The One That Got Away...

[2much2soon]

The people that mention Jimmy Smith are so misinformed.

There was serious talk that the man would never play football again. After we let him go, the Eagles signed him and they later offered him up in the expansion draft.

At the time, there was really no way for us to keep him.

what he said...

 

[jem88]

All my friends and I had Cosby at the bottom of our lists. We even nick-named a "Cosby type interception" after him because he would tip the ball to opposing players all the friggin time!

I was young at the time but I recall Cosbie being a pretty solid player for us back then.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Randy Moss

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

Randy Moss would have never been "Randy Moss" if Dallas would have drafted him...

Totally different systems.

no way, he has way too much talent, who knows, we might have built our offensive scheme around him.

 

[gimmesix]

Jimmy Smith had serious health problems (someone with a better memory than me can chime in with the specifics) and Philly cut him after he physically recovered enough to get on the field again after Dallas injury-settled with him.
It sucks it worked out that way but Dallas really couldn't keep the guy around given his medical situation. They knew he was good but the medical information they were getting was that the guy wouldn't play again.
I don't consider the Jimmy Smith situation on par, in stupidity terms, with things like trading 2 1sts for Galloway, drafting QC and Goodrich in the second round, or drafting guys like Shante Carver.

The idea for me was to think of who I regret getting away. So I don't care about the reasons that Smith got away, just the career that followed after he got away.

Yes, I know Dallas had good reason to get rid of him at that time, but just thinking about what could have happened if we'd kept him puts him at the top of my list.

If it comes down to goofs in the draft, really I can't put one in front of another over the years. There are plenty of players Dallas has missed on that had another player taken behind him who went on to success ... but the same can be said of any team.

 

[2much2soon]

The idea for me was to think of who I regret getting away. So I don't care about the reasons that Smith got away, just the career that followed after he got away.

Yes, I know Dallas had good reason to get rid of him at that time, but just thinking about what could have happened if we'd kept him puts him at the top of my list.

If it comes down to goofs in the draft, really I can't put one in front of another over the years. There are plenty of players Dallas has missed on that had another player taken behind him who went on to success ... but the same can be said of any team.

Oh yeah, in terms of pure regret, I am right there with you.
Dude was a pass catching machine.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Jimmy Smith made the most impact of any player we let go IMO

 

[jumanji]

several good ones already mentioned. passing on brackens for pittman still pisses me off. brackens career was injury shortened, but he had 5 good years at jax

 

[Juke99]

Jimmy Smith is the one that kills me because we HAD him and let him go.

The only consolation is that he want to another team (Eagles) who let him go as well.

But can you imagine Smith one on side, Irvin on the other...Aikman QB...and Emmitt at RB???

With Jimmy Smith, we don't do the Joey Galloway deal...and we all know how that one turned out. :bang2:

 

[Jarv]

The people that mention Jimmy Smith are so misinformed.

There was serious talk that the man would never play football again. After we let him go, the Eagles signed him and they later offered him up in the expansion draft.

At the time, there was really no way for us to keep him.

Just like at the time there wasn't really any way that we could have drafted Moss.

I think the Delhomme one was huge. But it wasn't obvious. I remember that there wasn't really any outrage at the Ranch board when it happened. Some disappointment, then the guy wasn't even named the starter coming out of camp. But he sure has been a steal for Carolina.

The other one that really bugged me was Bert Berry. There was a lot of angst when he left without a contract. Well placed angst as it turned out.

I think Jimmy Smith had a ruptured appendix during practice. He complained of stomache cramps and was sent to the lockeroom. From what I recall he drove himself to the hospital because no one on the Dallas staff would help him. He got lost on the way and had to use his cell to call the hospital for directions.

He nearly died on the way...No help again from the Dallas staff, which I thought was crazy.

Then we cut him. We cut a good prospect 2nd round pick because of a burst appendix. I'm still pissed not just about cutting him, but the way the organization handled things when he appendix burst...Young kid in a new city who did not know his way around had to drive himself to the hospital.

A dark day in the history of the Cowboys organization IMHO...

 

[Big Country]

WR-Randy Moss ('98 Draft):bang2:
LB-Joey Porter ('97 Draft)
RB-Clinton Portis ('01 Draft)
RB-Jimmy Smith - Released after '92 season:bang2:
DE-Bertrand Berry (FA-''04)
LB-Keith Adams (Released after '00 season, later picked up by Philadelphia and has been a stud for them!)
K-Adam Vinatieri (FA-'06)
CB-Ty Law(FA-'05)

Keith Adams is one of those tweener linebackers that fit the Eagles scheme to the T... He was basically expendable because he was only a special teamer. Dat and Coakley were still playing at that time... can't remember who the other side was manned by... D. Hambrick??

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The one that always got me was not Montana so much but John Elway. When Elway was drafted by Baltimore, as many may recall, he refused to play for the Colts and was ready to play for the NY Yankees (imagine that). Faced with the possability of getting nothing in return, Baltimore fielded offers for Elway. As the eventual trade come closer, Tex Schramm and the Cowboys struck a deal with Baltimore that would bring Elway to Dallas. By the time negotiations were completed, it was too late to fax the details to the NFL office. We went to bed secure in the notion that we would finalize all with the League office in the morning. Between the time negotiations came to a close and the morning, Denver had climbed in the back window and offered a better deal. We woke up to the news that Elway had been traded to Denver in the early hours. Had we gotten Elway, perhaps the whole deal with Landry never happens. Perhaps we don't get dominated in the 80s by the Eagles or the 49ers etc. Lots could have been different.

 

[tyke1doe]

The way some posters are crucifying Henson for his lack of development, it's amazing to hear posters complain that we let Jimmy Smith get away when his development while with the Cowboys was less than Henson's.

Hindsight is a beautiful thang.

 

[deadrody]

One of my main gripes was when we let go of Jimmy Smith.
I remember that draft when we got him.
I spent the money for the Ourlad's draft preview book and I thought Jimmy Smith and Darren Woodson were dark horse sleeper picks.
Woodson because he was time at 4.38 in the forty but he played OLB at Arizona St. and was undersized for that position in the NFL.
Smith-went to a small school and his scouting report reminded me of what they said about Jerry Rice when he came out of college. Smooth route-runner and great hands.
That draft we had 4 picks in the first 2 rounds.
Round one-Kevin Smith-Texas A&M
Round one-Robert Jones-East Carolina
Round two-Jimmy Smith
Round two-Darren Woodson
I loved that draft. I knew we had a great first two rounds and I really thought that Jimmy Smith would be something special.
So....when we released him I was not happy at all.
Any good GM should never ever release a player until they are sure what they have in that player.
We just got rid of him like throwing out the trash...that was stupid and irresponsible in my opinion.

PERFECT!!! I was waiting for the right Jimmy Smith post to add this...

The Cowboys did not just "release" him, the didn't "throw out the trash". For all the uninformed Jimmy Smith fanboys, the real story is as follows...

In a preseason game, Smith took a bad hit. He was "hurt", but being a 2nd year guy, the staff wanted him to go back into the game. Smith thought the injury was serious, the medical staff and coaches did not. Smith did play a few more downs, but ultimately his injury turned out to be a burst appendix and he wound up with acute apendicitis, which is no laughing matter. Suffice to say that the Cowboys relationship with Smith was over from that moment forward. There wasn't a thing they could do other than release him.

 

[deadrody]

I think Jimmy Smith had a ruptured appendix during practice. He complained of stomache cramps and was sent to the lockeroom. From what I recall he drove himself to the hospital because no one on the Dallas staff would help him. He got lost on the way and had to use his cell to call the hospital for directions.

He nearly died on the way...No help again from the Dallas staff, which I thought was crazy.

Then we cut him. We cut a good prospect 2nd round pick because of a burst appendix. I'm still pissed not just about cutting him, but the way the organization handled things when he appendix burst...Young kid in a new city who did not know his way around had to drive himself to the hospital.

A dark day in the history of the Cowboys organization IMHO...

I saw the general report on this once on 60 Minutes. I think it was in a game, myself, but other than that, yeah, the story is similar.