Two-time Super Bowl champ Torrey Smith talks investing in Baltimore’s future

The former Ravens wide receiver and Nestor discuss the future of Baltimore from Radio Row in Atlanta ahead of Super Bowl LIII.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

baltimore, people, good, playing, teachers, run, city, march, player, kids, year, torrey smith, big, howard county, football player, talking, wn st, put, most respectful way, suit

Nestor Aparicio  00:00

Welcome back, wn, st Towson, Baltimore and wn St. dotnet. We are live on radio row all of our coverage brought to you by our friends and life for gel Sports Medicine Institute. This guy is his own little Baltimore institution. Here’s what I’m doing this year. I have dedicated my life to saving Baltimore this year. So therefore, I brought Torrey Smith in. In a very, very dapper Maryland Terrapins ask. It’s a little more salmon than red, but I’m gonna call it red for purposes of the Internet to time and defending champion Torrey Smith, how you doing? Bro? How are you man? Everything’s good to see you. Good to see you. You you are. And I know Frank Robinson is a little ill right now. So you want to send a prayer out there to Frank in a in a good thought. And I hope I’m not talking out of turn. But Frank once saw me in a suit that was pee green. And he came up to me and he said, nasty. You look as sharp as a Skeeters Peter. And I said, How sharp is that? And he said, don’t get no sharper? And I will tell you right now you look sharp as a Skeeters. Peter. You know, for whatever that’s worth. But you do look sharp? Where are you gonna

Torrey Smith  01:12

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have a big amount of big press conference later on? Do we want doing now saying the stuff we’re doing with the players coalition and a community had to wear a suit? You know, me I’d be in my Crocs and my sweats right now. You wouldn’t be and you’d

Nestor Aparicio  01:25

have the kids in your arms and talking about where you get new next crab cake for you in the offseason and where you are. I mean, obviously this time last year, we were gathering in a in a you know, a room where you were putting a green Eagle thing together and winning championships as everybody comes by and gives you multiple love here. You know, it’s been a hell of a journey for you, man, from the time I met you in a locker down in College Park.

Torrey Smith  01:50

It’s crazy. I think everything has happened the way it’s supposed to. And I’ve been grateful for all the highs, the lows, and not one of the best things about it to me is that I feel like everything kind of comes full circle for me. And that, you know, Baltimore is gonna be hard for me for the long run, which I told you years ago, that would be the case and I still have a deep attachment to that city. And I’m still able to continue to play the game that I love. So it’s like for me I have my foot. There

Nestor Aparicio  02:20

we go save the city. Run it for Mayor what’s going on, man?

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Torrey Smith  02:23

Never. But if you run I’m right beside you. I can help you, you know, figure out what we need to do.

Nestor Aparicio  02:29

Right, there you go.

Torrey Smith  02:34

Here we go. It takes all of us to make Baltimore

Nestor Aparicio  02:37

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Oh no, no, say that. Again. If I run from it, what you’re gonna lean in,

Torrey Smith  02:40

I’ll be beside you. I say I’m running with you.

Nestor Aparicio  02:49

The Smith Aparicio campaign.

Torrey Smith  02:53

So what do we have going on? We’re gonna say the city. Well, what do we need

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Nestor Aparicio  02:57

to do? Alright, first thing we need to do is have law and order. All right. Secondly, we need to create job opportunities for young people. We need to get people

Torrey Smith  03:05

on notice broad though.

Nestor Aparicio  03:08

Oh, absolutely. It’s gonna start there. But I think when you thought What does it feel safe walking to the CVS right now? That’s a problem.

Torrey Smith  03:15

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Yeah, there’s a lot. I think it depends on where you are. I’m at the interval that I think I walk everywhere. I’ll be in the worst part of Baltimore.

Nestor Aparicio  03:22

And I’m like, I have walked through Baltimore everywhere for all my life. I get why

Torrey Smith  03:27

you have some concerns. They’re there. And it’s, I think, to live in a city and to not have concerns is to be a fool.

Nestor Aparicio  03:35

Oh, there’s no, daddy, let me throw that out. I’m going to Atlanta right now. Yeah, walk

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Torrey Smith  03:40

around looking like how many people are out to get a little too close? Let me observe and see. Got it. Like, that’s just how it goes. But I will say this, when I think when I look at Baltimore, I think you have to start with the things that you can kind of control and impact directly. First is how, obviously, you carry yourself. But I think the education system there in the city isn’t the best. And I try to say that in as respectful of what is the in the most respectful way that I can? I don’t know, any other way to put it. I mean, there’s a reason why a lot of people send their kids to private school question back and afford it.

Nestor Aparicio  04:20

And that’s true for when it was in the 70s want to go to a school

Torrey Smith  04:24

like this. In Howard County, that’s not the case. You trust that your child’s gonna have a quality education in Howard County. So why is it that it can’t be that way in Baltimore. So that has to change. I’m just saying like, and you know, it is that I feel like it’s that way for a reason. There’s a reason why people are like, I’m not sending my kid. Yeah, people who work in the school district and don’t even send their kids to the same schools that they work for while you’re

Nestor Aparicio  04:49

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talking. I mean, Luke is an educator so you’re at the right table here. I picked him away from educating young two

Torrey Smith  04:58

vessels because like sometimes like I mean, and that’s even why we shifted the focus of our community work to after school programs and things like that, because that’s the only place you can count on touching a child because you can’t control what’s going on at home, what their parents are doing. The things happen there, sometimes the best role model that, and I know that, for me, some of my best role models were my teachers. And so the most supportive teachers I had, they probably made the most impact in my life and beyond, you know, my coaches,

Nestor Aparicio  05:28

Mr. Mohler still making an impact?

Torrey Smith  05:32

So I think, you know, recent investment on that, and I look at the teachers, you know, you know, the educator like they were in Baltimore City, like, what do you have to look forward to when you’re going to these into some of these schools? I was in school last year, one day, when they made the announcement like, don’t let us not having heat stop you from coming to school tomorrow. That’s not happening. Right? How can you be comfortable and safe in school? Right? So that’s, you’re not gonna learn less? Obviously, you know, that’s the case for the kids. Like, that’s just unsafe, none of us are doing that to our kids, or would like to do that to our kids. That’s the reality for the kids. And I know Aaron

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Nestor Aparicio  06:08

maybe got the t

Torrey Smith  06:10

shirt like me, like, what about the teacher that you expect them to? Like you? It’s all the leaders of their environment. We were in a football world. And we’re talking about coaches and, and the culture and environment. What’s the culture like for a teacher who has no heat in their classroom? Who she has no clue what kind of trauma to kids dealing with. And they’re bringing that there and they’re just trying to learn, and they don’t even have the resources that they need to teach them. But it’s

Nestor Aparicio  06:40

how can we talk about this football game or you know, your career we’re

Torrey Smith  06:43

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not playing it in Baltimore is not playing in a team that we both hate is playing in itself.

Nestor Aparicio  06:53

schwarzsee You

Torrey Smith  06:55

know, it’s always special. I’ll tell you one thing that I’ve learned, the longer that I’ve been playing, because this would be year nine coming up, which is crazy. You keep playing

Nestor Aparicio  07:02

with it. If you leave it alone. Just leave it alone. You’re right. You

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Torrey Smith  07:05

got good equipment. I shouldn’t be moving it. So is it? No, it’s not swinging me. Let me tell you.

Nestor Aparicio  07:14

It’s if you think of it like a helmet, he goes, everywhere you go. It was

Torrey Smith  07:17

a little loose. Exactly. That’s a good analogy. Like, you know, you got a bobblehead helmet, it’s a little bit loose. Now. Just tighten it up.

Nestor Aparicio  07:23

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Even just farting around with the microphone just seven and a half minutes.

Torrey Smith  07:26

No, it’s not it’s not moving like There we go.

Nestor Aparicio  07:29

See if you did your radio show Baltimore. Me you would know how to be professional. You’re hanging out at 90 Iraq guys.

Torrey Smith  07:36

Yeah, he’s throwing shade. I’m not even gonna. I’m just saying I’m not even gonna jump into this. Good do me like that. Man. Garcia

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Nestor Aparicio  07:45

you know, don’t do me like that cursor. You know, we love you. Don’t do me like that. That’s Tom Petty song. No, I have no hate. No hate at all. Not for crxter stat. news, guys. Anyway, just dashes 100 points there, but I think of not Iraq. So anyway, for you with where are you? Where’s your life? What’s happening right now? I mean, I was talking about the wide receiver, not the Civic Advic

Torrey Smith  08:07

Charlaine in Baltimore. You know, our forever home is almost done and up in that area in the Baltimore area. So I’ll just be back and forth between there and Charlotte. Just had a daughter a month ago. Yeah. Oh, that’s that’s been like after two years. Um, it’s to me, it’s, it’s definitely not just look at it. And I just think just more responsibility. Like, I feel a lot of responsibility with my boys.

Nestor Aparicio  08:34

But oh, man, you’ve always had that. That’s part of who you are.

Torrey Smith  08:38

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That’s why it wasn’t like a big, like, a big adjustment. But I just think that things like that are different, because it’s harder for women out here. It is like, and so I look at her and I’m like, man, like I have to make her believe that she’s the most beautiful version. And she’s the most confident person that she can take over his world. Like, it’s different, because there’s so many people that are telling me that that will tell her that she can’t. So I kind of take that responsibility. And I know what kind of scheming dudes are out here. And try to tell you, you know, I’ve tried to tell her anything and you know, I think that you know, and I think of you know, she has a great role model and her mom and you know, it’s it’s good for my wife too and and her personal growth that we have a daughter and I’m I’m excited that she’s here. What’s next thing

Nestor Aparicio  09:28

you doing in Baltimore?

Torrey Smith  09:29

The charity basketball games on March 30. March 13. Okay, well

Nestor Aparicio  09:32

make sure get that in the calendar March 3 Well, farms arena

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Torrey Smith  09:35

royal farms arena, three o’clock if you can’t come I mean, you could donate a ticket. It’s always coming this year. Jordan you got to try to get LeBron man. Doctor. I was watching the Ellen show. Llama tweet at Ellen. Ellen might come you know you go. I always try to keep it close to Baltimore. For multiple reasons. Well, one, like having its people that matter to them. He knows when you have ravens everyone knows how big of a deal it is to have a raven there. And when I think about what we have to do I think of just the players. Look at Jacoby Anquan Ray Rice whoever maybe who’s

Nestor Aparicio  10:14

the best player that’s a football player that you’ve seen like above all the guys you’ve ever been on the floor with. Who’s the rod was really

Torrey Smith  10:22

good I was taught was a great athlete. good basketball player. I think of lady on bells really good too. Which is weird. Like he can really play. Who else is out there? Because up top see

Nestor Aparicio  10:36

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you’re not yet. Nobody intimidates you that Greg Hardy

Torrey Smith  10:39

was very good. I know. You know he had some some trouble but Greg Hardy could play ball DeAngelo Hall can shoot. Somebody told me that he was just lucky that day but

Nestor Aparicio  10:51

football players say another guy’s good at basketball. That’s ultimate respect. Right? Yeah, literally. Talking about football. He’s a good player. He’s good. But when you when you stand out you have to think Rama mention his name because he’s no good. I’m better than him. Better than

Torrey Smith  11:05

everyone. Everyone can do anything. It’s a lot of great athletes and football but everyone can play bass is a different type of skill.

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Nestor Aparicio  11:12

Alright, march 30 Torrey Smith this year here but he did sort of where to find all the fans if they want to help you in some ways people do like as

Torrey Smith  11:18

a you go to Torrey smith.org and it tell you everything that you need to know obviously you can buy tickets at Royal farms arena.com as well so looking forward to see you out there for us is always a big reunion to be back in Baltimore with the family and and to bring the people out and to be with the community that’s what it’s all

Nestor Aparicio  11:36

about. And when I run for mayor you will be beside

Torrey Smith  11:39

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you

Nestor Aparicio  11:41

not in front of me not behind me just besides was idea but not over there.

Torrey Smith  11:45

No Hey you know we’re all we’re all equal. Here you go. Whenever we got to know see we gotta just I’m not I’m not full blown law and order so we got to discuss something

Nestor Aparicio  11:56

you could say beside me but you beside Nick Foles but he’s way over there

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Torrey Smith  12:02

I’m beside a lot of people because you know what I think one thing that we do need to know like we all need to go

Nestor Aparicio  12:08

I want hardward as I want I want to harm

Torrey Smith  12:11

you and that comes with communication you can lead and I’ll tell you when you go on crazy

Nestor Aparicio  12:26

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Lana All right, we got great. Oh Lord, why can’t we could see Taurus. Nice saying Where’s where’s all your rings? Where’s your jewelry? You don’t need jewelry? You dress this

Torrey Smith  12:36

fall. I get another one. We just get another one.

Nestor Aparicio  12:39

I need a new tailor. Man. I need to have socks. We’ll be saving money. You made a lot of shot you can afford socks.

Torrey Smith  12:48

Hey, do you agree shot again? Sure. I’m button right here. Chest is out. Like a ball. Great. Balls. How’s the family?

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Nestor Aparicio  13:02

Good. My wife’s getting in tomorrow. And Hey, speaking

Torrey Smith  13:05

of looking forward to saying I thought she will be here. Tomorrow. I really wasn’t looking forward to seeing you.

Nestor Aparicio  13:10

When you when I run for mayor and you stand beside me she

Torrey Smith  13:14

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Yeah, that’s that’s beside you. She’s beside you beside you. Like that’s the rock right there. She’s really just a matter of fact, she should run into you should just there’s an idea. You should be beside me. Let her let her lead it.

Nestor Aparicio  13:28

Don’t be running around any power trip. If

Torrey Smith  13:30

she was in riot, she’d be the strongest person at the table.

Nestor Aparicio  13:33

chirps do it. All right. I mean little up and down. I’m looking at you and you’re wearing red like this. And it looks like something. It looks like one of these clown suits that the plank put together. Like this is what it looks like this. This is about when they go against the mustard out against Maryland.

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Torrey Smith  13:50

Maryland is in a great place going forward

Nestor Aparicio  13:58

to football or basketball

Torrey Smith  14:00

for sure. Football, basketball. I feel like turkey is still doing a great job. They’re younger still. But I think we have a chance that’s all I can ask for.

Nestor Aparicio  14:10

All right, man. Get out here. They’re pulling out you got a great suit combat. Baltimore. We’ll see when you get home. I’ll be beside you later. March 30. It’ll be at the Royal farms arena. I got the row phone coffee here for this. It’s all good. We’ll see you on March 30. I get all the information I’m adding the body and joining body of all 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world on your mobile device by downloading the tune in radio app. You can find this out there anytime anywhere. Ongoing expanding evolving coverage at some point I will eat something. So I brought to you by LifeBridge sports Health Medicine Institute and Foundry row in Owings Mills, fixing my elbow your knee saving souls that LifeBridge works Health Medicine Institute and making me feel a whole lot better now that my left arm is getting fixed. We are wn st dotnet am 1570 and wn st Towson, Baltimore. We never stop talking Baltimore sports