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Off-the-field distractions pertaining to the National Anthem controversy could have a negative impact on the Dallas Cowboys odds. Bookmakers are certainly taking notice.
The 8.5 wins total has remained constant and priced even at -115 over the past month. Dallas is listed with the second best odds to win the 2018 NFC East after reigning Super Bowl champs the Philadelphia Eagles.
Remarks made by team owner Jerry Jones, and perhaps more stinging, by starting quarterback Dak Prescott, have many people wondering how team morale will be affected coming into the new season.
Prescott this past week set Twitter ablaze with comments seemingly supporting the notion that players should not kneel during the National Anthem.
"I never protest," Prescott said. "I never protest during the anthem, and I don't think that's the time or the venue to do so. The game of football has always brought me such peace, and I think it does the same for a lot of people — a lot of people playing the game, a lot of people watching the game, a lot of people who have any impact of the game — so when you bring such controversy to the stadium, to the field, to the game, it takes away. It takes away from that, it takes away from the joy and the love that football brings a lot of people.
"For me, I'm all about making a change and making a difference, and I think this whole kneeling and all of that was just about raising awareness and the fact that we're still talking about social injustice years later. I think we've gotten to that point. I think we've proved, we know the social injustice, I'm up for taking the next step, whatever the next step may be, for action and not just kneeling. I've always believed standing up for what I believe in, and that's what I'm going to continue to do."
One individual tweeted:
Dak Prescott catching plenty heat lately. I don't have issues since I don't expect every player to be Kaepernick or Malcolm Jenkins. He was not about to mess up his future contract over the anthem issue. But a simple 'No comment' would have did him well.
And another:
For every Colin Kaepernick there’s always a Dak Prescott, sadly.
Some players have also called Prescott out for his remarks.
Raiders linebacker Tahir Whitehead had this to say in response:
Sounds like Dak don’t wanna lose that Campbells Chunky Soup deal!
OUCH!
Meanwhile, the Cowboys organization reportedly has asked its owner Jerry Jones to stop commenting on the Anthem controversy. Jones has long insisted on his players standing for the National Anthem.
A Fox4 News Dallas-Fort Worth reporter said Sunday that he was told by Cowboys public relations officials that he couldn't ask Jones about the anthem issue, leading the interview to be canceled. Other outlets interviewed Jones without asking anthem-related questions.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
