Emmitt Smith

[infantrycak]

Dennis Green still thinks he has some in the tank:

Cardinals | Smith Promoted to Starting RB - from www.KFFL.com
Thu, 17 Jun 2004 10:35:04 -0700

Darren Urban, of the East Valley Tribune, reports Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green, in somewhat of a surprising move, has elevated RB Emmitt Smith to the No. 1 back on the team's depth chart. Smith hasn't started a game since the fifth game of the 2003 season, when he gained minus-1 yard on six carries and suffered a fractured scapula.

[J-Man]

I wonder if that speaks well of Emmitt or poorly of the RB corps of the Cards? I suspect a bit of both, but in either case it doesn't bode well for resurgence of the Cards.

Maybe Emmitt has something left in the tank, I doubt it. I used to love watching #22 take the hand off and break for daylight. I can't stand to see it anymore. I was glad for Emmitt when he reached the plateau that Sweetness had set, I still thought it was slightly marred by the fact that he appeared to hang on that last season performing at an obviously eroded level just to break the record. I believed that he could walk away a champion once he had done that, I was wrong. I hated watching him suit up in a red jersey and be willingly used as a ticket draw scam.

I can't help but to look at how Peyton and Sanders left the game...like men. My respect grows for Sanders when I remember how he left on top and on his terms, Barry could have played well for maybe 3 more seasons but he knew when and how to walk away

[infantrycak]

Something I am curious about is why everyone was so certain after 2002 (and remain certain now) that Emmitt was washed up and doing the wrong thing, when he had averaged 3.8 and 3.9 ypc the last two years and on the flip side almost noone says Eddie George is washed up and needs to do the right thing when he has averaged 3.3, 3.4, and 3.0 ypc over the last three seasons?

[Blake]

The Titans have a way worse run line than either the Cowboys or the Cardinals. I dont think compairing the two backs in YPC when they are so close is fair.

[J-Man]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Something I am curious about is why everyone was so certain after 2002 (and remain certain now) that Emmitt was washed up and doing the wrong thing, when he had averaged 3.8 and 3.9 ypc the last two years and on the flip side almost noone says Eddie George is washed up and needs to do the right thing when he has averaged 3.3, 3.4, and 3.0 ypc over the last three seasons?

Cak I went back to check his stats and you know what...your right. There is a trend of his attempts dropping incrementally and a decline in TDs, but that's it statistically.

What I can tell you from watching the games is that for whatever reason from around the '01 season was that he was just not the same guy. I can honestly say that I was surprised at the relatively low drop off in stats. Emmitt simply didn't LOOK like he was the same guy...he was becoming more of a 1 or 2 down back and appeared to be moving underwater much of the time.

I think part of it might have been that he operated at such a high level for so long that when is production slipped it was that much more pronounce even thought the stats were respectable. The other thing is that a lot of folks (myself probably included) can't help but see how Sanders and Peyton both left the game with a spring in their step and the respect of everyone. Perception may have in fact become reality in Emmitt's case. Until last season was he still a fairly productive player...yes. Should he have walked away after breaking Peyton's record...I don't know.

I guess we'll see if he's still got it this season.

[infantrycak]

Seems to me this is a phenomenon you see in a lot of employment contexts--a RB or employee out performs all expectations, peeks and later starts to not perform quite as high but still average or better than average--people tend to be more critical about them losing heart, being over the hill, not giving their all anymore, etc. than they do the people that never were better than average. Just a thought.

[Lucky]

I believed that Emmitt was "washed up" after his last season in Dallas because he was taking shots he didn't take earlier in his career. He just didn't seem to make guys miss enough to avoid the big hits. I also think subliminally, the fact that Irvin & Aikman were gone made me feel that Smith's time was up.

Conversely, George has always taken big shots. He looks to take and give hits. And he rarely broke big runs, so when he stopped breaking them all together it wasn't as noticeable. George and McNair's careers have always been linked. Of course Steve is still around and succeeding, why shouldn't Eddie still be useful?

I respect both of these backs for what they've accomplished on the field, but neither are going on my fantasy team in '04. That Arizona & Tennessee still feel the need for Smith & George on their respective rosters is more an indictment on the teams’ lack of talent at RB than proof of what these guys have left.

[Fiddy]

Its not even training camp time so I wouldnt look too much into the depth chart. I think Green is trying to keep Shipp motivated over this 2 months off, Green is just trying to send a message, like Vinny said