The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 21

HUMANITARIAN BOWL As a child, John L. Smith walked and talked early "plain English," his mom said. Ulill JLo (Aj xr' Uncovering initial secret revealed hero of wild West family IDAHO FALLS, Idaho The L. is for Lawrence. So says the Idaho Transportation Department, which has John L.

Smith's old driver's license on file. International man of intrigue that he is, Smith has resolutely guarded that secret since he arrived in 1997 as the University of Louisville football coach. His don't-ask, don't-tell policy actually started when he began using his middle initial as the coach at Idaho and then at Utah State. But now that we're here in Smith's home state for the Humanitarian Bowl, this was one mystery that needed solving. vv -d Journalists hate mysteries.

Lawrence is a bit of letdown for theorists who had been betting on something with embarrassment potential, such as Leslie or Lillian or Laverne. But the mundanely named John Lawrence Smith descendant of a prolific polygamist, champion calf roper, benefactor, state hero, state villain and authentic product of the wild West has PAT FORDE hardly lived a mundane life. By any other name he'd be just as colorful. THE L. is for Lawrence, but it could have been for Learner.

Luana Smith proudly reports that her son John has been ahead of the curve his whole life. Walked early. Talked early. "And he never talked baby talk," Luana said. "Plain English.

"John was just an exceptional child. It didn't surprise me that he's gotten as far as he has. He was so ahead of most kids. "He was just good at everything he did. He got straight A and never had to crack a book." THE L.

is for Lawrence, but it couia nave Deen ror Live wire. Luana Smith knew the sound of trouble. It was a knock on the door of their red-brick home set on a 40-acre farm. "I knew somebody was hurt the minute they knocked on the door," she said. "I don't know why they felt like they had to knock at their own house, but they only did it PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE IDAHO STATESMAN A rival high school coach purportedly once placed a $50 bounty on quarterback Smith.

Page 6 The Courier-Journal Thursday, December 30, 1999.