azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Why make this switch? Only the coach knows
Jun. 18, 2004
12:00 AM
Dennis Green, you have our attention.
Our retention? Stayed tuned.
You just named a 35-year-old running back who is a step slower and a season older the Cardinals starter.
Is it because you truly believe Emmitt Smith is the best fit for your three-wide receiver formation? Or are you simply trying to right the Shipp by lighting a fire under an overachieving 25-year-old who rushed for 830 yards last season but couldn't find his way into the end zone?
This is Denny's World, so anything's possible.
"I think (the new offense) suits his style with his ability to slice and find holes," Green said of Smith.
We want to believe him, because watching Smith's reputation suffer heat stroke in the Arizona desert has been painful. But we also know Green is a master manipulator, a skilled button-pusher and a man who will do what's necessary to weed out the faint of heart.
This isn't criticism. That philosophy translated into eight postseason trips in 10 seasons with Minnesota.
But his style has turned more than a few heads in Tempe.
Players who say the wrong things to the press find their quotes on overhead projectors in the next day's meeting.
It doesn't matter how much someone makes - hello, L.J. Shelton - if he hasn't met Green's standards, he's not starting.
But promoting Smith?
The thing about running backs is they don't age well. The best ones get knocked around on every play. If they're not running with the ball, they're executing a fake or blocking the blitz.
No one saw this coming. Not Smith. Not Marcel Shipp.
Talk about a great blindside move.
What has Green seen that we haven't?
Maybe he truly believes that Smith is the best man. No one picks up a blitz better, and in the Cardinals' new offensive scheme, that's important.
"If you want to go one on one with Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson, good for you," Green said. "We're going to attack you as soon as you're done and start doubling people up. It gives us the opportunity to counter-punch with various ways of running the football.
"And that's where Emmitt fits in, because he's a great seam runner."
One thing is certain: This is no publicity stunt. Green, rest assured, is nobody's puppet.
We can't help but wonder how this will affect Shipp. He has spent his short pro career behaving like the consummate team player.
Thursday, he looked like a beaten man. How long can a guy's ego be treated like a blocking sled?
Even Smith, who is close to Shipp, felt bad.
"I don't know what to say to him, because I don't make these decisions," Smith said. "I don't know what he's thinking. For me and him, I've enjoyed the relationship that we've had. This is the hardest part of football. When you've been named something and all of a sudden you're no longer named that. For that to happen to him . . .
"If there was anybody I'd rather lose my position to, it would be him. Period. Because I love him just that much. He's a good person and you want to see good people do well."
Green wants the Cardinals to do well. Who knew that Green thought promoting Smith would help him achieve that goal?
Jun. 18, 2004
12:00 AM
Dennis Green, you have our attention.
Our retention? Stayed tuned.
You just named a 35-year-old running back who is a step slower and a season older the Cardinals starter.
Is it because you truly believe Emmitt Smith is the best fit for your three-wide receiver formation? Or are you simply trying to right the Shipp by lighting a fire under an overachieving 25-year-old who rushed for 830 yards last season but couldn't find his way into the end zone?
This is Denny's World, so anything's possible.
"I think (the new offense) suits his style with his ability to slice and find holes," Green said of Smith.
We want to believe him, because watching Smith's reputation suffer heat stroke in the Arizona desert has been painful. But we also know Green is a master manipulator, a skilled button-pusher and a man who will do what's necessary to weed out the faint of heart.
This isn't criticism. That philosophy translated into eight postseason trips in 10 seasons with Minnesota.
But his style has turned more than a few heads in Tempe.
Players who say the wrong things to the press find their quotes on overhead projectors in the next day's meeting.
It doesn't matter how much someone makes - hello, L.J. Shelton - if he hasn't met Green's standards, he's not starting.
But promoting Smith?
The thing about running backs is they don't age well. The best ones get knocked around on every play. If they're not running with the ball, they're executing a fake or blocking the blitz.
No one saw this coming. Not Smith. Not Marcel Shipp.
Talk about a great blindside move.
What has Green seen that we haven't?
Maybe he truly believes that Smith is the best man. No one picks up a blitz better, and in the Cardinals' new offensive scheme, that's important.
"If you want to go one on one with Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson, good for you," Green said. "We're going to attack you as soon as you're done and start doubling people up. It gives us the opportunity to counter-punch with various ways of running the football.
"And that's where Emmitt fits in, because he's a great seam runner."
One thing is certain: This is no publicity stunt. Green, rest assured, is nobody's puppet.
We can't help but wonder how this will affect Shipp. He has spent his short pro career behaving like the consummate team player.
Thursday, he looked like a beaten man. How long can a guy's ego be treated like a blocking sled?
Even Smith, who is close to Shipp, felt bad.
"I don't know what to say to him, because I don't make these decisions," Smith said. "I don't know what he's thinking. For me and him, I've enjoyed the relationship that we've had. This is the hardest part of football. When you've been named something and all of a sudden you're no longer named that. For that to happen to him . . .
"If there was anybody I'd rather lose my position to, it would be him. Period. Because I love him just that much. He's a good person and you want to see good people do well."
Green wants the Cardinals to do well. Who knew that Green thought promoting Smith would help him achieve that goal?
