RECAP: Greg Ellis with BaD Radio on The Ticket...

[Hoov]

Not going to argue about is Greg a ggod guy or not, or if its about the money or not...that's already been done.

I think he is actually going to be ok and play well. After reading the recap i'm honing in on things he said about not wanting to get embarassed on TV, not wanting to loet the team down and so forth...... he reminds me of a good freind of mine.

every job interview he goes for, he gets.....but he frets and worries to the point where he can not function a day and a half before the interview, he doesnt eat, he cant plan anything, he takes the whole day off and just sits at the house because he's got all this stuff on his mind about what could go wrong, and he's got to plan everything perfectly. and he's really smart, hard worker, team player.....but he HATES change, he gets really nervous about change, his whole life is the same routine week after week.....

to me that is boring, i like constant chnage, i need constant stimulation, i take on more than i can/should handle and push through, i get into drama and chaos because i can thrive in that. i go nuts when life slows down.

But some people are just like that, loathe to change, they get all upended and nervous and become completely unsettled if anyone rocks the boat a little. So i think that is where Ellis is at. I think even if he felt 90% good about playing OLB, he would still talk about his concerns and his worries due to the 10% of him that is uncertain. I think until he feels that he is in control and knows that he has the position locked down he will continue to come off as being a negative nancy. But i think he is more comfortable about his ability than he lets on and think he is going to contribute and be an imprtant peice to this defense.

 

[Doomsday101]

Apparently you weren't listening to a thing Coach Parcells said about the difference between what he was doing as a DE and what he will be doing as a LOLB in the 3-4.

I suggest you listen to that PC. Maybe then you will realize your stance here has virtually no legs to stand on.



Taylor did it last year, as has been pointed out before. He didn't like it and that was perfectly acceptable. He did not demand a "commitment". Big difference. You want to discuss class? That was class.

I heard the press conferance and for the most part many of the things he has done in the past he will continue to do he has also in practice been asked to drop into coverages which is something he has not done. As for Taylor good for him not my concern he is not a member of his team but it is good to know he has shown class.

 

[Alexander]

Who says that Lousaka hasn't resisted the change???

He might have. When Lousaka goes on the radio, repeatedly over the space of a year and has his media friends writing articles about how unfairly he is being treated, I'll feel the same way.

I think Greg is making an effort to change his position.

And I commend him for making the effort on the field.

 

[diamond cutter]

Not going to argue about is Greg a ggod guy or not, or if its about the money or not...that's already been done.

I think he is actually going to be ok and play well. After reading the recap i'm honing in on things he said about not wanting to get embarassed on TV, not wanting to loet the team down and so forth...... he reminds me of a good freind of mine.

every job interview he goes for, he gets.....but he frets and worries to the point where he can not function a day and a half before the interview, he doesnt eat, he cant plan anything, he takes the whole day off and just sits at the house because he's got all this stuff on his mind about what could go wrong, and he's got to plan everything perfectly. and he's really smart, hard worker, team player.....but he HATES change, he gets really nervous about change, his whole life is the same routine week after week.....

to me that is boring, i like constant chnage, i need constant stimulation, i take on more than i can/should handle and push through, i get into drama and chaos because i can thrive in that. i go nuts when life slows down.

But some people are just like that, loathe to change, they get all upended and nervous and become completely unsettled if anyone rocks the boat a little. So i think that is where Ellis is at. I think even if he felt 90% good about playing OLB, he would still talk about his concerns and his worries due to the 10% of him that is uncertain. I think until he feels that he is in control and knows that he has the position locked down he will continue to come off as being a negative nancy. But i think he is more comfortable about his ability than he lets on and think he is going to contribute and be an imprtant peice to this defense.

I think you are right on with this one. I think when Greg states his concerns, it can be interpretted by some to be a "malcontent." I think his actions are showing that he is committed, but he is still articulating his fears. Alexander is right though that he should be more confident, however I think it would be extremely difficult to be confident about being the "old dog learning new tricks." in your contract year.

 

[superpunk]

So then, your in favor of trading the guy yes?

I really don't remember saying that. I don't like the negative attention from TO either, but I'm not in favor of trading him. However, if TO was whining about something and affecting the Cowboys, I would be completely in favor of him shutting the hell up. Just as I am with Greg.

 

[diamond cutter]

He might have. When Lousaka goes on the radio, repeatedly over the space of a year and has his media friends writing articles about how unfairly he is being treated, I'll feel the same way.



And I commend him for making the effort on the field.

That's my point. Nobody wants to talk to Lousaka -- If they did they might hear the same things. If he didn't have any guts, like you said previously, he wouldn't talk to anybody and would sulk in his locker.

 

[Alexander]

I think you are right on with this one. I think when Greg states his concerns, it can be interpretted by some to be a "malcontent." I think his actions are showing that he is committed, but he is still articulating his fears. Alexander is right though that he should be more confident, however I think it would be extremely difficult to be confident about being the "old dog learning new tricks." in your contract year.

It isn't his contract year. If he plays well, he gets practically every penny remaining in his contract.

In fact, if it was his contract year, I would fully understand his position.

He just doesn't get that he will not get the same treatment we foolishly gave to Aikman, Smith and Allen. We won't pay him as much dead money.

When this all first started, I wondered aloud if his contract has many incentives tied to playing time and so on. Nobody could answer me. If so, that changes my stance drastically.

But I am certain if it did, he would have mentioned something specifically about that instead of making vague references about possibly being like Kenard Lang, who incidentally landed on his feet quite nicely.

 

[Alexander]

That's my point. Nobody wants to talk to Lousaka -- If they did they might hear the same things. If he didn't have any guts, like you said previously, he wouldn't talk to anybody and would sulk in his locker.

I don't think Lousaka is actively seeking out radio interviews and bending the ear of his friends like Jean-Jacques Taylor and Kevin Blackistone like Ellis has either. He needs to get it together if he wants his "commitment".

 

[Hoov]

I think you are right on with this one. I think when Greg states his concerns, it can be interpretted by some to be a "malcontent." I think his actions are showing that he is committed, but he is still articulating his fears. Alexander is right though that he should be more confident, however I think it would be extremely difficult to be confident about being the "old dog learning new tricks." in your contract year.

well that and the fact that he's now in the mix with the LB's who are younger than him, and have played this position for years, so it's kind of like the old guy at the office having a team of new young high profile employess to work with, or something like that.

 

[Echo9]

An above average pass rusher will always have a job in the NFL. Even the mediocre ones still do based off their past history. Look at Marcellus Wiley. And as for the Kenard Lang example, he wasn't walking the streets like Freddie Mitchell, Denver snatched him right up. And I am sure if we cut Ellis next year, Denver would be there to collect our scraps just like they have for Ekuban and the rest of them.



If he agrees to stop going on the radio and talking about "commitments" and attempting to attract attention to himself like an insecure 10-year old, you have yourself a deal.

I think ALOT of people are missing the real point here. The REAL reason Ellis is speaking publicly about this whole thing.

He is being honest about his concerns about making the switch, and I really find very little wrong with that. He is in a situation that IF he can't adjust well enough he'll be cut.

The fact is he's making it public knowledge to 25 or so other teams out there that this is going on.

He's sending a message to other GM's: "Hey guys, If I suck this coming year you all better notice that I'm not being used properly"

That's the main objective here. And under the circumstances, I see nothing wrong with him doing that.

He's trying to avoid a label "Over 30 DE who had an off year" and replace it with "Over 30 DE who had an off year because he was used improperly."

What's wrong with hedging your bets?

Behind the scenes, Jerry is as much as admitting that Greg won't get his salary next year if 06 doesn't go a hoped. If that's the case, Ellis has a well publicized reason that will help him get more money from a different team.

I wouldn't be surprised if it this while thing was his agent's idea and actually has JJs and BP's blessing as well.

 

[diamond cutter]

It isn't his contract year. If he plays well, he gets practically every penny remaining in his contract.

In fact, if it was his contract year, I would fully understand his position.

He just doesn't get that he will not get the same treatment we foolishly gave to Aikman, Smith and Allen. We won't pay him as much dead money.

When this all first started, I wondered aloud if his contract has many incentives tied to playing time and so on. Nobody could answer me. If so, that changes my stance drastically.

But I am certain if it did, he would have mentioned something specifically about that instead of making vague references about possibly being like Kenard Lang, who incidentally landed on his feet quite nicely.

I keep reading that he is in his last year of his contract. Did I misread something? Because that would change my stance a little bit too. I don't think he would have a problem if he was let go, but I always gathered that he was afraid of riding pine and not being able to cash in this off season.

 

[JPostSam]

i have to say, i was down on ellis in the offseason -- but that was more for the way that he expressed himself (or had his agent express himself) than anything else. from the way this recap goes, it seems that he has expressed himself in a more reasonable manner, and without taking shots at parcells or jones. and he does seem to be trying hard to make the change work.

so... i, for one, will give him a break for now.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I really don't remember saying that. I don't like the negative attention from TO either, but I'm not in favor of trading him. However, if TO was whining about something and affecting the Cowboys, I would be completely in favor of him shutting the hell up. Just as I am with Greg.

I did not say you were in favor of it. I asked you a question. Are you in favor of him being traded. You are in favor of him shutting the hell up because you are a Cowboy fan. I understand that. TO is not a part of my question. I wished we would never have signed him and if he were gone tomorrow, I still be pissed he were here for as long as he was. That's here nor there. A different discussion. Ellis should shut up and play. That seems to be the sentimant. If he said, everything is great, I'm looking forward to this year and that was it, he'd probably be hailed as a concuring hero to the fan base. Because he is concerned about his situation and is talking about it, he's a POS. If he said everything were peaches and cream but ended up realeased a week before the season, everybody would say, that's the breaks and be done with it. It is unrealistic to have it as such. Players have the mic. They are interviewed for that reason. You gotta take the good with the bad. As long as the effort is there.........

He has not been a distraction to the team so I don't really know what harm his views have caused. When it's all said and done, he is the one who has the burden upon him. If he can make the change, he gets to keep his contract. If he can't, he's on the street.

 

[Alexander]

I wouldn't be surprised if it this while thing was his agent's idea and actually has JJs and BP's blessing as well.

If so, they are not doing a very good job of it.

Ellis needs to hire Rosenhaus if he wants to do it right.

 

[Alexander]

I keep reading that he is in his last year of his contract. Did I misread something? Because that would change my stance a little bit too. I don't think he would have a problem if he was let go, but I always gathered that he was afraid of riding pine and not being able to cash in this off season.

I think he is signed through 2008 or something like that.

I do know he is NOT in his contract year. He acts like it though.

 

[Vintage]

Ellis, despite his constant asking for a committment, is showing up and trying his hardest (from reports) to learn the new position.

I wouldn't put him in the same class as Owens.

If Owens blows up again, I will simply laugh. Most likely out of frusturation, but also bec. we deserve it too.

I hope Owens toes the company line.

But I know where I am putting my money on.

When it comes to Ellis, I will put my money on he won't be much of a problem, if any, at all.

Wish I could feel the same about Owens.

Hopefully my "thoughts" are wrong on Owens.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think ALOT of people are missing the real point here. The REAL reason Ellis is speaking publicly about this whole thing.

He is being honest about his concerns about making the switch, and I really find very little wrong with that. He is in a situation that IF he can't adjust well enough he'll be cut.

The fact is he's making it public knowledge to 25 or so other teams out there that this is going on.

He's sending a message to other GM's: "Hey guys, If I suck this coming year you all better notice that I'm not being used properly"

That's the main objective here. And under the circumstances, I see nothing wrong with him doing that.

He's trying to avoid a label "Over 30 DE who had an off year" and replace it with "Over 30 DE who had an off year because he was used improperly."

What's wrong with hedging your bets?

Behind the scenes, Jerry is as much as admitting that Greg won't get his salary next year if 06 doesn't go a hoped. If that's the case, Ellis has a well publicized reason that will help him get more money from a different team.

I wouldn't be surprised if it this while thing was his agent's idea and actually has JJs and BP's blessing as well.

And this is as intelligent a post as I've seen on this subject to date. Nice work.

 

[Doomsday101]

I think he is signed through 2008 or something like that.

I do know he is NOT in his contract year. He acts like it though.

Ellis, 30, isn't necessarily asking for more money, just a redistribution of the $12.15 million in base salaries he is due through the 2009 season. He would prefer that the Cowboys move some of the money from the base salaries in 2008 and 2009 forward, into a signing bonus, essentially guaranteeing he won't be released if the linebacker experiment doesn't work out. He is scheduled to earn base salaries of $2.25 million (2006), $2.5 million (2007), $3.3 million (2008) and $4.1 million (2009).

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2471271

I do agree with the Cowboys organization in not doing this, even though I do understand Ellis point of view.

 

[Alexander]

He's trying to avoid a label "Over 30 DE who had an off year" and replace it with "Over 30 DE who had an off year because he was used improperly."

So 31 other NFL teams are just blind and couldn't see this for themselves and need him to make it obvious?

 

[Echo9]

I think he is signed through 2008 or something like that.

I do know he is NOT in his contract year. He acts like it though.

Actually he's acting like a player that has a big roster bonus after this season and is concerned about not getting it, then being labeled as "done" and not being able to re-coup that money with another team.

Acting about right if you ask me.