No Need to Waste Time Worrying About Nick Smith's Legs

So many people called radio shows concerned about something that isn't a concern at all for the Razorbacks

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Dec 21, 2022 6:51 PM EST
Original:
Dec 21, 2022

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A loud groan reached from around the corner into the hallway that leads to the media room in Simmons Bank Arena.

Normally, there would be no one to hear it with the first half already started, but a pair of stragglers rounded the corner just in time to see the cause of noise.

There on the floor was All-American and projected NBA first rounder in the last place Arkansas coach Eric Musselman wanted and definitely the last place Smith hoped he would be barely midway through his North Little Rock homecoming – on the ground writhing in pain under the arena bleachers.

Someone with the team said something that was drowned out by the yelps of pain and another gentleman who appeared to be with the training staff asked what was wrong.

Through a forced grimace, Smith forced out "It won't stop cramping."

He then motioned toward his thigh area.

It was clearly painful as muscle cramps of all types tend to be. Equally clear was that even if the trainers got the cramping to stop, Smith wasn't about to go back into a game that hadn't been in doubt since the opening few minutes.

Local boy or not, Smith was too valuable to the overall goal, especially after forward Trevon Brazile's season ending injury, to take the risk. They had been cautious with his legs to this point, so no need for unnecessary exposure for a half that couldn't make the season more successful despite friends and family in the stands.

Fans were going to fret. They do every time one of Musselman's thoroughbreds rolls an ankle or gets an eyelash in his eye.

That's how fans are.

Musselman would just explain in the postgame press conference and everyone could relax.

"He got taped at halftime and the tape felt a little uncomfortable," Musselman said after the game. "You know, I just didn't feel the need to put him back in when he got taped up at halftime and then left again to get retaped."

And that moment of caution wasn't something that was lightly considered. While fans in the stands wildly imagined all sorts of horrors to the ligaments and bones of Smith, Musselman and his staff talked out whether to put him back in.

"I discussed it on the bench quite a bit with Coach [Keith] Smart because of his experience and Coach [Gus] Argenal," Musselman said. "The three of us talked about it. With the flow and the way the game was going, it just felt like there wasn't a need to probably put him back in at that juncture."

Despite those very public comments, fans filled the call lines of local radio shows asking about Smith's health, still believing he was legitimately injured.

Musselman even addressed that it wouldn't be anything that would prevent him from playing against UNC-Ashville. However, unless you were in the room or had the press conference cranked up dangerously loud, the question to Musselman's yes-no answer was imperceptible, therefore removing context to his answer.

So, if you're one of those Razorback fans who worried at times that Smith is about to miss several more games or that another Brazile-like announcement is about to drop, it's all cool.

Even if Smith, for some strange reason doesn't play tonight, it won't have anything to do directly with what happened under the bleachers at Simmons Bank Arena Saturday night.

What went on there was nothing a few bananas, some salt tablets and a bottle of water couldn't solve back in the day, and everyone knows sports medicine has come a long way since then.

So spend the hours leading up to the game chopping some firewood to take care of something in need of actual worry with this cold front coming in, because when it comes to Nick Smith and Saturday night, all is well, and to all a good night.