Jimmy Smith is rich - and proud of it. Jimmy Smith is arrogant - and proud of it. Jimmy Smith is on probation - and not proud of it. But he's not ashamed of it, either. The former Callaway High School and Jackson State receiver, who earned the nickname J-Smooth during a 12-year NFL career that included five trips to the Pro Bowl, has come home to Jackson with redemption on his mind."I've learned how to be happy," Smith said. "I learned to manage my life. Earlier, I couldn't. That's what got me into trouble, got me arrested. Fortunately, I had the right people in my life, my mom, my dad, a lot of influential people ... who knew that wasn't who Jimmy Smith was. "Now I'm able to live and tell about it."
Smith, 41, was arrested on April 22, 2009 in Jacksonville, Fla., and charged with possession of cocaine. Already on probation for a 2008 DUI, Smith pleaded guilty in November to the cocaine charge but escaped jail. Instead, he was fined and sentenced to 18 additional months of probation, and six months of house arrest.
"It's a chapter of my life I'm anxious to close," Smith said. "It definitely was a good learning experience for me. I don't look at it as something bad. I look as it as a component that I can now share with others that may be in that situation. "I've turned all my focus into developing youths, mentoring and raising my own kids."
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