SPORTSDAY

Posted by d-dog @ 4:40 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Little bobby should keep his mouth shut and learn from ellis how to play ball , he would've been a 2nd rounder if not for billy boy.

Posted by Vox Veritas @ 4:45 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

"Little Bobby" has a point. Ellis was hurting, but he all of a sudden got a lot better when Jones opened up his wallet. He's got a lot of nerve saying "I love to play football anyways". Ellis was dogging it, there's no other way to look at it.

Posted by riptorn @ 4:46 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Carpenter : how much money did Jerry pony up to get you to play special teams???

Posted by dave j @ 5:07 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Well, I thought Bobby was funny.

Posted by Saint Jimmy @ 5:08 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

If I was Carpenter I'd be pissed at Ellis too. All I'm tryin to do is do what the coaches tell me, try to get on the field, and battle through a torn leg muscle. And here's Greg with a itty-bitty pain in his ankle demanding more money or else he's just gonna sit around and collect his 2.5 million. Jerry shouldn't be surprised if everyone with an injury decides that they aren't capable of playing in the game.

Posted by ap @ 5:08 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Anyone have an audio/video clip?

Posted by jrs2300 @ 5:34 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Ellis is a fraud.. But who cares ITS NOT MY MONEY !!! or Tax payers Money for that fact.. Bobby needs to be Auditioning as Trade bait.. because right about now.. I would TRADE

BOBBY CARPENTER AND JULIUS JONES FOR YES... DEANGELO HALL AND WHATEVER !! GET THAT PRIME 3RD CORNER AND THIS DEFENSE CAN BE SO GOOD

Posted by DougO @ 5:37 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Sounds like a backhanded jab from Carpenter, who doesn't like the competition for playing time.

Trade him to the Bengals while he still has some value left.

Posted by darius @ 5:54 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Why all the hate on Bobby "Jesus was a" Carpenter? Did he stiff you guys on an autograph or something? Sounds like friendly banter to me, and Ellis is just a little sensitive (as we all know). When Mickey is ripping Ellis on the website, you know Ellis has lost some cred. In defense of Bobby as a pick, he was insurance for Ellis if his move to OLB did not work. But that move did work and Bobby is a man w/o a position b/c there are vets at all the other spots. Bobby will be fine. I can guarantee that if one of the ILB's goes down, we will need Bobby. Spencer was an insurance pick too. If Ellis could not recover, Spencer and Bobby would be splitting time. But since Ellis looked like he was going to be fine, they started Spencer to get his bearings and moved Bobby inside. Can't have enough LB's. We will need them all.

Posted by Bobby @ 5:58 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Bravo Bobby! It's about time someone call out Ellis for all his whining!

Posted by David @ 6:05 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

I like Ellis, but it does seem strange or coincidental that the contract was re-worked and boom the man is on the field making a sack. Not my issue and I am not sold on BC but maybe the comment was the truth being spoken and that is not actually doing someone wrong. Only Ellis knows what is true!

Posted by Jim in Austin @ 6:17 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

"Show me some love" sure does sound a lot like "Show me the money". I have always really liked Ellis as a player and he will greatly enhance the D, but my estimation of him as a person has taken some hits in the last few years.

Posted by dave j @ 6:27 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

As much as I love football, it is a business first and foremeost and Greg Ellis made a sound business decision for himself and his family.

For all the Ellis haters, I repeat - If you had an insurance policy that guaranteed you $10 million for not doing one bit of work versus busting your tail to earn the same money what would you choose? I'm pretty sure the slackers out there that only show up on this blog to criticize would take the money and run.

Face it - Ellis had no incentive. He was covered. He asked Jerry to give him more money and Jerry did.

Posted by Phil @ 6:49 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

"I love (money) to play football."

Posted by craig @ 6:49 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

I don't blame Ellis, but yeah, it's not how you like to think of the guys you root for.

Posted by Teddy @ 6:50 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Ellis did nothing wrong. It is all about business. In the past year, Dallas has drafted two first round LBs who could replace Ellis as LBs. He was afraid he would released sooner or later and by then, it will be a financial loss for him because he might get more money through insurance. Now, Mr. Jones has basically paid the insurnace money and he bet Ellis would make enough contribution to get a pretty good return. If Ellis did not get a serious injury, then Jones wins.

This is all about business. Now, who else has still kind leverage on the team? I cannot think one.

Posted by Cowboy Elmo @ 6:51 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Ellis is a JOKE! How can his teammates respect a guy who could have played, but held out until Jerry sweetened the pot. Bobby C ain't done much, but if he has the balls to step up and say something, you know he is not alone in the way he feels. I wish they would have traded Ellis. He signed a frickin contract, he should have honored it, but it is pretty obvious he HAS NO HONOR!

Posted by Larry @ 6:52 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Jerry went against his principals for the good of the team. He bit his tongue and went ahead.

I don't want "my season" to be tainted by taking a bad attitude toward Ellis......right now.

This could be a ride this year like none other we have experienced around here, even in the Aikman years.

So I will bite my tongue also.....right now, but I know, when the season is done, good, bad, or indifferent, I'm not going to have good thoughts toward Ellis on this - will just leave it at that for now.

Posted by Cowboy Elmo @ 6:56 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Hey Teddy. The point is not who else has that kind of leverage on the team {we are not talking about D. Ware here}, it sets a poor example and the question REALLY is, now that Jerry gave into this creep, which Cowboy will do the same frickin thing. It sets a bad example. Greg Ellis is not D. Ware or LT. He is an injury prone, whining punk and I can't wait until he is no longer a Cowboy!

Posted by Mr Rogers @ 7:24 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Larry Johnson, Michael Strahan, Asanti Samuel, all these guys held out for more respect/money from their teams. All those that don't remember, Ellis was actually injured last year, so he couldn't hold out in August while rehabbing. He did the right thing.
As fans, you should be a little more concerned by an organization that would waste two first round picks and pay Goldilocks, Bradie James, Ayodele and Spencer before paying Ellis.
Ellis got paid, he gets 1 1/2 sacks. D Ware had to get T Rex to stumble into him before he accomplished that. As fans, we should give a rat's ass who gets paid what, we should only care who produces. Ellis does, even as a converted LB, Goldlocks doesn't.
If Romo could get a better contract by sitting out, he'd sit. Romo has to play because he's still not proven for a whole season.
And what about cheap Smiley Jones, who owns the world's most valuable sports team, but doesn't want to pay one of his best players.

Posted by mmartin @ 7:55 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

"Ellis is koo! Jerry is koo!! Lets play football!!!!!!!!!!"

"Go Cowboys!!!"

Posted by robert @ 8:08 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Either way you look at it, Ellis made a decision to dog it either for business reasons or just lack of integrity. Jerry made a big blunder to have fallen victim to the extortion. Jerry is now going to have to play this game with his stars or lose having them play out their contracts. There is someting cynical about Ellis I have come to dislike. Just to think he was one of my favorites for being everything football players should be like. He took us all for a ride.

Posted by chris @ 9:08 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

I would take the less talented player with more desire (Carpenter) over a more talented player with no heart (Ellis) anytime~

Ellis belongs with the Rams or the Broncos where most of Dave Campo's castoffs ended up~ Ellis has no heart, a big cry baby, and doesn't deserve to wear the star.

Expect more from your players Dallas Fans!

Posted by craig @ 9:41 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

I know it's not fun to think about, but these guys are out there risking their lives and permanent disablity for our amusement.

How many millions would it take for you guys to wind up like Earl Campbell?

I can forgive the guy trying to get what he could out of it. I know it wasn't pretty and you have to question how long he could have played, but calling him a cynical/has no heart/or a crybaby is out of line. Very, very few football players do it just for the money and I don't think Ellis is one of them.

Posted by blustarfan @ 9:45 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

come on haters...let's not forget that ellis was one of the only shining stars during the dark years..when the whole team stunk it up in the early part of the decade, ellis, dat, and woodson were the only guys seemingly pulling their weight.

Posted by james muckleroy @ 10:46 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

B.C. got it right- He could still come on...greg is insulting cowboys fans ...good player, frickin greedy and transparent.

Posted by Chris @ 10:57 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Man oh man, how quickly you all seem to forget. I believe it was the beginning of the 1993 season when none other than our own revered Emmitt Smith sat out the first two games of the season in a bid for more contract money. If you'll remember, the 'Boys started 0-2 and most of the team was FURIOUS -- not at Emmitt, but at JERRY, for not paying the guy to get him back on the field!

As others have said, all the players want to win, but at the end of the day this is a BUSINESS. You couldn't pay me enough to sacrifice my body like these guys do. Ellis was practical to a fault during all this, and his first game back proved how valuable he is.

Posted by Buda Lombardi @ 11:03 PM Wed, Oct 03, 2007

Speaking as a Cowboys fan, Jerry Jones the business man, made a business decision. Its obvious he has higher expectations for this team than he had at the begining of the season. If he did not think this team improves with the addition of Greg Ellis for a run at a Super Bowl, no way he parts with the 2 Million. So him giving Greg Ellis what he pays for fuel for his jet in a years time means he's getting something in return, and is an encouraging sign. We are emotionally tied to the Cowboys and when we feel like someones taking advantage of them we get excited. Greg Ellis has to do what he feels is right for he and his family, and if he feels fine with looking at himself in the mirror, I think we should let him live. Jerry knows the rules of the game, and he must feel the two mil was worth the investment. Risk VS Reward.

Posted by Victor @ 12:03 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

Basically they gave him a little bit of a raise & bought him an insurance policy.
All of you Ellis bashers would have done the same thing.

Posted by BigTexKahuna @ 12:14 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

Aloha from Paradise, y'all...

Bruddah Chris makes an interesting point with his Saint Emmitt example. What the heck, y'all... if Mr. Greg wrecks havoc like he's done in the past, then we're all gonna forget about all of this contract two-steppin'. You gotta admire the man's gall... he's playing Texas Hold 'Em against one of the best wildcatters out there, and I think he held his own with 'ol Jerry... The end justifies the means sometimes, and it looks like Mr. Greg won this round... good for him! Now just get your big-ass booty out there and kill some quarterbacks!!!

Posted by Saint Jimmy @ 4:26 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

Screw all of you hypocrites defending Greg Ellis. I know for a fact that if TO had tweeked his hammy or sprained his knee and held out for more money ya'll would be calling for the rope and try to lynch him on the star!!! And I know that if ya'll had found out that Greg Ellis could have played and the team went 1-3 that ya'll would be pissed off!!

Greg made a fool of the world-class trainers that were doing their job but made them look like idiots day after day by saying their wrong and he can't practice or play. He made a fool of the loveable Head Coach who was made to look stupid in the media cause Greg wouldn't practice or play. He made a fool of the owner who has ALWAYS treated his own fairly and with love. And he punk'd his teamates by not performing when he obviously could have.

Posted by dbk @ 5:04 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

Ellis traded in his credibility for a few extra dollars...sounds pretty sorry to me

Posted by Vox Veritas @ 8:54 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

"Bruddah Chris makes an interesting point with his Saint Emmitt example."

Not really. Emmitt didn't have a contract. Ellis did. The Cowboys did indeed go 0-2 without Emmitt, BTW. Players were rightfully mad at Jones because Jones tried to low-ball Emmitt. Fast forward to 2007, and the Cowboys went 3-0 without Ellis, on the way to 4-0 and perhaps even 5-0. Ellis is lucky that Jones is a softy now that he's mega-rich. Ellis had ZERO leverage.

That said, I'm glad that both sides have found a way to be happy. I know that Ellis will play his butt off when he's on the field, but as far as I'm concerned, while I support him in his efforts to get a better deal for himself, I do not support his tactics (be a man and hold out if you're gonna hold out. At least the Cowboys can put you on the reserved/retired list and open up a roster spot. Take note, Matt Moore and Aaron Glenn fans) in trying to get it and I don't think that it swayed Jones one bit. In the end, he wasn't only holding out for money. He was holding out on his teammates and fans.

Posted by Brandon @ 9:11 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

darius, spare us the lame bermanisms please.

This whole thread is quite amusing. I don't care if Carpenter is a great guy and Ellis is a whiner. The simple fact is that going forward, Ellis will be an impact player for the Cowboys while Carpenter won't whether that is due to injury or being a bust (my money is on bust). Ellis will continue to get healthy while Carpenter isn't likely to.

Production on the field is what matters. I hope everyone realizes that Ellis came back from a severe, career-threatening injury early. AND IN HIS FIRST GAME BACK, ELLIS MATCHED CARPENTER'S CAREER TOTAL FOR SACKS! So, if I was Carpenter, I would keep my freakin' mouth shut until I'm not losing PT to a guy who can only play 10 plays per game.

Posted by larry @ 9:44 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

Bradon, I fear you are right but hope you are wrong about carpenter.

I am hopefull with Ellis back, they will move Bobby outside to back up Ware and maybe he will finally have a position, which has been part of his problem.

I think we have to give him the remainder of the year to see if he is a contributor. I keep remembering the Seattle game last year when he looked like a real player.

Posted by Serving You Some Facts @ 9:44 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

"Not until a couple of weeks ago did Greg Ellis inform Cowboys owner Jerry Jones of this insurance policy he had taken out on himself, finally revealing why he was so reluctant to not only participate in training camp practice, but also play in any of those opening three games of the 2007 season.

Sure his repaired torn Achilles still wasn't 100 percent, and sure he admits there still is some pain in his heel. But what he was most concerned about before stepping out onto the Texas Stadium field this past Sunday and making his 2007 debut was the insurance policy protecting him financially against serious injury and loss of wages.

The policy he paid for gave him a four-game window to determine if he was fully recovered from surgery to repair the torn Achilles he suffered on Nov. 12 of last year. But once he played that first game, Ellis would have to decide within that four-game span if he could continue playing, and if not he was required to officially retire and collect on the policy."

Posted by John @ 9:56 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

Sometimes I wish I just knew less about the money side of this whole thing.

I like watching the Cowboys play football. What their owner has to do to field the best players is frankly of little interest to me. I just can't be aware of all of the dynamics to make a sound analysis. I think Mr. Ellis makes a difference and I think Mr. Jones agrees, so he did what he needed to do to get him on the field. Mr. Ellis is doing what he thought he needed to do in a volatile work environment. I'm looking forward to the rest of what looks like to be a fun season...moving on.

Posted by Chris @ 10:31 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

Vox Veritas: "Ellis had ZERO leverage."

Not really. At least, Jerry didn't think so. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sat down with Ellis and given him that deal. As "Buda Lombardi" wrote:

"If he [Jerry] did not think this team improves with the addition of Greg Ellis for a run at a Super Bowl, no way he parts with the 2 Million."

This is exactly the point. Ellis made an immediate impact once he stepped on the field. THAT'S his leverage, and Jerry knew it. Spencer, Carpenter, et al, are NOT Ellis -- at least, not yet.

It's all about BUSINESS. And sacrifice. Ellis sacrificing his body for a ring; Jerry sacrificing his money for multiple rings. At the end of the day, most fans will feel that both sides should just get the deal done and get out there and play. And that's what they did.

Emmitt Smith's situation was different in some respects but just as egregious in others. Sure, he had no contract, but he STILL sat out and damaged his teammate's chances of success. In the "ultimate team sport", no less. Why? Because, again, it's primarily a BUSINESS. And with the tiny number of guys who exist on planet earth that can play this sport at this level and who have to sacrifice so much of themselves physically, they should get as much as they can for their service. After all, that's what Emmitt did.

And let us not forget one last, very important thing that defines the two situations: Greg Ellis is playing and negotiating under the restrictions and difficulties of a salary-cap NFL world.

Emmitt Smith wasn't.

Posted by Cowboy in Philly @ 10:57 AM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

This NFL is a different world - it's every player for himself and it's all business. Too bad that player jerseys become obsolete all the time - didn't used to be that way but that's the reality. I'm glad to have Ellis back and it looked to me like the defense was very happy to have him back too - he made an impact right away. Remember that Jerry is also the GM of this team and he made this decision based on the need to strengthen the defense now before they hit a tough stretch in their schedule - Tank Johnson in the wings, Ellis back with a couple of games to get acclimated, maybe something on the corners if necessary? I see it as: Team - wins, Jerry - wins, Greg - wins.

Posted by CC Mike @ 12:41 PM Thu, Oct 04, 2007

To all Ellis "haters, no respect-ers, lost creditability-ers & whiners" get over it. You saw the effect of NOT having Ellis at the end of last year. Is it possible to happen again? Hell yes and Jerry, being the businessman he is, saw it too. Say what you want about D-Ware, Carpenter, Spears and co. BUT, lets face it, they were'nt getting the job done(Giants game)and considering what we've got coming up, we're gonna need everything we've got and then some.
At least goldilocks got it right, addressed him as MR. but he should sit back, shut up and learn.

Posted by Vox Veritas @ 12:36 AM Fri, Oct 05, 2007

Chris, I don't think that Jones gave in because Ellis had the leverage. The Cowboys D was playing pretty well with Ellis working out on the asthma field and drawing $150K a week. The man is on the wrong side of 32 and coming off a really bad injury, there was no way to tell if the guy could still be a good player because he wasn't even practicing with the team. This was a case of Jerry taking care of one of his boys just for the sake of the good will it generates between them, but also for the benefit of others who may be watching. It's the kind of thing that makes other players want to play here, and has played a factor in causing at least one player that I can remember to remain here when they got better offers elsewhere.

Also, Emmitt may not have been playing or negotiating that 1993 contract in a capped year, but his contract was a concern since it was going to impact several years of salary caps. Everybody knew that the cap was coming in 1994, it's not like it was a last second surprise.