Twitter: Zeke posts on twitter in reply to official Cowboys tweet on Mike Weber

DakPresgoat said:

I agree. Like I said in previous posts. Believe me. I prefer that Zeke didn’t hold out. I am not a fan of his strategy.

But people calling for him to be cut or traded or whatever just out of spite? People calling him a baby because he is holding out? That stuff is just nonsense.

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I want him in camp because I think having him greatly increases our chances for having a good season. I'm tired of wasting seasons. People just are taking this too personally. I don't know how getting rid of Zeke helps us this year.

As long as he is back by week 1 then everyone forgets this ordeal.

I agree with some in that he deserves to get paid what he thinks he's worth. He's got 1 shot at a big payday. Get it.
I also wish he wouldn't holdout now, but hey, it's either his thoughts or his agents and well they think that's the best route to go.

Not concerned now that he's still out. He's a smart football player and can learn the changes quickly.

bbailey423 said:

I mean...I am really left speechless when I read the comments of fans. With all the evidence that shows the GROWING income disparity between Executives, CEOs, etc....and front like associates (which most of us are)....I am stunned on how quickly people jump to the defense of BILLIONAIRES!!! Hello folks....we are Zeke....the companies we work for are the Cowboys/Jerry Jones. These same companies...with board members pulling down millions...lay us off every day....and we don't like it. But now we are defending them because we love football?

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With respect, the income disparity argument loses all appeal for me personally due to wealth disparity.

There are 2,153 billionaires (e.g. super wealthy) worldwide, representing a micro 0.00003% of the planet's population.
36 million or just under 0.5% of Earth's people are millionaires (e.g. wealthy).

I am solidly within the over 99.5% non wealthy bracket where everyone else lives and breathes.

Elliott signed a rookie contract that will pay a signing bonus of $16.3 million regardless if he never plays another down of football. Elliott is a wealthy young man. Right now. Elliott will receive more wealth when he signs a new contract.

Just because Elliott will never touch Jerry Jones super wealth status does not make me relate to him at all. While I do wish him all the luck in securing more wealth in his career, it does not make me any more sympathetic to his economic and financial status as an employee of a $5 billion dollar NFL franchise.

Ohio State Buckeye Ezekiel Elliott was just like 'most of us'. Dallas Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott? Not so much. Not even remotely.

Anyone find this entire thread, this entire contract talk, just a bit depressing?
I know I do, I may be older than a lot of posters here, but Ive been a part of this forum these discussions for quite a few years now.
I remember when we discussed the Xs and Os of the game, and now it seems to be thread after thread about how can we afford to put players on the field on game day.
That my friends is rather depressing to me and Im sure others as well.
This game has turned into money ball, and it didn't happen overnight, its yesterdays news,, but it is a shame that this once great game has turned the average fans attention away from the sport.
There was a time when players told there money grubbing agents to take a back seat, Im reporting to camp, just chill. it will work itself out.. I respected those players, those times.
Now agents run this league, might as well call them lawyers, no disrespect to lawyers,, pro sports agents might even be worse.
This game is all about getting payed today.
Quite depressing.. so sorry, but yet so true.

DakPresgoat said:

Here’s the thing:

We have had many posters advocating that the cowboys “run Zeke into the ground” and then don’t resign him when his current contract is up.

that is a strategy that some people are openly advocating for the team to do, and there have been nfl teams who have done that to RB’s in the past.

Yet, some people are now surprised or upset when that RB holds out, to prevent that very thing from happening to him.

I’m frustrated by Zeke’s holdout too. And I don’t want him to miss games.

But I damn sure can’t blame him for not wanting to risk being run into the dirt and left on a scrap heap at the end of his rookie deal.

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This guy gets it...

DallasEast said:

How messages were sent back in the good old days.

PS: Editing telegram images is hard work lol!

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This. Is. Pure gold.

Typhus said:

This game has turned into money ball, and it didn't happen overnight, its yesterdays news,, but it is a shame that this once great game has turned the average fans attention away from the sport.
There was a time when players told there money grubbing agents to take a back seat, Im reporting to camp, just chill. it will work itself out.. I respected those players, those times.
Now agents run this league, might as well call them lawyers, no disrespect to lawyers,, pro sports agents might even be worse.
This game is all about getting payed today.

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What depresses you now is what I foresaw and angered me when the 1993/94 CBA was ratified. My fit lasted nearly a decade and a half. I guess that is why I do not feel depressed now and just accept the reality of the two decade plus long (Michael Douglas voice) "Greed.is Good" era of the NFL.

PA Cowboy Fan said:

I want him in camp because I think having him greatly increases our chances for having a good season. I'm tired of wasting seasons. People just are taking this too personally. I don't know how getting rid of Zeke helps us this year.

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Im with you brother. We are on the verge of making some real noise. That said I am a little terrified of Zeke acting a fool after he gets paid.

Typhus said:

Anyone find this entire thread, this entire contract talk, just a bit depressing?
I know I do, I may be older than a lot of posters here, but Ive been a part of this forum these discussions for quite a few years now.
I remember when we discussed the Xs and Os of the game, and now it seems to be thread after thread about how can we afford to put players on the field on game day.
That my friends is rather depressing to me and Im sure others as well.
This game has turned into money ball, and it didn't happen overnight, its yesterdays news,, but it is a shame that this once great game has turned the average fans attention away from the sport.
There was a time when players told there money grubbing agents to take a back seat, Im reporting to camp, just chill. it will work itself out.. I respected those players, those times.
Now agents run this league, might as well call them lawyers, no disrespect to lawyers,, pro sports agents might even be worse.
This game is all about getting payed today.
Quite depressing.. so sorry, but yet so true.

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Not really... that’s just what this forum is focusing on. Just because a vocal group of about 50 or so people on here seem to be obsessed with contracts, doesn’t mean that the other thousands of people on here would rather talk about money instead of football.

Contracts and the holdouts that come with them have been a part of the league for decades. However, with today’s ability to follow the game so thoroughly online, and with all of the media spotlight on every aspect of the game, we just hear about the business side of the game way more than we used to.

As much as we wait on training camp, there really isn’t that much news that comes out. It is just practice and it doesn’t garner the attention that a star like Elliott holding out does.

When the pre season games start up, more attention will be paid to on the field activities and less to the contract situations. The further we get in camp, the more real football news we will get.

Then, once the players that are holding out come back... this all will diminish in people’s minds and won’t be front page news.

Remember the outrage and debate from the Demarcus Lawrence contract situation? Remember how half the forum wanted him traded and the other half wanted the team to play hardball with him? Nobody is saying a word about that now.

For myself, I try to just stay out of discussions with people arguing to trade Zeke or to make him sit out the year, although I’m not always successful, as my post in this thread shows. I try to read the practice news and not worry about Elliott, because he will be back in uniform, he will be back bludgeoning defenses, and everyone arguing about trading or cutting him will be watching him taking handoffs from Dak. In the end, it will be much ado about nothing.

If it interests them that much to argue about trading him or his accrued years, then that’s fine for them.

It just doesn’t really interest me that much.

Jipper said:

I posted to state my postion and view.

I am sick of this entitled, moronic, self-centered,immature idiot that think he is more important than everyone else and above the rules....Dak and Coop have 1 year left on both of their contracts and you don't see this from them....and don't give me the "rb position is devalued....etc" junk....guy is going to make 12 million bucks over the next 2 years....don't want to? fine, sit at home buddy....

cowboys fans deserve better....

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You don’t care though according to your own words so you shouldn’t have a position or opinion on this is my point.

It seems you’re upset that Zeke wants to get paid like the top players in his profession not the majority of people posting profession. I get him not playing messes up your little football happiness but I think folks should be more emphatic to someone trying to get their proper pay in their profession. Just because Dak and Amari do something don’t mean Zeke does. I mean I’m pretty sure you don’t just follow everything any one person does so why would you expect Zeke a rb we know they don’t place much financial value on to?

Seems you like many are jealous of their money even though in his profession he’s probably not paid in line with the top players.

Outlaw Heroes said:

‘The CBA allows players to hold out.’

Nonsense. The CBA imposes significant penalties on holdouts, including fines (in Zeke’s case, $40K per day) and the compromise of FA rights.

And you’re right: I’d have no issue with what he’s doing (though the Cowboys surely would) if he wasn’t threatening my enjoyment of this season. That is neither here nor there.

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You are incorrect. While the team can fine the player for holding out, the wording of the cba does in fact give the player the right to do so.

cern said:

You are incorrect. While the team can fine the player for holding out, the wording of the cba does in fact give the player the right to do so.

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Show me. I've done a search of the CBA and can find no such language. (It would in fact be exceedingly bizarre if the CBA provided an express right to hold out.) I'm quite certain that it is you who are incorrect, but I'm more than happy to have you prove otherwise. Here's a copy of the CBA to get you started.

https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/collective-bargaining-agreement-2011-2020.pdf

WoodysGirl said:

"Man honors his contract"

Fans should have that same energy when teams cut players midway through their contract... lol

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Can we all say "signing bonus"
The other side of that coin and is a fair deal!

The thing about this that seems to be missing from the discussion is the simple fact that paying Zeke any amount he thinks he deserves does not directly cost Jerry Jones anything. The salary cap absorbs that cost. The only way they can pay Zeke more is to pay other players less. Zeke is being selfish in that regard. It's like there is one giant cauldron of soup for a group of people to eat and one of them says I deserve 15 bowls and I don't care how much anybody else gets from the leftovers. "Feed Me!"

Outlaw Heroes said:

Show me. I've done a search of the CBA and can find no such language. (It would in fact be exceedingly bizarre if the CBA provided an express right to hold out.) I'm quite certain that it is you who are incorrect, but I'm more than happy to have you prove otherwise. Here's a copy of the CBA to get you started.

https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/collective-bargaining-agreement-2011-2020.pdf

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Why do you think teams don't file court orders and force players to return to work? If the player didn't return, they'd be in contempt and could be jailed. They're given the right to hold out but the consequences are the fines. I've read sections of the cba as it pertains to holdouts and that's my take on the subject.

Hook'em#11 said:

Can't believe some in here are for paying him. No way, No how. There's three other players in Camp, in their last years of their contracts, participating putting the work in. THOSE are the players you pay. You pay Dak, Coop and Smith before Zeke..

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Adults are in favor of the two sides coming to terms because they've both stated they want that and see it in their best interests. The notion that the Cowboys are going to "force" Zeke to "honor his contract" for two more years is something that would probably work fine in Madden, but not so smoothly when dealing with actual humans.

Dak and Coop aren't going to be jealous of Zeke's money. Players get it when it comes to another teammate's contract. Fans are the ones who get emotional about it.

cern said:

Why do you think teams don't file court orders and force players to return to work? If the player didn't return, they'd be in contempt and could be jailed. They're given the right to hold out but the consequences are the fines. I've read sections of the cba as it pertains to holdouts and that's my take on the subject.

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No. The reality is that trying to enforce strict performance of a personal services contract starts to bump up against issues of slavery. No court in any sophisticated common law jurisdiction would issue a mandatory injunction forcing a person to work if that person doesn't want to. (And they certainly wouldn't impose a jail sentence for a civil dispute: that kind of curtailment of personal freedom is reserved for criminal actions.)

As for the sections of the CBA you've reviewed, I'd be interested in having you point them out. My own review indicates that there is simply no express right in the CBA allowing players to hold out. Quite the contrary: Article 3, Section 1 effectively provides the opposite:

"ARTICLE 3
NO STRIKE/LOCKOUT/SUIT

Section 1. No Strike/Lockout: Except as otherwise provided in Article 47 (Union Security), Section 6, neither the NFLPA nor any of its members will engage in any strike, work stoppage, or other concerted action interfering with the operations of the NFL or any Club for the duration of this Agreement..." (emphasis added.)

Zeke is basically engaging in a one-person work stoppage.

Vanilla2 said:

Pay the man

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I agree. Whomever decides to trade for him, I say pay the man once you've paid us!

DakPresgoat said:

I agree. Like I said in previous posts. Believe me. I prefer that Zeke didn’t hold out. I am not a fan of his strategy.

But people calling for him to be cut or traded or whatever just out of spite? People calling him a baby because he is holding out? That stuff is just nonsense.

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The only way I trade him is if him and his agent are asking for money that no team is going to pay and we certainly can’t afford to. If they ask this and refuse to budge then I let him sit this year and use a pick to get someone like gordon that isn’t looking for 17 a year. Sigh him for 4 years, he will run way above average behind this O-Line. At the end of the year I trade Elliot and get my draft pick back plus some. Elliot will then find out along with his agent that he was being offered more than any other team would pay. He will likely be stuck on a lesser team making less than he would have if he excepted the offer. SJ said the opening offer would be gurly money.

Beaker42 said:

You mean baby? A man honors a contract, a baby cries and wails about it.

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You mean like when the Cowboys cut Dez and Ware from their contracts