Hard Working Man Award 2011: Fred Smerlas

On Friday December 9, 2011, Hanes Supply, Inc. held our 9th Annual Kent Hull Hard Working Man Award Dinner, honoring Fred Smerlas, at the Millennium Hotel in Cheektowaga, New York. All who attended enjoyed their time to share some Holiday Cheer and a wonderful dinner.

We lost a great man and dear friend, Kent Hull earlier this year. Kent Hull, "The Big Guy" was certainly with us in our hearts and memories. Kent's personal choice for the 2011 Kent Hull Hard Working Man Honoree was Buffalo Bills Star and All Pro Defensive Lineman Fred Smerlas. Fred graciously accepted this award.

Our table of Roasters & Toasters included Booker Edgerson, Jeff Nixon, Lou Piccone, Bob Koshinski, Ed Kilgore, Vic Carucci, Dennis DiPaolo, Joe Delamielleure and Bill Hanes. These special guests provided an entertaining evening for all the friends that attended this event. The man of the evening, Fred Smerlas, with great humor returned many verbal jabs to his Roasters. Fred then became serious and paid tribute to Kent Hull. Our All Pro Honoree told the three hundred attendees that he was proud to receive this award named for such a great Buffalo Bill and his former teammate.

Hanes Supply is very proud to be associated with Kent Hull and all the Hard Working Man Award Honorees over the past nine years.

Ted Hanes
Hanes Supply, Inc

TOP 13 REASONS WHY FRED SMERLAS
IS OUR FAVORITE ALL-TIME NFL NOSE TACKLE.

No. 13The Number 13 Kent Hull's favorite number was 13, as his jerseys numbers 67 and 58 added up to 13. Joe DeLamielleure has always been superstitious with the number 13. Well, history repeats itself. As we all know, Fred wore 76 throughout his career, which adds up to 13. Fred and Kent "one-upped" Joe DeLamielleure's 13 years in the NFL. Both Fred and Kent played 14 years of professional football. Both played 11 years with the Buffalo Bills. Fred played one year with the 49ers and two with the Boston, we mean, New England Patriots. Kent played 3 years with the New Jersey Generals in the USFL.

No. 12Inquiring minds need to know. How did Steve Tasker come up with the nickname for Fred of "Uncle Gee Gee"? There has to be a story behind that. Fred doesn't know it, but he was part of our previous HWM Awards. John Kidd, Kent and Fred had a "promo" shot for the Hawaiian Pro Bowl. Judging by their "tans", it definitely wasn't a photo shoot for "Hawaiian Tropics". No comments on the grass skirts! Fred, Jim and Kent were all smiles at a charity tag football game at the University of Buffalo.

No. 11The posts came crashing down. November 20th, 1988. Fred blocks NY Jet Pat Leahy's field goal attempt from 40 yards, with 19 seconds left, in a 6 to 6 tie game. The Bills win in overtime on Scott Norwood's field goal and clinch their first AFC East Title since 1980. The fans stormed the field and took down both goal posts. This cost the Bills $19,000 in repairs and Hanes Supply did our part to get Rich Stadium up and running with new field goal nets. Fred was good for business!

No. 10Politics. Fred is somewhat "conservative". He is as far right of Rush Limbaugh, as Bruce as in Springsteen, is left of Rachel Maddow. In fact, Fred has contemplated moving back to Western New York for a congressional run. His first bill would be to create a 51st state, New York, New York by "taking a big saw and cutting New York City off". That would be engineering, if not political marvel!

No. 9The Bermuda Triangle: Fred, Jim Haslett and Shane Nelson. Their impact was immediate as the Bills were the top ranked defense in 1980, allowing an average of 256 yards per game. And 256 adds up to 13! This was an Equilateral Triangle with Fred at the top point and Jim and Shane covering his back. Fred tied up the offensive lineman allowing Jim to register 143 tackles and Shane 126 tackles. Fred registered 6-1/2 sacks while battling double and sometimes triple team blocking! This Herculean effort lead to Fred's first Pro Bowl and the Bills first division title since 1966.

No. 8If you are in Buffalo and of Greek heritage, If you are in Buffalo and of Greek heritage, your career is focused on the bridge industry, either painting bridges and building platforms under bridges or the restaurant business with the best souvlaki or hot dogs in town. In 1979, Fred changed this, as the best Nose Tackle ever to wear a Buffalo Bills helmet. Fred and Pano's both agree on their profession "I do it well, very well".

No. 7The Offensive Weapon. Fred was an offensive threat his first year with the Bills, scoring his first and only touchdown in 1979. Thinking outside the box, Fred could have been a touchdown machine in short and goal offensive downs. Either a bruising Full Back moving the pile or the third Tight End. Kelly to Smerlas for 6 could have been another Dynamic Duo.

No. 6After thinking of tackling politics, Fred has considered a reverse of Arnold Schwarzenegger's career path, and is starting an acting career. In fact, Fred did almost have a second "Triangle" as the replacement for Charlie Sheen in "Two and a Half Men". Ashton Kutcher had a little acting experience. Fred's quest did not end there, as he has auditioned in the remake of "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer"! Fred is gunning for the replacement for Burl Ives as Freddie the "Snowman" narrator. Another audition, was for an upcoming horror film. "Freddy the 13th". Fred was always a nightmare for opposing centers, including Dwight Stephenson, Peter Brock, Ray Donaldson and Joe Fields.

No. 5Life after football. Fred's career did not end after football. Fred and Vic Carucci collaborated on authoring "By A Nose". Fred started "All Pro Productions" and is actively involved in the Western New York and New England Sports Markets. Fred and Steve DeOssie own "Fred and Steve's Steakhouse". How did they come up with that name? LOL. The food is great and please stop in on your next trip to Lincoln, Rhode Island.

No. 4Winning The Battle of his Life. At age 50, Fred was diagnosed with Prostate cancer. A PRO-Active approach to the cancer was taken and Fred chose the Robotic surgery option. Dr. Turek performed the operation and Fred tackled the recovery aggressively head on. Keeping a positive attitude, maintaining the quality of life and "looking at the bright side" were key, as in all aspects of life. Fred shares his story to help others at www.daVinciStories.com

No. 3It's all in the genes. Fred was born to play professional football. His great-great-uncle was George Smerlas who was legendary in Greece. At 7 feet tall and 350 pounds, George was literally an Oak Tree of a Man. Fred was walking at 6 months old, exceled at football, wrestling, weight lifting and shot-put in high school. When God decided to make the ultimate nose tackle, Fred was and is the standard by which all before and after will be measured. Fred is very proud of his son Zach following his dad's footsteps playing high school football and wrestling. Zach is now playing football at Brown University. Fred's younger son George will also follow Zach's lead.

No. 2The stats, accomplishments and honors tell the story. The stats, accomplishments and honors tell the story.
• Two Sport All American in football and wrestling, in high school
• Massachusetts State Champion Shot-Put
• Three year starter at Boston College and Team Captain
• Five-Time Pro Bowl Selection: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1988
• Three-Time All NFL
• Seven-Time ALL AFC
• Member of Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. Inducted in 2000
• Member of the Bills All-Time 50th Anniversary Team
• Member of Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame
• Most Consecutive Starts at Nose Tackle in NFL History 156
• The only Buffalo Bill to be honored for Most Consecutive Starts at ANY position in NFL
• Most Games Played at Nose Tackle in NFL History 200
• The Toughest to Play Nose Tackle in NFL History... Period.

No. 1Character. Fred is described in a Sport's Illustrated article as a "Wild and Crazy Guy!" He has always been a "character" off the football field. In fact, Vic Carucci has shared one of the many interesting true stories of Fred's antics. "Cousin Arthur. Cousin Arthur is an enormous guy, large enough to have been an NFL lineman. And a pretty scary looking guy. So Fred used to like to tell his teammates that he had a sister (that he really didn't have), that she was "big and hairy" and that his parents used to keep her locked in their basement. Once, when several of his Bills teammates visited his parents' home in Waltham, Mass., he had Arthur dress up like a woman and emerge from the basement. It was, to say the least, hysterical."

In fact, there was a second person with Cousin Arthur, a prominent Republican former down state politician with initials RG, who emerged out of the cellar in full drag! LOL

Two famous American Presidents have their reflections on character:
Abraham Lincoln: Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it: the tree is the real thing. Theodore Roosevelt: Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.

Without doubt, Fred is a man of the highest character, as a loving husband to his wife Kris and devoted father to children: Kate, Zach and George. Fred has pride in our country and ends his cell phone recording with "God Bless America"

God Bless Fred Smerlas and his family for continued health and success!
All the best from all your friends throughout the USA!

Bill Hanes
Hanes Supply, Inc