Recruiting EJ Smith is he worth it?

Theologator

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Actually, I don't think he gives much thought to the consequences, certainly not to the extent the UF message boards do.

Emmitt went out of his way to get his degree at UF, long after he was an NFL superstar. He's on the sideline at every important UF game. That speaks volumes to me.

You mean he might have decades of experience ignoring the naysayers and just enjoying his life and building success upon success?

And maybe he’s committed to letting his son make his own choices, cut his own path and be his own man.

Side note: Emmitt probably wanted to go first in the draft, who wouldn’t? Falling to the end of the first round was the best thing for him. We think we know what we want, but that’s not always best.

And...my sister graduated with Emmitt. I also thought that was a big deal and cool to be there. And his name is on the stadium. He’s just not caught up in the college tribalism which probably seems very high school to him. That’s true of most players.
 

78

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You mean he might have decades of experience ignoring the naysayers and just enjoying his life and building success upon success?

And maybe he’s committed to letting his son make his own choices, cut his own path and be his own man.

Side note: Emmitt probably wanted to go first in the draft, who wouldn’t? Falling to the end of the first round was the best thing for him. We think we know what we want, but that’s not always best.

And...my sister graduated with Emmitt. I also thought that was a big deal and cool to be there. And his name is on the stadium. He’s just not caught up in the college tribalism which probably seems very high school to him. That’s true of most players.

Look no further than the reaction to your post for examples.
 

MJMGator

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The Dwag hat was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Simply no excuse for it.
 

Swamp Donkey

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The Dwag hat was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Simply no excuse for it.
More like it was just removing the scab on the wound that never healed.

He’s just not caught up in the college tribalism
Cool, we aren't caught up in him either. Fvkk off.

It is sad really that even Pothead Percy loves Gainesville and respect UF more than Emmitt.
 

78

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Saw every snap Emmitt took at Florida Field so I just can’t slam the guy. I suppose if was still sucking on my mama’s teat during his playing time I’d have a different opinion.
Goon needs someone younger than him (i.e. anyone) to explain what that means. :snicker:
 

Double Gator Dad

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Saw every snap Emmitt took at Florida Field so I just can’t slam the guy. I suppose if was still sucking on my mama’s teat during his playing time I’d have a different opinion.

I also saw every snap of Emmitt as a player, as an adult with a wife and children so I will leave the teat stuff to you, and I have already ripped on him not as a player but as the guy he has become after his playing career.
Last time I checked we are all gator fans versus members of the Emmitt Smith Fan Club and as a result, we try and be objective about what has happened versus an ongoing hero worship of a player that has had little to nothing to do with the gators for nearly 30 years.

I will never diminish anything Emmitt did as a player at UF but I would be disingenuous if I pretended that I am okay with his refusal to embrace the gatornation. Apparently you are okay with it.
 

lizardbreath

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I also saw every snap of Emmitt as a player, as an adult with a wife and children so I will leave the teat stuff to you, and I have already ripped on him not as a player but as the guy he has become after his playing career.
Last time I checked we are all gator fans versus members of the Emmitt Smith Fan Club and as a result, we try and be objective about what has happened versus an ongoing hero worship of a player that has had little to nothing to do with the gators for nearly 30 years.

I will never diminish anything Emmitt did as a player at UF but I would be disingenuous if I pretended that I am okay with his refusal to embrace the gatornation. Apparently you are okay with it.

I was at Legion Field (what a dump!) when Emmitt ran wild against the bammers, and I followed his career at UF and in the pros with great enjoyment for many years. But it has seemed to me, that for a very long time, Emmitt did not feel like he was an appreciated part of the family anymore, like he had been left behind in the euphoria of the SOS era. I'm also seeing allusions to some instances when ES made statements concerning situations I knew nothing about. For whatever reason, the thrill has been gone for a while now.
 

SGG

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Outside of being employed at another school, you’ll never catch Spurrier, Wuerffel, or the like putting on a rival’s hat. I’d say Tebow, but with his tv gig, it’s bound to happen sooner or later.
 

Gator4Life

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Wife’s friend was a freshman at UF right after Emmitt signed his first NFL contract. Home for the summer in Pensacola and waitressing at a local restaurant, in walks Emmitt with his entourage. Complete prick with no gratuity on a rather large meal tab. Tried making conversation about UF, he wouldn’t have any of it. Became a regular habit for Emmitt. Obnoxious, crude, selfish bastard.
In contrast, I lived next to Fred Taylor’s grandmother for 3 years in West Palm. Fred had bought her the house and paid all her bills. Main highlight was I got to watch her beat hell out of Kelvins 6yo self for throwing a very small rock at my truck. Fred came by a good bit, always humble and genuine, hard not to like. Give me Fred and Kelvin any day. If EJ comes to UF great, if not I don’t think he or his daddy will be missed.
I agree with your stories about Emmitt. I live just outside Pensacola and have heard plenty of these stories over the years about Emmitt!
I've never met him but have watched him run his mouth on the local news a couple times over the years about how he wished he'd have gone to ua instead of UF!!

I've just lost anything good to say about him
 

lagator

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Some people are thinned skin. I was at Florida when Emmitt was here. He was approachable. So was Louis O and Adrian W.

Dwayne S was not though. Probably because people gave him **** about his height.
Agree. The way remember it, Emmitt was a great Gator when he was here, then for whatever reason, he didn't seem to feel the same about UF when he left.

I remember sitting a row or 2 behind him when he received SEC player of the year trophy at halftime of a Basketball game. He was very cordial, and when we asked if we could look at the trophy he said sure passed it up and said go ahead and pass it around. It went around most of the student section before finally getting back to Emmitt.
 

GatorTAG

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And after his HOF Induction.

"Thank you for all of the good wishes about the Hall of Fame…need to say a special hello to my Gator Nation. I sincerely, sincerely apologize for not mentioning you last night in my Hall of Fame speech, Gator Nation. I just got caught up in everything. Pleaase charge it to my mind, not my heart! Once a Gator always a Gator. I loved everything the University of Florida gave me".

“Technically my speech was supposed to be less than 20 minutes, so I stretched it out to 24…and I forgot one most important ingredients: my Gator Nation. And I sincerely apologize for not recognizing the University of Florida and Urban Meyer and Jeremy Foley and all of the Gator Nation. Because the Gator Nation truly helped me get on the platform on the collegiate level which led to where I’m at right now here in Canton.”
 
Last edited:

BruceWayne

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I also saw every snap of Emmitt as a player, as an adult with a wife and children so I will leave the teat stuff to you, and I have already ripped on him not as a player but as the guy he has become after his playing career.
Last time I checked we are all gator fans versus members of the Emmitt Smith Fan Club and as a result, we try and be objective about what has happened versus an ongoing hero worship of a player that has had little to nothing to do with the gators for nearly 30 years.

I will never diminish anything Emmitt did as a player at UF but I would be disingenuous if I pretended that I am okay with his refusal to embrace the gatornation. Apparently you are okay with it.

He's the ONLY former Gator that feels like he never even played here. There's a bad disconnect. Wearing the Uga hat was just plain dumb. The video above shows that he knows he messed up.
 

T REX

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And after his HOF Induction.

"Thank you for all of the good wishes about the Hall of Fame…need to say a special hello to my Gator Nation. I sincerely, sincerely apologize for not mentioning you last night in my Hall of Fame speech, Gator Nation. I just got caught up in everything. Pleaase charge it to my mind, not my heart! Once a Gator always a Gator. I loved everything the University of Florida gave me".

“Technically my speech was supposed to be less than 20 minutes, so I stretched it out to 24…and I forgot one most important ingredients: my Gator Nation. And I sincerely apologize for not recognizing the University of Florida and Urban Meyer and Jeremy Foley and all of the Gator Nation. Because the Gator Nation truly helped me get on the platform on the collegiate level which led to where I’m at right now here in Canton.”

I randomly and quickly looked at 3 transcripts from Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen and Thurman Thomas...all 3 thanked their college coaches and position coaches if not more than that. You can't tell me that is was an accident and his apology was a response to all the blowback. Everyone's speech goes in chronological order for the most part...here's Emmitt's...

"Thank you to my high school coach Dwight Thomas for teaching me how to set goals, become a team player, and to shine the spotlight upon others such as my offensive linemen. Thank you to Jimmy Nichols, my offensive coordinator out of high school. You pushed me and helped make me into the runningback I became. You set the foundation by teaching me I could never carry the football for you or anyone else if I fumbled. You made it very clear to me that the football was the most important thing on the football field. Both Dwight Thomas and Jimmy Nichols pushed me to a level of greatness at an early age. I began to realize what it would take for me to become successful. I also understood that my job and my role as a teammate had to be fulfilled by all the work that we all put in to what we was trying to get accomplished. So thank you, guys. From Escambia High School to this point for being there and helping me get to this point.

(WHAT COULD EVER BELONG RIGHT HERE)

Thank you to Norv Turner for bringing a system that allowed Michael, Troy, me and our offense to flourish. Thank you to Jimmy Johnson for bringing discipline, focus, commitment and your expectation to our team. You propelled us to do great things in life. You set the bar very high and not only demanded that we leaped over it, but, Jimmy, you showed us how. You knew your players were capable of achieving the standard you set for us. You knew we could claim our greatness. It's what drove us to become the team we became."

If that wasn't a deliberate omission then he may have had one too many concussions.
 

LagoonGator68

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And after his HOF Induction.

"Thank you for all of the good wishes about the Hall of Fame…need to say a special hello to my Gator Nation. I sincerely, sincerely apologize for not mentioning you last night in my Hall of Fame speech, Gator Nation. I just got caught up in everything. Pleaase charge it to my mind, not my heart! Once a Gator always a Gator. I loved everything the University of Florida gave me".

“Technically my speech was supposed to be less than 20 minutes, so I stretched it out to 24…and I forgot one most important ingredients: my Gator Nation. And I sincerely apologize for not recognizing the University of Florida and Urban Meyer and Jeremy Foley and all of the Gator Nation. Because the Gator Nation truly helped me get on the platform on the collegiate level which led to where I’m at right now here in Canton.”



Not sure why we need to know where Emmitt was about to head out to for the evening....

He seems to be inserting himself into his son’s limelight time a bit too much?
 

Double Gator Dad

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4 pages of talk about Emmitt and very little if any about Jr football skills speaks volumes to me.

I think there are a couple of reasons for this.
- This thread has enabled people to share their thoughts on the obvious issue with Emmitt and the flood gates have opened.
- Due to his father's attitude towards UF, I don't think anyone believes that EJ has any interest in Gainesville so there is no reason to evaluate him as a player since he is clearly gatorbait.
 

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