News: PFT: Elliott has remained silent so far for a reason

[Reality]

Elliott has remained silent so far for a reason

One of the more common comments I’ve seen in response to the Ezekiel Elliott suspension and his camp’s response to it is that if Elliott is innocent he should have been publicly saying so for the past year. It’s easy to say that now, but Elliott’s prior silence was strategic.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Elliott and his representatives opted to participate in the process and to trust that it would lead to his exoneration. The league, for whatever reason, required more than a full year to resolve the situation.

When it began, Elliott didn’t know it would take that long. While it lasted, Elliott gained nothing by sharing publicly or leaking privately chapter-and-verse details about his defense.

Now that he has been suspended and now that the battle has been joined with his appeal, that will all change. And it will get ugly and nasty.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/08/15/elliott-has-remained-silent-so-far-for-a-reason/

 

[Reality]

One of the more common comments I’ve seen in response to the Ezekiel Elliott suspension and his camp’s response to it is that if Elliott is innocent he should have been publicly saying so for the past year. It’s easy to say that now, but Elliott’s prior silence was strategic.

It is easy to say that now and was easy to say that for the last year. This is not a "hind-sight" deal but rather a common sense deal when the investigation dragged on for a year. Once the NFL started dragging this out, it should have been obvious that there was a much greater chance there would be a suspension of some kind.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

I don't care how long it takes or how nasty this gets, I want Zeke and his legal team to fight this to the bitter end. His suspension sets every single NFL player up for potential blackmail.

 

[pugilist]

can we get an arbitrator who's just not an NFL fan in general? too much conflict of interest there for me

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

The problem as I understand it is that with the way the CBA is written, The League does not have to demonstrate that they came to the correct conclusion based on the evidence, only that they followed a specific process to arrive at their conclusion. So long as they demonstrate that they followed that process, it doesn't matter if he's legally guilty or not and no court can overturn that. Essentially, he doesn't get to argue the facts of the case, only the way the league went about gathering and using them.

 

[ufcrules1]

I see this decision sticking. I don't think there is anything Zeke can do now to change the suspension. Is what it is. None of us know every single detail and probably never will. Zeke needs to take this as a lesson learned. Don't hang out with trash and also, if he is guilty, then he needs to get his head on straight going forward or he will have a very short career.

 

[jazzcat22]

I see this decision sticking. I don't think there is anything Zeke can do now to change the suspension. Is what it is. None of us know every single detail and probably never will. Zeke needs to take this as a lesson learned. Don't hang out with trash and also, if he is guilty, then he needs to get his head on straight going forward or he will have a very short career.

And why should he just lay down and take it as a lease ones learned?
So if you were accused of murder and sentenced to death, but you know you are innocent. But feel nothing can be done, so would you just lay down and die?

 

[Cowboys22]

The problem as I understand it is that with the way the CBA is written, The League does not have to demonstrate that they came to the correct conclusion based on the evidence, only that they followed a specific process to arrive at their conclusion. So long as they demonstrate that they followed that process, it doesn't matter if he's legally guilty or not and no court can overturn that. Essentially, he doesn't get to argue the facts of the case, only the way the league went about gathering and using them.

None of that will be their ultimate arguement because it's all a loser as proven by the Brady case. The CBA doesn't give the NFL the right to defame, slander, discriminate, violate player's civil rights, show bias, collude against, etc. Those are the avenues he is going to have to go down to win in court. He is going to have to show irreparable harm to his reputation and earning power and that the league has violated his rights outside of the CBA.

 

[DenCWBY]

I'm hoping this whole fiasco was simply a message to all players who are even thinking/considering their relationships and behavior off the field. The NFL got a big up and coming star (from a notoriously popular team who has a history of turning up players with discipline problems) on their line and decided to lay the wood down as an example of what power they can wield ONLY to expect an appeal and to drop the suspension to 2 or 3 games. They certainly got the attention of every one on this one given the circumstances.
This way with Zeke's behavior (guilty or not) the NFL can comeback looking like hero's by giving Zeke 3 to 4 games back and all the legal beagles will go back into the woodwork telling Zeke to, "take it, it's a gift" and move on.
Either side does not want a long drawn out court battle which bloodies the eyes of both sides, so leveling the suspension is a ticket for the NFL to call off the calamity and focus on much needed positive fan participation.
I myself am going through my own little protest as I'm cancelling the NFL ticket. Not that this make any difference to the NFL but makes me feel good not to directly pay for this crap. And yes, for the few DC games not on the home tube, I will be at the local watering hole cheering for my Boys.
Just my opinion.

 

[Philmonroe]

And why should he just lay down and take it as a lease ones learned?
So if you were accused of murder and sentenced to death, but you know you are innocent. But feel nothing can be done, so would you just lay down and die?

The thing I will say about the person you quoted and most people in general it's easy to say what you will and won't do when it's not yourself on the line. I've saw it first hand quite often people say one thing but if that situation actually comes up a lot of times have changed. In fairness it's also been some that were consistent.

 

[Lutonio]

I see this decision sticking. I don't think there is anything Zeke can do now to change the suspension. Is what it is. None of us know every single detail and probably never will. Zeke needs to take this as a lesson learned. Don't hang out with trash and also, if he is guilty, then he needs to get his head on straight going forward or he will have a very short career.

Doesn't seem likely given the CBA. But I think it's still important henfight and get his story out there in order to salvage his image. The NFL has branded him a Woman Beater, and if that's not him, he should take every avenue possible.

 

[links18]

And why should he just lay down and take it as a lease ones learned?
So if you were accused of murder and sentenced to death, but you know you are innocent. But feel nothing can be done, so would you just lay down and die?

He isn't sentenced to death. He and his career are young enough that he could actually recover if he shows contrition and some of his advisors might think that is the better strategy than trying to keep this PR spectacle going much longer even if he didn't do it. Innocent people plead guilty all the time, because they are told its the smart thing to do. Its a rare feat to beat a prosecutor....

 

[The Quest for Six]

It is easy to say that now and was easy to say that for the last year. This is not a "hind-sight" deal but rather a common sense deal when the investigation dragged on for a year. Once the NFL started dragging this out, it should have been obvious that there was a much greater chance there would be a suspension of some kind.

It dragged on because Zeke and his lawyers stalled turning over his phone for six month's....

 

[Section446]

I just want to hear him say that he didn't do it and that he doesn't agree with domestic violence.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I don't care how long it takes or how nasty this gets, I want Zeke and his legal team to fight this to the bitter end. His suspension sets every single NFL player up for potential blackmail.

Let's stop pretenidng like you care about NFL players being blackmailed. You don't know these people. You just don't want Zeke suspended.

I'm reserving judgement on the whole issue utnil it fully plays outs. At the end of the day I don't know what happened between these two adults. So i'm going to save my moral outrage until and if more information comes to light.

In the meantime our running game will be fine. Because our running game is more about our offensive line than it is the runningback.

 

[waldoputty]

The problem as I understand it is that with the way the CBA is written, The League does not have to demonstrate that they came to the correct conclusion based on the evidence, only that they followed a specific process to arrive at their conclusion. So long as they demonstrate that they followed that process, it doesn't matter if he's legally guilty or not and no court can overturn that. Essentially, he doesn't get to argue the facts of the case, only the way the league went about gathering and using them.

as well as how the league discriminated racially against zeke

 

[unionjack8]

The problem as I understand it is that with the way the CBA is written, The League does not have to demonstrate that they came to the correct conclusion based on the evidence, only that they followed a specific process to arrive at their conclusion. So long as they demonstrate that they followed that process, it doesn't matter if he's legally guilty or not and no court can overturn that. Essentially, he doesn't get to argue the facts of the case, only the way the league went about gathering and using them.

But he can point to previous precedent of 1 game for Josh Brown.

 

[Section446]

He isn't sentenced to death. He and his career are young enough that he could actually recover if he shows contrition and some of his advisors might think that is the better strategy than trying to keep this PR spectacle going much longer even if he didn't do it. Innocent people plead guilty all the time, because they are told its the smart thing to do. Its a rare feat to beat a prosecutor....

That is exactly why I think the suspension was so harsh compared to the other two recent suspensions. Unless I'm missing something, he has yet to admit it or deny it, and whether he admits it or deny it, he'd do well to denounce domestic violence... Maybe donate to a beating woman's shelter.

 

[Reality]

It dragged on because Zeke and his lawyers stalled turning over his phone for six month's....

I have not heard that this took six months, but even if it is the case, Elliott was not obligated to turn over his phone unless his phone was owned by the NFL. Using that as an excuse now is foolish. In any case, the investigation lasted a lot longer than 6 months so that in itself is not even relevant. Once the investigation dragged into the season last year, the NFL was committing itself to finding something to act on. Unfortunately for them, they gambled on there being actual evidence (and maybe there is and we just don't know about it yet) that would be found that would validate their long investigation as "thorough" given what happened with both Ray Rice and Josh Brown with their quick rulings.

In the end, the NFL (herein referred to as "the face") chose to protect itself by removing the player (herein referred to as "the nose") from itself for a period of time in order to, ironically, save face. So, the media hails the victory while the NFL attacks and suspends one of its top players for the second year in a row.

 

[waldoputty]

I have not heard that this took six months, but even if it is the case, Elliott was not obligated to turn over his phone unless his phone was owned by the NFL. Using that as an excuse now is foolish. In any case, the investigation lasted a lot longer than 6 months so that in itself is not even relevant. Once the investigation dragged into the season last year, the NFL was committing itself to finding something to act on. Unfortunately for them, they gambled on there being actual evidence (and maybe there is and we just don't know about it yet) that would be found that would validate their long investigation as "thorough" given what happened with both Ray Rice and Josh Brown with their quick rulings.

In the end, the NFL (herein referred to as "the face") chose to protect itself by removing the player (herein referred to as "the nose") from itself for a period of time in order to, ironically, save face. So, the media hails the victory while the NFL attacks and suspends one of its top players for the second year in a row.

NFL caved to women's group
There is no way the NFLPA can let this stand.
Any black rich player is at risk here, and any golddigger or even normal gal can hold any of them hostage.