Originally posted by Capital Card
I agree, it is quite conflicting.
It's almost the opposite effect I got from watching Emmit run the ball in a Cardinal uniform. I wanted the team to do well, but I almost found myself wanting Emmit to fumble, because he is Emmit.
This is similar to the way I feel about Centers. But, unlike E. Smith, he has never been a great NFL player. IMO, it is comical that anyone would think that he is a Hall of Fame caliber player. IMO, a "Hall of Fame" caliber player should be a playmaker, not a role player. Centers put up good numbers in AZ when they had no weapons, and opponents allowed him to catch the ball "underneath", because they didn't fear that he would "beat them". Opponents were right.
He may be the only NFL player to actually benefit from playing on bad teams. I read posts that say, "he was the "heart and soul of the Cardinals". Who cares who "captained the titanic"?
In AZ (when they became competitive - look at his reception numbers in '98 vs the really bad years), and other places, he was far down the pecking order when it came to offensive options. Obviously, in a meaningful game, he was that again today.
He is and always has been a role player. Centers was a good third down back. A good role player.
When an Arizona Cardinals' player make the Hall of Fame, I hope that that player is a great player, not a role player.