The Trouble With Johnny

[LongJim]

This is a pretty good article. Hope the young man can come out unscathed.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9521439/heisman-winner-johnny-manziel-celebrity-derail-texas-aggies-season-espn-magazine

[glick1980]

This is a pretty good article. Hope the young man can come out unscathed.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9521439/heisman-winner-johnny-manziel-celebrity-derail-texas-aggies-season-espn-magazine

This kid is a giant doucher. I for one hope he gets very scathed.

[UNT90]

Wow. It will be a miracle if this kid doesn't wilt under the pressure.

His parents need to set a better example.

Wow.

[jtm0097]

Reading this article makes me dislike him even more. I feel no sympathy for the kid. If his parents didnt spoil him so much, he probably wouldn't be like this. Tim Tebow and Robert Griffin were big time stars at their schools, and there was not this much drama with them.

[emmitt01]

Wow. It will be a miracle if this kid doesn't wilt under the pressure.

His parents need to set a better example.

Wow.

I don't get it. This kid isn't from Chicago and his parents are married.

[PlummMeanGreen]

In over 50 years of watching NCAA football, I've never seen a college QB who had such a command or complete vision of the football field as this kid does. This Aggie QB even seems to know where the coach's water boy (Coke boy?) is on any play, too? Never seen anything like it. (BTW, I started seriously watching NCAA college football at age 12---so do the math).

Tiger Woods had the greatest most unbelieveable start for a PGA golfer most any of us had ever seen in our lifetimes. Johnny Football has done the same (abeit only 1 year at the moment) last Fall down in College Station. Sounds like he could use some professional on-campus counseling to help him deal with his celebrity.

Someone told me Johnny Football was Mexican or Latino, but he looks more Czech to me as far as national origin goes. I've always had an interest in anyone's national origin or geneology because all that kind of thing just interests the hell out of me. Mine is English/Scottish/Irish--a bunch of Heinz 57 variety mutts we are you might say, but most of my clan actually came from just outside London all you by-golly bloody Mean Green'ers!

Edited July 31, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[mattmartin817]

That article is pretty interesting. I feel bad for the kid just for the fact that anything he does for some reason becomes a news story, he's not doing anything more than what a large portion of college kids do on a regular basis. However, he could do some things to help stop that, i.e. not tweeting stupid crap, so he does sort of egg it on. The thing I found a little shocking is how his dad talks about how he's so afraid of how his son drinks, and how he thinks it can all spin out of control, but then at the golf course he seemingly shares a beer with his underage son. Kind of terrible parenting.

[THOR]

If he is so concerned about his son...get him help...don't whine to the media about it...be a father...

[UNTLifer]

Immaturity hurt a lot of 20 year olds that were not thrown into the public's eye like Manziel. I hope he grows up and learns from this, but I am afraid his greatest influences, Mom and Dad, aren't helping him.

[Christopher Walker]

This is one of the most humanizing takes on this growing mythos that is Jonathan Manziel. I feel I must go read more Wright Thompson articles now.

[foutsrouts]

It's not really a wild guess to say that he's a bit of a spoiled brat, and that he has some mental issues to boot, but I'm not going to argue about what I've seen on the football field. It's going to be interesting to see how he responds this season.

[Eagle1855]

This is one of the most humanizing takes on this growing mythos that is Jonathan Manziel. I feel I must go read more Wright Thompson articles now.

Agreed. I thought it was a great read.

Also, Wright Thompson is one of my favorites.

[UNT90]

If he is so concerned about his son...get him help...don't whine to the media about it...be a father...

And expect him to autograph a buttload of stuff for your friends.

And how about not engaging idiots like us on the TA&M fan board to the point of getting banned? How about setting an example for your son?

Sounds like the parents are having just as much trouble handling Johnny's new found fame as Johnny. That is sad.

Edited July 31, 2013 by UNT90

[Stan R]

I'm rooting for the kid. So he's a defiant 20 something year old kid with amazing talent who happens to drink a bit. Still think he's a Texas hero, sorry.

Edited July 31, 2013 by Stan R

[UNTLifer]

I'm rooting for the kid. So he's a defiant 20 something year old kid with amazing talent who happens to drink a bit. Still think he's a texas hero, sorry.

I am too. How many of us fit the description above...minus the Texas (always capitalized) hero part. The traits that earned him the starting position and drive him to succeed are the same traits that are getting him in trouble. I hope he gets a handle on everything, and that his parents grow up. When his sister, the youngest in the family, has to set Dad straight something is wrong.

[UNT90]

I am too. How many of us fit the description above...minus the Texas (always capitalized) hero part. The traits that earned him the starting position and drive him to succeed are the same traits that are getting him in trouble. I hope he gets a handle on everything, and that his parents grow up. When his sister, the youngest in the family, has to set Dad straight something is wrong.

Dad sounds about as mature as Johnny Football.

Apple and tree.

Edited July 31, 2013 by UNT90

[untjim1995]

This kid is just getting caught in the fishbowl that big time college football and major media creates. He has nothing to keep him grounded--not at home, not from Aggie fans, and not any obvious religious connection (like Tebow). But there is one thing that does seem to keep him in between the lines, so to speak. Its football. Guess what starts up real soon? Manziel is a special player and I think he will eventually pay a huge price for everything that will spin out of control in his life--but its not gonna be in college, barring any injury.

Manziel is a special college player--he may not do anything in the NFL. But I think that he is college football's version of Joe Namath and the Aggies will continue to benefit from his swagger. Much like when Texas started beating Nebraska in the early years of the Big XII when the Huskers were among the best teams in the country, I have a feeling that the Aggies may be there with Alabama. If they win that game in College Station early in the season, I think they have a great chance of not only winning a national championship, but to also establish themselves as THE place to play in this part of the country, which is what OU, UT, and LSU have been able to do at different points over the last 15 years or so. These things go in cycles, and maybe Manziel will fall on his face this fall and The Aggies go back to being 6-6. But I highly doubt that. His therapy is the locker room and the football field. He will be the guy that drives the media crazy and rival fanbases even crazier--but I suspect that he will continue to be a great QB for the Aggies this year. I doubt he will get the Heisman again, though, if for no other reason than that the voters don't like his behavior.

Edited July 31, 2013 by untjim1995

[Got5onIt]

I hope the kid can mature enough by the time he makes it into the NFL to succeed. He's going to go the way of Vince Young if he doesn't get it together.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

I don't get it. This kid isn't from Chicago and his parents are married.

..

-- I am in education.... I have seen a lot of lousy kids from wealthy families. The parents do a terrible job of raising them and just never say "no" and make excuses for them. One I am thinking of wreaked several pickups and they kept buying him a new one... plus got a girl or two pregnant.... no problem ... the family did nothing. On the other end I have seen great kids come from very "poor (unwealthy) " families.. They turned out great... Odds may be better with a wealthy family BUT that is not the total answer .. good parenting usually is ... but with a few they succeed or fail despite what the family does or has...

Manziel looks like a kid that never had limits put on him growing up.... kids that are out of control by age 10-12 or so will get worse... it starts young. Too many parents with teens have big problems and know it .. and usually the reason was what they did with the kid when he/she was young... Bad behavior is never "cute". I seen kids throw food at a restaurant or act up and parents think it is funny .. it isn't. Wait until they get 13 or so ... they will have created a Frankenstein that they can't now control..

A couple of good ones... know of a kid kicked off of bus ... result they refused to drive him... rode a bike for miles even if very cold... I am sure he got to think a lot about what he had done while peddling. Another --- parents ticked off at a girl (fighting) no makeup for her the remainder of the year .. looked a lot different.. (may have done a lot more, don't know.. that was obvious ) My wife got our older kid up at 6:00 AM every day for a few weeks after his verbal tirade at her and made him sit a kitchen table and read or study ... he is now a lawyer.

..

Edited July 31, 2013 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[Baby Arm!]

Im sorry but I dont buy this "He's just a college kid, doing what college kids do" excuse. It's a load of crap. His defense that he just an 20 year old and going to live life to the fullest. Maybe an average college kid acts like Johnny Football but

JFF is not an average college kid! He's the Heisman Trophy Winner, the face of his program and maybe university. The average college kid doesnt get to be famous, doesnt get sideline seats to the NBA Finals, doesnt hang with LeBron, and rock stars, doesnt get free trips to New York to go to the ESPY's, talk shows etc....

To those who much has been given, much is expected

The price to be paid for this fame, adulation, attention and future NFL millions? You dont get to live the typical lifestyle of an aveage college student.

Really?? The cops give the courtesy to knock on your door and tell you to move your car before it gets ticketd and you view it as harassment??

Oh and about all this "Pressure" the instant fame and attention is putting on young Johnny? Why didnt we see similar headlines about RGIII? Tim Tebow? Sam Bradford? Colt McCoy? Andrew Luck? or any of the other college QB's that had rocketed to fame in the Twitter/social media era?

Im sorry, to me Johnny Football is coming accross as a spoiled brat that wants his cake and eat it too.

[UNT90]

For a guy who claims media unfairness, he sure is doing a lot of woe is me interviews (along with his parents).

Interesting.

[tylermeangreen]

In over 50 years of watching NCAA football, I've never seen a college QB who had such a command or complete vision of the football field as this kid does. This Aggie QB even seems to know where the coach's water boy (Coke boy?) is on any play, too? Never seen anything like it. (BTW, I started seriously watching NCAA college football at age 12---so do the math).

Tiger Woods had the greatest most unbelieveable start for a PGA golfer most any of us had ever seen in our lifetimes. Johnny Football has done the same (abeit only 1 year at the moment) last Fall down in College Station. Sounds like he could use some professional on-campus counseling to help him deal with his celebrity.

Someone told me Johnny Football was Mexican or Latino, but he looks more Czech to me as far as national origin goes. I've always had an interest in anyone's national origin or geneology because all that kind of thing just interests the hell out of me. Mine is English/Scottish/Irish--a bunch of Heinz 57 variety mutts we are you might say, but most of my clan actually came from just outside London all you by-golly bloody Mean Green'ers!

Plumm - The Manziel family is of Lebanese descent.

There are many Lebanese families in East Texas and especially in Tyler. I know members of several of those families and even had the privilege a decade or so ago of dating one of them. They are wonderful, warm people.

But as with every group there are individuals, and even families, that are less wonderful than others.

I am not going to get into the background of this family or any other. But if any of you are interested might I suggest that you go to Yahoo and type in "Manziel Tyler Texas" and decide for yourselves if family plays a role in Johnny Manziel's attitude and choices.

At the bottom in Yahoo you will see "Search Related" and list of family members. I would suggest you start there as the first of many Yahoo pages are primarily devoted to Johnny Manziel.

I do hope the young man makes wise decisions in the future and that he has a successful, and honorable, life.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Plumm - The Manziel family is of Lebanese descent.

There are many Lebanese families in East Texas and especially in Tyler. I know members of several of those families and even had the privilege a decade or so ago of dating one of them. They are wonderful, warm people.

But as with every group there are individuals, and even families, that are less wonderful than others.

I am not going to get into the background of this family or any other. But if any of you are interested might I suggest that you go to Yahoo and type in "Manziel Tyler Texas" and decide for yourselves if family plays a role in Johnny Manziel's attitude and choices.

At the bottom in Yahoo you will see "Search Related" and list of family members. I would suggest you start there as the first of many Yahoo pages are primarily devoted to Johnny Manziel.

I do hope the young man makes wise decisions in the future and that he has a successful, and honorable, life.

Thanks, tylermeangreen...

Wasn't Danny "Make Room For Daddy" Thomas (and Marlo's late dad) Lebanese, too?

[UNT 90 Grad]

Thanks, tylermeangreen...

Wasn't Danny "Make Room For Daddy" Thomas (and Marlo's late dad) Lebanese, too?

Isn't Ellen Degeneres Lebanese?

(c'mon...if I didn't do it, someone else would've.)

Edited August 2, 2013 by UNT 90 Grad

[Christopher Walker]

Isn't Ellen Degeneres Lebanese?

(c'mon...if I didn't do it, someone else would've.)

I get your joke, but hey little trivia: she actually grew up in Atlanta, TX way out East.

Her father actually rented their home from their neighbors.... my great-grandparents.