Emmitt Smith as a cultural icon and American hero

Emmitt Smith

(Schwartz)

I have been a big fan of the Dallas Cowboys and especially Emmitt Smith for many years. For example, one of the most difficult moments in my appreciation of sports occurred when the Dallas Cowboys released Smith and he ended up on a lackluster Arizona Cardinals. This was after he had just surpassed the late great Walter Payton to become the number one rushing running back in the history of the National Football League. "They are the two most punitive judgments that can be handed down for a running back: Too small, too slow. And yet that was the harsh assessment of Emmitt Smith, 5-foot-9 and 199 pounds, by the pro-scouts although he was an All-American at Florida. That same Emmitt Smith who skittered and stutter-stepped his way past the NFL rushing record held by his idol, Walter Payton, and finished with 18,355 yards." (Schwartz) There are some who say that he is only a football player and that should certainly not lay a foundation of any significance in our culture. But, this essay aims to prove otherwise -- Emmitt Smith is and should continue to be a cultural icon for his many achievements.

When an individual, including artists, politicians, athletes or whatever, can be seen or considered to be the very best in the world at their particular event or thing and that thing is legal, socially acceptable and a positive addition to the overall betterment of society and the masses, then that individual most certainly deserves the recognition of his or her community. "While sports aren't necessarily fair, we can still take heart in the many exceptions to the rule. The truly outstanding athlete always fights his way to the top, no matter what the odds, inspiring us with his courage and determination." (Sands) Consider athletes such as Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, Nadia Comaneci and of course Emmitt Smith; these individuals have all achieved a level of greatness that can only be equated to the likes of other greats like Van Gogh, Bill Gates or Bill Clinton.

They all were the best at what they did or do and deep down inside, all of us regular people would love to have even half of their abilities whether they are physical, mental or both. Cultural requirements for a hero are founded in certain individual traits which Emmitt Smith can be said to have demonstrated. These include but are not limited to: an air of sacrifice, determination, loyalty, courage, dedication, intrepidity, valor, selflessness, conviction, internal and external focus, gallantry, perseverance, fortitude and bravery. These are the things that legends are made of and these are also the things that make Emmitt Smith important to our culture.

Cultural View

The popularity and power of professional sports in the United States shows that it is a major part of our culture. Sports have been a part of our culture from the beginning. "American cities from their inception have been called upon to make policy decisions regarding their residents' sporting pastimes. Even in the colonial era, local governments were responsible for protecting public thoroughfares, community norms, and the social order. Thus, as early as 1631, Boston began regulating taverns, which were important sites of gambling sports, and in 1647 banned bowling and shuffleboard because of the gambling nexus. The town permitted useful sports on the Common, but prohibited blood sports, and, as in most colonial communities, Dutch New Amsterdam proscribed Sunday sports because they detracted from God's Day." (Rich)

Professional sports today generate millions of dollars in revenues, fills major portions of our newspapers and media time, and has a capacity to take any ordinary child from total obscurity and move them into the high levels of wealth, fame and world celebrity status. Once this status is reached, society takes advantage of the prestige to incorporate the person into generating even more revenues. Didn't everyone see all of the commercials that Emmitt Smith has done and aren't the commercials supposed to be the most entertaining portion of the Super Bowl? "It has become almost impossible to separate movies, television, books, music, and the World Wide Web from each other or from an array of consumer goods -- clothes, shoes, snacks, gadgets, soft drinks, candy, fast foods, video games, cosmetics, and drugs. More than at any other time in this century, popular culture is unified and teens are unified by their popular culture." (Rollin)

These revenues that are generated in a direct or indirect manner by the professional athletes like Emmitt Smith also are an example of how important they are in the realm of the current trends towards globalization for both business and cultural views of the world. "One specific focus of these debates is whether or not the new international economic, national, and cultural alliances, in conjunction with an ever-expanding mediascape, are contributing to a standardized, homogenized, and globally shared culture. The emergent, simulated cultural space and experience, which are largely, but not exclusively, driven by the machinations of American-mediated popular culture, are seemingly demonstrated by the universal presence of commodity-signs such as CNN, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Nike, Baywatch, the Disney Corporation, the NBA, and the focus of our analysis, Michael Jordan. While it would be a mistake to deny the global ubiquity of this ever-expanding economy of cultural artifacts, it would be equally erroneous to suggest that an increased circulation of commodity-signs inevitably leads to the creation of globally homogeneous or "Americanized" patterns of popular cultural existence." (Sands)

Professional athletes are well paid, well respected and put on a pedestal. Our modern twenty first century world culture has incorporated sports into all aspects of life. For example, there are a plethora of evaluative references to sports in all aspects of life such as the three-strike policy of our jurisprudence process, baseball caps worn by the masses, and even the phenomenon of basketball shoes representing fashion trends. Yes, sports can be considered to have an extremely important role in our psyche and is a major aspect of the American popular culture.

When one athlete such as Emmitt Smith excels to the top levels of his sport, he too influences our modern culture. How many children want to be Emmitt during pick up games in the play ground? The individual performers of sports therefore can be considered to be an important part of society and the popular culture. The professional athlete wields an immense level of power and holds a sort of influential mystic over the admiring fan. Our culture rewards participation in sports by teaching the importance of the underlying attributes like determination and responsibility.

Even those who claim to not be sports fans are either directly or indirectly affected because such a large proportion of our society does embrace it. There are many instances where sports are the only path for wayward students to get the advantages offered by college and university educations. The college scholarship process is inadvertently looking for the next Emmitt Smith right now. Somewhere, in the downtrodden urban jungle is an athlete who will one day surpass Smith's on field accomplishments. In this sense, sports can be considered as an institution laying a foundation of harmony between the rich and the poor, different ethnicities and races and a symbol of team work.

Emmitt Smith the person

Becoming the National Football Leagues all time greatest rusher and an important part of the national culture was no fluke. "Emmitt James Smith III was born in Pensacola, Fla. On May 15, the second child of Mary and Emmitt Smith, Jr., weighing 6 pounds, 9 ounces." (USA Today) Smith's mother, Mary, was said to have given Emmitt his deep religious training as well as his internal respect for discipline. His father, Emmitt Jr. was forced to leave school to help support his invalid mother. This entailed his giving up promising high school football and basketball careers.

Emmitt Smith represented consistent performance. "Performance continually reconstitutes identity by rehearsing and transmitting meanings. To fix an exact meaning of identity through inactions is almost impossible for action always takes place in different spatio-temporal contexts, yet it is necessary to transmit a sense of continuity and coherence." (Edensor) There was a clear sign that Emmitt was going to be special in his very first official carry in a football game -- "Scores 70-yard touchdown on first snap in first youth league game, playing for Salvation Army." (USA Today)

Emmitt was one of the first ever freshmen to start on a varsity team at Escambia High School in 1983. The decision to start him was an instant success after he ran for 115 yards and scored two touchdowns on only eleven carries against Pensacola Catholic High School in the season's first game. During the rest of his freshman year, he was a major part of the team's first winning season in seven years. During his next year, Escambia escalated to a 3-A state championship and Smith rushed for 2,424 yards and 26 touchdowns.

His junior year was even better as Escambia had a record of 14-1 and won their second straight state championship. Smith again had unbelievable rushing statistics considering that every team they faced focused on stopping him. He finished the season with a state record of 2,918 yards and that made him Florida's all-time leading rusher with his senior year to go. The senior year was no disappointment because he rushed for 1,937 yards, scored 28 touchdowns and had a nation high 8.6 yards per carry average. To add to his accomplishments and to help college recruiters salivate, Escambia High School obtained its first ever number one ranking in the entire nation.

As can be expected for 1984-5, Emmitt Smith was the number one recruitment prospects in the entire country fro every major university and college football program. It was said that during his senior season, college recruiters were pursuing him harder than the other team's defenses. His High school statistics were a true sign of things to come:

YEAR

ATT.

YDS.

AVG.

TD

1983

1,525

5.9

19

1984

2,424

8.2

26

1985

2,918

8.2

33

1986

1,937

8.6

28

Totals

1,127

8,804

7.8

He was "named High School Player of the Year by USA TODAY and Parade magazine. Represents nation's prep football players at the White House as part of "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign." (USA Today) From there, the University of Florida was the lucky recipient of the Emmitt Smith lottery. There, Smith continued on with his gridiron consistency and set fifty eight school football records. "As freshman at University of Florida, surpasses 1,000-yard rushing mark in seventh game -- faster than any player in college football history." (USA Today)

There was no doubt he was going to be a big addition to some professional football team while at Florida. He ended up on America's team, the Dallas Cowboys in 1990. He was very instrumental in improving the Cowboys from his rookie year on. "Selected by Dallas Cowboys with first-round pick in NFL draft. Notched first NFL 100-yard rushing game vs. Tampa Bay (Oct. 7). Named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and became first Cowboys player named to Pro-Bowl since Herschel Walker in 1988." (USA Today)

The team, with Smith's help, ended up winning three straight Super Bowl games and in 1995 he set the all-time NFL record for touchdowns in a single season which was twenty five. He also holds the record for most career rushing touchdowns which is one hundred twenty five. To match his High school and college accomplishments and not to be outdone by the late great Walter Payton, Smith became the National Football League's all-time leading rusher in 2002. "Each season, Smith wrote his goals, and his numbers added up. He is the only player to win the NFL rushing title and the Super Bowl in the same season - achieving it three times (1992, 1993 and 1995). When he retired in February 2005, after 15 years in the NFL, he held records for consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with 11, rushing touchdowns with 164 (he scored 175 overall, second to Jerry Rice) and rushing attempts with 4,409." (Schwartz)

Emmitt Smith throughout his professional career was never linked to any scandals, he was not arrested for crazy indiscretions and he was not seen as a loud mouth show off. There were never any ridiculous scandals or bad media coverage for Emmitt Smith. By all intense and purpose, he was just what everyone thought he was -- a dedicated athlete. He married Patricia Southall who was the ex-wife of comedian Martin Lawrence in 2000. Martin Lawrence was actually said to have attended the marriage because of how nice the couple was. Smith and Southall had a son and heir named Emmitt IV who was born on his father's 33rd birthday. Smith also had a daughter named Rheagen with a previous ex-girlfriend named Hope Wilson.

The Dallas Cowboys

Emmitt Smith is important to our culture. "Nowhere in our culture has our instinct for freedom, or the utopian impulse, been expressed more consistently than in our fascination with the cowboy Western. Who was the cowboy and how did he enter our consciousness? In the three decades after the Civil War, British and U.S. capital created corporations to profit from the free grass of the Great Plains formerly grazed by buffalo. They hired cowboys to tend and herd cattle on their ranges and drive them to railhead markets." (Weston) When one thinks of modern cowboys however, Emmitt Smith's professional football career comes to mind. One most ask different questions than when thinking about just ordinary athletes.

A better question for Emmitt Smith is: what is it like being the best player on the nations' most popular team? "First, he'll obviously be the NFL rushing champ. That has a lot to do with his durability, the style of offense and a whole lot of other complicated jazz, but that doesn't tarnish the feat. Second, in case you've forgotten -- which surprises me considering what a bunch of nostalgia whores you Poke fans tend to be, what with your incessant talk of America's Team and its organizational excellence over the years -- there's going to be a big silver-and-metallic-blue star stamped on that record, and so part of it will be yours by default" (Gonzalez)

That is what Emmitt Smith was for many years a durable hard working football player. Emmitt Smith played all but two of his professional football seasons on the Dallas Cowboys. "The NFL's Dallas Cowboys have been characterized as America's team, thanks to their winning ways and their once squeaky clean image. Their immense popularity comes largely from their success, for the team has won five Super Bowls. The stability of the organization has also been unique. The team has had only three owners and four head coaches, Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, and Chan Gailey. The first three men led the Cowboys to Super Bowl wins. Landry established himself as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Football League. Star players also established the Cowboy's legacy." (St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture).

There is no doubt that the Dallas Cowboys were a major part of our nation's cultural development. "U.S. team-sports leagues are monopolies. As such, they maximize their profits by reducing the supply of franchises below the demand for franchises from economically viable cities." (Rich) This entails that Emmitt Smith, the Cowboy Cheerleaders and the who's who list of teammates and team illuminists were all a big part of America becoming what it has become. It was more than the team winning several Super Bowls or Emmitt Smith winning the Super Bowl Most Valuable player award. It was that our nation either loved or hated the cowboys and their stars. Emmitt and the team gave us an out from our daily problems and our likes and dislikes about the day-to-day.

Conclusion

In conclusion, on February 3, 2005, Emmitt Smith signed a ceremonial contract with the Dallas Cowboys and at the same time announced his retirement. It is only a matter of the standard waiting period before he will be indoctrinated into the National Football Leagues Hall of Fame. As noted, I have been a big fan of the Cowboys and Emmitt Smith for years. Some say that because he is 'merely' a football player that he is no of any significance in our culture. But, this essay aimed to prove otherwise -- Emmitt Smith was and will continue to be a cultural icon for his many achievements both on and off of the gridiron. "As a child, Smith idolized the Chicago Bears great and often watched films of him. In the 1990s, the two became friends. After Payton's death in 1999, Smith has stayed close with the family. When he received the Spirit of Sweetness Award from the Walter Payton Cancer Fund in July 2002, Smith broke down in tears." (Schwartz)