After Smith ripped Snyder in a recent magazine interview, the Redskins¡¯ owner issued a tongue-in-cheek statement disputing the claim and even referencing the Hall of Fame running back¡¯s 2006 ¡°Dancing with the Stars¡± victory.

¡°I applaud Emmitt Smith¡¯s induction into the NFL Hall of Fame (this summer) and, from what I understand, he¡¯s a heck of a dancer,¡± Snyder said Saturday in the statement. ¡°I think we¡¯ve only met once briefly at an NFL function in 2000. I will say, however, that I like to think of myself as being a compassionate person, except toward the Dallas Cowboys.¡±

Smith, who spent 13 seasons with the Cowboys, told SLAM magazine that beating the NFC East rival Redskins was made sweeter because of his distaste for Snyder.

¡°I loved it with a passion,¡± said Smith, the NFL¡¯s career rushing leader. ¡°And I loved it more when Daniel Snyder got the team, for a number of reasons. I did. Because here is a guy who thought he could build a football team just because he has the money to buy players. There¡¯s more to it than that. And he¡¯s not a compassionate person, not a compassionate person at all from what I understand. And that makes me just want to pummel somebody.

¡°You know, you hate to see pride, wearing itself on his forehead and his chest. And to me, arrogance sticks out like a sore thumb when you talk about him. And the lack of compassion for others is a problem. Because it¡¯s not that hard to be compassionate; you just choose to.¡±