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[h1]Who's not J.R.? Nuggets sharpshooter Smith going by Earl[/h1]
By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post
Posted: 11/10/2009 12:08:13 PM MST
Updated: 11/10/2009 01:34:55 PM MST
CHICAGO - His name is Earl.
Nuggets guard J.R. Smith has made a decision - from now on, he wants to be called by his given name, Earl.
His given name is Earl Smith III, but he got "J.R." because people would call him "junior," even though, yeah, he's actually athird-generation Earl.
Regardless, the Denver sharpshooter is now Earl Smith III - which should lead to some cutesy puns about "III" and "3-pointers."
"I just felt like changing it," Smith said Tuesday morning at the Nuggets shootaround, in preparation for tonight's Nuggets-Bulls game,Smith's first game back from a seven-game suspension. "It's been a long time, and J.R. has no significance to my name. My name is Earl, so Ifigured - why not?"
Asked if he was changing his name to get a fresh start on a new season, Smith said:
"I'm tired of getting fresh starts. Saying it's a fresh start is making excuses for what's gone on in the past. I don't want to dothat. I'm just going to go by my real name."
Then if he was worried the name change could have a Samson-hair effect, he said if he starts shooting poorly, "then I go back to 'Swish,'" as in his nickname "J.R. Swish" (or, now, "Earl Swish").
If anything, Smith can now nab www.earlsmith.com as his own; www.jrsmith.comis the web site of Jay R. Smith, a gentleman who sells plumbing and drainage supplies.
Denver's Smith averaged 15.2 points per game last season and is one of the toughest covers in basketball when his shot is falling. This preseason, thereserve meshed well with reserve point guard Ty Lawson. The two could be in the backcourt together tonight, depending on coach George Karl's rotations.
"I'm going to try to give (Smith) 20 minutes and monitor his conditioning and how rusty he is," Karl said.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13754906
By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post
Posted: 11/10/2009 12:08:13 PM MST
Updated: 11/10/2009 01:34:55 PM MST
CHICAGO - His name is Earl.
Nuggets guard J.R. Smith has made a decision - from now on, he wants to be called by his given name, Earl.
His given name is Earl Smith III, but he got "J.R." because people would call him "junior," even though, yeah, he's actually athird-generation Earl.
Regardless, the Denver sharpshooter is now Earl Smith III - which should lead to some cutesy puns about "III" and "3-pointers."
"I just felt like changing it," Smith said Tuesday morning at the Nuggets shootaround, in preparation for tonight's Nuggets-Bulls game,Smith's first game back from a seven-game suspension. "It's been a long time, and J.R. has no significance to my name. My name is Earl, so Ifigured - why not?"
Asked if he was changing his name to get a fresh start on a new season, Smith said:
"I'm tired of getting fresh starts. Saying it's a fresh start is making excuses for what's gone on in the past. I don't want to dothat. I'm just going to go by my real name."
Then if he was worried the name change could have a Samson-hair effect, he said if he starts shooting poorly, "then I go back to 'Swish,'" as in his nickname "J.R. Swish" (or, now, "Earl Swish").
If anything, Smith can now nab www.earlsmith.com as his own; www.jrsmith.comis the web site of Jay R. Smith, a gentleman who sells plumbing and drainage supplies.
Denver's Smith averaged 15.2 points per game last season and is one of the toughest covers in basketball when his shot is falling. This preseason, thereserve meshed well with reserve point guard Ty Lawson. The two could be in the backcourt together tonight, depending on coach George Karl's rotations.
"I'm going to try to give (Smith) 20 minutes and monitor his conditioning and how rusty he is," Karl said.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13754906
