Smith / Rice the debate rages

[Dichotomy]

As a lifelong Cowboys fan (and not a bandwagon jumper by any stretch) most people would naturally think I'd immediately say Smith.  Below are my opinions.  Share your own.

A) Who was the greatest?
God bless Emmit but when you're done you're done.  Continuing to play for a sub par team that can't even win the game in which you broke Walter Peytons record was one of the biggest letdowns I've ever seen.  Sweetness deserved better.  Granted you built up to those yards with many many years of outstanding football sometimes you have to let it go.

Rice stayed productive after he left the niners Smith was essentially a back up in Arizona

My nod goes to Rice

B) Who meant the most to their individual team?
Smith hands down.  Rice played with two of the best QB's to ever play the game and had a great supporting cast.  Without Emmit Mike Irvin and Troy Aikman win a lot of games and maybe a Superbowl or two but my opinion is deuce deuce was the lynchpin of the offense.

C) Will their records ever be broken?

I don't think so.  If either are in danger it MIGHT be Rice but with todays crop of players and the offensive philosophies that gain favor I don't think so.  Today the NFL is more a run by committee league and, even if it goes to 18 games, I think the wear and tear on a yearly basis will use up any player who has to stand up to that schedule.

Quite frankly I hope both of their records stand (even though I'd be just as happy if Sweetness still held the rushing record).  They were both fantastic players and, from all outward appearances, pretty good men.

Of course that's just my opinion.   I could be wrong.   

[DREDIOCK]

Smith was a great back no doubt.

But between the two its Rice. Not even a close competition.

Rice goes in along with one of the greatest of all time.

Smith better fits in with one of the greatest in his era

[Dichotomy]

Thanks Dred... you just summed up what I couldn't elaborate.

[maddafinga]

Lets compare running backs to other running backs, Smith vs Barry Sanders!  I'm a lifelong Cowboys fan too, grew up with Dorsett and Pearson and Staubach and company, but I have to say that Barry is a better running back, records notwithstanding. 

How about Rice vs Largent?

[ZetaNine]

I never fault an NFL elite star from "cashing out" one more time... we all know how odd it was to see montana in another jersey... but my feeling has always been...exactly what janis joplin sang... "Get It While You Can".  so...I'm good with what smith did in his final days.

that said....... rice gets the nod here.

[Dichotomy]

Mad


I have to go with Smith in the Rb category...  I just think he was tougher than Barry.  Overall I still agree with Zeta ^^^

[rpm]

Lets compare running backs to other running backs

What is this one of those bad SyFi movie like Shark vs Croc? Running backs typically have a shorter career and take more punishment than wide receivers. Jerry Rice would not survive 1 season at running back. However I'm pretty sure Emmit Smith could play wide out for years.

Comparing Smith to Jim Brown and Rice to Lynn Stallworth would be more appropriate.

[TOMCAT21]

Rice hands down(but honestly, Barry Sanders and he went out on top)

[maddafinga]

One undeniable thing though about all these guys we're talking about, every one has class.  As great as Irvin was, he just doesn't belong in this discussion, and that's a a major reason for it I think.  I love a guy who conducts himself with class like those guys did.  Sadly I think there's less and less of that in the game, and it's really offputting to me.  No doubt though, Smith and Sanders and Rice all conducted themselves with class and dignity for their entire careers, I wish more players would follow their lead.

[BoilerDown]

As much as people slam on John Madden, he got this 100% right:  Barry Sanders was the best runner of his day, Emmitt Smith was the best running back.  Emmitt also had the fortune of playing for good teams. 

Barry mostly played for mediocre teams (I should know as I'm a Detroit Lions fan), they only got really good once and they were definitely worse than the Redskins that year, and before the next season started the O-Line got decimated by injuries and even an off-the-field death.  (Everyone knows the story of Mike Utley, but few remember that Eric Andolsek was killed gardening on his front lawn by an out of control truck during the following off-season.)  Just like that, the Lions O-Line was decimated and never was that good again.

Its hard and perhaps wrong to compare a guy like Barry who carried his team to a guy like Emmitt who had the surrounding cast.

As for Rice, the guy was great.  Clutch too.  I've never seen anyone so good at all aspects of wide receiver... some have been better at one part... Randy Moss as a deep threat... Cris Carter at body control catching a ball on the sideline.  But Rice did it all, and wide receiver is a position where its more obvious when you're being carried by great team or if you're great on your own.  Rice was the latter, unequivocally, which is more than I'll say for Emmitt.

[Dichotomy]

Tell me that on the West coast the NFL network is running recaps of Jerry Rices career.  I turned it on today and it was all Emmit all the time.  Not griping because watching that team was a ton of fun.  But Jerrys body of work deserves equal at the very least representation. 

Watch the 'Top Ten That Arent In The Hall Of Fame' by NFL films.  I have to admit I was shocked about 7 of them. 

[Hoarach]

Probably will never see the numbers again just because also have to throw in the fact that players on both sides of the ball are more athletic now that they were back then.  They are bigger and faster now then back then.

I believe LT will eventually break the TD record set by Smith. 

I dont see Chris Johnson getting the 2000 rushing yards that he is claiming he will have this year.  Look at the numbers that Steven Jackson puts up behind a crap OL, imagine if he was the one rushing behind the Jets or Vikings line.  He could get the 2000 yards.  Adrian Peterson will never get close to those Smith numbers with his Oline getting older in Minnesota. 

I think importance wise would have to give it to Smith.  Putting up those numbers and still taking the wear and tear on his body and we all know its more than the tear that Rice gets at WR.

[Masherbrum]

As a lifelong Cowboys fan (and not a bandwagon jumper by any stretch) most people would naturally think I'd immediately say Smith.  Below are my opinions.  Share your own.

A) Who was the greatest?
God bless Emmit but when you're done you're done.  Continuing to play for a sub par team that can't even win the game in which you broke Walter Peytons record was one of the biggest letdowns I've ever seen.  Sweetness deserved better.  Granted you built up to those yards with many many years of outstanding football sometimes you have to let it go.

Rice stayed productive after he left the niners Smith was essentially a back up in Arizona

My nod goes to Rice

B) Who meant the most to their individual team?
Smith hands down.  Rice played with two of the best QB's to ever play the game and had a great supporting cast.  Without Emmit Mike Irvin and Troy Aikman win a lot of games and maybe a Superbowl or two but my opinion is deuce deuce was the lynchpin of the offense.

C) Will their records ever be broken?

I don't think so.  If either are in danger it MIGHT be Rice but with todays crop of players and the offensive philosophies that gain favor I don't think so.  Today the NFL is more a run by committee league and, even if it goes to 18 games, I think the wear and tear on a yearly basis will use up any player who has to stand up to that schedule.

Quite frankly I hope both of their records stand (even though I'd be just as happy if Sweetness still held the rushing record).  They were both fantastic players and, from all outward appearances, pretty good men.

Of course that's just my opinion.   I could be wrong.   

Barry Sanders was a better RB than Smith.   

[Dichotomy]

Gotta hand it to Emmit though.  I thought his acceptance speech was great and his emotion over 'Moose' really sealed it.  Could have been canned but I doubt it. 

Got to see the replay of the game against the Giants when he got hurt and played through it.  Ya that was greatness.  I'm not bagging on Emmit by any stretch I just think Rice had the better body of work. 

Largent?  Doesn't really have the numbers or the impact that Rice had on his teams but he's right up there in my book.  Nothing like seeing a slow, middle class, common dude, make really really good.  And yet another player you never heard anything bad about. 

[alskahawk]

 I am partial to Emmitt. I lived a few blocks from Escambia high school and used to watch him play. When he went to Florida, I watched his little(physically larger) brother when he took over for Emmit.

 I would have to say that there are simularities between Rice and Smith. Neither one of them was the most skilled at their position. They were both known for their work ethic. They were both very lucky to avoid injuries. And both of their records will stand for a very long time.