Ranking the Best Names in College Football
By Pat Sullivan
Oct 18, 2014; Lubbock, TX, USA; Kansas Jayhawks safety Fish Smithson (9) attempts to tackle Texas Tech Red Raiders running back DeAndre Washington (21) in the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
6. Fish Smithson, Kansas S
Biographical Information: Sophomore safety from Baltimore, Maryland. Played primarily on offense in high school. Signed with Navy originally and attended Navy Prep in 2o12. Majoring in pre-sport management. Son of Lori and Tony Smithson.
Fun Fact from Official Team Bio: “Full name is Anthony Smithson, but prefers to go by Fish”
Why I love the name: His name is Smithson. Fish Smithson. His backstory: he gave up his career as a government-employed secret agent in an episode of Spongebob Squarepants to pursue his football dreams. Now, a defensive back for the powerhouse Jayhawks, Fish is attempting to swim upstream in his football career (because we all know that playing for Kansas football is definitely not swimming downstream), hoping to match his brother Shaky’s accomplishment of playing in the NFL.
And yes, you read that right. A man named “Shaky Smithson” is somehow not the best-named football player in the family. What a world we live in! What a time to be alive!
Let’s hear it for the guy named after a scaly animal that swims in its own toilet and still hasn’t caught on to the whole “there’s definitely a hook inside that worm” scheme!
Next: Best Names In College Football #5