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Part of me wants to see Emmitt Smith break another 50- or 60-yard run to seal a victory in the fourth quarter. I want to see another defender reach for him in the hole and come away with nothing but air. I want to see another defender apply a hit that seems certain to bring him down -- the kind that makes the other players stop in their tracks because they know a whistle will soon blow, and then watch in amazement as he keeps on going.
I want to see him put another blitzing linebacker right on his butt.
Then there's the part of me governed more by rational than emotional thought. That's the part that wants Smith to walk away and let the rest of us savor those highlight-reel images with our eyes closed.
I'm sure that was what Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had in mind 11 days ago when he and the leading rusher in NFL history agreed to part ways after 13 seasons.
The official announcement came Thursday, but this had been floating around as a likely scenario for months.
The numbers just didn't add up for Smith to remain with the Cowboys. In May, he turns 34, an age when most running backs have long forgotten where the last pair of cleats they wore are stored. His salary-cap figure for next season would balloon to nearly $10 million, which is far too high for any team to have tied up in a single player, let alone one in the twilight of his career.
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I want to see him put another blitzing linebacker right on his butt.
Then there's the part of me governed more by rational than emotional thought. That's the part that wants Smith to walk away and let the rest of us savor those highlight-reel images with our eyes closed.
I'm sure that was what Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had in mind 11 days ago when he and the leading rusher in NFL history agreed to part ways after 13 seasons.
The official announcement came Thursday, but this had been floating around as a likely scenario for months.
The numbers just didn't add up for Smith to remain with the Cowboys. In May, he turns 34, an age when most running backs have long forgotten where the last pair of cleats they wore are stored. His salary-cap figure for next season would balloon to nearly $10 million, which is far too high for any team to have tied up in a single player, let alone one in the twilight of his career.
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