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Defensive end sends message to Browns teammates as he prepares for veteran Larry Allen on Sunday
By Marla Ridenour
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Saturday, Dec 29, 2007
BEREA: Opponents slated to line up against San Francisco left guard Larry Allen have been known to come down with ''Allenitis'' before facing the 14-year veteran.
Allen, 36, a 6-foot-3, 325-pound strongman probably headed to the hall of fame, has been to 11 Pro Bowls and was named to the NFL's all-decade team for the 1990s.
''Guys get sick all of a sudden before they play him,'' New York Giants defensive lineman Michael Strahan once said. ''Whether it's the flu, ankle, foot, shoulder or back. The man has diseases named after him, so that tells you everything you need to know about Larry Allen. I have all the respect in the world, but he's a legalized killer.''
That makes what Cleveland defensive end Robaire Smith did Thursday all the more impressive.
Browns coach Romeo Crennel told the media Smith would miss practice with a neck injury suffered last weekend at Cincinnati. But the eight-year veteran wanted to prepare for his matchup with Allen on Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium and send a message to his teammates. Smith said he argued with head trainer Marty Lauzon over whether he would work that day.
''They didn't want me to go, but the competitive side of me . . . me and the head trainer sat there and argued about it for like 10 minutes,'' Smith said Fri
day. ''I told him I'm going regardless of whether he's going to tell coach or not. He told me go out there and be careful with it.''
Smith, in his first season with the Browns, said he would have felt that way whether he was facing Allen or not.
''Right now, I think the team needed that,'' Smith said. ''You don't need to see too many guys sitting down. Everybody's hurting; you need guys who are going to fight through it. I wanted to show those guys I'm going to be out there regardless.''
Probable for the 49ers game, Smith and backup Simon Fraser could be the only two Browns defensive linemen to play in all 16 games this season. Smith hasn't missed a start despite back problems that forced him to skip some practices late in the year.
Smith, 30, wants to show Crennel he can be a building block as the Browns beef up their defense this offseason. But he doesn't think about that on a daily basis.
''If you go out in practice and work hard and get better every day, you let those things take care of themselves,'' Smith said. ''Coach Romeo let me know when I first got here, as long as I go out and show it every day, it's going to happen.''
An unrestricted free agent who spent 2006 in his second stint with Tennessee, Smith finds himself in a tough position Sunday. Cleveland needs the Titans to lose on the road at Indianapolis for the Browns to make the playoffs. So he'll have to root against players with whom he spent five years.
''I want those guys to play good, but I want us to be in the playoffs,'' he said. ''I know Tennessee's going to be pumped. They're going to be ready for it.''
49ers' QB out
San Francisco will be down to its fourth quarterback, Chris Weinke, after Shaun Hill was declared out with back spasms Friday. Trent Dilfer was already out with a concussion.
Weinke was signed Dec. 12, when starter Alex Smith was placed on injured reserve. He needs surgery on his separated right shoulder.
A seven-year veteran, Weinke hasn't played since the final three games for Carolina last season.
Hill, a six-year veteran from Maryland who hadn't thrown a pass in a regular-season pro game until this year, led the 49ers to victories over Cincinnati and Tampa Bay in their past two games.
San Francisco also could be without middle linebacker Derek Smith, who is questionable with a shoulder injury.
Browns injuries
Linebacker Antwan Peek (ankle), defensive end Orpheus Roye (knee) and receiver Joe Jurevicius (knee) are questionable, while defensive lineman Shaun Smith (biceps) and tight end Kellen Winslow (knee) are probable. Peek and Roye did not practice; Jurevicius and Winslow were limited.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her Browns blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/browns/.
BEREA: Opponents slated to line up against San Francisco left guard Larry Allen have been known to come down with ''Allenitis'' before facing the 14-year veteran.
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