Comments on: Emmitt Smith reaches the end of his list

By: frank booth

frank booth — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:18:41 +0000

Vox-
Lomas Brown didn’t make the Pro Bowl until Sanders got there, and he was with the Lions 4 years before Sanders got there, same with Smith and Newton.
Smith had Stepnoski there in ’89, (a year before Smith) Erik Williams in ’91, and Larry Allen in ’94. Tuinei was a pretty accomplished lineman himself- I think he ran between a pretty solid line, even in his most productive years, between ’91 and ’95.
Emmitt Smith was a great player, and he is deserving of being in the Hall of Fame. I don’t know what Sanders would do behind the Cowboy line, or Smith behind the Detroit line, but if it were switched, they were still special players and still probably would have put together Hall of Fame careers.
I was responding to Brasho’s claims that Sanders was a “third-down back”. Their careers don’t really need to be compared, but people always seem to, thinking that Smith just ground out yards while Sanders was just based on long runs.
Smith wasn’t a home-hitter, but he could break long runs- and if you take Sanders 42 runs over 40 yards in his career, he still averaged 4.29 yards per carry. But Smith was the more reliable running back.
I would be curious to see how many of times Sanders didn’t convert on 1 or 2 yard situations.
I think that they were both great players, but Smith was more of running back that you can really build around than Sanders.

By: lskynard87

lskynard87 — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:56:38 +0000

Greatest of all time is far to hard to narrow down to a single player. To me, it’s more of an argument to include what the player did for his team and with how dominant he played in his era.
In that context, Sanders could dominant long gains, but not games. Smith could dominant based on consistency, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t have the explosiveness that Sayers, Jackson, Sanders, etc. have/had.
Jim Brown and Walter Payton had heart. Payton played on terrible teams, and was the eventual all time leader (by ’85 he had outplayed his best years, and the Bears finally caught up with him and won the SB). Brown was dominant in his physical presence he brought to the game. Earl Campbell brought the same type of a game, to a different era of football.
Dickerson and Jackson were phenomenal talents in their own respect, but Dickerson’s inconsistency (2106 yards one year, followed by several mediocre years) and Jackson’s injury both leave a void in calling them “Greatest of All Time”.
Then you go to OJ Simpson in Buffalo, rushing for 2000 yards twice with no other legitimate threat on the team outside of his running abilities.
So the talk of “Greatest ever” is a skewed and bias argument. It’s all a personal preference, especially at such an intangible position as runningback.

By: thirdandgoal

thirdandgoal — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:51:01 +0000

“”If you want to stay perfect,you cannot go undefeated,with a blemish on your record”. -E. Smith-
“”… it is a special moment when all three of us, we were called the triplets, and now I’m completing that, that other HALF OF THE TRIANGLE.”
It’s official. Emmitt is the NFL version of Yogi Berra!

By: Maddog

Maddog — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:21:05 +0000

Icon says:
August 7, 2010 9:03 PM
Oh, and Jerry Rice couldn’t carry the shoes of Lance Alworth, Otis Taylor, Paul Warfield or Charley Taylor (at minimum) . . . too, several others were just as good (former Packer Don Hutson may have been better than them all.)
All the wrs who benefitted playing in the modern day offensive rule-aided “hands off DB’s” era get points deducted because of their much easier ability to pile up stats.
Rice was great – he just isn’t the greatest of all time.
———————————————
Let me guess, you’re 70 years old. You sound like Beano Cook, with his “the Army teams of the 40′s were the greatest college team ever”. Players in ever sport get bigger, stronger and faster. 20 years from now the best wr in the NFL history won’t be Jerry Rice. Some new freak will have emerged.
I bet Jesse Owens would have smoked Usain Bolt in a 100 yard/meter dash too, wouldn’t he?

By: David56

David56 — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:03:54 +0000

I give Emmitt his just dues. He certainly belongs in the HOF and then some. No doubt about that at all.
But when I remember Walter Payton I remember the early years when he WAS the Bears offense. Barry Sanders I think of in the same light as Payton. Lord knows what Sanders would have done with a decent O-line year in and year out.
GOAT I have yet to see, but I’d put Payton and Sanders ahead of Smith.
Two best fullbacks I ever saw(I’m 56)were Earl Campbell and John Riggins. Campbell was not the guy you wanted to have to tackle when he had a full head of steam.
GO GIANTS!!!

By: Allied Biscuit

Allied Biscuit — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 23:07:06 +0000

6. ‘Just for Men’

By: fifthorkid

fifthorkid — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 13:32:28 +0000

Awesome how Grimm pwned the cowpies in his speech, and how they used and abused Randy White. Love it

By: Big Tex

Big Tex — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:38:13 +0000

@Smoking Joe
Dude, quit smoking. It’s screwing with your thought processes. “He is an average back(at best)” Oh really? The “average back plays 15 years, sets the record for career rusning yards and rushing TDs, wins multiple championships, and All Pro awards? Do you honestly think that’s the “average” RB or are you just talking out your ass?
@Mr. Effed up
Part of your post is missing. Allow me to finish your thoughts.
BE A MAN! RAPE SOMEBODY!

By: .Vox Veritas.

.Vox Veritas. — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:33:09 +0000

“Smith isn’t even close to being the GOAT. He is an average back (at best) who benefited from the biggest and very good (although very dirty) O-Line.”
Wow, good for Emmitt that the 90′s Cowboys are the only team in league history to have a badass OL!

By: .Vox Veritas.

.Vox Veritas. — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:31:53 +0000

“I met the guy… his agent was trying to convince him to…”
Yeah, sure. Everybody knows how Emmitt has always shunned charity events.
/sarcasm

By: .Vox Veritas.

.Vox Veritas. — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:29:52 +0000

“Running behind a better line, there is no doubt that Sanders would have put up bigger yardage”
With an offense that puts 4 WRs in patterns, there’s no doubt that Emmitt Smith would have run through those constant 7-man defensive fronts like a hot knife through butter.
“Barry still had Kevin Mawae, Ray Roberts, and Lomas Brown making Pro Bowls for him…”
Lomas Brown played in 7 Pro Bowls. Ray Roberts played in 0 Pro Bowls. Kevin Mawae never played for the Detroit Lions. Get your facts straight.
He may be thinking of Kevin Glover.
During Smith’s Dallas career, Dallas lineman made a combined 26 Pro Bowls, 33 if you count the TE and FB positions. Lions linemen made a combined 9, with no TE’s or FB’s making the Pro Bowl. It didn’t hurt that Smith had Daryl Johnston to run behind.”
Most of the guys you’re talking about were there before Emmitt got there and were not special. Particular the guys that played in Emmitt’s early years when he was the most productive. Nate Newton once said “Before Emmitt got here I was just another guy struggling to keep a job. Now I’m an All Pro!”
Sanders gets no extra points for not helping his team excel.

By: .Vox Veritas.

.Vox Veritas. — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:22:13 +0000

“So… Vox
Emmitt is better than sanders, payton, brown because the dynasty cowboy years?”
Did I say that? No. You read about as well as Jerry Rice does.
All that matters at the end of the day is winning. Highlight reels don’t win games. Consistent execution wins games. Reliability. Emmitt Smith was never held to negative yardage in a playoff game. Hell you can fall forward and gain almost two yards.
“Cowboys were the biggest disgrace in playoff memory after last years beatdown.”
Really. Hyperbole much, scrub?

By: jambalaya

jambalaya — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 08:17:47 +0000

1. Barry Sanders is the all time leader in runs for negative yards.
2. Scored one touchdown for every 35 touches
3. Score only ONE TD in 6 playoff games
4. 1994 Playoff game vs Green Bay, 13 Carries for -1yards (negative 1 )
If it’s 3rd and 2 in the 4th quarter I’d rather have Emmitt Smith

By: SKINSFANTOM

SKINSFANTOM — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 07:53:50 +0000

HAIL to you emmitt, anybody that says sanders was better than you needs to put down the crack pipe. RB in the NFL is a little more than faking somebody out, you have to be able to go through somebody sometimes when there is no hole. not even close. PAYTON,CAMPBELL,SMITH.

By: Fed up

Fed up — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 05:08:04 +0000

I told you the Cowboys were a bunch of crybabies and sissies.
STOP YOUR CRYING, EMMITT! BE A MAN!

By: frank booth

frank booth — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 03:06:17 +0000

@Brasho
You have some fine quotes in your pedantic rant about Sanders vs. Smith. I don’t claim to know who the better back is, but there is no doubt that Smith had a far better supporting cast.
“Barry would have been a 3rd down back on most good coaches’ teams because NOBODY would put up with his backwards running style.”
First, Smith is 1st in all time rushing, and Sanders, is third. Anyone who would consider Sanders a third down back in any form is a complete moron.
Sanders averaged almost 100 yards per game over his career. Smith averaged 85 yards per game, numbers that any coach would be happy with. They were both great players. Running behind a better line, there is no doubt that Sanders would have put up bigger yardage numbers and wouldn’t have had to scurry around in the backfield trying to find his own holes.
“Barry still had Kevin Mawae, Ray Roberts, and Lomas Brown making Pro Bowls for him…”
Lomas Brown played in 7 Pro Bowls. Ray Roberts played in 0 Pro Bowls. Kevin Mawae never played for the Detroit Lions. Get your facts straight.
During Smith’s Dallas career, Dallas lineman made a combined 26 Pro Bowls, 33 if you count the TE and FB positions. Lions linemen made a combined 9, with no TE’s or FB’s making the Pro Bowl. It didn’t hurt that Smith had Daryl Johnston to run behind.
“Put it this way, Barry would have had the same numbers if he played for Dallas… but Dallas would have played in ZERO Super Bowls and Troy Aikman would have been a below average QB because of all of the 3rd and longs he would have faced in his career.”
Can you prove this? Troy Aikman would have been a below-average QB with Barry Sanders as his RB? So what you’re saying is that Troy Aikman would have been a below-average QB with the 3rd all-time leading rusher running the ball with a great O-line and throwing to a Hall of Fame receiver? That’s plain stupid.
Smith played on great teams for the most part, and he was part of making them great. While Smith had stability around him with a Hall of Fame QB and WR, a solid offensive line, a great fullback in Johnston and good tight end play, the only one that Sanders had to take some heat off of him was Herman Moore. As complete offensive units go, the Cowboys of the 90′s had some of the better ones in the history of the game. You couldn’t say the same for the Lions.
Smith had Aikman, while Sanders played with such stellar quarterbacks as Bob Gagliano, Rodney Peete, Scott Mitchell, Erik Kramer, and Charlie Batch.
Personally, I’d take Jim Brown and Walter Payton over either one of these guys. Payton piled up most of his career yardage running behind crappy lines for years and playing on below average teams with himself as the only viable weapon. Jim Brown was simply a man among boys. There has never been anyone else like him.

By: JayMan

JayMan — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 02:39:38 +0000

So… Vox
Emmitt is better than sanders, payton, brown because the dynasty cowboy years? I guess rationalization is the best you can do all these years later. At least it hasn’t been a decade since a playoff win… now it’s just 9 months since a playoff disgrace.
Cowboys were the biggest disgrace in playoff memory after last years beatdown. What a beating!. Seriously. It was like Rihanna after a date with chris brown!

By: johnberry1961

johnberry1961 — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 02:34:25 +0000

Emmitt may not have been the greatest ever but he is in the top 5! The man was an excellent blocker, receiver and runner and he also made others around him better. Plus he won 3 Super Bowls. I’m tired of hearing how great Barry Sanders was when most of his yards gained were a couple of long runs a game with a lot of -1, -2 and 1 or 2 yard gains. The best hands down was Jim Brown and Emmitt is in the following 4 somewhere. For all of you Cowboy haters out there get over it, the man was pure greatness!!!!!

By: JayMan

JayMan — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 01:37:41 +0000

I met the guy… his agent was trying to convince him to do a specific charity event (year before his last in dallas) and he looked at me and said i’m all about showing me the money. ‘That’s all i’m sayin… know what i mean’ he said as he looked at me. Lost all respect for the man at that moment.
Dude already had it all, that moment reminds me of a scene from ‘Any Given Sunday’. Sad, so sad. Why do you think dallas let him leave for his final years. In the end, he was a Me First guy. His buddy Troy on the other hand, complete gentleman… all class all the way. Asked me about my hometown, total respect even after I said I was a Giant fan.
I’d take Troy and Irvin all day long over Emmitt… at least those guys had the balls to be themselves. They played for the true love of the game and gave back to the community. Smith played his heart out, but you won’t convince me it wasn’t selfish. His oline and TE’s back in the glory days paved the golden path.

By: LvSteelersH8Ben

LvSteelersH8Ben — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 00:46:04 +0000

Coming from a Steeler fan. GREAT JOB LEBEAU AND THE STEELERS ON HAND.
Jerry Rice cant read…………..
Emitt Smith’s induction speech was one of the best of all time. No notes either. Very emotional, powerful speech. Moment with “Moose” was classic.

By: Smoking Joe

Smoking Joe — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 00:05:00 +0000

Smith isn’t even close to being the GOAT. He is an average back (at best) who benefited from the biggest and very good (although very dirty) O-Line. A line that made the nfl install rules to stop their cheap shots.

By: .Vox Veritas.

.Vox Veritas. — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:51:46 +0000

“Barry 5.0 per carry, no year under 4.3″
Mainly because he was routinely pulled in short yardage situations by two separate coaching regimes, both of whom decided they had better short-yardage options than Barry Sanders.
“Emmitt 4.2 per carry, only once over 4.7.”
Indeed. Short yardage situations were Emmitt’s bread and butter. That’s how it is with all the great ones. 3rd and goal at the two, with everything else equal who do you prefer to run it in, Smith the bruiser or Sanders the dancer?
“And the negative yardage most all-time thing is some Sal Palamino crap- if you go first and second down for -1 then 6, or 1 then 4, isn’t that still the same result?”
No… because if I understand you correctly the first guy would be in a third and 6 situation, and the second guy would be in a second and 6 situation.
“Isn’t total yardage in a game the thing for a back?”
No. Winning is.

By: .Vox Veritas.

.Vox Veritas. — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:41:42 +0000

“You left off ……..”Grammer class at 8:30″.”
Maybe you mean “grammar”.

By: .Vox Veritas.

.Vox Veritas. — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:32:46 +0000

“Your no Barry Sanders Emmit. Not even close.”
And Cowboys fans everywhere thank God for that.

By: .Vox Veritas.

.Vox Veritas. — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:31:44 +0000

“Barry Sanders was a FAR better pure runner.”
Never heard of that position. Are you talking about fantasy football?

By: Howboutdemcowboys

Howboutdemcowboys — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:22:11 +0000

Everyone trying to prove who is the greatest RB of all time is a MORON. Get a life. Stop trying to categorize other peoples accomplishments. Best ever? Unless your name is in the conversation STFU!!!!!
Congratulations Emmitt

By: GTW61

GTW61 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:21:01 +0000

If Jerry could of quit sniffling…He might have been able to focus. Maybe he needed a diet COKE!!!!

By: Viper21

Viper21 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:20:37 +0000

Even as a cowboys fan, I didnt like Emmitts holdouts, or record qwest. I never saw him toss a football in the stands. I was turned down for an autograph by him in Arizona once too.
BUT…. having said that, I do believe he was every bit the back Barry was. #22 played waaaay longer, & was a punishing blocker. I believe the boys’ passing game would’ve suffered with Barry. People that think Barry was better….. really arent or werent looking at the entire game. Emmitt was a complete back. Rusher, pass catcher, & blocker. He made the rest of the team better….. How much better did Barry make the lions, lol…..

By: GTW61

GTW61 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:15:08 +0000

Very disappointed in Emmitt. He never once gave any thanks to the University of Florida for the time he spent there. How can you not? If I missed it, I apologize…
GTW61

By: brasho

brasho — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:05:34 +0000

Best ever, Silva? He was good, but he was on a great team and that didn’t hurt, nor did his great longevity. There were far better players in during shorter stretches than Emmitt (Dickerson, Brown, T. Davis, Earl Campbell, Payton) but his longevity is what got him his record…. grow up, Silva, what are you, five?