I agree with you, as this thread (by yours truly) will affirm:
http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124452
Additionally, what those who only look at statistics won't glean is that before a set of substantial injuries slowed Emmitt's pace for a few years (in his prime), he was set to SHATTER the all-time rushing record long before he actually did.
The beginning of the 1996 season, first game out of the gate, the Cowboys fake a hand-off and Emmitt, seeking to "sell" the fake, dives over the line and lands awkwardly on his head. He lays motionless on the field for several minutes until finally being carted off.
It was revealed that he had sustained a contusion to his spinal cord, an injury which would limit his explosion, agility, power... basically, much of what made him "Emmitt"... for the entire season. Smith recalls waking up one night during that season, putting his feet on the floor to stand up and crumpling to the ground as he did -- because his legs were completely numb. He finished that campaign, just one season following his record-setting production in 1995, with 1,204-yards & 12-touchdowns; a 3.7 ypc average.
But the injury bug didn't stop there. During that season, purportedly due to a change in "step" caused by the spinal injury, Emmitt developed bone-spurs in both ankles. But he didn't know it. No one did. And over the next two seasons, the NFL world watched Smith's production dwindle (on poor Cowboys teams) to 1,074-yards and 1,332-yards in 1997 and 1998, respectively.
The sports world said he looked like a back in decline. They said it looked like he was hitting a wall, and pretty much pronounced his career "over". But then, between the '98-'99 seasons, Emmitt discovered the bone-spurs in his ankles and he had surgery to remove them. 1999 would be the year that proved Emmitt still "had it".
Under new coach Chan Gailey, healthy for the first time in 3 seasons, Emmitt came out of the gate firing on all cylinders! For most of the season, Emmitt was the leading rusher in the NFL. He was, once again, on his usual record-setting pace. Who can forget that Monday night game against Minnesota on the eve of Walter Payton's death? Emmitt came out in honor of his idol, and had 140 yards at half-time! The Cowboys were dominating the Vikes.
But, to me, in what is one of the most unfortunate moments in Emmitt's hallowed career, just before half-time as Emmitt was breaking off a 63-yard touchdown run, he stiff-armed a Vikings cornerback as he raced into the endzone, got his fingers tangled in his face-mask and broke bones in the back of his hand. At the half, on record-setting pace, Emmitt was done for the game. And the next game. And was significantly limited in the game after that.
He still ended the season with a very respectable 1,397-yards, 11-TDs and a healthy 4.2-ypc average. A very good season. But one that was robbed by a damned broken hand of all it could have been. With the pace he was on pre-injury, he almost certainly would have led the league in rushing for a nearly unprecedented 5th time, and would have very likely compiled 16-1,700+ yards and 15 TDs (or more) while doing so.
The following years began the perpetual 5-11 Dave Campo era, where Emmitt was surrounded by astoundingly little talent (particularly on offense), and then, as is inevitable for ALL athletes, Smith finally
did start to slow down. However, as the 1999 season demonstrates, had Emmitt's talent and production not been slowed considerably by injuries following the 1995 season, he would have smashed Payton's record (much like Barry had the opportunity to do) far earlier than he actually did and likely could have eclipsed the 20,000 career rushing-yards mark -- as was his aim.
No excuses. Injuries happen. This is football. But all this is just to say that there's more to the story than what the stats alone can possibly tell. In my opinion, Emmitt is the greatest, most productive, most important running back in NFL history. No back has ever contributed to the success of their team like Emmitt did. No franchise rode a back harder, longer or to as many championships as the Cowboys did with Emmitt. If I could pluck any back from the midst of time in their prime to play on "my" team, I'd take Emmitt over any other who's ever played.
And that's really all I have to say about that!
:starspin
:laugh2:
