Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

• The attendance rate yesterday at Bridgeport High was dismal after the threat. 
• A guy on The Ticket posted this pic from his neighbor in the Lake Highlands of Dallas. That almost looks too big for a bobcat. 
  
• That Cedric Benson motorcycle/van wreck had to have been bad when even TMZ pulls back: "The raw footage is graphic so we're not publishing it -- instead, we've cut screen grabs showing the efforts to save Cedric and his female passenger ... with one person even using a fire extinguisher to put out flames on the former running back."
  
• I have no idea how I stumbled upon this on Saturday evening: A women's fantasy football draft involving some DFW radio/TVpersonalities from someone's home. You talk about some of them being drinkin' and cussin' and cringe-inducing gals, it is almost painful to watch. And it goes on for two hours. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Remember the proposed Uber Dallas office filled with 3,000 employees making over $100,000 a year? We have yet another chapter of "How does Uber waste so much money": 
  
• The Chief of Police of Dallas has been gone and out of sight for almost two months and no one really knows why she's gone or when she'll come back.
• In light of rising crime, DPS was called in to patrol South Dallas. Everyone is now learning how different DPS is than your regular PD. A trooper (or troopers) shot and killed a man during a traffic stop on Saturday night. DPS won't release the bodycam and won't even reveal the name of the two officers involved or whether one, or both, fired and killed the guy. 
  
• Legal nerd stuff: This "friend of the court" brief filed with the Supreme Court by five Democrat senators which basically attacks the Court as being a political pawn has received some attention. 
• She is just so "out there" that I find myself oddly attracted to her.
  
  
• Texas attorney on attorney crime:
  
  
• If you read this about Zeke Elliott's holdout, you'll know more than 99% of the sportswriters.
• He is on year four of his four year contract and is scheduled to earn $3 million. The $3 million is set in stone. It can't be renegotiated.
• The Cowboys have already picked up his "fifth year" option meaning they have him under contract for 2020 for a little over $9 million. 
• The Cowboys could put the "franchise tag" on Zeke in 2021 which would probably be around the $15 million.
• So if the Cowboys don't want to give him a long term deal (they don't), the smart thing for Zeke to do would be to hold out and forfeit the $3 million but save his legs because the Cowboys would run him to death this year. Running backs have a short shelf life -- saving those legs is critical. Then he could play for $9 million next year  -- it's too much to pass up. After that, the Cowboys would be so pissed at him (or so scared of another holdout) that they wouldn't use the franchise tag on him on 2021 and he becomes a free agent. 
• But here is a big kicker: Zeke must come back and be on the active roster by week 10 of this year or his contract tolls. If he holds out the entire year, it's would be like this contract year never happened. Everything would be pushed back meaning he would then be under contract for 2020 for $3 million and 2021 for $9 million. He would lose a year and gain absolutely nothing.
• There is no question he will show up by week 10 with or without an extension. He might not be motivated if there is no new extension, but he has to show up. 
• Zeke wants a Todd Gurley deal: That would be after his fifth year of 2020 at $9 million, he wants a new 4 year deal for $60 million with $45 million guaranteed. That ain't gonna happen. And history, as evidenced by Gurley just fading away down the stretch last year, is why.
• There was a pre-trial hearing yesterday in the Amber Guyger case and, if the press reports are correct, something pretty unusual happened: "[The judge] allowed prosecutors to admit several items into evidence, including the firearm Guyger used in the shooting, bullet casings, photographs and an unspecified 'projectile' that was recovered through Jean's autopsy." The only thing that I can possibly think of is that this means the State and Defense had agreed to stipulate to the admissibility of certain items, and that agreement was formalized yesterday with the items being "admitted" pre-trial. If everyone agrees to that procedure, that's fine. And it would save a ton of time in front of the jury -- you just never see it happen in criminal cases. 
  
• The AP preseason football poll came out. The good news for aTm is that they are #12. The bad news is that they play #1 (Clemson) #2 (Alabama) #3 (Georgia) and #6 (LSU)