NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Chris Johnson and LenDale White, the Tennessee Titans' self-proclaimed "Smash and Dash" running backs, are dueling over what they want to be called nowadays.
Johnson has dubbed himself "Every Coach's Dream," both on his Twitter account and to reporters. On Wednesday, he again declared that Smash and Dash is over.
White, the Smash in the nickname, compared Johnson to a little brother who is a bit delirious from all the attention he received from being the only rookie voted to the Pro Bowl last season.
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"If there's no Smash, there's no Dash," White said with a smile as he looked over reporters to Johnson a couple stalls away in the Titans' locker room. "If he's the coach's dream, I'm the opposing coach's nightmare."
The duo unveiled the Smash and Dash nickname last fall after Johnson ran for 168 yards and one touchdown and White added 149 yards with three touchdowns during an Oct. 19 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Johnson and White also verbally tangled with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart over rights to the nickname before the Carolina Panthers' running backs switched to Double Trouble.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher has his own thoughts on all this talk of nicknames. He said every coach's dream is for a player who doesn't play the bongos (as Johnson did in that Kansas City game), fumble or get injured during the playoffs. And yes, Johnson sprained an ankle during the first half of the Titans' divisional-playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens in January.
Fisher does have an idea of a possible new nickname for his two running backs, though.
"Dumb and dumber," the coach said.
The nickname sparring might be part of Johnson's attempt to gain more attention for himself, and he already has solicited advice on touchdown celebrations. Johnson led the Titans with 1,228 rushing yards, but White topped the AFC with 15 touchdowns on the ground.
White isn't one to back down, so he dared Johnson to unveil a new touchdown celebration.
"I'm going to take whatever he has and do it more than he has," White said. "Whatever they twitter ... I'm going to take ... even if it gets me fined."
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
