Monday, November 9, 1998

Is Emmitt a better runner than Tony Dorsett?

By Jeff Walker

IRVING - Let the debate begin.

With his 163-yard rushing performance Sunday against the New York Giants, Emmitt Smith became the all-time leading rusher in Dallas Cowboys' history.

Smith surpassed the legendary Tony Dorsett, who previously held the mark with 12,036 yards after wearing a Dallas uniform from 1977-87.

After his effort against the Giants, Smith now has amassed 12,105 rushing yards.

But just who is the better back?

Three people who may have the best opinion are offensive lineman Nate Newton, Calvin Hill and Bill Bates.

Newton signed with the Cowboys as a free agent in 1986. He said he's seen his share of good running backs.

"I have been fortunate to see some of the best," he said. "Tony, Herschel (Walker), Emmitt. I'm happy for Emmitt. He really wanted to get this here. We were joking with him before the game. We told him if he gets 94 yards here and one yard next week in Arizona he still breaks the record, but he wanted to do it here. I think we put some extra effort into it and he ran hard all day."

If measured in championships, the debate could be easy.

Smith led his team to Super Bowl victories in 1992, '93 and '95. Dorsett won a Super Bowl in his first season, 1977, but none thereafter.

That stat may be misleading because one player can't carry a team to a championship, like say, in basketball, where Michael Jordan has done it for years.

Let's check the team records.

Dorsett leads the Cowboys in most seasons leading the team in rushing, as well as consecutive seasons for leading the team in rushing with 10.

Smith is right behind Dorsett with eight, and is well on his way to making it nine straight years at the completion of this season.

Smith rushed for 1,773 yards in 1995, which is the most yards in a single season by a Cowboy. He is also second and fourth in that category, while Dorsett's most yards in a single season was 1,646, which puts him third.

Hill, who played for the Cowboys in the '60s and '70s and now serves as a consultant, said the two running backs are different.

"Tony was an incredible speed guy," he said. "He had great vision too. Emmitt has great balance and his speed is deceptive. He slides real well too, they both just have different styles."

Bates also noticed the different styles of Dorsett and Smith.

"Tony was the fastest person at getting a quick three or four yards," Bates said. "He hit the holes really fast. Emmitt doesn't have the same speed but he has enough explosive power to make people miss."

Dorsett gained 206 yards in a game against Philadelphia in 1977 and tallied 183 against the New York Giants in 1980. Those figures are good enough to put him second and third on the all-time list, behind - of course - Smith, who rushed for 237 yards against the Eagles in 1993.

Dorsett holds eight rushing records for Dallas. After breaking the all-time rushing mark, Smith now holds 11. The pair are tied in one category - most consecutive games of 100 or more yards. Smith rushed for more than 100 yards in four straight games twice in '95, while Dorsett did it once in '79.

Hill wouldn't committ to saying which one he thought was better.

"The one thing you want to do is try and compare the two and you can't," Hill said. "Each one is a superlative, they are just two different running backs."

Bates wouldn't commit, either.

"They're both great," said Bates, who was a player for Dallas from 1983-1997 and now serves as an assistant coach. "You can't say one is better than the other because a lot depends on the offensive line that is blocking for you. All running backs rely on the offensive line to block for them and that determines their success."

There are those that will say Dorsett is the better back, but the records don't lie. Smith holds most Cowboys' rushing marks and is still on his way to setting more.

Jeff Walker can be reached at 676-6711 or sports@abinews.com.