12/21/24
October 27, 2002
Emmitt Smith sweetest accomplishment: breaking Payton's rushing record: Walter Payton's rushing record has fallen in the thrid quarter of Dallas' game against Seattle. The question now is how much longer will Emmitt play in the Cowboys' backfield?
posted by jasonbondshow to football at 02:38 PM - 11 comments
What does he have left to prove? That he can stay sober and/or out of jail.
posted by Bag Man at 03:04 PM on October 27, 2002
What's that supposed to mean, Bag Man? Emmitt's got a great reputation and has never been in legal trouble or anything else scandalous, to my knowledge.
posted by rcade at 10:38 PM on October 27, 2002
Bag man is just, um, bagging on the pokes, rcade. I know it's a sore spot for you. I agree with jason, Emmitt will most likely retire after this season. If not, he'll stay around next year as a pariah or something, and then retire. But with no hope for playoffs (or wins, apparently) he really has no motivation to stick.
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:23 PM on October 27, 2002
It's definitely a sore spot when someone uses the sorry-ass reputation of players like Michael Irvin to sully Emmitt Smith. One has nothing to do with the other. If anything, Smith's ability to stay out of trouble during the Cowboys' wildest years should help his reputation.
posted by rcade at 07:33 AM on October 28, 2002
Think of how amazing this would have been if Barry Sanders had hung around for 2 or 3 more seasons. Both of these great running backs would have been gunning for Sweetness' record. I'm not a big fan of the Cowboys (being a Bills fan will do that to you), but I'm glad that Smith got his record. I'm hoping he retires with dignity at the end of the year and doesn't try to stretch things out with some other team (coughRiceMontanaThomascough)
posted by grum@work at 09:49 AM on October 28, 2002
Think of how amazing this would have been if Barry Sanders had hung around for 2 or 3 more seasons. Both of these great running backs would have been gunning for Sweetness' record. I think Sanders would have broken it first pretty easily - he only needed 1400+ yards to break it, so one or one and a half more seasons was all he needed. Then Emmitt would have had to play several seasons past Sanders' retirement to break it. But if Sanders was playing today, I don't think Emmitt would have enough seasons left in him to break whatever record Sanders established (20,000?)
posted by pitchblende at 10:56 AM on October 28, 2002
Alright, I'm admit my bias: I'm a Bears fan who loves Walter payton and I'm bitter hs record fell. I do like "da boys," but again, I'm just being petty and bitter.
posted by Bag Man at 11:10 AM on October 28, 2002
That's OK. I was going to post here about how the Cowboys' outlaw days are a thing of the past, but in the last three years Nate Newton has pled guilty to drug charges after being caught twice trucking more than 100 pounds of dope across the South (450 pounds if you include Nate), Michael Irvin has been arrested for felony cocaine possession, Mark Tuinei died after trying heroin for the first time, and Dexter Clinkscale was accused of attempted sexual assault on a male acquaintance.
posted by rcade at 01:27 PM on October 28, 2002
The fact that emmitt has been able to stay clean while surrounded by such unsavory characters is just another feather in his cap. Being from his hometown I've met him twice. Once while he was in highschool (his first hs game ever was against my hs), and again about two years ago. Both times he was friendly and put up with my stupid questions. The nfl, along with the cowboys, would be better off with more 'emmitts'.
posted by justgary at 06:43 PM on October 28, 2002
I'm hoping he retires with dignity at the end of the year and doesn't try to stretch things out with some other team (coughRiceMontanaThomascough) Weren't Rice and Montana essentially forced out of San Fransisco? They both had productive seasons after leaving so it's not like it was too long at the dance as soon as they left SF.
posted by yerfatma at 07:15 PM on October 28, 2002
You'd think I'd have learned to spell THIRD by now, wouldn't you? My guess as to Emmitt's future: he retires after this season. What does he have left to prove?