105.3 has upset me: Emmitt vs Barry

[CATCH17]

mountain out of molehill imo.

Every year it seems on this board people amplify that negative stat more and more...almost as bad as those out there saying Emmitt would be only slightly better than jag if he played on a crap team.
While Barry averaged more rushing and receiving yards per year and per play, they also scored TDs at almost exactly the same clip, btw.

Emmitt was great
Barry was great

By far most say Barry was slightly better, but that doesn't make it true.
Different animals.

We're on a Cowboy site, so we are allowed to favor our guy.

My problem is why is Jerry Rice not held to the same standard as Emmitt when it comes to being compared to other players?


Jerry Rice played in a passing offense ahead of it's time with 2 HOF QB's and a guy in Rich Gannon that was at the peak of his career in Oakland.

Oh but Emmitt played on a great O line and he didn't have great top end speed. Well neither did Jerry.




Emmitt is everything Jerry Rice is to the RB position and I don't know why the things that are used against Emmitt are also not used against Jerry Rice.

 

[MileyDancer]

Who cares? That was like 25 years ago.

 

[joseephuss]

Kevin Glover and Lomas Brown, multi time Pro Bowlers/All Pros.

Only HoF'er for Dallas O-Line is....Larry Allen. Who didn't start playing until Emmitt's 4th year in the league.

'I was just a journeyman offensive linemen until Emmitt came along and then all of the sudden I became an All-Pro.' - Nate Newton





YR

It was actually Emmitt's 5th season in 1994 when Larry Allen joined the team. Emmitt had 3 rushing titles and 2 Superbowl rings before Larry became a Cowboy.

 

[CATCH17]

The other guys that Dallas had running behind the line were scrubs. I'm not choosing sides between Emmitt and Barry, but Dallas picked up a lot of trash to back up Emmitt in the early 90s. That is why they did not like HOFers behind the o-line. The Cowboys didn't bring in a competent back up until they signed Chris Warren and then they misused both him and Emmitt.

Convenient that anyone could run behind that OLine but when they did the were trash or misused.

 

[12+88=7]

I started following football in 1968. I never saw Jim Brown play, so he is out of this equation.

My favorite running backs of my childhood were OJ, Sweetness, and Tony.

If I included Emmitt and Barry to those three, my list would go

Sanders
Payton
Simpson
Smith
Dorsett

If you take the first three you will see that they were the offense. The success of the team was predicated on these players carrying the complete load and doing it week in week out. Defenses just had to key on one player to stop these teams, and still couldn't do it the vast majority of the games.

Smith and Dorsett had it differently. They were both part of some of the greatest teams in Dallas history on both sides of the ball. They didn't have to shoulder the complete load for the team to win. They played on all-time dynasties.

Smith and Dorsett brought much championship success to Dallas and for that I am forever grateful. What made the other three special was that I enjoyed watching them and I had no rooting interest. These were horrible teams, playing meaningless games, but it was must see TV solely because of these players.

True greatness isn't defined by wins and losses or championships. Sometimes you turn on your TV and it's obvious.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I always like when the Barry vs. Emmitt debate comes along because it makes it clear to me the people that understand football and those that don't. Barry Sanders wouldn't make my top-15 RB's of all time. Emmitt would be the RB I would always take in that 'make believe' draft because he was everything you wanted in a big game running back. I could always count on two things with Emmitt:

1) He would show up to play big time ball.

2) He got better as the game went along.

He was also the toughest running back I have ever seen. Forget about the separated shoulder game (as incredible as that was), he played with a broken hand and after week 1 in 1996 against the Bears where Emmitt almost broke his neck and should have been out for the season, he came back the next week and ran the ball 24 times in a much needed win against the Giants and ran for over 1,200 yards for the season...only missing 1 game that season due to sitting out the last week of the regular season.

Emmitt had the production, ball protection, blitz pickup ability, pass receiving skills, the ability to make something out of nothing, the vision and being able to read running plays, stamina, endurance and leadership that would make it an easy pick for me. No RB ever has had that combination of traits and I doubt we will ever see one that will.




YR

 

[Yakuza Rich]

It was actually Emmitt's 5th season in 1994 when Larry Allen joined the team. Emmitt had 3 rushing titles and 2 Superbowl rings before Larry became a Cowboy.

You're right. My counting stinks.




YR

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Emmitt Smith is my favorite Cowboy of all time.

But Barry Sanders was a better running back. Hands down.

Emmitt was exceptional at falling forward for extra yardage and picking up first downs. He was the consummate chain mover, and he was an all-around back.

But nobody has matched the sheer brilliance and spectacular ability of Sanders. His style is all his own.

Barry was better in the open field that's it. To say Barry was better than Emmitt in anything else hands down is way off.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Barry was the better back, but I'd happily take either in their prime.

Only in the open field.

 

[Section446]

Only in the open field.

Nah, Emmitt had the luxury of being surrounded by one of the best teams in the history of football, Barry had... Barry.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Nah, Emmitt had the luxury of being surrounded by one of the best teams in the history of football, Barry had... Barry.

Emmitt was a major reason for the CBoys being one of the best teams in history. Duh.

 

[CATCH17]

Nah, Emmitt had the luxury of being surrounded by one of the best teams in the history of football, Barry had... Barry.

Oh come on.


It was clear Emmitt was better at Blocking, catching, and anything that involved any type of power running.

 

[Big D]

Also, would have Barry played an entire half and OT with a separated shoulder. Would have he even played in any of the following playoff games?
Barry quit. Period. so this IF he would have played longer, he would have done X.

Emmitt is, simply put, the best RB ever.

He would not have and said so himself. That alone is why Emmitt is the best ever to do it up to this point. And I don't recall E ever being taken out in goal line situations for fear of losing yards. Barry was a more gifted athlete slightly bigger, faster, and stronger but E was a better football player.

 

[Tabascocat]

Ahh, the annual Sanders vs Smith thread

Smith was the better all-around back, not really even up for debate. Sure, Barry had flashiness and broke more long runs but he was also tackled at or behind the LOS often. He had some moves and once he got into the open field...he was nasty. He was also the centerpiece to that team and his stats show it, there was not much else for the Lions to depend on.

Emmitt was our centerpiece as well but we also had other major weapons to take some of his stats away, especially in the redzone. Smith could have had a lot more TD's in his career and more rushing yards but Dallas did not have to abuse him as much as Detroit did to Sanders.

I don't know if these two players switched teams that the stats and rings would be different, not worth arguing it. I think Dallas could have won with Sanders too.

At the end of the day, Barry quit, he is a quitter while Emmitt had grit and drive. Smith was a workhorse and had plenty of moves himself.

I am glad we ended up with Emmitt yet would have been happy with Sanders if it turned out that way. Barry does not even make my top 10 of who I would have wanted but that does not mean he isn't a top 10 back talent wise.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Name Barry Sanders offensive line.

Now name Emmitt's.

Well, I think it's a fair statement. I mean, Emmitt had one of the best Offensive Lines in the history of the game but Sanders didn't exactly have scrubs on the OL. Lomas Brown was pretty darn good. Glover was good as well. Later they added FAs like Dough Widell, Bill Fralic as stop gap guys but Sanders didn't run behind horrible lines his whole career either.

 

[BHendri5]

Name Barry Sanders offensive line.

Now name Emmitt's.

Ok, here's the deal. Straight to the point , there has never been any RB ever!!! to be able to rush for over a 1000 yards without someone blocking for him! I have repeated myself for years now. There was a show in the past with a host name Roy firestone who had one of Barry's Olineman on the show he asked him what was it like to block for Barry, his response was we just fire out and put a hat on somebody because we never knew where Barry was going, with that being said if Barry had been able to run behind the oline that Emmitt had he would have made them look like his Detroit Oline. Barry himself said that he developed his style because he was always smaller than everyone so he would see flashes of color that he knew was not his colors and he would move. If you ever noticed that on short yardage situations the Lions would pull Barry out of the game and put in the other RB, to get first downs and short yardage TDs, because Barry would not go up the in between the tackles he always wanted to get to the outside and he did. That is why Reggie White told his guys to not chase Barry in a playoff game stay in your lane he will come back to you, and Barry ended up with a negative 1 yard that playoff game and it happen again to Barry in a playoff game as well. Emmitt's oline was great but they worked together anh helped them just as much as they helped him. He knew how to set up his blocking read his blocking and set up defenders to be blocked as well as to put a move on them or to just runover them. barry just set up defenders to put a move on them.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Ok, here's the deal. Straight to the point , there has never been any RB ever!!! to be able to rush for over a 1000 yards without someone blocking for him! I have repeated myself for years now. There was a show in the past with a host name Roy firestone who had one of Barry's Olineman on the show he asked him what was it like to block for Barry, his response was we just fire out and put a hat on somebody because we never knew where Barry was going, with that being said if Barry had been able to run behind the oline that Emmitt had he would have made them look like his Detroit Oline. Barry himself said that he developed his style because he was always smaller than everyone so he would see flashes of color that he knew was not his colors and he would move. If you ever noticed that on short yardage situations the Lions would pull Barry out of the game and put in the other RB, to get first downs and short yardage TDs, because Barry would not go up the in between the tackles he always wanted to get to the outside and he did. That is why Reggie White told his guys to not chase Barry in a playoff game stay in your lane he will come back to you, and Barry ended up with a negative 1 yard that playoff game and it happen again to Barry in a playoff game as well. Emmitt's oline was great but they worked together anh helped them just as much as they helped him. He knew how to set up his blocking read his blocking and set up defenders to be blocked as well as to put a move on them or to just runover them. barry just set up defenders to put a move on them.

Roy Firestone - 'Up Close' TV show. (use to tape it whenever Lakers talk was on)

 

[windward]

The other guys that Dallas had running behind the line were scrubs. I'm not choosing sides between Emmitt and Barry, but Dallas picked up a lot of trash to back up Emmitt in the early 90s. That is why they did not like HOFers behind the o-line. The Cowboys didn't bring in a competent back up until they signed Chris Warren and then they misused both him and Emmitt.

I think Lassic could have been ok if he never got hurt.

 

[cej757]

Barry would've been the only rb in history to rush for over 20,000 yards if he wouldn't have retired when he did. He was still in his prime and was 1 more season away from breaking Walter Payton's record. I love Emmitt, but to me Barry was better and the stats would've proved it too.

Barry never had a great qb to play with either and he was able to still put up great numbers.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

Barry would've been the only rb in history to rush for over 20,000 yards if he wouldn't have retired when he did. He was still in his prime and was 1 more season away from breaking Walter Payton's record. I love Emmitt, but to me Barry was better and the stats would've proved it too.

Barry never had a great qb to play with either and he was able to still put up great numbers.

Better only in the open field. What defines a great qb? In the playoffs, Aikman, was great. In the regular season for his career, his qbr was 81.6. His td/int ratio wasn't great. 165 tds, 141 ints.