Kevin Smith

[Merlin]

Originally Posted by jem88

You obviously didn't watch Kevin Smith prior to his injury. He was much more than an above average at best CB. Above average at best CBs don't shut down Jerry Rice in his prime. Smith did that and for 2 seasons (1993-1994) was among the top 4-5 CBs in the NFL.

Actually, I did watch him alot. He did play Rice well although I cant really remember him shutting Jerry down for 2 seasons. You said he played like a top level CB for two seasons, that does not make him great. Thats the best argument for my above average rating. I will stand by my above average rating.

[jobberone]

Smith was a very above average CB until injured IMO. Personally I wouldn't put him on Deion's level but he was one of the better CBs in the league IMO. I don't use tackle and Deion in the same sentence very often. Not that he couldn't tackle but tackling was for mere mortals for Deion. Too bad we couldn't fix that injury as well as today or PUP would probably be considered as one of Dallas' better CBs.

[bbgun]

Don't listen to him Kevin!

[Chuck 54]

not looking to insult anyone, but you guys who want to suggest that Kevin Smith was ever even close to as great a CB as Deon Sanders was are just embarrassing yourselves.

Pup was a very good CB and in his best condition was a good #1 CB who could cover anyone, but I'd bet my house that there's not a GM or Coach who ever worked in the NFL who would take Pup over Deon ever, under any conditions.

Love him or hate him, Deon was the best CB to ever play the game and at a time when the WR position and the passing game was exploding in the NFL...no one dared throw the ball near him for fear he'd take it and run it back for a TD in the other direction. IN his prime, it was breaking news for a team to even complete a pass against Deon.

Please...give Pup his due, but it's ridiculous to compare him to Deon.

[silver]

Was he called PUP because he was phisically unable to perform? that's a mean nickname

[jem88]

I certainly don't think Smith was as good as Sanders. But then Sterling Sharpe was a superior receiver, but he wasn't as good as Rice. Like Rice, Sanders was in a class of his own. Smith, for the 2 seasons he was healthy (after his rookie season) was a top-flight CB.

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Originally Posted by KDWilliams85

[font=Tahoma]No, he's right. Larry Brown wore #34. I don't think Kevin Smith was an MVP but he was definitely the most penalized defensive back of the mid-to-late 90's.[/font]

Larry Brown was #24 !!

[phildominator]

I loved Pup. Cocky, brash, hard-nosed, always hustled, always stuck his helmet in there, talked trash and could back it up on the field. He was the epitome of the Cowboys defensive player back then, like Norton, Kenny Gant, Haley and James Washington.

Two things I remember about Pup:

1: The Nike commercial during the 1995 season that used the TV theme song for "Dallas." It called Kevin Smith the Gipper. He was on crutches on the sideline during a game saying, "c'mon guys, c'mon."

2. The game was over, like 28-0 at that point in time. The play was over. A deep bomb that was overthrown. The receivers, other defenders and Kevin Smith were all slowing down. All of a sudden, Kevin just grabs his ankle. This happened after Al Michaels, Dierdorf and Gifford were all gushing over the possibility of fielding Kevin Smith and Deion Sanders. Deion hadn't signed with Dallas yet, but the signing was speculated. So pointless, that injury. Always makes me shake my head.

[jay cee]

Originally Posted by Next_years_Champs

In my opinion Kevin Smith (pre-injury) was most certainly the equal to Deion in every area except self promotion. Tearing a achilles tendon for a player who relies on speed is a career killer, I felt so sorry for Kevin because I felt he was as good as any CB playing at that time.

I will always respect and have a soft spot in my heart for Kevin Smith he always had class and never whined even after his injury. After his injury he had to rely on his instincts more and his tactic of choice was to deny the reciever his preferred route by positioning himself so the receiver had to run around or through him. In my opinion that should be considered a legal tactic but The NFL decided it was slowing the receivers chances at the catch. Thereby eliminating Kevin only real skill left his ability to get in the recievers way through intuition.

[View Full Quote]Kevin Smith's career before his injury was short but even playing on one leg he managed a decent career, one can only speculate as to how good he could have been, but IMO he was as good as anyone before he was injured.

While I don't agree that Smith was equal to Sanders as a corner. I totally agree with your assessment of his play after the injury. The guy would position himself so that the receiver would have to go around him to get to the ball, and the refs would flag him.

I could never understand that.

You called it intuition, and I can't disagree, it was almost like he could read their minds.

He must have done a ton of film study to get that good at cutting the receivers off that way.

[Parcells]

Originally Posted by YN1SCOTT

NFC CHAPIONSHIP GAME in 93, he got hurt and we put Isac Holt in. Two plays later SAN FRAN goes right at HOLT and it's off to the races, only a holding call was able to stop that touchdown. K Smith comes back in and shuts him down the whole game let alone for two to three years when we played them.

AMEN.... He earned my respect his whole rookie year then threw out his career.. he was always treated like a top 10 cb in the nfl at that time. great player!! however my brother disagrees he thought he was average at that!!