gravy. Then dessert. Apple pie, sweet potato pie. My mother cooked that stuff, good Southern food, and when I was 300 pounds, I never missed a meal.

I forget a lot of things sometimes. I'm not one to sit here and complain. While I did not know the severity of what continuous head traumas could do to an individual and the mind and so forth, I'm not going to sit here and complain.

College can seem stressful, but you have just as much fun as you can. Those were good years. You didn't have to worry about bills or your 401(k). Life was so simple.

My parents did an excellent job of bringing me up with values.

Annie Lee Smith was my mother's name. My father's name was George Washington Smith. I have to tell you, I got all of my attributes from them, obviously, the tangibles, the intangibles. Particularly my work ethic, my dedication.

As a kid, I'd eat at my mother's house, then go down the road to my girlfriend's and eat, and then sometimes go to my friend's house and eat again. I could gain five pounds in a day. In a week, there wouldn't be a scale to weigh me.

I know I wore number 70 in high school, and then when I got to Virginia Tech, I decided to go with the No. 78, and from that point, I just fell in love with and I wanted to make that number special.

I consider myself a gladiator.

There's not a day that goes by that I'm not in pain. Multiple joints and things that I experience on a daily basis. It can be very frustrating sometimes and painful, but I'm very blessed.