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Volume aaa, Number 7 |
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All in one short week
J.P. BOX
COLUMNIST
Emmitt passed Sweetness as the all-time rushing leader, Barry's Giants fell to the Angels in seven, Tom (Watson) won the Senior Tour Championship in soggy conditions, and I am now on a first name basis with pro athletes. All in all, a heck of lot happened in one short week.
The week's biggest story? Emmitt Smith ran 9.5 miles during his 13 year NFL career to top Walter Payton's historic mark of 16,728 career-rushing yards. Although a few of you may claim to have run at least 9.5 miles in the past 13 years, you did not do it against men who weigh upwards of 350 pounds.
On a personal note, when I was 11-years-old, I traded a Joe Montana second-year playing card for an Emmitt Smith rookie card in mint condition. Ten years later, my investment has paid off, as I am suddenly a richer man. Thanks Emmitt-I always believed in you.
During his rookie season, scouts and analysts claimed that Smith was too slow and too small to be an effective running back in the NFL. Thirteen years later, he continues to churn out the yards, stringing together 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons.
Add a few Super Bowl trophies, league rushing titles, and 161 career touchdowns, you have the game's greatest back to ever lace up a pair of sneakers-at least according to aggregate statistics. However, as my trusted colleague in Chamberlain 308 told me, "Emmitt was a good back, but he was great at not getting hurt."
What is most remarkable about Smith is the fact that he never started less than 13 games in each of his 13 NFL seasons. Playing upon turf for his entire career, Emmitt never tore out a knee, developed chronic turf toe, nor experienced repeated concussions-injuries often associated with playing on the fake stuff.
Other RBs, like Gale Sayers and Bo Jackson, were better running backs, but exited the game prematurely due to injury.
In a single game in 1965, Sayers rushed for an NFL record six touchdowns, which translates in 42 points from one man. By the way, he was only a rookie. He also totes an impressive 5.0 yards-per-carry average for his career. Emmitt's career average is 4.3, and he only once topped five yards-per-carry for an entire season.
Bo Jackson, on the other hand, averaged 5.3 yards-per-carry-a full yard more than Smith's-during his short, four year NFL career. Combing speed and grace with a 6'1', 220-pound frame, Bo was simply unstoppable.
So, what's Emmitt's edge? He never faced a career-threatening injury despite playing the game's most dangerous position. The average running back spends just approximately three years in the league before exiting due to physical deterioration or injury. Emmitt Smith has spent 13 as starting running back capable of producing 1000-yard seasons.
Like Cal Ripken Jr, Emmitt Smith is an iron man, and therein resides his greatness.
Next up? Bonds walks through seven-game Series. After compiling eight hits (including four home runs), six RBIs, and eight runs in 17 at-bats, it's hard to criticize Barry Bonds performance in the World Series. However, I'm going to do it anyways.
Bonds walked 13 times against the Angels to set a World Series record. His final at-bat fit him well-five pitches and a free pass to first base, courtesy of rookie pitcher Francisco Rodriguez.
In baseball, the better a player becomes, the less he is allowed to participate. The Angels neutralized Bonds for the most part. Although he hit four deep shots, he only produced six total RBIs. Anaheim's pitching staff simply would not allow Barry to beat them with men on base.
With catcher Benito Santiago hitting behind Bonds, there was no incentive to challenge the game's most dominant offensive player. One mistake could have changed the entire complexion of the World Series.
Due to this game-changing ability, the Angels intentionally walked Bonds in certain situations and pitched cautiously to him in others. His final at-bat was a perfect example of an Angels pitcher cautiously pitching to the slugger.
Rodriquez was unwilling to throw anything over the meat of the plate. Instead, he nibbled around the edges of the strike zone. As a result, Bonds' final World Series at-bat, and possibly the final postseason at-bat of his career, resulted in a walk - not a base hit, not a homer, but also not a strikeout.
Barry, I will give you this advice freely-in the last game of the season, you go down swinging. It's game seven of the World Series and you are still waiting for that perfect pitch-waiting for that pitcher's mistake to turn into a 471-foot bomb.
First base is open. Second base is open. Third base is open. Rodriguez may be young, but he's not stupid. You will not see any pitch up in the zone or across the middle of the plate. Forget about it. You are neutralized unless you take a chance at a pitch outside the zone.
Even if you look ugly doing it, you tried to create something. Do you really want to depend upon Benito Santiago to start an eighth inning rally? Do you think he will get the first hit of the inning against one of the game's best set-up men who is beaming with confidence after striking out two players already?
I am not advocating that Bonds should have struck out while swinging at pitches in the dirt. Rather, Bonds should have taken a chance in the eighth against the Angels when his team was down by three runs.
And finally, Tom Watson wins Senior tournament! You didn't really expect me to talk about the Senior Professional Golf Association, did you?