Emmitt or Barry: your choice

[snoopy369]

You're running a team, and Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders are both in the FA market. Not any particular year of them, but just the player in general.

Whom do you take?

Do you take the guy who averaged a ridiculous 5 yards/carry over 15,000 yards and 10 years... but left his team in the lurch, and put the Lions into a hole they're still trying to scratch their way out of?

Or do you take the career rushing leader, who averaged a pedestrian 4.2 yards/carry over 18,355 yards and 15 years, but so loved the game that he was willing to be a backup on the worst (or at least second-worst) team in the NFL?

Or would you rather have your opponents slip on a banana peel

[snoopy369]

BTW, this came from a classic argument between Jaguar and myself ...

I take the man who loves to play the game, even if his stats are more from durabiliity than from pure skill. Though few would argue that Emmitt isn't skilled. But sure, Sanders might have been better at the 'skill' of rushing, such as it were - and certainly Emmitt played on a much better team, perhaps even THE BEST offensive team (well, maybe that's stretching it ... but still). Oh, and he won a few rings while he was at it.

But it's not about the rings. I'd take Marino over Elway, rings or no. No, it's about the heart. I don't want a guy on my team who doesn't love playing football ... and maybe Sanders started his career wanting to play, but by the end it was clear that he didn't love playing football.

Emmitt, on the other hand, loved playing, and did everything it took to play. In fifteen seasons, he played less than 14 games ONCE, and that was in 2004 when he was already 35... and he kept playing until he couldn't play any more. In his last season, he rushed for 900+ yards for a team who had no chance at winning ... after he already held the record for most yards ... but just because he loved playing the game.

That's a player I want on my team. He's going to cause the rest of my team to perform better, and he's going to help avert any problems between my team's egos. His love for the game will keep my team wanting to win games, and that's worth more than a few rushing yards

[Donegeal]

Emmitt Smith doesn't even deserve to be metioned in the ranks of Barry.

Barry was top five.
Jim Brown
Walter Payton
Gale Sayers
OJ Simpson
Barry Sanders

(In no particular order)

[Jaguar]

Ouch.

I would argue that Emmitt was a great between-the-tackles runner for one of the best offensive lines of the nineties. Running behind Larry Allen in his prime really helps.

Barry made plays out of thin air.

[Donegeal]

Originally posted by snoopy369
BTW, this came from a classic argument between Jaguar and myself ...

I take the man who loves to play the game, even if his stats are more from durabiliity than from pure skill. Though few would argue that Emmitt isn't skilled. But sure, Sanders might have been better at the 'skill' of rushing, such as it were - and certainly Emmitt played on a much better team, perhaps even THE BEST offensive team (well, maybe that's stretching it ... but still). Oh, and he won a few rings while he was at it.

But it's not about the rings. I'd take Marino over Elway, rings or no. No, it's about the heart. I don't want a guy on my team who doesn't love playing football ... and maybe Sanders started his career wanting to play, but by the end it was clear that he didn't love playing football.

Emmitt, on the other hand, loved playing, and did everything it took to play. In fifteen seasons, he played less than 14 games ONCE, and that was in 2004 when he was already 35... and he kept playing until he couldn't play any more. In his last season, he rushed for 900+ yards for a team who had no chance at winning ... after he already held the record for most yards ... but just because he loved playing the game.

That's a player I want on my team. He's going to cause the rest of my team to perform better, and he's going to help avert any problems between my team's egos. His love for the game will keep my team wanting to win games, and that's worth more than a few rushing yards

Barry has heart. Its just that it got ripped out of him playing for a looser team for ten years. Put Emmitt in that situation. Now lets assume that he would have even played for 10 years (which he wouldn't have), why would he continue to play when he just get pummled everyday with never a chance of winning? He heart dies as well.

[Jaguar]

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/69519/barry_sanders_amazing_run/

This run says it all.

[snoopy369]

Yet he started with the HORRIBLE HORRIBLE cowboys ... and ended with the HORRIBLE HORRIBLE cardinals. And still came to play the game.

Admittedly in 1990 they did not quite go 1-15, but ...

Anyway, my point was the whole of the player matters. Regardless of WHY barry no longer loves the game, he clearly stopped loving the game at some point... and ruined the Lions as a result. Maybe he had good reason to want to ruin a team, but good reason or no, that's not who I want on my team.

Emmitt played hard, and got results. For good teams, AND bad teams. He ran for 1000 yards eleven straight years, and broke 1000 all-purpose yards every year but 2004, where he went back and played as a backup.

That's the guy I want on my team. Any day of the week.

[Jaguar]

You lose on any statistical arguments you try to make. Period. Broke 1000 all-purpose yards every year but one?

How about 1300 every year, or 1500 every year but one?

[snoopy369]

Barry wasn't playing with nearly as good of a team... his lions focussed much more on him.

Regardless, my point is Emmitt played hard, and kept on playing. Barry played hard, then quit.

I don't want a quitter.

[MRT144]

dude, the guy didnt quit on the field he quit because he was the anchor on a sinking ship.

[Jaguar]

Hmm, more like Barry just got more yards on fewer carries.

Emmitt regularly was given the ball 360 times or more a season.

[SlowwHand]

Emmitt won my heart in a playoff game against the Giants, playing with a separated shoulder. Team mates helping him up. I have to pick him. He was never supposed to be big enough, and made his yards the hard way.

I loved watching Barry run.

[Tuberski]

Barry Sanders, hands down.

You fail to mention what kind of line my team has, QB, defense, special teams.

Taking none of those into consideration, I take Barry.

He played 10 years with all of those things missing.

You said you didn't care the when of the player, so I'd take Barry in his prime, not when he got tired of playing for a stinker.

If I'm making an expansion team: Barry.

If I need that final piece of the puzzle: Emmitt.

ACK!

[joncha]

I was told to vote for Barry Sanders.

[Ming]

Without a doubt... Barry. Anybody that says differently must never have seen Barry run

Don't get me wrong... Emmitt was a solid running back who always gave his all. Survived a long time in a position where most players don't. Deserves all the honors he earned... HOF material through and through...

But Barry was one of the best!