Friday, a Texas district court judge granted a temporary restraining order preventing the NFL from implementing a six-game suspension of Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. That the case involved an alleged domestic violence situation was largely lost on the world of Twitter, which instead was consumed with how the decision would impact the very, very, very important world of fantasy football. And no tweet summed up said analysis better than this:
I wonder what round that Texas judge drafted Ezekiel Elliott in during his fantasy football draft last week #Cowboys
— Jarrett Carlen (@JarrettGC) September 8, 2017
It’s a joke of course, but since the world has lost its sense of humor, it’s a needed reminder for some of those social media warriors who are no doubt sharpening their keyboards as I type.
If there was ever an indicator as to why the NFL is so popular, why player news matters so much to “fans” coast to coast, it’s this. In the grand scheme of fandemonium, Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension should have been celebrated everywhere outside of metro Dallas, if only because it took the league’s defending rushing champ off the field for nearly a third of the season. And also because he plays for the Cowboys, and if you don’t like the Cowboys you hate the Cowboys.
Yet, when word came down Friday that Zeke’s suspension had been postponed, even if only temporarily, there was much rejoice across the land because, well, he’s on your fantasy team and you gambled on him in, say, the third round, and now you got tremendous value for that pick, and really, that matters more than the fact that your Eagles or Redskins or Giants have to face him twice this season. Or that the case involved an alleged physical altercation with a woman.
Soooo….
@ThePME I drafted Ezekiel Elliott in the second round of all three of my $$$ fantasy football leagues. Feelin like… pic.twitter.com/UXzuPraQCw
— Brent Regis (@PGA_Regis) September 8, 2017
and …
Picking up @EzekielElliott in the 4th round of my #FantasyFootball draft was a steal.
— Kevin Hill (@KevinHill3349) September 8, 2017
and …
To the judge who granted Ezekiel Elliott's restraining order against the NFL ruling. You just made my not drafting him in fantasy, foolish.
— Seven (@i_am_seven_yo) September 8, 2017
And on and on it goes.
There’s no judgement here on drafting Elliott. Hell, he’s 100-percent owned in Yahoo Fantasy leagues, and if you didn’t draft him, somebody else would have.
It’s just telling what the NFL really means to a lot of people.
More from Yahoo Sports:
• Dan Wetzel: NFL suffered immense self-inflicted damage in the Elliott case
• Tim Tebow ignores sign criticizing his baseball career
• Longtime Raiders kicker lands on injured reserve
• Vandals paint statue outside BYU’s stadium
