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Rod Smart is the former XFL star known as “He Hate Me” who is missing having last been seen in South Carolina on June 12.
During his professional football career, Smart played for the Las Vegas Outlaws in the XFL, the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League, the Carolina Panthers between 2002 and 2005 as well as a brief period with the Oakland Raiders in 2006.
Smart played college ball at Western Kentucky. Smart, a native of Lakeland, Florida, graduated with a degree in kinesiology.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Authorities Have Said That Smart’s Family Is Worried About His Safety
Lancaster County Sheriff
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office announced in a statement that Smart, 42, whose real first name is Torrold, was missing on June 18. The missing poster refers to Smart as being an “endangered person.” Smart was last seen in Indian Land, close to the North Carolina border. When Smart was last seen he was driving his silver 2016 Nissan Maxima with North Carolina tags reading PJRI759. The poster notes, “It is unusual for him to be out of touch for this long. Mr. Smart’s family is worried about his safety and well-being.” Anyone with any information on Smart’s whereabouts is asked to call the sheriff’s office on (803) 283-3388.
2. Since Retirement, Smart Has Been Working as a Personal Trainer
Smart is best remembered for his time with the Las Vegas Outlaws in the ill-fated XFL football league. Smart became a star thanks to his nickname, “He Hate Me.” When asked about the name, Smart replied, “Basically, my opponent is going to hate me. After I win, he’s gonna hate me.”
In a 2004 interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Smart elaborated further on his nickname said, “Basically, my brother’s my opponent,” he said. “After I win, he’s gonna hate me. It is what it is. It’s a saying I was saying when I’d feel something wasn’t going my way. For example, (when) I was on the squad in Vegas and coach was putting other guys in.
If I felt I’m better than them, you know, hey, he hate me. See what I’m saying? Give me a chance. That’s all I ask. It came from the heart. Within. The way I felt.”
3. Smart Is the Owner & Operator of SmartSize, a Personal Training Business
Following the demise of the XFL, Smart was snapped up by the Carolina Panthers, where he played between 2002 and 2005. Since his retirement, Smart had been working as a high school guidance counselor and personal trainer. According to Smart’s LinkedIn page, he began his business, SmartSize in March 2009. Smart described it as providing “personalized training for individuals or personal training for groups.” Smart says that he has also been working as a model and actor in the Charlotte-area.
4. Smart Has Referred to Himself as Mr. XFL
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The XFL is set to return to eight cities in 2020. On his Twitter page, Smart went by the handle, HeHateMe. Smart wrote in his bio section, “Mr. XFL. Former XFL and NFL player. Product of Lakeland, Fl.” Smart puts in his location, “Everywhere I should be…” That page has been dormant since October 2018. Smart’s Instagram page has not been updated since February 2018.
Many fans took to social media upon hearing the news that the XFL was to be rebooted saying that Smart had to be involved:
It is not really the XFL unless he is involved.
5. Smart’s Move to Canada Marked the First Time That He Had Ever Been Outside of the United States
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When Smart joined the Edmonton Eskimos in 2001, it marked the first time that he had ever been outside of the U.S. Smart told ESPN about his reaction to his new home saying, “There’s a lot of trees here, so I’m used to that. I’ve been living in Vegas for a couple months, so it’s cooler here. That’s good. It doesn’t have that desert atmosphere. I might just like it here.”
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