Emmitt like Dorsett??

[jazzcat22]

Im watch the epic backs video from calico, and im watching Dorsett and for a few seconds for some reason i think im watching Emmitt, i dont know, maybe cuz ive watched the video so many times it just looks all the same to me. Now im only 25, so i never had the honor of watching dorsett live. but is it just me or are Dorsett's and Emmitt's style of running similar??

P.S. for those that havent seen it go to www.cowboysvids.com, u can download it there. Epic backs

Different
It's because they are both just that GREAT. I'm sure if you watch some of Walter Payton enough, you would think the same with him.

 

[Rack]

I saw them both..

Emmitt is better,

I saw them both too. Emmitt was the better "all around" RB, but TD was the better pure runner, hands down.

 

[wxcpo]

Playing behind the same line Tony Dorsett (or Barry Sanders) would probably had MUCH more yards than Emmitt. Still I think Emmitt is much better because Tony Dorsett fumbled, a lot.

There is absolutly no telling how many yards Barry Sanders could have put up behind an O line like we had in 93 and 94. You remember when Barry was playing he had no offensive line at all, every yard he got was on his own. If he ever had played behind a good line.........

One can only wonder what Barry Sanders could have done with blocking.... Curly

Sorry, but I have to throw in my .02 here in regards to this.

Why is it that this arguement is only made against Emmitt? Why isn't there the same arguement made that Tim Brown is actually better than Jerry Rice yet had inferior talent throwing him the ball and he played with less pro bowlers his entire career?

It's funny when people mention all the offensive linemen pro bowlers that Emmitt got to play with and point to those guys as the reason for Emmitt's success. Don't you think Emmitt had as much to do with the offensive lines success as they had to do with his? He made that line look great, just as they made him look great. Ray Donaldson was a 4 time pro bowler for the Colts, but from 1989-1994 he had 0 pro bowl appearances. Two seasons playing in Dallas and with Emmitt and he goes to back to back pro bowls. Nate Newton was a 6 time pro bowler for the Cowboys, but had 0 pro bowl appearances prior to Emmitt's arrival in Dallas. Tuinei was a 2 time pro bowler, 0 before Emmitt. Stepnoski had 3 pro bowl seasons with Emmitt and only 2 others after he left Dallas.

Emmitt and Berry had two distinct styles just as Dorsett and Emmitt did, you can't really compare the two. No one knows what Emmitt would have accomplished behind Detroit's line because he never played behind those guys. Barry may have set the bar too high for Emmitt to catch had he stayed or he could have blown out his knee on the very next run he made, no one knows the "what ifs".

 

[Manster54]

Dorsett was finesse. Emmitt was stronger but slower.

 

[EMMITTnROY]

I saw them both too. Emmitt was the better "all around" RB, but TD was the better pure runner, hands down.

if better pure runner means faster and prettier, maybe..

but if it's 3rd and one..

or 4th and goal..

or if I am down by 6 with time left for one last drive..

or if I am about to play in the Super Bowl..

or if I needed a back to be able to break an 8 man defensive front..

I pick Emmitt over Dorsett.. every single time..

Emmitt was the better runner and the better all around back.. hey, I love em both!! I became a fan BECAUSE of Tony D! but give Emmitt, I'll choose him every time..

 

[QT]

Also remember Emmitt could pick up blitzes. I remember countless times in which Emmitt saved Aikman's arse.

 

[Rack]

if better pure runner means faster and prettier, maybe..

but if it's 3rd and one..

or 4th and goal..

or if I am down by 6 with time left for one last drive..

or if I am about to play in the Super Bowl..

or if I needed a back to be able to break an 8 man defensive front..

I pick Emmitt over Dorsett.. every single time..

Emmitt was the better runner and the better all around back.. hey, I love em both!! I became a fan BECAUSE of Tony D! but give Emmitt, I'll choose him every time..

No, he wasn't.

 

[jrumann59]

TD was fast and graceful but I have to hand it to Emmitt he was stubborn and durable. Tony's problems in the swan song part of his careere is his knees started failing him, on a fast elusive back once your knees go so does your career. Emmitt was very fortunate thet he didn't have any serious injuries til after he broke the record and was just padding it. As for the Barry argument I disagree, Barry was good in space put him behind a good line I think he gets tackeld more because he would be confined in his movements by all the bodies around him.

 

[Rumor]

I am sorry....You just cant make a comparison....two different periods to different RBs....both great but like comparing a pitcher to a center fielder when a child asks who is the best baseball player ever....my opinion...

 

[Rumor]

I also love emmitt...my fav RB of all time but I do believe is and was a little overrated due to certain factors....

 

[Juke99]

I saw them both too. Emmitt was the better "all around" RB, but TD was the better pure runner, hands down.

Agreed.

Although I think Dorsett was a better receiver by a slight margin.

I also think Dorsett opened up the offense because he had the ability to bust a long td on any play whereas Emmitt didn't have that aspect to his game to the degree Dorsett did.

I prefer Dorsett. But that's only a personal thing. Both were truly great backs.

 

[Chief]

I have to weigh in on this, too.

The biggest difference I remember, is I think Emmitt's skills were more subtle ... not as obvious or evident to the casual fan. He was the best I ever saw at positioning his body for contact ... would-be tacklers would slide off of him.

Tony once said, "I'm the type of back that your mother or grandmother would enjoy watching." So true. It's because he was a pretty runner whose skills were obvious. Tony's best attribute was that he had an incredible burst ... so sudden that it was breath-taking.

Now, they had some things in common. They both had superior instincts for making guys miss. Both were good receivers and underrated blockers. And Tony doesn't get the credit he deserves for running inside and for his durability. He was a very good north-south runner and could do damage between the tackles. And thanks in part to Landry's handling of him, Tony had very, very few injuries in his career, especially for a guy who played most of his career between 185 and 190 pounds.

Having said all that, when it comes to pure, natural God-given talent, they finish No. 2 and No. 3 among running backs in Cowboys history in my opinion. Duane Thomas was 6-2, 225 and moved like water flowing in a stream. Heck, Jim Brown was in awe of Duane's talent. His mind was just wired wrong to have a long, successful NFL career.

Dallas has had a great history of running backs, and I have my doubts about the youngsters they have in there now.

 

[billknows]

if better pure runner means faster and prettier, maybe..

but if it's 3rd and one..

or 4th and goal..

or if I am down by 6 with time left for one last drive..

or if I am about to play in the Super Bowl..

or if I needed a back to be able to break an 8 man defensive front..

I pick Emmitt over Dorsett.. every single time..

Emmitt was the better runner and the better all around back.. hey, I love em both!! I became a fan BECAUSE of Tony D! but give Emmitt, I'll choose him every time..

or if I'm on the half yd. line,and need 99 yds for a touchdown...Dorsett everytime...or if I need to shut up Howard Cosell for 15 min. Dorsett...:laugh2:

 

[Juke99]

I have to weigh in on this, too.

The biggest difference I remember, is I think Emmitt's skills were more subtle ... not as obvious or evident to the casual fan. He was the best I ever saw at positioning his body for contact ... would-be tacklers would slide off of him.

Tony once said, "I'm the type of back that your mother or grandmother would enjoy watching." So true. It's because he was a pretty runner whose skills were obvious. Tony's best attribute was that he had an incredible burst ... so sudden that it was breath-taking.

Now, they had some things in common. They both had superior instincts for making guys miss. Both were good receivers and underrated blockers. And Tony doesn't get the credit he deserves for running inside and for his durability. He was a very good north-south runner and could do damage between the tackles. And thanks in part to Landry's handling of him, Tony had very, very few injuries in his career, especially for a guy who played most of his career between 185 and 190 pounds.

Having said all that, when it comes to pure, natural God-given talent, they finish No. 2 and No. 3 among running backs in Cowboys history in my opinion. Duane Thomas was 6-2, 225 and moved like water flowing in a stream. Heck, Jim Brown was in awe of Duane's talent. His mind was just wired wrong to have a long, successful NFL career.

Dallas has had a great history of running backs, and I have my doubts about the youngsters they have in there now.

Great point about Thomas. I've always believed that Jim Brown helped bring him down by constantly being in his ear....all you have to do is see a tape of the infamous super bowl interview with Tom Brookshier....you'll see Brown standing there, answering for Thomas as if Duane, a very bright guy, was rainman. If he truly had Thomas' best interests in mind, he sure did a lousy job of advising him.

I've always felt that Brown, who's ego was similar in size to his football skills, hastened the downfall of Thomas because of all the comparisons people made between the two.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Emmit waited for his holes to open then he would burst through. Emmit also was very good on flare passes on the outside in his early years he would make pple miss in the open field, but then he started decling in his juke move once he got older. Didn't get to see Dorsett play, but from what my dad told me he used his speed more than anything else. Emmit also had a knack for his stiff arm once he got in the open field. Very patient running back.

Yeah...that stiff arm(emmitt). Sometime he would just swat tacklers aside. Other times he would stiffen that arm and put it on the helmet of the player. Got him a LOT of extra yards.



Dorsett was unique, like everyone said. A joy to watch. I still remember the 99 yard TD like it was yesterday. The backs of today run out of gas at 50 yards. No one could catch TD. I wish had as much video of Dorsett as I do of Smith. I wish IO had ANYTHING. MAy have to buy something somewhere.

 

[Crazy88]

ive seen alot of great debates like this one. Ive never been able to watch TD play other although read alot about how great he was and i have no doubts given the 2 facts of 1: he wore a star on his helmet and 2: he is now in the ring of honour


but why do people never mention Moose when they say how good a RB Emmitt was. Correct me if im wrong here but didnt emmitt mention Moose in his speech after the Seattle game when he broke the all time rushing record?

 

[Rack]

ive seen alot of great debates like this one. Ive never been able to watch TD play other although read alot about how great he was and i have no doubts given the 2 facts of 1: he wore a star on his helmet and 2: he is now in the ring of honour


but why do people never mention Moose when they say how good a RB Emmitt was. Correct me if im wrong here but didnt emmitt mention Moose in his speech after the Seattle game when he broke the all time rushing record?

TD also had some pretty good FBs in front of him, so they kind of cancel eachother out.

I'm sure you've heard of Robert Newhouse (and his 32" thighs).

 

[DanTanna]

I liked Calvin Hill too. If Robert New house had a little wheel on the end of his helmet he would be in the HOF.

 

[Manster54]

TD also had some pretty good FBs in front of him, so they kind of cancel eachother out.

I'm sure you've heard of Robert Newhouse (and his 32" thighs).

Newhouse was actually the running back before TD was drafted. I don't think he was a "natural" fullback. He was pretty darn good though. I remember 'House blowing up more than a few would be tacklers while running the ball, but I really can't recall him doing that while blocking.

 

[Rack]

Newhouse was actually the running back before TD was drafted. I don't think he was a "natural" fullback. He was pretty darn good though. I remember 'House blowing up more than a few would be tacklers while running the ball, but I really can't recall him doing that while blocking.

Lorenzo Neal was a running back when he first started out with the Saints too, but now he's arguably the best blocking FB in the history of Pro Football.


Newhouse was a fine blocker.