Ellis calls Raiders "laughingstock of league"

[Alexander]

Ellis calls Raiders "laughingstock of league"
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on October 16, 2009 11:10 AM ET
The Raiders are getting it from all sides this week. Including the inside.

In the same week that Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce said playing against the Raiders "felt like a scrimmage," Raiders defensive end Greg Ellis spoke about Oakland's place in the NFL.

"The mood we're going to be in or should be in, right now we're kind of the laughingstock of the NFL," Ellis said Thursday.

The Raiders are using Pierce's words as motivation this week, posting his comments outside the locker room door and inside the locker room. Raiders coach Tom Cable addressed the issue of fighting back in a long post-practice meeting Wednesday.

"This isn't anything new. Teams have been that way before," Ellis said. "New England wasn't always winning Super Bowls and Dallas wasn't always the team they are. So, it goes in cycles. When you're in that down cycle, you got to fight and claw to get back out of it and that's what we're doing here right now in Oakland."

Ellis is living up to his end of the bargain, with four sacks in five games. And he appears to be one of the veterans on the team with the right attitude to turn things around.

But getting fired up isn't even half the battle. Even if the team plays with more Raider pride this Sunday, it's hard to imagine Oakland turning their fortunes around against Philadelphia's blitzing defense with JaMarcus Russell at quarterback.
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Phone call for you Mister Ellis. Mister Davis would like to speak to you in his [strike]crypt[/strike] office. Bring your playbook.

 

[SDogo]

Scrimmage for the Giants......we would of been down by 10 at halftime.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

while I do not begrudge Ellis for doing what HE felt he needed to do to secure his financial future. It is just amazing that as fans, we tend to believe that winning the Super Bowl is an obsession for players, because it is for US! But it is not, him going to Oakland is proof that guys above all else want their MONEY. Not saying this is right or wrong, but I have a hard time understanding how anyone associated with the worst decade in franchise history could have so much energy to focus on something other than winning. Which is the BIGGEST reason Dallas has gone so long without a playoff victory. It would be one thing if we were just terrible, like Oakland. But there have plenty of teams in Dallas this decade that were good enough to win a playoff game. Sorry, Greg, have little sympathy for you or TO!!!!!!

 

[daschoo]

while I do not begrudge Ellis for doing what HE felt he needed to do to secure his financial future. It is just amazing that as fans, we tend to believe that winning the Super Bowl is an obsession for players, because it is for US! But it is not, him going to Oakland is proof that guys above all else want their MONEY.

this seems to be becoming more common throughout sports unfortunately. i know for example my team who are always in the hunt for trophies and medals but because we play in the scottish league we often lose out on signing players because they can get an extra couple of thousand on their wage to play for a relegation threatened team in england.

 

[Vtwin]

And he appears to be one of the veterans on the team with the right attitude to turn things around.

　
Hmmmmm..... I thought he was a whining cancer and the cause of all the problems that TO wasn't causing.
　

But it is not, him going to Oakland is proof that guys above all else want their MONEY.

　
Was he given a chance to stay in Dallas?

 

[tyke1doe]

while I do not begrudge Ellis for doing what HE felt he needed to do to secure his financial future. It is just amazing that as fans, we tend to believe that winning the Super Bowl is an obsession for players, because it is for US! But it is not, him going to Oakland is proof that guys above all else want their MONEY. Not saying this is right or wrong, but I have a hard time understanding how anyone associated with the worst decade in franchise history could have so much energy to focus on something other than winning. Which is the BIGGEST reason Dallas has gone so long without a playoff victory. It would be one thing if we were just terrible, like Oakland. But there have plenty of teams in Dallas this decade that were good enough to win a playoff game. Sorry, Greg, have little sympathy for you or TO!!!!!!

The Bible says "Pride goes before a Fall."

I think we underestimate how much pride is so engrained in us that even when we know we're doing wrong (whether the decisions involve football or life) we continue to do the wrong thing because somehow we think right will come from it.

Add to that if you're powerful, rich or famous and your deception is that much greater.

Al really believes he can turn this franchise around. He believes his way is the right way and because it worked in the past, it will work in the future. He believes it's not him, it's the coaches or the players and if he just gets the right coach and the right players he can get it done.

Unfortunately, Jerry Jones is the same way. And despite double-digit seasons of not winning a playoff game, the next season is always the season that will prove that your patience and perservance was the right course of action.

 

[Sarge]

I really could give a rats *** what Greg Ellis has to say.

 

[juck]

this seems to be becoming more common throughout sports unfortunately. i know for example my team who are always in the hunt for trophies and medals but because we play in the scottish league we often lose out on signing players because they can get an extra couple of thousand on their wage to play for a relegation threatened team in england.

ur team finishes 1st or 2nd every year dude.You have had very good players as well.