BREAKING: Johnny Manziel Investigation

[Gothamite]

The only power student athletes have to change the rules is to buck them openly and proudly, and suffer the consequences for doing so.

MLK didn't write his Letter from a Birmingham Lounge Chair, after all.

You want to strike a blow against the Man? You do so by facing consequences like a man.

[Thad]

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Thad, your righteous indignation is kind of drowned out by your Alabama fandom.

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I knew someone would say this.

The rules are the rules. I'm an Alabama fan yes, but if this was AJ McCarron or Amari Cooper, I'd say the same things. I've seen FCS players reject "$20 handshakes" -- I expect the same from players on a bigger stage, if not more since they have more to risk.

My whole job revolves around making sure big companies follow little, nitpicky rules (see my note until my profile picture). However, if those little things aren't followed, million-dollar fines and jail time follow (among other things) can follow, depending on a judge's mood that day. Making sure people follow the rules is kinda how I'm wired, whether the system is screwed up or not - my fandom has nothing to do with my attitude.

[The_Admiral]

Making sure people follow the rules is kinda how I'm wired

Rewire yourself to be more fun.

[Lights Out]

Another broker has stepped forward with evidence of more signings - and being asked to pay for them.

It's starting to sound a lot more believable now.

[Cujo]

If this picture isn't a fake....I'm dropping the mic. Kid thinks he's above the rules.

Oh yes. This is absoultely, 100% legit.

Actual ball says "Happy Birthday": http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/aggiesports.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/a6/8a69bb7e-3ff4-11e2-af99-001a4bcf887a/50c11caa26142.preview-300.jpg

[dfwabel]

If you have yet to read the Wright Thomposon story which was put online last Tuesday, it is a must.

Specifically, there are comments from his parents:

The family is angry about the trophy, which really is a symbol for every little indignity, real and imagined, fueling the rift. This January, Johnny's family wanted his copy of the Heisman, which the school told them hadn't arrived yet from New York, Paul says. So finally Paul contacted the Heisman Trust, which told them it had shipped the trophy directly to Texas A&M. Paul suspected the school misled him, using the second Heisman to double its fundraising and recruiting possibilities. Texas A&M, through a spokesman, appeared baffled at the accusation, and it's difficult to find the line between a lie and a simple miscommunication. (The Manziels received their Heisman in January.)

The Manziels don't understand why the school lets the NCAA probe their lives, starting with the assumption that they are cheating, as if an endless back and forth about a rich family spending money really addresses the most dangerous consequences of Johnny's fame. Paul Manziel thinks the school compliance department actually works for the NCAA, and in a meta way, he's right. If A&M doesn't fully cooperate with questions about, say, courtside tickets and fancy vacations, it leaves itself open to

sanctions.

The Manziels are tired of a coach getting a million dollars and their son getting an appointment with a therapist. They're tired, and they're scared, because they've seen the pressure build and build, and they don't know what might happen next.

Sometimes, when Johnny half-asses a signature on a football and doesn't press down hard enough, his dad will quietly trace over his son's name, protecting him in every little way he can. "He'll grow up," Paul says. "He'll fight the same thing with his son. And his son will think he knows it all. It's a cycle. Right? I think that's the toughest relationship in the world, fathers and sons."

[Chicageaux]

From my understanding, and this is coming from someone in the know at A&M, the Manziels are an interesting group of people. They're country folk and I'm talking the backwoods type of country except they have money. Basically, everything Johnny is doing is what his family has done for a couple generations. The only problem for Johnny is he's the star football player for a division I team and also the Heisman.

What I don't get is why his parents keep going to the press talking about how concerned they are for their son's well being. Seems like if you were really that concerned for your son, you wouldn't go to Sports Illustrated for a story about it, unless they're looking for some money.

Personally, I've never met any member of the Manziel clan. However, from my understanding they've been a headache for the school and the board of trustees.

[The_Admiral]

The "BREAKING" in the title reminds me of Jackie Harvey from The Onion. Item!

God, this story is so dumb. I couldn't give a damn if you bought me the damn and then gave me some Valium and instructed me to hand the damn to you. Just creepy college fans jerking off over other schools doing the same rule-breaking their own schools do, because if they get caught they get sanctioned and are easier to beat. College football is so lame.

[tBBP]

The "BREAKING" in the title reminds me of Jackie Harvey from The Onion. Item!

I couldn't give a damn if you bought me the damn and then gave me some Valium and instructed me to hand the damn to you.

[Lights Out]

Apparently Manziel was caught on tape asking for money for "new rims" and telling the brokers "you never did a signing with me."

He's done - only question now is how long it'll take TMZ to get their hands on the video.

[IceCap]

There's also supposed to be a video of Rob Ford smoking crack.

[Magnus]

More relevant to student-athletes in general, rather than the douchenozzles some of these guys become, but in the context of making exorbitant amounts for their schools...

WE- WANT - A UNION! WE - WANT - A UNION!

[RyanB06]

Apparently Manziel was caught on tape asking for money for "new rims" and telling the brokers "you never did a signing with me."

He's done - only question now is how long it'll take TMZ to get their hands on the video.

Now all we need is evidence he was doing this last year and it's bye-bye Heisman. Talk about a fall from grace.

[Chicageaux]

So let me get this straight.. These guys take this video to ESPN and try to sell it, ESPN says no, so they give it to them anyway but they're not going to cooperate with the investigation? What was their end game in all this?

Going by what the article says, he tells them he won't take additional money for personal autographs. That could mean he took money and won't take anymore or it could me he won't take money at all. Nothing is really said at all about him being paid, just assumptions, including him asking for money for new rims since that's not on the video.. ESPN was told that by the broker.

[Island_Style]

Like it or not I think this is starting to bring more awareness to "student athletes" getting screwed over at major programs. We all know by now the power schools are fed up with the NCAA. Well, the press is starting to call foul. Taking more the side of a douche like "Johnny Football" over the NCAA. Change is coming. I don't know if the NCAA will loosen it's grip or the power five will form their own. Something is coming and people like Manziel played their part.

[Gothamite]

This spoiled rich kid with entitlement issues? I'll take the NCAA any day. Even at their worst, there's more integrity there.

[HedleyLamarr]

Sports memorobilia people are only slightly higher on the food chain than those low-lifes heading up BALCO and Biogenisis and the like. One (or more) probably got butthurt that Manziel didn't sign more stuff, so they want to screw with his eligibility.

Until there's proof of him taking money, this is going to go the same way the Cam Newton story went....

[dfwabel]

Bad NCAA Bylaw: Probably. If he was playing basketball or baseball, he could have done these things immediately after his initial season playing since he would have the ability to turn professional.

Bad Decisions from the Manziel family: Definately

The Manziel family knew of the process a soon as Johnny was under recruitment. They also seem afraid of him and had to hear the reasoning from their 17-year old daughter not to get personalized license plates which were to say, "JFF MOM" and "JFF DAD" (Yes, JFF = "Johnny F'ing Football").

He is trying to mimic Vincent Chase from Entourage with is personal "Turtle" in this Nate Fitch. Fitch is the one who is going to try and take the bullet, but then he will be in IRS trouble with the cash and possible check.

And as for the press, the Alabama@TAMU game has been the one NCAA game writers have been focusing on since the BCS title game. If Manziel is ruled ineligible, all their off-season work is shot to hell, so they would appreciate if he was suspended for every game but the Alabama game.

[rams80]

This spoiled rich kid with entitlement issues? I'll take the NCAA any day. Even at their worst, there's more integrity there.

They are presently arguing in court that they are not specifically promoting individuals for their organization profit, while it was revealed today that entering specific and prominent athlete names (and nicknames) into the NCAA's online store's search engine brought up jerseys with said athlete's number, among other things. (After it went viral the NCAA completely removed the search tool from the store) In what universe does this constitute integrity?

[Gothamite]

I didn't say they were pillars of respectability. Far from it.

Only that they had more integrity than this infant.