FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Emmitt Smith explained his diamond-among-trash comment about last year's Dallas Cowboys season Saturday, saying he meant the behavior of some players.

"That statement meaning, like, the Cowboys is a diamond organization; the trash is the way that we played," Smith said after the Arizona Cardinals intrasquad scrimmage.

"The way we played did not represent that organization all that well last year, and the way some of the players acted did not represent what that organization deserved."

The NFL career rushing leader told a Sports Illustrated writer that last season was the worst of his 13 years with the Cowboys.

"It felt like being a diamond surrounded by trash," Smith was quoted as saying.

The Cowboys visit Tempe, Ariz., on Aug. 9 for an exhibition game with the Cardinals, but there was little indication the remark would spark a vendetta.

Nobody lashed out when asked for comment at the Cowboys training camp, and owner Jerry Jones, who made the decision to let Smith walk away, said the future Pro Football Hall of Fame back did enough for the organization to be able to say what he thinks.

Smith believes his former teammates understand what he meant.

I've got a tremendous amount of respect for some of the players down there, especially Mr. Jones and his family, so it's not anything like that," Smith said. "He (the writer) had to write whatever he had to write just to create a controversy."