Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was involved in a late-night incident at a Dallas bar Sunday, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. According to the Dallas Police Department, officers were dispatched to the bar around 9:40 p.m. A 30-year-old man said he was physically assaulted but could not identify who assaulted him. The man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A Dallas Police spokesperson said no arrests or suspects have been reported in connection with the incident, which was first reported by 105.3 FM The Fan in Dallas. The investigation is ongoing, according to police. An NFL official said the league is aware of the situation involving Elliott and “looking into it to understand the facts.” Elliott is already under NFL investigation stemming from a 2016 domestic violence accusation against him. The running back had been preparing a response to the league to be submitted in the next week, sources told Schefter. – H/T – ESPN
So let’s run down the list, in just the last YEAR. Ezekiel Elliott has been filmed making a girl go tits out for the boys in front of thousands, got in two car accidents, has sexual assault accusations against him, now a bar fight and a possible impending suspension. Again this is all since he’s been drafted. Yet he remains unscathed. His perfect reputation remains intact. The people and the media remain behind him. There are no callings for him to be cut. No bad stories from the media about how out of control he is. Nothing about him being selfish, careless or even reckless. Yet he has checked off every single one of those things I listed in the last year. That’s not comforting if it’s over your entire career, let alone your rookie campaign.
What If I was to tell you there was a model citizen, someone who had never been arrested. Someone who had never been accused of sexual assault. A player who had performed both on and off the field beyond anyone’s expectations or asks. Never been in bar fights or car crashes. Who’s biggest fault was skipping a VOLUNTARY team work out? Well, I’m telling you that man exists and his name is Odell Beckham Jr.
This is the NFL and the media around it today. This is the stupidity of public perception and sadly, it’s not even close to the first time. This is just yet another affirmation of this idea. Odell, because of his flamboyance and cockiness is painted as a classic selfish WR Diva who doesn’t care about his team. A “just give me the damn ball” type of guy if you will. Now should that type of behavior not be met with some level of criticism, probably. Do Odell Beckham’s actions indicate he is this type of player? Not even close.
A few outbursts on the field doesn’t mean you’re a Diva. A missed voluntary team workout to attend sponsorship events doesn’t mean you’re a selfish player who doesn’t care about his teammates. No that means he’s smart as shit for making money instead of working out for free for the Giants. That’s just good business moves by Odell. He doesn’t make that superstar money yet. The NFL doesn’t have guaranteed contracts. Anyone with a brain would do what Odell did. If you don’t agree with what he did, then that means you don’t have a brain, hence the reason you don’t understand. Kind of a chicken or the egg thing. A vicious Catch 22 situation.
The Cowboys are America’s team and the NFL’s baby. They’ll do whatever they can to paint them in a good light. No matter how immoral the choices the team or its players make. Greg Hardy beat his girlfriend to within an inch of her life. Cowboys sign him and the NFL applauds them for giving a second chance. It’s frankly disgusting. I’m not one to knock the way a team does things. I understand it’s a business and I understand they have to put the best product on the field. It’s not always the most moral. But one thing I will never tolerate is hypocrisy. Until Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys are treated and hit with the negativity they deserve, that’s exactly what this will be, hypocrisy.
