dlovin

Saw this on AZcentral. Desert Rodents comment is pretty funny.

Both sides stand to benefit if Smith signs with Cards

Randy Galloway
Knight Ridder Newspapers
Mar. 10, 2003 12:00 AM

FORT WORTH - From Arizona Cardinals free-agent safety Kwamie Lassiter (never heard of him) on his chances of re-signing with the desert rodents of the NFL:

"Very slim. Why? Because I want to win."

What, then, does Emmitt Smith want?

In his search for new employment, Emmitt (right) makes the trip to Phoenix this week, having accepted an invitation to be wined, dined and begged by the Cardinals.

Emmitt parted ways with the Cowboys when it was clear new coach Bill Parcells is looking ahead, and will only tolerate players with the same vision.

Emmitt, however, is looking back, making his list, and checking it twice, on who will be gaining on him in future years.

A free agent who wants to win doesn't break bread with the Cardinals. Even Lassiter knows that.

But when Arizona is promising "feature back" status, and assuring you a wholesale diet of carries, plus it's a team with salary-cap room, well ...

Do the math.

The NFL's new all-time rushing leader is sitting on 17,162 yards.

A rearview-mirror check shows Jerome Bettis as the next active runner with 11,542 yards. Then there's Marshall Faulk at 10,395 and Curtis Martin at 10,361.



But Emmitt wants to live comfortably and profitably as the all-time leader. Like for 20 more years, if not 40.

His stated goal is 20,000 yards. There is no one currently in Emmitt's rearview mirror who could beat that. Arizona might be the one team that can provide Smith with the three years necessary to reach 20,000. Certainly he could be well past 19,000 in two seasons.

Forget your disgust over the dread of seeing Emmitt as a Cardinal. For what he wants, the desert could be a perfect locale. For what the Cardinals want, Emmitt is perfect.

He will sell tickets in an NFL city where they don't sell enough. And football-wise, the Cardinals' brass thinks Emmitt could be everything he sometimes wasn't at Valley Ranch.

From general manager Rod Graves:

"The leadership he would bring to our ballclub at this state, his stature, his toughness, the fact he's been in big games ... all that makes him very appealing."

Coach Dave McGinnis is not blamed for the Cardinals' woes (all the heat goes on ownership, if that sounds familiar). In McGinnis, Emmitt has another fan.

"There's a whole lot Emmitt has done for the game and brought to the game, and he still has something left," McGinnis said.

Even the Diamondbacks' Luis Gonzalez chimed in with: "From a marketing standpoint and bringing new fans in, you can't pass on an opportunity like that. Look what Randy Johnson has done for us."

For the record, Gonzalez has football influence in Phoenix. He owns Cardinals season tickets - twelve of them, which probably qualifies him for team board-of-directors status.

Ryanwb

I can't believe the Cardinals are offering him "featured back" status. It sounds like Smith wants to play 3 more years

DevonCardsFan

I have a feeling the Cards will over pay Emmitt Smith and do anything it takes to land him, even giving him a guarentee he will be the feature back. Because the Cards have lost Plummer and Boston, plus it looks like Sanders, Jenkins, T Jones, R Fredrickson, K Lassiter will not be back, this team has zero stars and zero reason for anyone to come watch them, there defense stinks and there offense as of now consists of McCown, Shipp, McAddley and Kasper,players I'm sure that 99% of NFL fans have never heard of, this team will selkl zero tickets, the only way to gain any interest in the Cards and fill seats would be to land Smith, I guess it will be another decade until this team starts to turn it around"Bad Devon typed something bad out of frustration" I will now slap my hand

Card Trader

Just ignore him Jim, most of his posts are worthless and aren't worth the bandwith they take up.

dlovin

That was a pretty stupid comment, wishing someone would die. Pretty stupid.

DevonCardsFan

Your posts are childish and completely meaningless, I know my football you don't.

Sorry if any one takes offense but F*ck, how long do we have to put up with such a horrible front office and ownership, I dont even see this team improving at all, I see this team taking big steps backwards, I'm pretty fed up with all this. I really was saying I wish Bidwill would sell the team, or just move on, in a mean way. But when your a Cards fan you get fed up with this crap year in and year out. The Cards need new ownership if there going to turn this around.

DevonCardsFan

Im stupid you are right

Lex

I have posted my opinion on the Emmitt story. I don't want any stinkin cowgirls on my team. I reserve the right to boo him every time he touches the ball.

Emmitt obviously could care less about us, or if our team does any good, he just want's to pad his stats.

Our team just wants to use him to sell tickets to obnoxious cowgirl fans, that will make us Cardinal fans uncomfortable at games.

I have a better ticket selling idea:

Free beer to season ticket holders!!!

Free beer will help us forget how bad we are, and the team will save millions. We could offer to sign Emmitt for just 2 million a year, or we could give away 333,333 large beers, for the same 2 million. Now, considering 27,000 season ticket holders last year is probably more than we'll have this year, and some season ticket holders don't drink due to age, or morals, I'll use the formula of 25,000 free beer participants consuming 333,333 beers on the year.

This works out to over 13 large beers per person, per game.

Oh darn. There went my theory. We don't have enough bathrooms to pull this off. I guess the Cards DO know what they're doing.

DevonCardsFan

Now thats a damn good idea!!!!!!!I would much rather have free Beer then a stinking over the hill Cowgirl, I think I would get confused every now and then and boo Emmitt, because I really hate any Cowboy. I would rather have free Beer as well, you should pitch this too the Cards front office.

Card Trader

HAHA, I've heard it all now, small-fry. You know as much about football as the French do about war.

Lex

Card Trader- you used small-fry and French in the same post.


Everyone knows the French are bad at war, but you gave em credit where credit's due!

Good job!

Card Trader

LOL