Though clearly NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seems to enjoy playing the role of Dean Wormer, doling out suspensions and double-secret probations, it appears that the latest Ezekiel Elliott malfeasance lacked sufficient gravitas.
All well and good, of course. What the Cowboys’ star running back did in Las Vegas should have stayed in Vegas. No punches were thrown. No females were abused. The Las Vegas police quickly assessed the situation for what it was: Nothing.
Goodell’s crack forensic team, however, conducted an allegedly thorough examination, eventually concluding with last week’s verdict from the Ginger Hammer, which was, more or less, never mind.
After being called into the dean’s office, Zeke issued a formal mea culpa that was so resolutely eloquent, Goodell could have written it himself. Hmm.
— Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) July 2, 2019
The NFL’s response followed:
On Tuesday, as part of the review, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Mr. Elliott to reinforce the standards of conduct expected of him and the consequences for failing to meet those standards.
Mr. Elliott acknowledged that he demonstrated poor judgment and committed to make better choices in the future. He volunteered to take advantage of the resources available to help him continue to grow personally.
Commissioner Goodell determined there was no violation of the personal conduct policy and no further action is warranted.
Cowboys fans sighed with relief.
End of story. Or so you’d think.
But here’s my problem with the whole situation:
Without the prying eyes of TMZ, there is no video of Zeke Elliott and his girlfriend at the Electric Daisy music festival and, hence, no story and no NFL investigation.
The lesson for Elliott – for all the Cowboys and all recognizable athletes, for that matter – should be a simple one: You’re being watched and in most cases recorded as never before.
Armed with their smartphone cameras, everyone now thinks they’re Eyewitness News. They’re paparazzi in training. Nothing happens candidly anymore. We live by TMZ rules.
Who broadcast the video that, in effect, ended Ray Rice’s career? TMZ.
Who had the first story on Donald Sterling’s racist conversation with his girlfriend that led to him having to sell the Clippers? TMZ.
Who first reported the news of Michael Jackson’s death? TMZ.
And whose editor has admitted that, yeah, sometimes they do pay snitches for dirt on celebrities? TMZ.
Its website even lists a toll-free phone number, next to a red button that asks, “Got a tip?”
Elliott, alas, is on the TMZ paparazzi’s list. He can expect to be followed around at future music festivals, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and road visits to Seattle cannabis outlets. He should behave accordingly.
TMZ originally billed itself as a “tabloid news website,” but its celebrity dragnet has expanded – attention, all professional athletes — to include a separate TV edition devoted exclusively to sports.
What passes for today’s news media, however, isn’t helping things. So-called “reporters” are stitching together athletes’ (and coaches’) Twitter messages and calling them stories. Newspapers regularly react to TMZ stories.
We live in “gotcha” times. If you find yourself involved in an incident, know that people would rather video you than help you.
The people that run sports in this country shouldn’t be expected to look the other way. Athletes need to watch their behavior – and their words – as never before.
Zeke Elliott, 23 years young, needs to abide by his tweeted resolution.
Some news outlets and alarmists wildly predicted that Goodell was going to hand down another long and season-altering suspension for “conduct detrimental to the league.”
We are left to wonder whether Goodell finally found a humane side and chose to rule fairly on Vegas-gate. Or maybe the timing was more than a coincidence when Pro Football Talk reported, also last week, that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones “has taken a much more visible and vocal role” in labor negotiations between the NFL and the players union.
In other words, the conspiracy theory is that Owner Jones struck a deal to save Zeke. Let’s go with that until Jerry blabs and confirms it.
In the meantime, the Cowboys would be wise to heed the aforementioned lesson from the Elliott case.
They’re being watched. Really watched.
Try not to behave like a 23-year-old.
