Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith knew that he was probably going to be hearing from the league for his comments made about the officials during Sunday's 22-6 Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, so he made sure to get his point across without leaving anything out. Smith went on a tirade about the referees following the game, even referring to one official as "garbage" and challenged commissioner Roger Goodell to fine him.
Goodell, it's assumed, will be happy to oblige.
Smith was upset and claimed that the Arizona secondary was holding him non-stop during the game and that the referees, most notably Dan Ferrell according to his rant, should have been calling penalties instead of eating their whistles. He was also upset that he was called for a pass interference penalty.
"I got a [pass interference] penalty, which is very interesting," Smith told the Charlotte Observer. "I got leg-humped and hugged a few times. It was pass interference in Mexico, Europe, rugby - in pretty much every other sport but in Arizona [on Sunday]. But then when I pushed off it was pass interference.''
Smith then went on to point out Ferrell by name, as he was upset that he let Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson play such a physical game that in Smith's mind was beyond the legal limits of the NFL.
"I was told by the referee -- whatever judge he was, No. 64 (Ferrell)," Smith said, according to the Charlotte Observer. "He told me on my route [that] I felt like I got held, where [Peterson] had the back of my jersey and used that to slingshot his way through and bat the ball down. He said he grabbed my jersey, he saw it, but he didn't think it was enough that changed the course of the route."
Smith continued: "I've only been playing football for a little bit, just picked it up. So I said OK. I really believe years past I would've went off. But that's what he felt and that's what he said and he repeatedly explained it to me."
Smith was held to just four receptions for 60 yards during the game, and Carolina registered just two field goals as kicker Graham Gano accounted for all of the team's offense Sunday.
Smith became very heated in the postgame, and even mentioned that Goodell can fine him all that he wants and that since he has the money to pay for it he was going to say what he wanted.
"To be honest, I make enough money where if Roger wants to fine me he can. But I really think that referee probably was the sorriest referee that I have ever met," Smith told the Charlotte Observer. "When I dove for the first down [and] he was standing right there, he didn't even acknowledge -- he received a check that day and I hope he feels good. He was terrible. He was garbage."
This season, Smith has 18 receptions for 203 yards with one touchdown.
Smith is expecting to hear from the league any day now, but at least, in his mind, he got his money's worth.
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