Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once claimed of his time in academia that "the arguments were so intense because the stakes were so small."
A similar argument may be be going on in Dallas. Ranch Report writer and Metroplex sports radio personality Mike Fisher is reporting that a friend of a friend of Greg Ellis heard that Ellis and Parcells had a heated discussion in the coach's office today. The spat was apparently over Ellis' role in the 3-4, or rather Ellis' misgivings over his role in the 3-4 defense.
If the story is true, the coach told Ellis to get bent, or a slight variation on that theme. Ellis apparently (there are way too many apparentlys here) raised the prospect of a trade.
Pardon me if the whole story fails to move me in any way. Read the Fisher piece. It reads like the type of "I'm not sure, but gee my friend heard it third hand, and he's a good guy, so maybe it's real" feel that Skip Bayless' pieces had in the early '90s.
But even if Fisher happens to have a scoop, so what? Really, what leverage does Ellis have at the moment? He's got to play hard and if it becomes clear that he's not a good 3-4 fit, he won't have to request a trade. Parcells will give it to him. What's more, Ellis is known 4-3 asset. Parcells should not and will not trade him out of duress. That's how you get fleeced.
On the other hand, if Ellis pouts and dogs it he'll damage his chances of leaving, if in fact that's what he really wants to do.
The pads have yet to be put on, but I'm on the verge of losing some respect for Greg Ellis, if the now many rumors of his disenchantment are true. I don't want a defensive "leader" who is afraid of a challenge. One who whines before he even gives something new a chance.
Then again, the rumors are likely bogus. It's mid-July, and the media is every bit as hungry as we are for news.
Bring on camp.