detlef Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 So would an average or slightly better than average back put up the same numbers as Emmitt in that perfect storm ? Would a back like Tiki Barber be the all time leading rusher if it was Tiki instead of Emmitt in that same situation ? Would an average back like Brian Westbrook have done what Emmit did ? It's hard to say. Barber? probably not, but I was never a huge fan of his anyway. Westbrook? Sort of a different kind of back anyway. But I'm not intending to say that any back could have put up Smith's numbers, rather that there are a few backs that are greater backs than him and would have likely done better than he did in the same situation as him. My argument simply knocks Smith down below a few guys on this list, it doesn't totally dismiss his right to be in the conversation. It's why he's only top 5 or so rather than #1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muck Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 this list is a joke. where the hell's DeMarco Murray?!?! He's threre ... just below Terrell Davis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billay Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 He quit on you Considering that Detroit basically left Barry to fend for himself on the football field his entire career, the idea that Barry quit on the organization is puzzling to me. Barry gave far better than he got. He put butts in seats for the better part of a decade, and got next to nothing in the way of help on the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billay Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Yet when Emmitt was out injured or when he held out those 2 games his replacements never quite put up the same numbers behind that very same O line that everyone says that anybody could succeed behind I think Barry was likely a better back than Emmitt Smith's replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Bo Jackson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingfootball Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Marus Allen is often over looked in these kind of threads. Yep. Who knows what he could have done had Davis not screwed him over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 and the same scenario knocks td down a bit for me as well (as good as he was) due to gary racking up 1200 yds on 275 carries mike anderson with 1500 on 300 then portis starting right in with 1500, 1600 then droughns with 1200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Emmitt Smith is not in my top five. There is no way to prove it, but, I think any of these five as a starting running back on the Cowboys would have done far more than Emmitt. Don't get me wrong, Emmitt is great, and isn't like you could have just plugged anyone in, but, he didn't possess the skills that these guys did. 1. Jim Brown 2. Barry Sanders 3. Walter Payton 4. Eric Dickerson 5. Marshall Faulk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Emmitt Smith is not in my top five. There is no way to prove it, but, I think any of these five as a starting running back on the Cowboys would have done far more than Emmitt. Don't get me wrong, Emmitt is great, and isn't like you could have just plugged anyone in, but, he didn't possess the skills that these guys did. 1. Jim Brown Jim Brown did it against fat ass dudes that worked other jobs the other part of the year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Jim Brown did it against fat ass dudes that worked other jobs the other part of the year And guys right now are doing it against dudes who'd rather try and "blow you up" than rap their freaking arms around you and actually tackle you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Most fun to watch...Barry Sanders. Hardest to tackle...Barry Sanders. Most frustrating to own fantasy wise...Barry Sanders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 It seems that the only people who put Emmitt at the top of their list are Cowboys fans, and the only ones who get upset when he isn't at the top of other people's list are Cowboys fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowboutthemCowboys Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 It seems that the only people who put Emmitt at the top of their list are Cowboys fans, and the only ones who get upset when he isn't at the top of other people's list are Cowboys fans. Not at all. Nice try though. I'm just of the belief that guys from the 50's would'nt be nearly as good against the bigger faster athletes of today. Today's athletes have been nothing but athletes their whole lives. That's all they've ever worked to be. "Back in the day" guys were mechanics, laborers, welder's, waiters, and who knows what else 6 months outta the year and football players the other 6. Just heard Ditka this morning talking about the diff in size and speed of today's football players compared to when he played. No comparison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Not at all. Nice try though. I'm just of the belief that guys from the 50's would'nt be nearly as good against the bigger faster athletes of today. Today's athletes have been nothing but athletes their whole lives. That's all they've ever worked to be. "Back in the day" guys were mechanics, laborers, welder's, waiters, and who knows what else 6 months outta the year and football players the other 6. Just heard Ditka this morning talking about the diff in size and speed of today's football players compared to when he played. No comparison No doubt, but, Jim Brown was part of that same era, and he dominated it. It's all relative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SayItAintSoJoe Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Not at all. Nice try though. I'm just of the belief that guys from the 50's would'nt be nearly as good against the bigger faster athletes of today. Today's athletes have been nothing but athletes their whole lives. That's all they've ever worked to be. "Back in the day" guys were mechanics, laborers, welder's, waiters, and who knows what else 6 months outta the year and football players the other 6. Just heard Ditka this morning talking about the diff in size and speed of today's football players compared to when he played. No comparison Using this logic than it's safe to say that Jim Brown would be better, faster, stronger too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Bo Jackson Ickey Woods has more tds and more 1000 yd seasons on 180 fewer carries in the same # of years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chavez Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 No doubt, but, Jim Brown was part of that same era, and he dominated it. It's all relative. Exactly. You compare players from different eras by how far above their contemporaries they performed. Tough to match how Unitas, Brown, and Hutson doubled and even tripled in some cases what the #2 guy was doing (not so much in Brown's case, as Jim Taylor was a notch below him but those two were a couple notches above EVERYBODY else) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 It seems that the only people who put Emmitt at the top of their list are Cowboys fans, and the only ones who get upset when he isn't at the top of other people's list are Cowboys fans. Yeah and haters wont give him his due Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Just when I offer the definitive answer, everyone swerves again, In all honesty, you have to define the criteria you are measuring with. If it is production - the only objective measurement - then it is Emmitt and as I have discussed before people want to pretend that it was because of his line. His linemen said they considered good because of Emmitt. No one else ever had success running the ball behind the line. I did not see Jim Brown play much so I do not know. For my money, the most entertaining RB to watch was Barry Sanders. The best pure runner was Emmitt and the best all around back was Payton. Comparisons are all apples and oranges really. Each of the top ten were all great in their own unique sort of ways. Course only one has the record.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 It's hard to say. Barber? probably not, but I was never a huge fan of his anyway. Westbrook? Sort of a different kind of back anyway. But I'm not intending to say that any back could have put up Smith's numbers, rather that there are a few backs that are greater backs than him and would have likely done better than he did in the same situation as him. My argument simply knocks Smith down below a few guys on this list, it doesn't totally dismiss his right to be in the conversation. It's why he's only top 5 or so rather than #1. Fair enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Yeah and haters wont give him his due I did a google search for "top nfl running backs of all-time" I looked at articles from the "experts" from the first two pages. I found 11 lists, and none had Emmitt higher than 3rd best all-time. I guess they are all 'haters' too. The only people I've ever heard call Emmitt the best running back of all-time are Cowboys fans. Emmitt #6 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/762666-...istory/page/102 Emmitt #3 http://unassistedsports.com/top-10-nfl-run...ks-of-all-time/ Emmitt #4 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/190579-...rs-1959-to-2009 Emmitt #4 http://www.mensfitness.com/sports/mf-coach...all-time?page=2 Emmitt #4 http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the...cks-of-all-time Emmitt #5 http://www.craveonline.com/sports/articles...ll-time?start=1 Emmitt #3 http://www.the-top-tens.com/lists/best-foo...of-all-time.asp Emmitt #8 http://football.about.com/od/legends/tp/To...Of-All-Time.htm Emmitt #4 http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/6907909/page/3/ Emmitt #3 http://top5lists.net/the-top-5-greatest-nf...ks-of-all-time/ Emmitt #3 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedi.../content.3.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I did a google search for "top nfl running backs of all-time" I looked at articles from the "experts" from the first two pages. I found 11 lists, and none had Emmitt higher than 3rd best all-time. I guess they are all 'haters' too. The only people I've ever heard call Emmitt the best running back of all-time are Cowboys fans. I guess Emmitt, his multiple rushing titles, all time leading rushing record, superbowl MVP, and league MVP just cant please everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I guess Emmitt, his multiple rushing titles, all time leading rushing record, superbowl MVP, and league MVP just cant please everyone. LOL... it's more like Cowboys fans can't be pleased unless everyone agrees with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I guess Emmitt, his multiple rushing titles, all time leading rushing record, superbowl MVP, and league MVP just cant please everyone. I'm sure it pleases many, and I can't imagine anyone not considering him one of the elite RB's to ever play the game. He's just not the best ever to anyone who isn't a Cowboys fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 (edited) Jim Brown 5.2 yards per carry Barry Sanders 5.0 yards per carry No one else on the top 10 rushing yards are higher than 4.4 yards per carry (Sweetness & Dickerson) Emmitt Smith 4.2 yards per carry ETA: I can't speak for Jim Brown, as it was before my time. However, Barry Sanders didn't have an offense or offensive line that was even 1/4 as good as what Emmitt was running behind. Edited October 25, 2011 by Menudo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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