You're delusional. What made Emmit Smith so good is he ran behind the greatest offensive line in the history of the NFL. If you don't believe me, google "greatest offensive line in the history of the NFL." Everybody's list has the early to mid 90's Cowboy line in the top, uh, one. OK, most have them listed as #1, everyone has them in the top 5.
What was one of the Cowboy's big need area this past season? Offensive line. Is a young version of Erik Williams, Mark Stepnoski, Nate Newton, Larry Allen, etc available? Draft them. But Jerry won't because he's fallen in love with the "Triplet" philosophy.
On the other hand, a thread similar to your came up after the 2010 regular season and I suggested the Texans get Nnamdi Asomugha also. So you aren't totally delusional.
By the way, I was born and raised in Oak Cliff.
Originally Posted by gnadfly
Thanks for commenting on the thread gnadfly, nice wordplay for you username bty. I've had this debate about Emmit Smith vs Barry Sanders, 90's Cowboys O-line being one of the greatest ect. Although my post wasn't about how great Emmit Smith was. However, since it seems you'd rather talk about Mr. Smith instead of the OP then I suppose I have no choice but to school you on a few facts. When a freshman in high school (without the assistance of Erik Williams, Mark Stepnoski, Nate Newton, Larry Allen, etc) Mr. Smith rushed 8,804 yards, which was the second most yardage in American high school football history at the time. As a sophomore, Mr. Smith rushed for 2,424 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns and led his HS Football Team to its first state football championship with a 47-14 victory over St. Petersburg in the Class 3-A final.
Mr. Smith twice broke the 2,000-yard rushing mark in a single season 1986. Mr. Smith rushed for over 100 yards 28 games in a row, and in 45 of the 49 games he started and was named USA Today and Parade magazine high school player of the year.
Now on to college. The first 2 and a half games of his college career, Emmit did not start. However, he did earning the starting spot midway through the second game of the season and kept it until he got injured in game 6. Mr. Smith's very first start Mr. Smith rushed for 224 yards breaking Florida's 40-year old all-time single game rushing record. In all, Smith owned 58 school records at the conclusion of his Florida career despite playing on Florida teams with virtually no passing game and no Erik Williams, Mark Stepnoski, Nate Newton, Larry Allen, etc. making him the focal point of opposing defenses. Prior to Emmitt's arrival, the Gators had had just one winning season in its previous 18. But as a freshman, Mr. Smith rushed for 1,525 yards and 19 touchdowns in 1983, he led the team to the divisional playoffs. Mr. Smith was named a first-team SEC selection for the third year and SEC Player of the Year, was a unanimous first-team All-American, and finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy balloting all with out the help of Erik Williams, Mark Stepnoski, Nate Newton, Larry Allen, etc. and the famous 90's Cowboy O-line.
After Super Bowl XXVII, Mr. Smith sat out 2 games and let a one Derrick Lassic who was the 1993 Sugar Bowl MVP run behind Mr. Erik Williams, Mark Stepnoski, Nate Newton, Larry Allen, etc. and the famous 90's Cowboy O-line and got CREAMED. The 3rd game Mr. Smith returned to the Cowboys line-up and led the Cowboys to a second straight super bowl. Mr. Smith was named the Super Bowl MVP, with 30 carries for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also catching 4 passes for 26 yards.
On October 27, 2002, he surpassed Walter Payton's All-Time Leading Rushing Record of 16,726 yards to become the NFL's All-Time Leading Rusher. The rest as they say is history.
