For those with no speakers, someone please summarize the press conf!

[Ed B]

If you could be so kind.

 

[JeffGollin]

I'll try. But there really wasn't much we haven't heard before

PAUL JENSON
- Referred to Emmitt as "NFL Royalty."
- Pointed out that no matter where you lived in the US, Emmitt has come in and had a record breaking performance against your team or eclipsed a record set by one of your favorite suns.

GRAVES
- Things came together last weekend - with Rod working closely with Eugene Parker and Emmitt's business agent, Warner Scott.
- Emmitt' signing is one component of an over all plan (noting that in addition to Supe MVP Dexter Jackson, the Cards have added MVP in general, Emmitt Smith.
- Cards will continue to be active in free agency.
- They wanted to achieve a "new look" for the team by the time they get to camp.
- Pointed to Emmitt's future role as leader, lockerroom force, 4th quarter and 2-final-minutes force, classroom influence, community leader and an over all presence with "the heart of a lion."
- Bringin in a future hall of famer like Emmitt makes us a better football team and better organization.

MAC
- Fiber and fabric are two things you have to have to be successful in the NFL. The 3 Bears (Payton, Singletary and Hampton) had fiber and fabric. Emmitt is another one of those guys.
- Emmitt is self-made, all the way to his daily prep work that starts at 5am. He will imbue this to the entire football team.
- A big O-Line plus a desire to run the football. What better engine to accomplish this than Emmitt Smith?
- Marcel Shipp asked Mac to introduce him to Emmitt because Marcel understands there's so much to learn from him. Emmitt responded by saying that he felt there was a lot (regarding the Cardinal system and the way the team does things) that Marcel can teach him in return.
- "We not only added the heart of a lion, we brought in the heart of a winner."

EMMITT
- Wow!
- He looks forward to playing for a young team led by a great coach and motivator.
- He plans to learn as much as he teaches.
- He's here to help.
- His wife felt - upon examining various offers - that AZ was the logical place to end up. He'll bring his family out to live as soon as school is out.
- His objective: Get to the playoffs (where anything after that is possbile).
- Several teams expressed interest but the Cards cared more. (Some of the offers involved a backup role. The Cards really felt he could help them - and in a variety of ways.
- He saw potential in the Cards because they had the cap room to grow and had already made moves to bring good players aboard.
- There are plenty of Cowboy fans all over the Valley, but there are probably a lot of Emmitt Smith fans whom he hopes will convert to being Cardinal rooters.
- A question was asked about some sort of payback to the Dallas team that released him. There was no verbal response, but the audience roared with laughter, so there must have been some physical gesture or expression that cracked everyone up.
- His role will be to learn the offense, get in the mix and then determine how and where he is needed.
- He has 13 years of experience and wisdom to impart to those who want it. But he doesn't want to be Daddy, Grandaddy or Dictator, but rather a friend, teammate, associate and leader on this ballclub.
- He loves the Big Red O-Line and said that Jim Jeffcoat used to praise it as big and tough during Felon offense meetings. He also said that Darrell (Moose) Johnson told him he'd like to play with Mac as head coach (Mac is everything that Moose said he'd be).
- He looks forward to playing on a grass field. His goal is 1200 - 1300 ground yards (but he makes no predictions).
- Praised Duane Starks for stepping up like a man and offering to give up #22 for Emmitt to wear.
- He's happy the decision is now behind him so that he can go to work.
- He felt "natural" visiting the Valley
- He likes the fact that he has a surrounding cast that includes: a big O-line, a vet QB (Blake) and a big FB in Hobson.
- Physically he's feeling good.

 

[BuckeyeCardinal]

Thanks!!!

Thanks Jeff.

Excellent report for us out-of-towners (and away from our puters)!!!