Why Greg Ellis Had To Go

The next few days you will read tons of articles about how great a guy Greg Ellis was. How he was right all along that the Cowboys wanted to replace him. How Jerry was mean to good guy Greg. How Greg took one for the team and moved to linebacker when all he wanted to do was stay at end. PLEASE! The truth is that Greg Ellis should have been shown the door long before even the "Mouth that roared" Terrell Owens. At least with T.O. you knew what you were getting. You got a guy that talked, and put up big numbers. Yes, maybe he called out your QB, or took a shot at the Offensive coordinator, but you knew that going in.

What Greg Ellis did was much worse. he played the "hey, I just want to play football" card all the while dropping hints about needing a more money, how he needed security, and how he thought that might effect players on the field. Time after time the media protected him telling all of us how he was misinterpreted, that we just didn't understand, and that he was a great guy. Um, don’t think so!

Let's start with the 2007 season coming off Achilles' tendon injury. He was just too hurt to play in training camp, just could not go. He added though that if he had a new deal he would feel better about going out and trying his repaired leg. He didn't think he could play linebacker and that the Cowboys were just setting him up to fail. Then Jerry steps up extends his deal and throws some money at him and  Ta Da, he is ready to play. He shuts up, listens to the coaches, and goes out and has a pro bowl year with 12 1/2 sacks. BTW: moving to LB helped him have his best year ever despite the fact he was convinced it was a plot to cut him.

 Then fast forward to off-season workouts 2008. Again poor old Greg is upset the Cowboys want the young second year player Anthony Spencer to take more reps in practice than Greg. He again runs to the media, saying he thinks he is on his way out, and the Cowboys are trying to replace him. He says he is not sure if he can play for a team that would do that and he needs a trade. Somehow he fights through it and has a good season, but had to give up some plays to Spencer. He spends the whole season telling any media member that would listen that he was on his way out and that it was just a matter of time.

Finally to top it off he comes out after the season to say he thinks that the players, including him mind you, didn't play as hard as they could have because they were unsure of their futures! He threw everyone under the bus, but what he meant was Greg didn't play as hard as he could. OK, that was the final straw, for me, I hope you as a fan, and the good news, Jerry Jones.

Jerry informed Greg that he would be traded or released before next season. That he was no longer in the Cowboys plans. I would hope so! Hey Greg, everyone in the league is fighting for a job everyday. You have to bring it in practice, workouts, and games every single day if you don't want to be replaced. The Cowboys drafted Spencer to replace you, but if you would have out performed him, then they would have been more than happy to keep you as the starter. No hidden agendas, no secret plan, just trying to put the best players on the field. That is the NFL, heck that is life.

On several occasions, Greg hinted that maybe he just couldn't play if he wasn't getting the money he wanted. It is one thing to hold out to get the deal you want, but to fake injury, or to not play hard because you don't think you are paid enough or respected enough is inexcusable.  Cowboy sources tell me that many inside valley ranch believe that Greg milked his injury in 2007 to force Jerry's hand. That alone is enough to cut him. Then to come out again in 2008 after a disappointing 9-7 season and say that players had a hard time playing without more security, he has shown once again he is not Greg the nice guy, or Greg the team guy, he is Greg "I only play hard if you give me what I want guy", and that is the kind of player that kills a locker room, not those who do it in the spot light, but those who do it under the illusion of team guy.

Good bye Greg, it is about time.