Emmitt Smith: Pro Football Hall of Famer

0:00Sierra has all the best active and outdoor brands you need. From athletic stuff, like a full-court pickup game, swish, to athletic-ish stuff, like a half-mile stroll. Get those steps in! And for morning hikes up the mountain trail, good pace, to nighttime ghost stories from the camping chair. What a twist! Whatever level of active, Sierra loves it all. Head to Sierra or Sierra.com for the brands you want at the prices that let you do it all. From athletic to athletic-ish, Sierra's got it. This week, a name synonymous with the Dallas Cowboys, Emmitt Smith. I played for the organization that I always wanted to play for, in a sport that I absolutely loved.

0:40The NFL's all-time leading rusher says nothing could keep him from football as a kid, including his father. Why'd your dad not want you to play football? He knew how physically demanding the sport really was on the body. The Hall of Famer reflects on the most heart-wrenching day of his iconic career. It broke my heart so much, I cried for almost 30 minutes sitting in my locker. And an unforgettable moment with his football idol. All of a sudden, Walter Payton shows up, right over my head, whispering in my ear, you're going to be okay. We begin with Smith opening up about how his post-football plan has led him to a successful career off the field.

1:21I wanted to start by, you know, talking business. obviously that's where your head's at now, and that's what's consuming a large majority of your time. But I want to take you back to when you were really young. You go to your Pop Warner coach's house, and you see blueprints on the table. How did that impact you? I think it has impacted me in a way that has opened my mind truly. And this is what he did for me. I mean, he opened my mind to truly what life could be like without football and so I started thinking about okay in my mind I already said to myself football is going to end at some point all I wanted to go on and do the things that I've been able to do thus far through my sport and and I wanted to transition that into something bigger not knowing what bigger was until I met Staubach not knowing what bigger was until I met Irving Johnson not knowing what bigger was till I met other former athletes who had transitioned into Michael Jordan and others who was transitioning over into the world of entrepreneurship as well as free enterprise.

2:34When I saw that, then I understood that I had the capabilities of doing the same thing. And you had some businesses during your playing career, but it's really taken off post-career. I wonder, how does your enthusiasm for business compare to the and enthusiasm that you had for playing football? You know, I would say they probably won in the same. Really? In the context of excitement, the thrill of the chase, and the agony of defeat. So it's never good to lose an opportunity, and it's never good to disappoint someone that you're working with either. So just like in football, it is you letting down the fans.

3:21And not only letting down the fans, but letting down your teammates and your organization. In business, you're hurting families. You're hurting other businesses. So it's a lot more real. You know, fans, on the other hand, yeah, their feelings get hurt. But in business, livelihoods can change for the better or for the worse. So it's a little different. But they both kind of parallel each other. You mentioned Roger Staubach. You also mentioned Irvin Johnson or Magic, and he's obviously the most notable example of business success, at least publicly among professional athletes. But Staubach created a massive business empire for himself, sold it not too long ago for hundreds of millions of dollars, former Cowboys quarterback.

4:13explain why you reached out to him early on in your career as you grew up you encounter people that give you tad bits of wisdom along the way and along the way I've learned and this came when I'll be when I when I was a professional athlete through a marketing guy Warner Scott at the time he said always surround yourself with people who are smarter than you but most importantly you better learn from them along the way. And so learning from others along the way and having a connection with Roger Starback and having a connection with the Irvin Johnson, but most importantly, having a guy that I was working for, like a Jerry Jones, who was able to allow me to sit down in his office and listen at some of his business conversations was paramount for me.

5:04And, you know, having this opportunity to have a dialogue with Roger and understand what he did actually just said to me, yes, I can do it. The question becomes not how you go about it. Well, it's a how and a when. How you go about doing it and when you do it. investing in yourself after football is more critical than investing in others while you're playing football. I believe you both interned and actually did work for Roger. What did you learn from him? Well, I learned that some people talk about culture. Some people live culture. Roger Starback is a person that lives culture. How so? His organization

5:58personifies greatness and ethical, caring, sharing. That's just the way everybody operated within that organization. Now, granted, there are some that probably didn't do everything that the Roger Starback way because everybody wants to put their thumbprints on certain things, and they may have the right to do that. But he was doing it right at the top, and you saw it trickle. Yeah, at the top, he got it right, and it trickled his weight now. And that's why he was so respected in the marketplace and did such a great job. So you've obviously had the chance to start several companies. Tell about the cliff notes of each of your companies.

6:56Okay. East Memphis Legacy is a full-service real estate development company, and we truly focus on retail, multifamily, and hospitality. We go find a location in, let's just say a trade area that we're willing to work in, and that may have some services there but may need some additional services. We occupy some land. Then we'll come in and get it, obviously, entitled. We'll take it through this entire process, and then we'll start the development once we have tenants lined up for the property. That's development business. And we'll collect a fee. Then we'll collect a promoter on the backside with other people money.

7:38Other people money. OPA. OPM. Or what they say, are you down with OPP? This is OPM. Other people money. And so that's the development business. Then I have East Smith Realty Partners, which is a servicing business. It's very similar to the Staback Company. We represent tenants across the country. And then there's E.J. Smith Construction. We are general contractors in the sense of the word. We focus on concrete placement, place and finish work. We're in a space of commercial construction as well as civil construction. And then I have Prova. I want to change the world of authentication. I honestly believe that there are folks out there that are spending significant capital on what they perceive to be real sports memorabilia merchandise.

8:31And the tools that they currently have right now to me are way outdated. I think technology has caught it to the point where we're able to put smart tags on items and add statistical data, add video data, including the point of when the item itself was authenticated and, matter of fact, autographed, if you will. Wow. And so, you know, And you have firsthand experience with that. Yes, I do. Understanding the importance of actually, you know, having the autographs be real. Without a doubt. Not having. Without a doubt. If someone's going to go out and pay, matter of fact, I saw something on Facebook.

9:11And they were talking about my autograph, and it was on a helmet. And I looked at the autograph, and it was like my son drew it. And I was like, this is not my signature. And so I had to reply back to it like, this is not my signature. Please don't buy it. How much of a challenge is access to capital? You know, when you don't have a true track record, access to capital is extremely tough. because you haven't proven yourself, if you will, in the marketplace. And even the wealthy man like yourself, when you get into tens of millions of dollars, money can only go so far. And you want to, as you said, OPM, right?

9:49Other people's money. That's one thing I've learned over the last 23 years, 24 years, if you will. OPM. People use OPM money. And at the end of the day, whether it's a real estate transaction or you go talk to a venture capitalist that believes in the Prova platform and what it's all about and the opportunity that lies there, if the space is big enough for them and they trust who you are and the team that you actually have that's working, that can execute against that space, then people invest in you. But it's always a challenge. Sometimes you go to, what I found is you go to people, they say, well, you're thinking too small.

10:30Then you go to others, they say, you're thinking too big. So you got to find the right one that understands that you know your space very well. You're focused, you're committed, and you can execute against your game plan and bring this opportunity to the market, whether it's in real estate or whether it's in technology. Either way it goes, it's the same philosophy. What do you think you personally have the most room for growth in when it comes to your own just professional development business-wise? Oh, I have so much room for growth, whether it's in the areas of truly understanding every aspect of my business.

11:08That's always been a goal. Just like I did in football, understanding when our quarterback should be checking out of a run play and going to a pass play, and perhaps what pass play he should be going to. And understanding when we should be checking out of a pass play and running the ball, and what run play we should be running. So reading those kind of things and understanding our offenses, to me, is like understanding business from business 101 to the highest level of business. And then it becomes how you interact with people, how you make people feel when you're trying to work with them. And not only that, but when you have a directive and you have to execute against that directive and how well you execute against it.

11:52It becomes performance then. I want to take you back to when you were growing up. Your father drove a bus for the city. Right. Your mom was a document clerk. You lived in the projects in Pensacola, Florida. How aware were you of how little money your family had when you were growing up? I wasn't that aware at all, to be honest with you, because how can you be aware of something when you've never been exposed to the other? Your experience in life is only limited to your knowledge base. And my knowledge base right there, I felt like I had the world. I was comfortable with that. And then Charlie Edgar blew that smoke, blew it wide open.

12:29And by doing such, it really elevated my mind to the possibilities. And that being your coach. My coach when I was 12 years old. When I stayed over his house and their house was 3 ,600 square feet, and I thought it was a pretty good big house at that time, I got a chance to see how others lived and how we lived. there was nothing wrong with the way we live outside of not knowing that there was something different. But that changed. That changed. My mom and dad was able to move us out. And my grandfather was very instrumental in helping us do such. And we moved into our own home. So, So, but seeing that and realizing that that too is attainable gave me fuel to want to go and do good.

13:22And I think that's the problem with some of our kids right now. They're limited in their thinking because they're not exposed to really what the possibilities are. I often say that people in the urban neighborhoods, they're not looking for a handout. They're looking for a hand up. They want somebody to give them an opportunity so they can go and prove themselves. And if they do that, they're willing to earn it. They're willing to go out there and fight and do what they need to do to earn the right to earn that opportunity. But if you're telling them no, you can't. You only can go so far. Frustration sets in.

14:00You lived in a two-bedroom home with your parents, your three brothers, your two sisters. I'd imagine you lived in court. Actually, it was a three-bedroom home. Three-bedroom. My sister had her own room, and then my three brothers and I, we all slept in the same room. That was nice. What do you think, though, having gone through the kind of tough times growing up, taught you about fiscal responsibility? You know, the one thing that we didn't really talk about was financial literacy at that time, because we had so little. But my grandfather always told me to save my money. But he only was limited in his capacity, because the dollars that I saw were significant capital.

14:44But in this world that we call the financial world, you have to have a minimum of$50 ,000 to invest in anything just about. And so not having the ability to sit around the room and have dialogue about how you save money, what you invest in, and all those kind of things was something that was not readily available in my household. I did not get exposed to that until I became a Dallas Cowboy and I got my first check. Wow. Then I'm sitting here talking to my financial advisors, and they're talking to me about a balanced asset allocation. What the heck that really means? Well, that means we're going to put some of your money in bonds, we're going to put some of your money in stocks, and we're going to do this.

15:28We're going to put some of your money in alternative investments. What the heck is an alternative investment? Okay, it's a little bit more riskier than stocks and bonds. Okay, real estate, venture capital kind of stuff, et cetera, et cetera. That's really what the trailer tuning meant. And understanding what that situation was all about helped me understand truly that it's not all about how hard you work. Sometimes it's about how smart you work. And at the end of the day, your money can truly work as hard as you can and work even smarter than you can in some cases. Why did you used to turn your shirt and pants inside out?

16:12Because my mom used to play football after we'd get out of school, and I used to come home with my clothes dirty. And my mom said, I bet I'd never do that again. So I figured I would get smart, turn the jeans, pants inside out, turn the clothes inside out, then turn them inside out before I went back home, and everything looked like it was pretty normal. You ever get caught? I'm sure she knew exactly what was happening. I mean, we couldn't afford to have replacement stuff, I'm out here damaging the items. Why did your dad not want you to play football? I think my father didn't want me to play football because he knew how physically demanding the sport really was on the body.

16:56My father sustained a knee injury. And at the time, I mean, before he sustained his knee injury, I was told, and people oftentimes tell me this, he was the best running back in the city of Pensacola. And so, and to this day, that same knee, which he just had replaced, had four knee replacement surgery about two months ago in June, was bothering him. And so now he has a new knee, and he's moving on with his life now. But I think that experience that he had, he didn't want none of his kids to go through it. And so fortunately, my mom wanted us to have a complete experience. How can you deter somebody from their passion?

17:46And so at the end of the day, it worked out. Well, it's surprising because it's usually the other way around. It's usually the mom saying, no, no, no, we don't want a little so-and-so. My mom loved football more than I did. My mom was a football fanatic. She loved the sport of football. And my mom probably believed that her son could do anything in football. Really? Yes. So when you and your dad are awaiting your certain election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, what does he say to you in a private moment? In a private moment, my father tells me, he says, Son, you're doing the things that I wanted to do.

18:31He said, you're living my dream. And that's really one of the first times that he truly opened up like that. And it was kind of cool to see, but it was heartfelt because I knew that he had played the sport and it had to be hard on him to watch his son go out and become that individual that he really wanted to become. And so he probably looked back over his life. I can only imagine he probably looking over his life, thinking about what his life could have been. I was just hoping that he's proud that I was able to pick up the mantle where he left off at and carried further and do the things. And I think the Hall of Fame solidified that for him.

19:18Well, and you spoke about that conversation a little in your, you know, Hall of Fame acceptance speech. but you know it got to you then and you can even see now talking to you it touches you yeah it does what is it about that because the situation that because the human spirit itself is such a powerful thing and I am the descendant of my father my father was given a considerable amount of talent and so was I and I'm just thankful that I didn't squander it and and was able to to maximize it to its fullest. And I'm still trying to maximize it to this day, because the things that my father did not have access to, I now have access to.

20:02The things that I may not have access to, I'm hoping that my kids will have access to in the future, and so forth. I think that's the evolution of a people. That's the evolution of a country. If you're not making it better, you're making it worse. How true is it that when you were growing up and playing sports that your mom would sometimes have to bring your birth certificate because people wouldn't believe that you were the same age as their kids? Yeah, that's very true because I was a pretty thick, strong, strong kid. And yes, I was a little bit bigger than most. And I was well coordinated. I was extremely coordinated.

20:47I mean, you're telling somebody I can throw a football. I probably could have got into the punt kick and pass, the pass kick and punt contest and done very well. Because I could throw a football at a young age, 45, 50 yards. Wow. Yeah, I mean, I could sling it. And I could run. I could catch. I could catch with one hand. I knew how to tackle. I was real aggressive. I was a real aggressive football player. and I knew what to do with the football once I got it in my hand. You did not have to tell me what to do with it. You get it put in my hand, I knew what to do with it. It came so natural and you could see the instincts instantly.

21:31And, I mean, it wasn't just limited to football either because I think you were leading the county in scoring in basketball in your eighth grade year, yet you end up stopping playing to run track. Yeah. Because it could help you better in football, is that right? Yeah, most definitely. I mean, like you said, I did lead the county in basketball. I was pretty decent. I really was. I was pretty decent. Of course, I could jump out the roof. I could almost dunk a basketball in the eighth grade. And so, but once I got to high school. And you weren't even 5 '10". Yeah, I was about 5 '9 and a half. In the eighth grade, I remember being measured at five, nine and a half in eighth grade.

22:17Wow. And I haven't grown since.

22:22So I grew early and stopped. Everybody else kept growing. And so, but I remember when I got to high school, I was going to go out for basketball. And Coach Norm Ross told me, he said, listen, son, I've seen you play football. He said, you probably would have a better chance of going places in football than basketball. He said, because I made the varsity squad. He said, now, you made the squad, but I'm not going to play you that much because I don't want you to get hurt on my watch. He said, so I recommend you go on the track, work with your speed, do the things that are complementary to football.

23:01And I did do that, but I yearned to play basketball. The Cowboys scout that was instrumental in drafting you wrote in his report that you would someday make Cowboys fans forget about the Hall of Famer, Tony Dorsett, who used to run for them. And then draft day comes, and you're expected to go very high. Tell about what happens and then the call you get from the coach, Jimmy Johnson. Well, you know, every player comes out and there's these experts that have their mock drafts. And I was projected to go in the top 10. And so looking at the top 10 at that time, I thought I had a chance to go to Tampa Bay, which was obviously only two and a half or an hour and a half from Gainesville, which made sense to me.

23:57I thought I had a chance. If I didn't go there, I thought I would have a chance to go to Seattle and play out in Seattle. And so when the top five went by and Tampa Bay passed me over, then Seattle passed me over, then the top ten went by, I did not know what was going to happen. I didn't know. I started to get very nervous because I wanted to go in the top ten. Then I fell back to the 17th pick. And by that time, the Cowboys made a trade. And I got a call from Jimmy saying, we're going to draft you. And how would you like to wear a star on your helmet? And it was like a dream come true for me.

24:43Because I loved the Cowboys when I was seven years old, and I still love them to this day. So no offense to Arizona, but being out there, the bidwills, they always treated me with respect. They took care of me. I loved them and still do to this day. Respect them wholeheartedly. But coming back in Texas Stadium and playing as an Arizona Cardinal versus playing as a Dallas Cowboy absolutely broke my heart. It shattered it. And I knew right then and there. And why did that affect you so much? Because for 13 years, I had got dressed in the home locker room. For 13 years, I played on Thanksgiving Day.

25:22For 13 years, I played for the organization that I always wanted to play for in a sport that I absolutely loved. A sport that I believe chose me and a sport that, to me... Sierra has all the best active and outdoor brands you need. From athletic stuff, like a full-court pickup game, swish, to athletic-ish stuff, like a half-mile stroll. Get those steps in. And for morning hikes up the mountain trail, good pace. It's a nighttime ghost choice from the camping chair. What a twist. Whatever level of active, Sierra loves it all. Head to Sierra or Sierra.com for the brands you want at the prices that let you do it all.

26:04From athletic to athletic-ish, Sierra's got it.

26:11Is everything that any person wants to learn about life must play. because football is one of those life sports. It teaches you about sacrifices and not only commitment and getting knocked down and getting back up and having the confidence that you need. It teaches you how to overcome obstacles and challenges and injuries and so forth, how to push through injuries and so on. And it's the thrill of the victory and the agony of defeat. It's all of those things. It teaches you how to be humble because you have to forget about what you did the year before, and you have to start over every year to chase after that ring every year.

26:54And you have to work hard. Your work ethic has to be on point from start to finish throughout the entire offseason. And you have to take care of your body. You have to get rest. You have to make those personal sacrifices of some of the things that you really want to do you know that you cannot do because you have to take care of this temple that God has blessed you with to go out there and do your job to the best of your ability. All of those things. And that day, getting dressed in the visitor's locker room. Hardly ever been in the visitor's locker room in 13 years. I'm walking into the visitor's locker room, and I'm sitting in my locker, and I'm thinking that my team is on the other side of the wall.

27:37And I could not get over that. It broke my heart so much, I cried for almost 30 minutes sitting in my locker while all my other Cardinal teammates was walking around looking at me like, wow. I cried like a baby. And went on the field and got hurt and came back in, and it was like, hmm, this just didn't work out well. Yeah. And so the only thing I could think of was honoring out my commitment because my mom and many coaches finish what you start. And that's what I wanted to do for the Cardinals. I wanted to finish what I started with the Arizona Cardinals. I wanted to honor out my contract, which I did.

28:23And what I'm thankful of is I gave them everything I had left. And what I'm proud of the fact is I ended my last football season the same way I started it. 930-some-odd yards to the number. How bitter were you that the Cowboys released you before that? I wasn't bitter at all. You weren't? No, because I knew I wanted to continue to play. I felt like I still had something to prove. I wasn't bitter that the fact that I knew Jerry had to make a tough decision. They wanted to go younger with Troy Hambrick, who was stronger, faster, bigger, back than I was, and I understood it. It was just business at that time.