Remember Emmitt's Holdout?

[CowboyDan]

Great read from the SI Vault.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1137978/1/index.htm

"What's the situation with Emmitt?" someone asked Johnson after Sunday's 13-10 loss to Levy's Buffalo Bills, the Cowboys' second defeat in as many games this season.
"Every time I hear that question I just get sick," he replied.

 

[Doomsday101]

Great read from the SI Vault.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1137978/1/index.htm

"What's the situation with Emmitt?" someone asked Johnson after Sunday's 13-10 loss to Levy's Buffalo Bills, the Cowboys' second defeat in as many games this season.
"Every time I hear that question I just get sick," he replied.

I remember Jimmy standing at the post game after the Bills game almost in tears and reports of Haley putting his helmet through the wall

 

[warrior43]

Is this really considered a holdout? I dont think it can be he was not under contract so i think its completely different than holding out while under contract. Do I remember this right or am i way out in left field. I thought he wasnt under contract but couldnt be a free agent yet until he was a 5 or 6 year vet i dont remember for sure

 

[CowboyDan]

Is this really considered a holdout? I dont think it can be he was not under contract so i think its completely different than holding out while under contract. Do I remember this right or am i way out in left field. I thought he wasnt under contract but couldnt be a free agent yet until he was a 5 or 6 year vet i dont remember for sure

So Emmitt was essentially released by the Cowboys in 93

 

[Doomsday101]

So Emmitt was essentially released by the Cowboys in 93

FA started in 93 before that was plan B FA Smith was not going any wheres but was holding out for a contract his rights belonged to the Cowboys unless he sat out the entire season

 

[EMMITTnROY]

this is another thing that makes all those "Emmitt was only good because of his offensive linemen" people so clueless.. the Cowboys could not win without Emmitt.. even with all that talent on both sides of the ball, without Emmitt, we could never win.. we won without Irvin, we won without Aikman, we shuffled the o-line almost every year, but yet without Emmitt, we always lost.. he was the most important player on those Super Bowl teams.. he truly made everyone around him better..

 

[Ultra Warrior]

He held out the first 2 games. 1 of those 2 games they COULD HAVE WON had the Kicker at the time made a few FGs. Granted once Emmitt jumped back on the team, they were far superior, they still had a shot of only losing 3 games that season ( provided Jerry came through for Emmitt after week 2 ).

 

[TwoDeep3]

His first season held out during training camp and Jimmy sat him down and did not start him. His seasons of 1000-yards didn't start until year 2.

His hold-out caused Jimbo to park him the first game and maybe a shot an that extra 1000.

In 93 Emmitt wanted QB money.

He came in for the same contract he was offered. Which made him the highest paid RB in the league until Barry signed a new contract.

I never understood the point of why Emmitt asked for something and then caved. If it was to be with his team mates, then he should have come in in the first place.

 

[EMMITTnROY]

His first season held out during training camp and Jimmy sat him down and did not start him. His seasons of 1000-yards didn't start until year 2.

His hold-out caused Jimbo to park him the first game and maybe a shot an that extra 1000.

In 93 Emmitt wanted QB money.

He came in for the same contract he was offered. Which made him the highest paid RB in the league until Barry signed a new contract.

I never understood the point of why Emmitt asked for something and then caved. If it was to be with his team mates, then he should have come in in the first place.

from what i remember (and what the article says), he wasn't even being offered Thurman Thomas numbers.. i think he just wanted to be paid what the highest RB was getting paid.. and he did end up coming in for less than what he wanted because he wanted to play.. but i think Jerry and Emmitt's agent were saying two different things at the time.. Jerry saying that they wanted QB money, Emmitt's agent saying he wanted Thurman Thomas/top RB money..

 

[Doomsday101]

One thing I do recall is the myth by some who claimed Dallas was a pass 1st and Emmitt just closed out the games in the 2nd half yet his stats to not show that at all in his career he had more carries in the 1st half of games than he did in the 2nd half of games his 1st qrt carries where the highest of any qrt with 901 runs. Emmitt was a work horse from the beginning to the end and his play was a major key in Dallas winning 3 rings.

 

[Doomsday101]

from what i remember (and what the article says), he wasn't even being offered Thurman Thomas numbers.. i think he just wanted to be paid what the highest RB was getting paid.. and he did end up coming in for less than what he wanted because he wanted to play.. but i think Jerry and Emmitt's agent were saying two different things at the time.. Jerry saying that they wanted QB money, Emmitt's agent saying he wanted Thurman Thomas/top RB money..

That is pretty much what I remember as well. I also know shortly after Emmitt became the highest paid over Barry Sanders, Sanders contract was redone and he once again became the highest paid back at that time.

 

[EMMITTnROY]

That is pretty much what I remember as well. I also know shortly after Emmitt became the highest paid over Barry Sanders, Sanders contract was redone and he once again became the highest paid back at that time.

yep, exactly.. i remember that clearly..

 

[Doomsday101]

yep, exactly.. i remember that clearly..

Sanders had an ego of his own and was not going to be the 2nd highest paid. It is funny we get after guys with egos but it is their ego that presses them to be the best.

 

[joseephuss]

this is another thing that makes all those "Emmitt was only good because of his offensive linemen" people so clueless.. the Cowboys could not win without Emmitt.. even with all that talent on both sides of the ball, without Emmitt, we could never win.. we won without Irvin, we won without Aikman, we shuffled the o-line almost every year, but yet without Emmitt, we always lost.. he was the most important player on those Super Bowl teams.. he truly made everyone around him better..

Dallas would not have won NFC Championships or Superbowls without Emmitt, Troy or Michael. They could win a regular season game or two without one of those guys, but there is no way they would have been able to beat the 49ers or Packers in the post season had any of the three been missing for those games.

 

[punchnjudy]

Dallas would not have won NFC Championships or Superbowls without Emmitt, Troy or Michael. They could win a regular season game or two without one of those guys, but there is no way they would have been able to beat the 49ers or Packers in the post season had any of the three been missing for those games.

Yep.

Frankly, the offense began to struggle once Novacek quit playing too. The offense was only so-so in '96 even after Irvin came back from his suspension.

 

[sonnyboy]

FA started in 93 before that was plan B FA Smith was not going any wheres but was holding out for a contract his rights belonged to the Cowboys unless he sat out the entire season

That was 1993. It was the first year of FA and I'm certain Emmitt was a RFA having completed 3 years.

I remember bitter eagle fans calling the sports talk shows begging for some team to offer Emmitt a HUGE contract we'd have to match if only to screw up the Cowboys for the cap that was coming in 1994.

 

[jay cee]

Dallas would not have won NFC Championships or Superbowls without Emmitt, Troy or Michael. They could win a regular season game or two without one of those guys, but there is no way they would have been able to beat the 49ers or Packers in the post season had any of the three been missing for those games.

The fact is they could not even seem to win regular season games without Smith.

 

[Thomas82]

Reading this brings back some painful memories.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Noooo but Emmitt wasn't that great of a running back remember????

 

[dallascowboyfanboy]

this is another thing that makes all those "Emmitt was only good because of his offensive linemen" people so clueless.. the Cowboys could not win without Emmitt.. even with all that talent on both sides of the ball, without Emmitt, we could never win.. we won without Irvin, we won without Aikman, we shuffled the o-line almost every year, but yet without Emmitt, we always lost.. he was the most important player on those Super Bowl teams.. he truly made everyone around him better..

Cowboys lost those 1st 2 games since opposing defenses did not have to focus on stopping Emmitt and the running game. They focused on double teaming Irvin, jamming Novacek at the line, and frustrated Aikman.Aikman didnt want to throw to Harper much, I don't blame him. KMart was starting to decline in production too. Aikman dint have many options without Irvin or Novacek to throw too and no Emmitt.