FORMER DOWN FOOTBALLER Charlie Smyth has embraced the ‘crazy few days’ he has encountered in the wake of his major NFL breakthrough in kicking a game-winning field goal for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night.
The Mayobridge native was on target against the Carolina Panthers, the NFC South rivals of the Saints, and has relished the achievement off the back of steady progress he has made over the past 18 moments.
“It was just a really cool moment,” reflected Smyth, when speaking this evening on a media call.
“It’s kind of those moments where you’re sleeping at night and you’re thinking, Wouldn’t it be cool to have a game winning attempt?’
“Thankfully we got the opportunity on Sunday. You think of that element of doubt, in that moment, you can’t be thinking of that.
“I know I trust in everything I do in my technical work and all the things I’ve been working on this past 18 months. Missing doesn’t even come into your mind because I just felt so ready for the moment. It was awesome then to get to celebrate with all my teammates after.
“The last few days have been crazy. It’s been a result of a lot of quiet work in the background this past 18 months. It’s really cool to be a part of this team.”
“Even after the Miami game, your phone’s kind of blowing up. This past couple of days, it’s great, everybody’s been so supportive, but you also have to remind yourself that unless I keep putting the ball through the uprights, then it mightn’t be so positive.
“So I just have to remind myself that what’s important now is that you enjoy this first couple of days, but whenever it’s time to practice again with the team, that’s kind of when you’re like, ‘Okay, I need to switch to the Jets.’ ”
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New Orleans Saints place-kicker Charlie Smyth (39) and teammates celebrate. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
He got to celebrate Sunday’s milestone in the company of those closest to him.
“Back home we would go to the pub and drown ourselves in beer or whatever. Just after the game you’d be so tired, so I just went and got some pizzas with my mum, sister and girlfriend, and we had a few beers as well and just went back to my apartment and just chilled.
“Just really soaking it in. I was glad we were able to, just the four of us together. I wish my Dad could have been there as well, but he’s tied up with work at the minute. It was just a really cool evening and glad to get to celebrate with those who are closest to me.
“It’s quite hard to get to sleep as you normally would after doing something like that. It was just the buzz of the moment was unreal, and knowing that you kind of helped your team to be successful on Sunday, it was pretty cool.
“I know those are the moments why I left Gaelic football to come over here and try and do that. I’ve been watching on TV for years and thinking that could be me if I ever got the opportunity and just super grateful to everybody who’s helped me get here.”
New Orleans Saints place kicker Charlie Smyth (39) kicks in the second half. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Smyth has adjusted well to life in New Orleans, enjoying his new surroundings.
“The practice facility is outside the city, so I live closer to the practice facility because, you know, it makes more sense. New Orleans, it’s not the biggest city in the world, so you can really like get about quite easily. The traffic doesn’t be too bad.
“I love it here, the people are great. Everyone in the building, they’re really good people and I love being around my team-mates as well. So it’s awesome.
“I’ve been living here now this past two years. I’m still an Irishman, Ireland’s still my home, but New Orleans, I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a person here.”
Patience was required before Smyth was handed his opportunity by the Saints but turning his back on an NFL career to return home, wasn’t a consideration.
“I want this too much to even think about coming home. I’ve put a lot of time into this and effort. I was seeing the results in practice, even when I’m kicking on my own on a Monday, the day after a game.
“So normally my schedule is I’ll not kick two days in a row. So, practice is Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
“The starting kicker goes Wednesday, Friday. So then I have to figure out, when else am I gonna kick.
“So I kicked Monday, Thursday, and sometimes those Monday sessions were a little like, ‘I wish it was a little bit more of a competitive environment.’
“But you can use that then to just stay disciplined, stay focused on the process, stay focused on just being ready.
“And also just working on your craft and just working on any technical things that you want to work on. I was just seeing too much progress to even think about, like, ‘No, I wanna come back home.’
“Now don’t get me wrong, like you see Down playing or Mayobridge playing in the championship, and I would love to be out there with the boys, but over here it’s just, you’re working towards something, there’s millions of people watching and you’re getting to representing your country on a world stage.
“I was wondering, was it ever going to come, especially with my lack of experience and not playing college football, but I think I’ve shown people in this organisation and they’ve shown enough belief in me to just go out and go for it.”
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Charlie Smyth: 'The last few days have been crazy. I just felt so ready for the moment'
FORMER DOWN FOOTBALLER Charlie Smyth has embraced the ‘crazy few days’ he has encountered in the wake of his major NFL breakthrough in kicking a game-winning field goal for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night.
The Mayobridge native was on target against the Carolina Panthers, the NFC South rivals of the Saints, and has relished the achievement off the back of steady progress he has made over the past 18 moments.
“It was just a really cool moment,” reflected Smyth, when speaking this evening on a media call.
“It’s kind of those moments where you’re sleeping at night and you’re thinking, Wouldn’t it be cool to have a game winning attempt?’
“Thankfully we got the opportunity on Sunday. You think of that element of doubt, in that moment, you can’t be thinking of that.
“I know I trust in everything I do in my technical work and all the things I’ve been working on this past 18 months. Missing doesn’t even come into your mind because I just felt so ready for the moment. It was awesome then to get to celebrate with all my teammates after.
“The last few days have been crazy. It’s been a result of a lot of quiet work in the background this past 18 months. It’s really cool to be a part of this team.”
“Even after the Miami game, your phone’s kind of blowing up. This past couple of days, it’s great, everybody’s been so supportive, but you also have to remind yourself that unless I keep putting the ball through the uprights, then it mightn’t be so positive.
“So I just have to remind myself that what’s important now is that you enjoy this first couple of days, but whenever it’s time to practice again with the team, that’s kind of when you’re like, ‘Okay, I need to switch to the Jets.’ ”
He got to celebrate Sunday’s milestone in the company of those closest to him.
“Back home we would go to the pub and drown ourselves in beer or whatever. Just after the game you’d be so tired, so I just went and got some pizzas with my mum, sister and girlfriend, and we had a few beers as well and just went back to my apartment and just chilled.
“Just really soaking it in. I was glad we were able to, just the four of us together. I wish my Dad could have been there as well, but he’s tied up with work at the minute. It was just a really cool evening and glad to get to celebrate with those who are closest to me.
“It’s quite hard to get to sleep as you normally would after doing something like that. It was just the buzz of the moment was unreal, and knowing that you kind of helped your team to be successful on Sunday, it was pretty cool.
“I know those are the moments why I left Gaelic football to come over here and try and do that. I’ve been watching on TV for years and thinking that could be me if I ever got the opportunity and just super grateful to everybody who’s helped me get here.”
Smyth has adjusted well to life in New Orleans, enjoying his new surroundings.
“The practice facility is outside the city, so I live closer to the practice facility because, you know, it makes more sense. New Orleans, it’s not the biggest city in the world, so you can really like get about quite easily. The traffic doesn’t be too bad.
“I love it here, the people are great. Everyone in the building, they’re really good people and I love being around my team-mates as well. So it’s awesome.
“I’ve been living here now this past two years. I’m still an Irishman, Ireland’s still my home, but New Orleans, I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a person here.”
Patience was required before Smyth was handed his opportunity by the Saints but turning his back on an NFL career to return home, wasn’t a consideration.
“I want this too much to even think about coming home. I’ve put a lot of time into this and effort. I was seeing the results in practice, even when I’m kicking on my own on a Monday, the day after a game.
“So normally my schedule is I’ll not kick two days in a row. So, practice is Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
“The starting kicker goes Wednesday, Friday. So then I have to figure out, when else am I gonna kick.
“So I kicked Monday, Thursday, and sometimes those Monday sessions were a little like, ‘I wish it was a little bit more of a competitive environment.’
“But you can use that then to just stay disciplined, stay focused on the process, stay focused on just being ready.
“And also just working on your craft and just working on any technical things that you want to work on. I was just seeing too much progress to even think about, like, ‘No, I wanna come back home.’
“Now don’t get me wrong, like you see Down playing or Mayobridge playing in the championship, and I would love to be out there with the boys, but over here it’s just, you’re working towards something, there’s millions of people watching and you’re getting to representing your country on a world stage.
“I was wondering, was it ever going to come, especially with my lack of experience and not playing college football, but I think I’ve shown people in this organisation and they’ve shown enough belief in me to just go out and go for it.”
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