HE’S NOT THE VICTIM!
Johnny’s ex is the one who got hurt
Dear NFL: Johnny Manziel is not the victim. The victim’s name is Colleen Crowley. Johnny Manziel left her with a ruptured eardrum, according to her attorney, and Crowley’s affidavit includes accusations of physical abuse and disturbing threats (“Shut up or I’ll kill us both.”). Manziel says “it didn’t happen.”
The affidavit requesting an order of protection from Manziel stated that: Crowley was first “scared he was going to hurt me” at a hotel; “scared for her life” as her cries to a valet went ignored; and “fearful for my life” and “really scared” while being hit inside the car; and “extremely scared” by the time police reached her home. Ultimately, Crowley would pull out a knife from the kitchen, which prompted Manziel to run out of the apartment. The final sentence of Crowley’s affidavit concluded:
“I continue to be extremely concerned for my health and well-being.”
Crowley’s expressed fears would be followed by a national outpouring of concern for the health and well being of — Johnny Manziel.
Crowley’s fear was immediately trumped by the concerns of Johnny’s father Paul, who told The Dallas Morning News: “I truly believe if they can’t get (Johnny) help, he won’t live to see his 24th birthday.”
Paul Manziel would direct all empathy toward Johnny Football, and grandfather Norman Manziel later upped the ante to victim-blaming with, “The girl has her problems…”
While one might not expect objectivity from Manziel’s own family, Crowley’s problems included a media narrative set by Paul Manziel and embraced by the NFL Network.
NFL.com features various sympathetic videos including: “Manziel’s family concerned about well-being” and “Browns’ Owner: I’m worried about Manziel as a person.”
NFL Network’s Mike Silver implores: “Get help Johnny Manziel… Get the help that you need.” NFL Network analyst and Hall of Famer Deion Sanders tells Cleveland.com, “Johnny’s in love. And Johnny’s in love with something that’s crippling him right now. I understand it.”
Even more troubling than Deion’s cross between Grandpa Manziel and Dr. Phil is what is almost nonexistent at NFL.com and elsewhere: Colleen Crowley. Remember her? OK, someone did notice Crowley. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com opens her recent article: “Browns coach Hue Jackson expressed concern not only about Johnny Manziel but about his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley Saturday night.”
Cabot reported that Jackson said, “First and foremost to the young lady, I hope that’s she getting the help the that she needs to move beyond this situation. And then No. 2… I don’t want to see any young man’s life be at risk in any situation.”
Did you catch that opening? “Not only Manziel.” Jackson’s mere acknowledgment and prioritizing of Crowley’s humanity was noteworthy in and of itself. And just how incredibly sad is that? Didn’t the NFL already cross this violence-against-women bridge in 2014?
Didn’t Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancee Janay Palmer awaken the NFL’s consciousness? After a terrible botching of that incident by Roger Goodell, wasn’t the Rice incident supposed to mark the start of the new National Feminist League?
If anything, the current reaction to Manziel and invisibility of Crowley supports what many already knew — that the NFL and faux-outraged media was never really about loving Janay Palmer — only hating Ray Rice.
And while Rice must surely be scratching his head on the NFL’s Manziel-inspired concern, and while books can be written on the 50 shades of white privilege afforded Johnny Football, their fates are more tied to their on-field talents. Rice’s fall out of the NFL was greased by his paltry 3.1 yards per carry in 2013, and if Manziel never sees an NFL field again (though I doubt it), it’s because he shares Michael Vick’s size and style, but not his speed.
This fight is more about Palmer and Crowley. The NFL and media insincerity that reduced Palmer to a prop in 2014 has also aided in rendering Colleen Crowley invisible thus far in 2016. As far as we can tell, Crowley would only be noticed if she was struck by Ray instead of Johnny.
There will be many who will chalk up the Rice outrage to the visual and visceral “videotape.”
But videotape is not just to be seen and felt, but also learned from. Exactly what kind of imagination must one have to figure out how the sausage of a ruptured eardrum is made? The vision is quite disturbing. Do we really still need to see a video?
And if our imagination isn’t enough, let’s consider that this was not the first time Manziel was alleged to have hit Crowley. This is what sports writer Jessica Luther wrote back on Nov. 10:
“And, if you care, on Thursday night, only hours before Deadspin ran their story on Greg Hardy, Johnny Manziel started at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, less than a month after a troubling scene where Manziel’s girlfriend said he hit her and witnesses corroborated it, but police didn’t press charges. There’s video, but only of her talking to the police. There is no violence or battered body to consume, merely a woman telling her story. Do you care enough to hear her?” Do you? Will you hear Crowley now that she spelled out her F-E-A-R in an affidavit?
IOr do you still need video? f you sincerely do care about violence against women you can give a few moments of your concern for the safety of Colleen Crowley.
Then maybe we can have a real discussion on helping Johnny Manziel.