http://www.azcardinals.com/press/pressdetails.php?sid=1297
Day One Q&A With Emmitt Smith
Your impressions after your first practice?:
“It’s ran similar to what I’ve become accustomed to. We do some of the same things here that we did back in Dallas. The structure of it all is pretty much the same. I think the tempo here is a little bit different than I saw in Dallas in years past. I think the tempo here is fairly hot and the players do a good job running around, swarming around the football. Today was the first chance I had to work with some of the offensive linemen.”
What about Leonard Davis?
“It’s a big difference when you have guys that can move people. Today is just day one. The key thing we have to do is to keep those guys healthy, continue to give the defense a good look, and work on our offense and better that offense on a daily basis.”
What is the difference from your days as a Cowboy?
“The only thing that’s changed on me is the helmet color, the jersey color, and probably the shoe color and the pants' color—that’s it. Football is football. It’s the same kind of football I’ve played since I was in Pop Warner, just at a higher level now, and in a different location. So, the game itself is not that much different. But being in a different area is something I have to get adjusted to and it’s something I welcome. I’m excited about being here, I really am.”
Do you feel the same motivation?
“I’m always motivated to get better. You always have something to prove. It’s not like walking around with a chip on your shoulder, but in essence you do have a little chip. And the chip is just to better yourself and help the team improve, win a lot more games than last year, and go at it from there.”
This is the biggest crowd the Cardinals have had at the opening of training camp and there are a lot of fans in an E. Smith jersey. Do you feel the excitement of the fans?
“I didn’t know what to expect. People who have been here in years past tell me how large the crowd is … this to me is what I would consider an average crowd. In Dallas, we had four or five thousand, but this right here is a very good crowd. I’m pleased with the turnout and hopefully we’ll win a lot more games and next year the crowd will be larger.”
Do you notice a lot of number 22 jerseys and the pictures and the such?
“I noticed a lot of excitement when I came across the street and saw the kids lined up along the rail for autographs. I did see some 22 jerseys, and I even saw some Cowboy jerseys.”
Do you like the situation you’re in now, you way with a little chip on your shoulder, maybe the motivation is different?
“You’re taking the ‘chip’ in the wrong context. I did not describe it in that manner. The chip is more so to go out here and prove and help the team—and that’s an everyday chip, and that’s an every year chip. It’s nothing against anybody. It’s just more so my own self-motivation. I guess that separates some players from others. They’re always walking around with a chip, not being happy or satisfied with what they have done in the past, they’re more looking forward to what they can do in the future. That’s where I’m at.”
Anything special about the preseason opener (vs. Dallas, August 9 in Arizona)?
“No, it’s just a preseason game. They don’t count worth nothing.”
When you signed at Florida (in college), people were saying why not Nebraska, why not Auburn—those were the powerhouses at the time. Do you get any people close to you saying why the Cardinals?
“All the time. Why the Cardinals? Why not the Cardinals? I think it’s a tremendous opportunity here. You have a (offensive) line that’s real good. Unfortunately, last year you couldn’t see it all because they were not healthy the entire season. Hopefully they can stay healthy the entire season and I can make their jobs a little easier, and (quarterback Jeff) Blake can come in and throw some balls and keep the eight-mans (defensive fronts) out and maybe we can do some things positive for everybody. And then you can see how good they really are.”
What do you think about Marcel Shipp behind you?
“He’s definitely a back that can be a starter for anybody. He’s got tremendous talent. I think he and I will work well together. They (other running backs) are watching me and learning from me, seeing how patient I am in terms of hitting the running lanes, and they can tell the difference between me and them. That’s one thing they feel they have to learn—how to be patient. Me, being in it (pro football) for a while, I don’t know if I’m just slow or just patient. It could be slowness for me, but for those guys it’s patience. So whatever it is, hopefully it’s working.”
How long do you think the adjustment will take?
“I’ve already adjusted to being in Arizona, I’ve already adjusted to being a Cardinal. I hear a lot of people across the country saying they’re going to miss me being a Dallas Cowboy, but they’re going to be big Cardinal fans as well. And that’s nice to know, that you can have people that appreciate your talent and what you’ve been able to accomplish with one organization, and still follow you to another organization because they appreciate what you’ve been able to do for that organization. I feel good about that, and that in itself has made the transition a little bit easier.”
How you gotten a sense in Dallas the people appreciate how you handled that situation?
“I have, and I’ve received nothing but the utmost respect in terms of the way I handled the situation and I appreciate it. And I think (Dallas owner) Jerry (Jones) handled it well as well. Obviously, there are some things there a lot of people may not know about, and I don’t care to share them. For the most part, I think the Dallas Cowboys are a first-class organization, an organization that can be modeled after by many ball clubs. But I’m glad to be here, and I think I can bring some of the things the Cowboys have given me, right here. That in itself is a tremendous opportunity for the Cardinals as well as for myself. And I’ll be happy to embrace change a little bit. Everyone has to embrace change. Change is good. Sometimes when you stay stagnant, you get stale. That’s one reason I think the change from Dallas to here is something that was very much needed. And you asked me a question about a chip (on the shoulder), why I have new motivation—I think when you change you do have new motivation. And you do have newly-found energy. And new excitement. And excitement brings a lot of energy and a lot of change. So you have to embrace it. It’s one thing to look at it and allow it to weigh on your mind. And it’s another thing to accept it, move past it, and make the best of it. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
Have you totally moved your family?
“We’re situated and settled. They’re in Virginia right now. We spent four days in Dallas earlier this week. My wife and kids will be out sometime in August.”
You’re aware of perceptions of coming out here (to Cardinals). Did you have serious questions before you met (team officials)?
“You always have serious questions. Questions, and then you have some answers. The only thing you can do is to take someone’s word as to the direction they’re trying to go. Either their word is true, or their word is fake. It’s just that simple. And to show people you’re trying to do the right things by your actions, not necessarily by your voice. That’s the way I look at it. One thing I do know for sure, in this organization, is (head coach) Dave McGinnis is one of the solid things they have. I like playing for him, I like working with him, and if there’s any goal I’ve ever had for this organization is to get him get back to the playoffs. And that would be my goal. To see him get some of the benefits he deserves. Because a great coach like that, the great motivator he is, the way he takes care of his players … to me, that’s the kind of coach I want to play for. And I hope some of my other teammates feel that way as well.”
Regarding tarnished legacies.
“You know who tarnishes legacies? People (critics). We (players) don’t. We play the game because we love it. We don’t think about our legacies. Most people outside the game think about a legacy and what people have done in the past. And be content with that. As an athlete, or a gladiator so to speak, you don’t worry about your past. You worry about what your future will look like and what you’re doing right now. That’s what we do—we play football for a living. We don’t play legacies and history for a living. We play football for a living, on a day-to-day, year-to-year situation. That’s that. Most people can be satisfied with what they’ve done. Not us. Look at Michael Jordan. He loves the game. You’ve got to love something to stay in it. If you don’t love the game, you won’t be in it for long. Period. That’s why a lot of players don’t have long careers, because they don’t love what they do. They look at it as a job. I look at it as I love the game. Not necessarily as a job, but as product of what I love doing. There aren’t too many people working who can say they love what they do. I love doing what I do. The legacy is not what I do or perceive it to be—it’s what you perceive it to be.”
Do you have any bitter feelings toward (Dallas head coach Bill) Parcells?
“I don’t have any bitter feelings at all. I dealt with the person I needed to deal with. And if there was a third party I needed to talk to, that would have happened. There wasn’t a need for a third party, so there was no need for us (Smith and Parcells) to have a conversation. I respect Parcells for the coach that he is and what he’s been able to accomplish in his career as well. Outside of that, I don’t know. I can’t really have any comments about him as a person or the way he handled things. Because the way he handled things, I perceived it as Jerry (Jones) doing what Jerry felt he needed to do.”
Any regrets looking back at your career at University of Florida?
“Being at Florida helped me do a lot of things—helped me deal with change. And that’s why I’ve probably been able to address this particular change and this transition from the Dallas Cowboys to the Arizona Cardinals so well. At Florida, I had a different offensive coordinator all three years I was there. That’s part of change, part of growing up. And they when you get into Dallas, you’ve got (former Cowboy head coach) Jimmy (Johnson) and expect you’re going to have Jimmy your entire career and to have something abruptly cut that off, then you deal with (former Cowboy head coach) Barry (Switzer). And I was able to make the change because of what I was prepared for in college. Those things go a long way. It’s early experiences like that which have helped me grow and deal with a lot of change in life.”
What is it about this game that makes it the greatest game?
“Not one man can dominate it. Not one man. It takes a total of 11 guys offensively, and 11 guys defensively, and 11 guys special teams-wise to allow you to achieve one objective—and that’s to win the game or make the play great. And that requires everybody to be on the same page. It’s not like basketball where you can have one guy—an Iverson, or Michael Jordan, of Kobe, or Shaq, or Tim Duncan— that totally dominates every game. This right here, you may have a running back rush for 100 yards, you may have a running back rush for 50 yards, but you still win because your quarterback threw for 350 yards, or a pass receiver had a big day, all those kind of things. It’s the most diversified game across the board in any sporting event.”
Is it difficult to get accustomed to an offensive line or does it take a bit of time?
“All I’m looking for is the green pastures (downfield). That’s what I look for. If I find it, I’ll go get it.”
Is this different from Wichita Falls (Dallas training camp site)?
“It’s prettier. It’s not as flat. And it’s not as dry. Look behind me—it’s like a postcard out there. Wichita Falls is nice, don’t get me wrong. It was hot like Phoenix, and not as humid as Dallas. And it was only an hour and a half away from Dallas, similar to this. So there’s a lot of similarities here, it’s just that Wichita Falls doesn’t have the scenic views this right here has, and it doesn’t have the altitude.”
What does that altitude do to you?
“Oh man, it shortens your breath down quick. Especially when you’re not accustomed to it. My first four plays felt like I had run 17 100-yard dashes. Just four plays! I probably didn’t go any farther than 20 yards! The altitude has its effect.”
How much of your family is still back in Pensacola (Florida)?
“My family—my mom and dad, my youngest brother, my grandfather, my cousins … all still back in Pensacola. I get back home about two-three times a year. I’ve got quite a bit going on.”
Day One Q&A With Emmitt Smith
Your impressions after your first practice?:
“It’s ran similar to what I’ve become accustomed to. We do some of the same things here that we did back in Dallas. The structure of it all is pretty much the same. I think the tempo here is a little bit different than I saw in Dallas in years past. I think the tempo here is fairly hot and the players do a good job running around, swarming around the football. Today was the first chance I had to work with some of the offensive linemen.”
What about Leonard Davis?
“It’s a big difference when you have guys that can move people. Today is just day one. The key thing we have to do is to keep those guys healthy, continue to give the defense a good look, and work on our offense and better that offense on a daily basis.”
What is the difference from your days as a Cowboy?
“The only thing that’s changed on me is the helmet color, the jersey color, and probably the shoe color and the pants' color—that’s it. Football is football. It’s the same kind of football I’ve played since I was in Pop Warner, just at a higher level now, and in a different location. So, the game itself is not that much different. But being in a different area is something I have to get adjusted to and it’s something I welcome. I’m excited about being here, I really am.”
Do you feel the same motivation?
“I’m always motivated to get better. You always have something to prove. It’s not like walking around with a chip on your shoulder, but in essence you do have a little chip. And the chip is just to better yourself and help the team improve, win a lot more games than last year, and go at it from there.”
This is the biggest crowd the Cardinals have had at the opening of training camp and there are a lot of fans in an E. Smith jersey. Do you feel the excitement of the fans?
“I didn’t know what to expect. People who have been here in years past tell me how large the crowd is … this to me is what I would consider an average crowd. In Dallas, we had four or five thousand, but this right here is a very good crowd. I’m pleased with the turnout and hopefully we’ll win a lot more games and next year the crowd will be larger.”
Do you notice a lot of number 22 jerseys and the pictures and the such?
“I noticed a lot of excitement when I came across the street and saw the kids lined up along the rail for autographs. I did see some 22 jerseys, and I even saw some Cowboy jerseys.”
Do you like the situation you’re in now, you way with a little chip on your shoulder, maybe the motivation is different?
“You’re taking the ‘chip’ in the wrong context. I did not describe it in that manner. The chip is more so to go out here and prove and help the team—and that’s an everyday chip, and that’s an every year chip. It’s nothing against anybody. It’s just more so my own self-motivation. I guess that separates some players from others. They’re always walking around with a chip, not being happy or satisfied with what they have done in the past, they’re more looking forward to what they can do in the future. That’s where I’m at.”
Anything special about the preseason opener (vs. Dallas, August 9 in Arizona)?
“No, it’s just a preseason game. They don’t count worth nothing.”
When you signed at Florida (in college), people were saying why not Nebraska, why not Auburn—those were the powerhouses at the time. Do you get any people close to you saying why the Cardinals?
“All the time. Why the Cardinals? Why not the Cardinals? I think it’s a tremendous opportunity here. You have a (offensive) line that’s real good. Unfortunately, last year you couldn’t see it all because they were not healthy the entire season. Hopefully they can stay healthy the entire season and I can make their jobs a little easier, and (quarterback Jeff) Blake can come in and throw some balls and keep the eight-mans (defensive fronts) out and maybe we can do some things positive for everybody. And then you can see how good they really are.”
What do you think about Marcel Shipp behind you?
“He’s definitely a back that can be a starter for anybody. He’s got tremendous talent. I think he and I will work well together. They (other running backs) are watching me and learning from me, seeing how patient I am in terms of hitting the running lanes, and they can tell the difference between me and them. That’s one thing they feel they have to learn—how to be patient. Me, being in it (pro football) for a while, I don’t know if I’m just slow or just patient. It could be slowness for me, but for those guys it’s patience. So whatever it is, hopefully it’s working.”
How long do you think the adjustment will take?
“I’ve already adjusted to being in Arizona, I’ve already adjusted to being a Cardinal. I hear a lot of people across the country saying they’re going to miss me being a Dallas Cowboy, but they’re going to be big Cardinal fans as well. And that’s nice to know, that you can have people that appreciate your talent and what you’ve been able to accomplish with one organization, and still follow you to another organization because they appreciate what you’ve been able to do for that organization. I feel good about that, and that in itself has made the transition a little bit easier.”
How you gotten a sense in Dallas the people appreciate how you handled that situation?
“I have, and I’ve received nothing but the utmost respect in terms of the way I handled the situation and I appreciate it. And I think (Dallas owner) Jerry (Jones) handled it well as well. Obviously, there are some things there a lot of people may not know about, and I don’t care to share them. For the most part, I think the Dallas Cowboys are a first-class organization, an organization that can be modeled after by many ball clubs. But I’m glad to be here, and I think I can bring some of the things the Cowboys have given me, right here. That in itself is a tremendous opportunity for the Cardinals as well as for myself. And I’ll be happy to embrace change a little bit. Everyone has to embrace change. Change is good. Sometimes when you stay stagnant, you get stale. That’s one reason I think the change from Dallas to here is something that was very much needed. And you asked me a question about a chip (on the shoulder), why I have new motivation—I think when you change you do have new motivation. And you do have newly-found energy. And new excitement. And excitement brings a lot of energy and a lot of change. So you have to embrace it. It’s one thing to look at it and allow it to weigh on your mind. And it’s another thing to accept it, move past it, and make the best of it. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
Have you totally moved your family?
“We’re situated and settled. They’re in Virginia right now. We spent four days in Dallas earlier this week. My wife and kids will be out sometime in August.”
You’re aware of perceptions of coming out here (to Cardinals). Did you have serious questions before you met (team officials)?
“You always have serious questions. Questions, and then you have some answers. The only thing you can do is to take someone’s word as to the direction they’re trying to go. Either their word is true, or their word is fake. It’s just that simple. And to show people you’re trying to do the right things by your actions, not necessarily by your voice. That’s the way I look at it. One thing I do know for sure, in this organization, is (head coach) Dave McGinnis is one of the solid things they have. I like playing for him, I like working with him, and if there’s any goal I’ve ever had for this organization is to get him get back to the playoffs. And that would be my goal. To see him get some of the benefits he deserves. Because a great coach like that, the great motivator he is, the way he takes care of his players … to me, that’s the kind of coach I want to play for. And I hope some of my other teammates feel that way as well.”
Regarding tarnished legacies.
“You know who tarnishes legacies? People (critics). We (players) don’t. We play the game because we love it. We don’t think about our legacies. Most people outside the game think about a legacy and what people have done in the past. And be content with that. As an athlete, or a gladiator so to speak, you don’t worry about your past. You worry about what your future will look like and what you’re doing right now. That’s what we do—we play football for a living. We don’t play legacies and history for a living. We play football for a living, on a day-to-day, year-to-year situation. That’s that. Most people can be satisfied with what they’ve done. Not us. Look at Michael Jordan. He loves the game. You’ve got to love something to stay in it. If you don’t love the game, you won’t be in it for long. Period. That’s why a lot of players don’t have long careers, because they don’t love what they do. They look at it as a job. I look at it as I love the game. Not necessarily as a job, but as product of what I love doing. There aren’t too many people working who can say they love what they do. I love doing what I do. The legacy is not what I do or perceive it to be—it’s what you perceive it to be.”
Do you have any bitter feelings toward (Dallas head coach Bill) Parcells?
“I don’t have any bitter feelings at all. I dealt with the person I needed to deal with. And if there was a third party I needed to talk to, that would have happened. There wasn’t a need for a third party, so there was no need for us (Smith and Parcells) to have a conversation. I respect Parcells for the coach that he is and what he’s been able to accomplish in his career as well. Outside of that, I don’t know. I can’t really have any comments about him as a person or the way he handled things. Because the way he handled things, I perceived it as Jerry (Jones) doing what Jerry felt he needed to do.”
Any regrets looking back at your career at University of Florida?
“Being at Florida helped me do a lot of things—helped me deal with change. And that’s why I’ve probably been able to address this particular change and this transition from the Dallas Cowboys to the Arizona Cardinals so well. At Florida, I had a different offensive coordinator all three years I was there. That’s part of change, part of growing up. And they when you get into Dallas, you’ve got (former Cowboy head coach) Jimmy (Johnson) and expect you’re going to have Jimmy your entire career and to have something abruptly cut that off, then you deal with (former Cowboy head coach) Barry (Switzer). And I was able to make the change because of what I was prepared for in college. Those things go a long way. It’s early experiences like that which have helped me grow and deal with a lot of change in life.”
What is it about this game that makes it the greatest game?
“Not one man can dominate it. Not one man. It takes a total of 11 guys offensively, and 11 guys defensively, and 11 guys special teams-wise to allow you to achieve one objective—and that’s to win the game or make the play great. And that requires everybody to be on the same page. It’s not like basketball where you can have one guy—an Iverson, or Michael Jordan, of Kobe, or Shaq, or Tim Duncan— that totally dominates every game. This right here, you may have a running back rush for 100 yards, you may have a running back rush for 50 yards, but you still win because your quarterback threw for 350 yards, or a pass receiver had a big day, all those kind of things. It’s the most diversified game across the board in any sporting event.”
Is it difficult to get accustomed to an offensive line or does it take a bit of time?
“All I’m looking for is the green pastures (downfield). That’s what I look for. If I find it, I’ll go get it.”
Is this different from Wichita Falls (Dallas training camp site)?
“It’s prettier. It’s not as flat. And it’s not as dry. Look behind me—it’s like a postcard out there. Wichita Falls is nice, don’t get me wrong. It was hot like Phoenix, and not as humid as Dallas. And it was only an hour and a half away from Dallas, similar to this. So there’s a lot of similarities here, it’s just that Wichita Falls doesn’t have the scenic views this right here has, and it doesn’t have the altitude.”
What does that altitude do to you?
“Oh man, it shortens your breath down quick. Especially when you’re not accustomed to it. My first four plays felt like I had run 17 100-yard dashes. Just four plays! I probably didn’t go any farther than 20 yards! The altitude has its effect.”
How much of your family is still back in Pensacola (Florida)?
“My family—my mom and dad, my youngest brother, my grandfather, my cousins … all still back in Pensacola. I get back home about two-three times a year. I’ve got quite a bit going on.”
