Fred Smoot is Humbler, says Fred Smoot

It is always entertaining when athletes draw from the 3rd person well. Hey, they're rich, talented and usually can back up the bravado. Rickey Henderson used to drop it, he probably still does. It's great. Not everyone has the stones or the game to make it work. So when Fred Smoot describes his nightmare 2005, he gives new legs to the 3rd person, "That was the first time I had to sit and watch my team go play without me. So I think that really humbled Fred Smoot."

Can you be humbled in the third person? If it is the same defensive back that once said, "The Earth is 65% covered with water, Fred Smoot covers the rest," then the answer is absolutely. While some athletes like Terrell Owens go overboard with self infatuation, Smoot falls closer to Chad Johnson. Extreme confidence is the baseline for their success.

For the Vikings new defense to work this year, Smoot must play a large part. The fact Smoot remains confident after last year is a good sign. While no one is expecting Smoot to cover the entire Earth with water's success, blanketing one half of the field should suffice.