Say what?

Cowboys' reactions to Emmitt's SI comments vary

Just last week, Emmitt Smith took a shot at ex-offensive line teammates: "It makes a big difference when you've got guys that can move people." AP

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- When the Dallas Cowboys travel to Arizona next weekend to play Emmitt Smith and the Cardinals, the NFL's career rushing leader might have some explaining to do to his former teammates.

Smith is quoted in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated as saying that last season, his 13th and final one in Dallas, "was the worst year I even went through playing football."

"Too much damn drama. Too much selfishness by too many guys on the team. Too much media frenzy around the team," Smith said. "People always looking to me for answers, and I didn't have the answers for them about why we were so bad. It felt like being a diamond surrounded by trash."

The Cowboys went 5-11 for a third straight season, missing the playoffs for a fourth straight. Among the few highlights was Smith becoming the NFL's career rushing leader. He was released in February.

The Cardinals and Cowboys meet in the desert next Saturday. He'll make his first regular-season appearance against the Cowboys in Texas Stadium on Oct. 5.

The reaction to Smith's comment varied Friday. Nobody lashed back at him, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones went so far as to say that Smith has meant so much to the organization that he "never needs to say, 'I'm sorry.'"

"Emmitt is a part of the history of this team and he's a part of all the good things that I've ever gotten a chance to be a part of," Jones said. "We think the world of him. The wealth of positive collateral that he has built with me personally and with this organization, that's a deep well.

"We were all disappointed last year. He's a competitor. He was a champion from the standpoint of doing everything he could to win the games."

Troy Hambrick, who made critical comments about Smith several times last season while serving as his backup, said he wasn't too surprised by the quotes.

"Emmitt Smith is a future Hall of Famer. He is on top of the pedestal. He can get away with comments like that," Hambrick said. "Now you know I'm not the only one that says bad things."

Some players were surprised.

"I can't see Emmitt saying that," defensive end Greg Ellis said. "I don't think that he meant that -- not about Greg Ellis, at least."

"Emmitt's a good buddy," quarterback Quincy Carter said. "He's always been a class act with me."

 

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