ADN

#11

QUOTE(Lost Ghost)Yeah...and even though he played with a shitty team he excelled......

Emmitt Smith proves my point.....I could run for 1000 yards a season behind that line...with that passing game....

The players who excell on shitty teams against great oppentents are the ones who, in my opinion are already in an advantadge going into the league. Reggie Bush is a great college player, I just think that players of his type....the do-it-all guys...the atheletes...are the ones who are prone to less success.

It's like the college football games.......Reggie Bush is an athelete......he might have a higher rating at RB than at WR.....but because he's spread between those two positions...he might not be as good at the one where he'll play as say.....Lendale White.

I'm using bad analogies and such (im in school and got a big test next period)....I'm just saying lets not tout this guy around as the next Walter Payton just because he's getting 500 yards against Frenso State......and yeah, you can say \"BUT THEY WERE RANKED\".....yeah but how many of those guys out there missing tackles all over the place adn slipping off R. Bush are gonna be in the NFL..

I understand what you're getting at and even agree to a certain extent, but Emmitt is the wrong model for your point here. Emmitt Smith ranks 5th in national high school history with 8804 yards (that's all on varsity, from when he started as a 14 year old freshman). That's 2200 yards a year, insane. Take it to the next level and to this day he still shares the record with Marshall Faulk and Adrian Peterson as the true freshmen to reach 1000 yards faster than any other player (7 games). People say Emmitt only succeeded because of Dallas' o-line when in fact Emmitt was dominating at every level he played at, and also the fact that Dallas' o-line was only dominant for 5 years.

Lost Ghost · #12

Virtually every player who is in the NFL...let alone starting running back excelled on the first two levels..

Emmitt Smith was able to succed because of the O-Line...and becasue the Cowboys had an amazing passing game that allowed for defenses to not just crowd the line and stuff him..

The true testiment is....he holds the rushing record....yet no sane person has him in the top 3 of all time...and most dont got him in the top 5...

#13

In my eyes, E's only attribute is his longevity...He was able to stay healthy for a very, very long time...Damn near right up until the end...But, like LG said, he wouldn't come close to my top 5....He might crack top 20...

#14

QUOTE(Lost Ghost)Virtually every player who is in the NFL...let alone starting running back excelled on the first two levels..

Emmitt Smith was able to succed because of the O-Line...and becasue the Cowboys had an amazing passing game that allowed for defenses to not just crowd the line and stuff him..

The true testiment is....he holds the rushing record....yet no sane person has him in the top 3 of all time...and most dont got him in the top 5...

I know he wouldn't be the all time leading rusher without those 5 breakout years from 93-98, when the o-line was dominant, but the notion that you could stick anyone back there and they could lead the league in rushing is not true. I know Emmitt is not in the top 3 greatest running backs of all time and only has the rushing title because Barry retired early, but people have a misconception that Emmitt was just an average player on a great team when, like Reggie Bush, he was a great player on a great team. He didn't merely excel on the first two levels, he dominated, like Tiger Woods or Allen Iverson did. He was also drafted by the Cowboys before he was even old enough to legally drink. He's not Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, or Walter Payton, or probably even OJ, but he's still in the 99 percentile of every back that ever played. I think a fair analogy for Emmitt would be Kareem. Kareem is not as great as Russell or Chamberland, but he's the NBA's all time leading scorer. He was helped by the greatest point guard in history and one of the greatest teams in history, but everyone would agree that his team isn't the sole reason for him reaching that record. Kareem also dominated, not exceled, but dominated on the previous 2 levels proving him to be an exceptional talent. Again, not the greatest, but worthy to be mentioned among the greatest without having to justify his worth withstanding his great team.

#15

I can dig that analogy B, str8 up, of Emmitt and Kareem...Makes sense...And just as right on the other points...Kareem was basic, sky hook your ass to sleep...You know its coming, bitch stop it if you can...He was not a cross over, no look passing, monster jam ass dude...He, like Emmitt, got it done the old fashioned way...People loved watching those other guys, that ran folk over, or juked them out of their shoes...ES stayed his blocks, and got his 4 or 5 yards, and stayed healthy, only missing 6 games out of 208 while at Dallas...

Damn good analogy...

But I think that it is because of his running style, so many people discount him...Barry had no line, averaged 5 ypc for his career...Jim Brown played in an era of 8 in the box, like it or love it, and averaged 5.2 yards per carry...So no, Emmitt isn't cracking my top 10, but I definitely respect him a bit more now that I've seen the POV you presented...

#16

I hear ya. Where Emmitt stands all time is strictly up to the individual, lots of people don't have him top 5 and I understand. Another way to look at it is from other backs views, not looking at how much help Emmitt had, but as you said, at how little help others had, like Barry especially, he had nothing and dominated. Can you just imagine how many yards he or Jim Brown would have racked up with Dallas' line? They'd have to stop counting in yards and start counting in miles.

Lost Ghost · #17

Very fair analogy....good job.

Kareem only has the scoring record because the man played for like 24 seasons lol....

#18

Tee Hee...Even the QB is dreaming about RB

Linky

Lost Ghost · #19

They dont need a running back as much as they need other things...

#20

That's the same thing the Trailblazers said when they drafted Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan...