And now, a man that needs no introduction … especially if you’re in South Jersey (this guy has his own student-run Facebook fan page dedicated to him). Ladies and gentleman, he’s big and loud on the outside but a sweet little puppy dog on the inside – meet Brady’s brother and best man, Mr. Ryan Smith.
About Ryan
* Brady and Ryan go way back … 26 years to be exact. About three months after Brady’s third birthday, he welcomed home his first sibling and they’ve been arguing with each other ever since. Nooo - just kidding of course. While the two have had their fair share of infamous verbal disagreements – it’s all in good fun. Let’s just say Ryan is the more aggressive and intense of the two brothers, but when you really get down to it – there are much more similarities then differences.
* Brady and his family are probably the only people on Earth that call him “Ryan.” To all others, he is affectionately known as “Smitty,” a common nickname given to those with the surname Smith – but one that he has certainly made his own. Brady’s theory is that “Smitty” never caught on to him as a nickname because his first name is just so damn cool.
* Mr. Smitty was an All-South Jersey offensive center and defensive end in high school for the EHT Silver Eagles football team, which he now is an assistant coach for. Ryan was a superior athlete in just about every sport he played, including baseball, hockey, and weight lifting. Brady always schooled him in pick-up basketball, though. You might also be surprised to know that big Ryan was actually a running back in his earlier youth football years – needless to say, he grew out of that phase.
* Brady was thrilled when Ryan announced he’d be attending West Virginia University with him, giving Brady another shot at teaching him the ropes (Brady was also a senior when Ryan was a freshman in high school). Ryan spent two years at WVU, and while he ended up transferring to Rowan University for its physical education major, Brady is proud to note that Ryan earned a 3.2 GPA his last semester as a Mountaineer, going out on top. In fact, Ryan made the Dean’s List while at Rowan, something his wiser older brother never accomplished before.
* For those who don’t know Ryan well yet, he’s a Nike fanatic – and that’s putting it modestly. He’s probably paid for one of Phil Knight’s mansions all by himself. And of course, another of Smitty’s famous quirks is his disdain for long pants. He wears shorts every single day, no matter what season it is, and often moans and whines like a little girl when he has to act like a normal person and wear pants to a wedding or even jeans to a nice club.
Q&A with Ryan
Who would play the lead role in a movie about your life?
The black girls in school say I look a lot like rapper Bubba Sparxxx but I think the nod would have to go to actor Kevin James. I think we have a lot of similarities in our XXL athletic build, tremendous sense of humor, and love for Nike and beautiful women.
Favorite memory with Brady
Aside from all the big parties and concerts in high school as well as the shit show we call WVU, I'd have to say being on the field pregame at the Dolphins-Broncos game in Denver and the whole weekend in Denver, CO.
Favorite thing about Brandi
Her and her family’s love for partying.
What’s your favorite adult beverage?
OK let’s go in reverse chronological order:
Now = Citrus Vodka with a splash of water and of course Pat-Ron
Post college = Bud Light
College = Anything
High School = Keg
What was your first job?
Fellow groomsman Ramy tricked me into working at this beat ass restaurant because there were a few good looking broads that worked there. It ended up that my job was washing dishes in a 4x4 ft room in the middle of the summer. Let’s just say I didn't make it past two days of employment there. First real job was the BOX!!!! (Chatterbox Restaurant in Ocean City)
When you were 10 years old, what did you want to be when you grow up?
Bartender/Professional Football Player
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I have over 20 pairs of Nike’s and I color code my closet and drawers.
What are you most excited about Brandi & Brady’s wedding?
Refer to groomsman Jason Sacks' question below … and seeing my brother on hopefully one of the happiest days of his life not worry about anything and have fun with the people that he cares about.
Which one of your fellow groomsman has the best chance of falling off the riverboat at Brady/Brandi’s wedding?
Hands down Ryaaann Daaaaviiidd Plllaaat.
Editor’s Note: Ryan submitted a nice little story about Mr. Platt, who, by the way, has officially now taken the “Most Likely To Fall Off The Boat Award.” The story is about a time when Mr. P actually did fall off a boat and Ryan came to his rescue. The details are slightly too risqué for this blog though, so if you want to hear the whole story, ask him at the wedding.
What song(s) do you hope to hear at Brandi & Brady’s wedding?
"Live Your Life” by T.I. ft. Rhianna and............. JUICY!!
You get to make a speech at Brandi & Brady’s wedding … can you give us a sneak peak of what you’ll be telling the invitees?
First of all let’s just say that I hope I don't offend anyone because I am not going to sensor any of it. My speech is going to have a lot of humor to it about my life as I know it with Brady Michael Smith with a touch of some real brotherly love.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your older brother?
There's too much to include in this Q&A, but if I had to pick something it would be that he taught me it’s OK to be a kind person with a good heart.
What’s your favorite subject in health/P.E. to teach the kids?
Health = Sex Ed … kidding that’s just OK to teach. Drivers Education is my favorite. Volleyball is my favorite to teach in P.E.
If you had to call one offensive football play with the game on the line, what would it be?
First of all there is not nearly enough information in this question that I need to make a good call. I need to know how much we are down by, where are we located on the field, how much time is left, weather conditions, if our kicker is a bitch, time of day, and who we are playing. Without all of that information above, I would go with a sprint out pass to get the Q outside the pocket with a good set of routes and a chance to take it on his own for the game. Let’s call it Trio Rt. 411 Flood Switch w/ a BS Post.
What song do you look forward to hearing at Brandi & Brady’s Wedding?
On April 10th, we officially kicked off our wedding festivities with a bridal shower given in Brandi's honor! Planned by some of the most fabulous party planners from across the U.S. - the fabulous bridesmaids and Brandi's awesome mom - the lunch at Ditka's included Bradytini's and Brandi Jo Cosmo's. Brady said, "It was a dream come true to have a cocktail named in my honor."
