Yahoo: Smith holds record but not regarded No. 1

[Primetime42]

Emmitt did have one trait important to RBs that you could argue he was the best ever at and that is vision. He also was as good or better than any RB ever at staying healthy and keeping his body in shape and ready for battle.

I don't really get upset to hear someone say he wasn't the best RB ever because there are good arguements for 3-4 other guys but my main arguement for him being considered the best ever is simply that Jerry Rice is almost unanimously considered the best WR of all time. Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith are the same exact player just at different positions. They hold basically the same exact records for their respective positions and every single knock on Emmitt can be said about Rice. Emmitt wasn't the fastest but neither was Rice. Emmitt had a huge OL but Rice had Montana and Young. If Rice is the best WR of all time, then Emmitt is the best RB of all time. I think what hurts Emmitt is that there are more historical RBs that stick out as great players than there are WRs.

Was just going to post this exact statement. Emmitt's vision was uncanny. Not just sight, but peripheral. He could see the defenders coming before they got on him and adjust himself accordingly.

The others simply can not claim that. That makes this article a fail.

 

[ThreeandOut]

Whenever this discussion comes up, you often hear people downgrade Emmitt because of the talent of his offensive line. So if his line was so talented, why are none of these linemen being mentioned in the Hall of Fame talk? I would think that most of these guys, except for Larry Allen, would be eligible for nomination by now. Surely, if this line was as good as the Emmitt critics claim, then it should eventually produce multiple Hall of Famers.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Whenever this discussion comes up, you often hear people downgrade Emmitt because of the talent of his offensive line. So if his line was so talented, why are none of these linemen being mentioned in the Hall of Fame talk? I would think that most of these guys, except for Larry Allen, would be eligible for nomination by now. Surely, if this line was as good as the Emmitt critics claim, then it should eventually produce multiple Hall of Famers.

to the CowboysZone!!!!!!!!

 

[ThreeandOut]

Thanks, I'm a long time lurker that's usually just too lazy to post.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

OK Marshall....then I guess we should expect every one of the O-linemen to also be HOF's then?

 

[big dog cowboy]

Thanks, I'm a long time lurker that's usually just too lazy to post.

5 years is a long time?

Yes it is!

We thought you were in jail or something.

 

[ThreeandOut]

OK Marshall....then I guess we should expect every one of the O-linemen to also be HOF's then?

If the line was as good as the Marshall Faulk's of the world claim, then you would think that at least a couple of them should get HOF consideration. But in reality, it's likely that Allen will be the only one that ever makes it.

 

[AdamJT13]

This should be required reading for anyone who wants to discuss Emmitt's career --

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=5541

 

[Chuck 54]

Hard for me to respect any top 10 running back list that includes Franco Harris and excludes Gayle Sayers, who imo should be top 5 on any list.

 

[dadymat]

This should be required reading for anyone who wants to discuss Emmitt's career --

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=5541

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I think part of the problem is....

Rice was the FIRST REAL SUPERSTAR WR... he really didnt have to supplant any former GREAT, GREAT WR with Great numbers. He obliterated the record book with TD's

Emmitt was gunning for SUPERSTAR RB's record. Throw in the Barry fiasco. Voila! Controversy.

 

[Juke99]

That's like saying Jerry Rice was only the greatest because he played in a pass happy high percentage offense that ran crossing routes all day so he couldn't be doubled.

I'd argue that Jim Brown played in an era where 180 lb linebackers were the norm, and he outweighed some Dlineman. I'd love to see him in his prime against guys than can run and hit.

???

So, you're saying that the rest of pro football evolves over 50 years but Brown stays the way he was in size, you bring him back and as such, you knock what he achieved because how he relates in size and speed to today's players?

That's not the way I look at it.

Hands down, Jimmy Brown was the best RB of all time. The guy was a physical freak.

First off, the average linebacker in that era was around 210. I would invite you to show me any lb who weighed 180.

That said, Brown still outweighed most LB's by 25 lbs.

So what ya have is, by today's standards, a RB who would be 270 with the speed of a CB.

The guy was a physical freak.

 

[THUMPER]

This should be required reading for anyone who wants to discuss Emmitt's career --

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=5541

:signmast: This.

They say it better than I could and I'm tired of writing it over and over again anyway.

 

[jswalker1981]

That's like saying Jerry Rice was only the greatest because he played in a pass happy high percentage offense that ran crossing routes all day so he couldn't be doubled.

I'd argue that Jim Brown played in an era where 180 lb linebackers were the norm, and he outweighed some Dlineman. I'd love to see him in his prime against guys than can run and hit.

I was thinking the same thing. Let's criticize every great player because he played on great teams. I guess the best QB ever was Archie Manning.

 

[BlueStar22]

Emmitts the best because he is on top of the rushing yardage list. His numbers are real. People Always try supposition and minimization to argue against smith being the best.

exactly! you never hear about Rice being the best ever because he played with two HOF QBs.

 

[trickblue]

This should be required reading for anyone who wants to discuss Emmitt's career --

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=5541

That pretty much sums it up... Emmit is the best ever...

 

[trickblue]

This should be required reading for anyone who wants to discuss Emmitt's career --

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=5541

That pretty much sums it up... Emmit is the best ever...

As much as I follow the Cowboys, I didn't even realize some of that...

 

[Muhast]

Hard for me to respect any top 10 running back list that includes Franco Harris and excludes Gayle Sayers, who imo should be top 5 on any list.

I'm sorry but a guy who had 2 career 1000 yard rushing seasons, and only played 3 full seasons could never be on my top 5. Sayers had incredible ability. You don't have to convince me that he was great, but I wouldn't personally even put him in my top 10 b/c his body of work just isn't there when you compare him to other guys who were great for years. 2-3 great years doesn't outdo a decade of greatness, like a lot of these guys had.

 

[trickblue]

I'm sorry but a guy who had 2 career 1000 yard rushing seasons, and only played 3 full seasons could never be on my top 5. Sayers had incredible ability. You don't have to convince me that he was great, but I wouldn't personally even put him in my top 10 b/c his body of work just isn't there when you compare him to other guys who were great for years. 2-3 great years doesn't outdo a decade of greatness, like a lot of these guys had.

I'm a big fan a Sayers as I used to watch him growing up, but you are correct... his body of work is too short...

Part of being the greatest ever is to have the ability to come back from injury...

Interesting Dorsett or Terrell Davis was left off the list...

Franco Harris made a career of running out of bounds instead of taking a hit... especially later in his career...

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I always say, you can have Barry and his highlights, I'll just take Emmitt and his Super Bowls.





YAKUZA