Former Viking Robert Smith says he is considering writing a book about his perspective on the NFL and other topics. It could be a great read.

Robert Smith hasn’t said more than a peep since his retirement. In fact, he’s still a little miffed that VU broke his retirement before he did. Even when it became "official" it wasn’t through a press conference. It was an e-mail to a reporter who covered him during his high school days — a fact lost on most of the local media, but not the national correspondents who replied to VU’s story with scorn, saying Smith had a monster payday ahead and wouldn’t jeopardize that with retirement. We all know how that came out.

In the months since, Twin Cities media outlets have come up with outlandish claims, saying Smith would return to the Vikes or even sign with Tampa Bay — a notion so ludicrous it would compare to the Vikings trading draft picks for Keyshawn Johnson.

However, Smith said Friday night that Smith is contemplating writing a tell-all book about HIS life in the NFL. One needs to understand that Smith’s take on the NFL is far different from most — he is an intellectual who never saw the NFL as his final stopping point. A Smith book would be a big seller, because it would point out an intellectual’s view of the NFL — everything ranging from posturing for big paydays to lack of ownership loyalty to the current NFL players to drug abuses.

Smith is severing ties with the NFL and, depending on what he wishes to share, his story would be one of the most insightful looks into pro football as could be provided. While sensationalism sells in the modern society where people like Monica Lewinsky are known by more people than vice president Dick Cheney, Smith isn’t likely to "tell all" as the case may be.

That being said, Smith dropped a couple of dimes that could be insightful. First, and likely most disappointing to the Twin Cities media types that hate Dennis Green and have made no bones about it over the years, Smith isn’t going to bash the coach. He has a respect for Green — something that began when Green drafted him and something that remained when Green was willing to open up cap room to give him the big payday he had coming. On the other hand, VU has been told that, if Smith writes his book, Randy Moss will not be pictured favorably. While a specific Twin Cities sports columnist has claimed Smith would return to the Vikes if Moss was gone — an allegation not worthy of the cocktail napkin it was written on — Smith never liked the public and private posture Moss gave to the media and his teammates and, if he does write his book, Moss will not be seen as the local hero he is viewed as because of his pure physical ability.

As always, Smith isn’t talking too much about his book plans. However, if he does, the book will sell because it will be as insightful a book on the world of the NFL as has ever been published — whether fans like it or not.

SUNDAY NOTES
* VU isn’t too high hat to admit its own mistakes. When they happen, some ham-and-egger will invariably say, "You’re no New York Times." In the case of the Smith book saga, we’re glad we’re not. The Times talked to Smith about his book plans and, in the short piece it wrote, it said that Smith was the third-leading rusher in Vikings history — a comment that ran in publications that picked up the story. Unfortunately, the writer simply looked at the Vikings 2000 media guide when Smith was the third-leading rusher. Since then, however, as most Vikes fans know, he passed Bill Brown and Chuck Foreman and became the leading rusher in team history.
* The National Quarterback Club will hold its annual awards dinner in the Twin Cities Saturday, honoring the top pro, college and high school quarterbacks at the Marriott Southwest. Daunte Culpepper will be one of the honorees as the NFC’s QB of the Year. Ironically, the AFC QB of the Year is former Viking Rich Gannon.
* Jim Marshall, the former Viking who is battling cancer, has been given excellent prognosis reports, according to a VU source close to Marshall and all indications at this point are that No. 70 is well on his way to beating the killer disease.
* Rumors continue to swirl around Winter Park that the Vikings are going to sign Dale Carter within the next week or two. VU will follow this story and check into its validity, although the source saying it is pretty consistent on being right. Carter still needs to be reinstated by the league and cut by Denver — both scenarios are almost assured.