I would like to honor Matt Smith. As a friend and as a coworker, I never found anyone that I felt more comfortable with and confident around. I hope in some small way, what I am about to write about Matt is fitting for such a friend.
I was the former SID at South Alabama from 1995-2000, who first interviewed Matt Smith in the summer of 1996 and brought him into Jaguar Athletics. After my first year (1995-96), it was evident we had to make improvements and Matt was the first big step. He had been an exemplary student worker at the Southeastern Louisiana SID Office and was well liked by everyone. He had some tremendous recommendations from coworkers even as a student, which is unusual for the business. He was from the Mobile area and that was a huge plus.
After the first day, I knew that Matt was going to be a tremendous asset to our office and to the athletic program. He was diligent, dedicated, professional, fair and honest. He was the kind of guy you knew without any doubt that you could depend on. I assigned him to Baseball, Soccer and Cross Country. I never had to oversee his work nor his ideas. He was a perfect employee. That's what the job at USA required especially when the majority of the work would come with the baseball program, led by coach Steve Kittrell. It was a perfect fit.
Matt and Coach Kittrell hit it off immediately, just like Matt did with everyone in the department and university. From that point, Matt was Mr. South Alabama Baseball. And to this day, there is no one that can take that title from him.
I feel so strongly about the dedication of Matt Smith to the Jaguar program in particular to the Baseball Jags, that I sent an email today to USA Athletic Director Joe Gottfried, Associate AD Pam Young (who oversees the Media Relations Office) and to Baseball Coach Steve Kittrell, asking that the new Press Box at Stanky Field carry the name of "Matt Smith" from the first pitch in the coming 2005 season until forever. I am confident that there never has been, nor is there currently any Jaguar fan or past/present coach/player/employee that deserves this honor more.
Matt liked working for South Alabama in all of its respected sports, but he loved and thrived on working for the guys wearing the red-jerseys of the Jaguar Baseball team out on the diamond. I don't know if Matt ever played baseball at any level, but each day, he lived, dreamed, worked and sacrificed, just as hard as any Jaguar Baseball player.
He, like many of the Jags who have come before and will still come, dreamed to be in the Big Leagues. He was a huge Braves' fan. The only thing that kept Matt from leaving South Alabama for another position, was the trip to the World Series in Omaha for Coach Kittrell and the Baseball program he so loved. Matt would have worn his USA colors proud in Omaha and you can believe, he would have been the most organized and most well-prepared SID in the nation. Without that drive for Omaha and the love of Coach Kittrell and the Jaguars, it's my opinion that he would have accepted one of the several positions that were offered to him.
But Matt was more than just a baseball SID. He was a proud person. He was also a private guy, never speaking too much of his personal life prior to USA or his family, just of his dreams and his tasks that needed to be finished. He loved watching the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and the Dallas Cowboys. He was a big Atlanta Braves' fan and trust me when I say, there was no bigger fan of Wrestling than Matt Smith. He knew every personality, every move and every line spoken. He was the authority.
As a team, Matt and I, were blessed to have some very good help in the office during my time. Corey Thomaston, Doc Cagle, Beau Doolittle, Paul Brueske, Anna Sanders and Heather Parr were but a few names that were a great help. Yet with the talented and dedicated group we had, Matt liked to complete tasks by himself.
He didn't ask for help and for that matter, he didn't want help. He knew if he had completed the task, it was right. He would always do everything to the NTH degree, but as a supervisor, I never had to worry that a job wouldn't get done on time and in a professional manner. I can promise you as South Alabama fans, Matt was arguably the best-ever employee of the Athletic Media Relations Office at South Alabama.
When I left USA in September of 2000 to make a career change, I made a request of the Athletic Administration, that Matt be made the Interim Athletic Media Relations Director until the year was over to give him a chance at the permanent position. I knew he would prove himself even though he would have to take on the responsibilities of Men's Basketball, which is still the primary focus of the Media Relations Director. I was never more right about an individual.
I had kept in touch with Matt from time to time, the last coming two weeks ago. He was excited about the basketball season. He enjoyed working with Coach Pel but was still talking about the renovations at Stanky Field and was ecstatic about the new Press Box and the coming Jaguar Baseball season.
I followed his work and that of his staff closely with the use of the USA Official Athletic Website and the many media guides that are produced. I think, each person in whatever job, always wants to improve the job of his/her predecessor. I am very proud of the work that I did at South Alabama. I feel strongly that Matt made improvements and has helped the office be even more efficient not withstanding the financial restraints that continue to be a daily battle.
I have just told you one fraction of a long story from someone who considered Matt a dear and close friend. There are many stories that need to be told by hundreds of those who came in contact with Matt Smith. There are media contacts, university personnel, game-day personnel, Sun Belt Conference Office personnel, those representatives of opponents from each of the many Jaguar competitions and all those that came in contact with Matt prior to his work at South Alabama.
Whether you passed him in the dark hallways of the HPELS Building, in the corridors of the Mitchell Center or under the blue sky amongst the green blades of grass at Stanky Field, you became unknowingly addicted by the professionalism, kindness and fairness of Matt Smith. He will be sorely missed by all that have passed his way.
The Jaguar Family has lost a monumental person in Matt Smith. His Name and his love of Jaguar Baseball should live on forever at the University of South Alabama and Stanky Field. Please join me in a combined effort to make the name, "Matt Smith Press Box", a fitting and permanent tribute to this phenomenal Jaguar.
Mike Nicholson