Ezekiel Elliott’s visit to Sherman left some odd, lasting perspective

The week leading up to the Dallas Cowboys’ season opener Sunday night against the New York Giants has, unfortunately, been preoccupied with Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension.

All the machinations that transpired in a Sherman courthouse were underscored by several images posted on social media by Dallas Morning News reporter Valerie Wigglesworth.

She captured Cowboys’ fans waiting for a chance to see Elliott outside of the courthouse. One showed two young boys — one wearing a Dak Prescott jersey, the other wearing an Elliott jersey — peering through a gate, hoping to catch a glance of the running back.

Another image showed Trey Crowley and son Raymond Coyle, both holding signs in support of Elliott. Raymond’s said “Let Zeke Eat” and Trey’s said “Believe Text Messages,” which is a reference to the NFL’s case against Elliott.

A third image showed a four-year old boy sitting on his mom’s lap outside the courthouse. Brittney Segrest told Wigglesworth, “We don’t get celebrities here very often.”

It’s easy to understand why young fans want to see their football hero. They’re likely incapable of understanding the complexities of Elliott’s situation, even on a basic level. So it’s also understandable why parents would have a hard time not taking advantage of the moment and taking their kids to see an NFL star in their town. But it’s gray area, especially if you’ve read about some of the things Elliott has done to be in this mess in the first place.

Dak in the dark

Dak Prescott posted video of him sinking a putt in the dark on Saturday night. He can do it all, apparently. And he doesn’t need lights.

Taco on tacos

Rookie Taco Charlton posted a 30-second commercial with his partner Taco Bueno. “In honor of it being #TacoTuesday and it being my first official game week,” Charlton posted on his Twitter account.

This story was originally published September 7, 2017 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Ezekiel Elliott’s visit to Sherman left some odd, lasting perspective."