He has become Johnny Cliché
Not only is Manziel free-falling; the saddest part is his descent might not even be complete
The Johnny Manziel circus has gone from a weekend in Vegas to police choppers looking for him to finally the highly not-funny accusations of assault.
Because he is only 23 the story is not complete but the most recent events surrounding Johnathan Football now have made him just another sports cliche: Young, wealthy athlete reaches the pros and he doesn’t listen, parties, can’t play, parties, gets involved in toxic relationship with a pretty young hot thing and blows it.
It’s called a stereotype for a reason. There are many elements to the Manziel story that are sad, so highly predictable and as such avoidable.
The most recent report in Tales from The Eternally Dumb says that Johnny’s TCU coed girlfriend Colleen Crowley told the police that Johnny appeared to be on drugs, and that he hit her and threatened to kill himself and her as well. Johnny denied those accusations. The police departments in both Dallas and Fort Worth said Thursday that their investigations were closed, but Dallas police said Friday that it was reopening its investigation after receiving a complaint of a domestic violence assault.
Detectives would determine what, if any, criminal charges Manziel would face. They noted it is not uncommon for victims of domestic violence to question or delay reporting an assault.
According to people at TCU familiar with Manziel’s relationship, they said it was volatile, emotionally charged and most recently hostile. It sounded like two young people with more cents than sense. But now the Johnny Manziel story is no longer cute and funny.
Per a story in The Dallas Morning News, Manziel’s father told the paper that he fears for his son’s life and that “I truly believe if they can’t get him help, he won’t live to see his 24th birthday.” Manziel is 23.
The Cleveland Browns have said they will release him as soon as the NFL permits. Manziel’s agent issued a self-serving press release to announce that he cut ties with his client. About the only thing that has not happened is Texas A&M has not renounced his Heisman Trophy and mailed it to his preferred home in Austin.
Everybody who followed John since his days in College Station knew a fall was coming, but the depth and the details of this drop would surprise even the most jaded cynic.
There is time and Manziel likely will be given an opportunity to right his trajectory but nothing in his past says he is capable of executing the type of necessary moves to complete a transformation that will give him a chance at an NFL career.
If the NFL collectively blackballs Johnny the way it did former Ravens running back Ray Rice, Manziel’s game could flourish in Canada. The Canadian Football League’s game is made for guys like Manziel, but it is doubtful his ego and pride would let him go that far north.
From afar he looks like just another first-round bust; the NFL is loaded with guys who were great in college and bums in the league. The Browns magically seem to have the market cornered on those players.
Up close, however, Manziel is far from your average first-round dud, which is why the story is so compelling. He won the Heisman Trophy and was one of the most exciting college players in recent memory for his play on the field and his considerable personality off of the field.
Remember when Johnny Manziel was the test case for why student athletes should be paid?
He was so arrogant, cocky and a giant star. Manziel was a tractor beam for cameras, girls and the sycophants who come at young prominent jocks like dirt to a vacuum.
There was no way it would last. It was simply a matter of what triggered the fall. Maybe it’s his relationship with alcohol. Maybe it’s just youth. Maybe he’s just dumb.
The saddest part of all is that the fall is likely not complete. There is another ring to Johnny’s Inferno. As long as he has money to burn, he won’t have trouble finding trouble. It does not matter if he plays in Dallas, Buffalo or is the new quarterback of the Los Angeles Rams, Johnny always seems to find an Uber ride to Austin or Vegas.
He had the talent and is good enough that he had a shot to make Johnny Football a part of the NFL complete with T-shirts, hats and all sorts of other junk to buy. Instead, he’s just another Johnny Cliché.