The Ezekiel Elliott debacle

Personally, I have no idea whether EE committed any sort of assaultive behavior on anybody -- ever.

Sure, the arm-chair, hang-em-high prosecutors continue to come out of the woodwork, be it talking heads on TV or average citizens. Everybody's a judge, jury, and executioner these days.

Thing is, he was never even charged with any such offense, much less convicted. A conspiratorial double standard because he's a famous athlete? Perhaps, but hardly a slam dunk. Last time I looked people in America were still innocent until proven guilty. Yet I would be the first to admit that standard has been twisted around and bastardized over the years. Nowadays, the typical mindset is -- accused of something -- must be guilty. It's horribly wrong. Those that knee jerk their way to such conclusions never think it could happen to them or one of their loved ones. But it can. Happens all the time if your number comes up.

I would also be the first to cede Roger Goodell and the NFL often overstep their boundaries when meting out punishment, even though no crime has been established, much less proven. Yes, I get it. The almighty league has a cough, cough, reputation to protect, and they do so zealously. Somewhere there's a clause in the collective bargaining agreement (shame on you Players Union for being such fools to sign on to it) that states any action that makes the league look bad is punishable by fines, suspensions, and the like.

So originally, Roger and his merry band of henchmen zapped EE with a six game suspension. Again, even though no wrong-doing had ever been formally charged, let alone proven in a court of law. Seemed excessive, if not outright tyrannical.

Since, it has become a folly of the so-called "justice system" in the United States.

The suspension is on.

Oops, a judge/court says it's off.

Another j/c reinstates it.

Yet another halts it again.

Then back on.

Then off.

On.

Off.

Depending on who judge/court shops where, the fate of EE playing for those six games is anybody's guess.

Yours truly has but one question.

Is there anybody or any court in the country that can make a decision about this that is binding? As in no more appeals -- by either side?

Doesn't seem like too much to ask.

Any "normal" citizen would have gone broke a long time ago paying for legal fees to drag it on this long. But not EE, the league, and the players' union. They have legal eagles on staff that get their jollies pursuing matters such as this. I mean, what else do they have to do?

If I was to predict, I think dear Mr. Elliott is going to lose this one in the end. That doesn't mean it's righteous -- no opinion here -- but the league has long shown they have more clout than the union when they decide to dig in. See Tom Brady and "deflategate". Nothing was proven there either, but Giselle's man had to eventually serve the suspension.

Thing is, if the same happens to EE down the road, he and the union might have done more harm than good in the bigger picture.

The Dallas Cowboys are a maybe team for the playoffs, even with EE. So what would be the worst thing that could happen to them?

If they somehow found a way to get there, only to see their star running back zapped for 6 games.

Maybe he wins and maybe he loses, but had he accepted and served the suspension when it was first handed down, it would be long over by now.

Methinks there come a time to bite the bullet and accept short term fate in the name of long term prosperity. This concept appears lost on Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys, and the Players Union.

Continuing to kick the proverbial can down the road can come back and bite you even worse.

And it may well play out that way indeed.

We shall see......