"Don't you miss seeing Steve Smith racing into the end zone, running over to the goal post, jumping on it and descending like he's sliding down a fire pole?

Don't you miss him dropping to the ground and pretending to row a boat after a brilliant play?

Don't you miss him pretending the football's a baby and rocking it to sleep or changing its diapers?

Those were good times.

Fans cheered and laughed and they enjoyed watching Smith because Smith was having fun. When he smiles, they smile. He's never been shy about showing his inner child and that – as well as his incredible playmaking ability on the field – is what has made him so popular in the Carolinas for the last decade.

Fans adore him.

They're quick to forgive him when he does something dumb because deep inside they want to see him play, have fun and entertain them.

But Smith's smiles, and his end zone dances, have been few and far between the last couple of years.

And there's been a reason for it.

Smith knows as well as anyone that winning means fun, and fun means winning. There's really no two ways around it. When was the last time you heard an NFL player talk about how much he had going 2-14?

It's no fun being in Detroit.

"I probably let it get to me too much," Smith said of losing during a moment of reflection Friday morning as he arrived at Wofford College for his 11th training camp. "That's when a lot of times I let people see my emotions and when you allow people to see the wrong emotions they kind of, and rightfully so, are able to judge you and create their own opinion of you."

Smith said at times his emotions have made him seem "ignorant and immature."

And he doesn't blame people for formulating that opinion.

"It's one of those things that sucks," Smith said, "because you have to admit that. You have to admit that pretty much I made an ass out of myself for a long time here by letting my emotions get the best of me."

I'd like to defend Smith on that notion, but I can't.

At times Smith can be funny and charming. But other times he's downright moody and ugly.

It was ugly last year when he called out rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who was having his own problems smiling going 1-9 as a starter.

Smith could have been a better teammate. He could have been more supportive. But he was too frustrated over losing games in a year where the Panthers didn't really have a chance from the start after unloading so many proven players from their roster. "