Letter From A&M Chancellor To Business Leaders On Manziel

[FirefightnRick]

What I would give to have administrative leadership like this at North Texas that defends it's athletic interests in this way.

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=eggqe6jab&v=0015BXpFNMtZm3doVHTi2nCHzMne8u7jKagoTfMLRYuF_eUUL7h7Lq1FiDS3_LNiB1sqBg9-FnSSIUt6lhjkeRLUhTrKagJ414ENE2WZvnRho5v7v3ZjS4FraGqr-zpFH6MtvIY6S4MeUc%3D

Welcome to the SEC!

This is a quick update on our flagship, Texas A&M University. We will have great news on all our institutions coming soon in the newsletter at the end of the month.

As you are all aware, our Heisman Trophy winning, freshman quarterback has been very popular this summer! I hope you saw that I recently supported him at the opening of the Texas A&M School of Law in Fort Worth.

While I did confirm that it was a personal view, my motivation was based on the fact we have had ongoing and productive dialogue with the NCAA during their investigation, as required. However, some members of the media have chosen to declare #2 guilty with no evidence whatsoever.

Darren Rovell of ESPN, who broke this story, has been duped before. During his report on Johnny Manziel, he cites unnamed sources who refuse to provide an interview or any tangible proof. In fact, his "named source," Drew Tieman (initially referred to as the broker), was reportedly booked twice for possession of marijuana and placed on four years probation. He has taken down his Facebook page, changed his telephone number and is refusing attempts to be interviewed by the NCAA. It is surprising that the nation's largest sports channel would support publication with this lack of corroboration...........

Rick

Edited August 22, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[meangreanmick]

What I would give to have administrative leadership like this at North Texas that defends it's athletic interests in this way.

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=eggqe6jab&v=0015BXpFNMtZm3doVHTi2nCHzMne8u7jKagoTfMLRYuF_eUUL7h7Lq1FiDS3_LNiB1sqBg9-FnSSIUt6lhjkeRLUhTrKagJ414ENE2WZvnRho5v7v3ZjS4FraGqr-zpFH6MtvIY6S4MeUc%3D

Rick

No matter what, you will certainly find a way to issue a complaint about how UNT runs. You are the definition of "the grass is always greener" - no pun intended.

I think this is shameful. I would not want our administration acting this way. They are trying to justify what he did? He cheated, he broke the rules. Everyone in America knows he did , but lets defend it because we can get him off on technicalities.

[FirefightnRick]

No matter what, you will certainly find a way to issue a complaint about how UNT runs. You are the definition of "the grass is always greener" - no pun intended.

I think this is shameful. I would not want our administration acting this way. They are trying to justify what he did? He cheated, he broke the rules. Everyone in America knows he did , but lets defend it because we can get him off on technicalities.

Have you even paid an ounce of attention what has occurred with this case?

I'd guess no!

Rick

[MeanGreen61]

No matter what, you will certainly find a way to issue a complaint about how UNT runs. You are the definition of "the grass is always greener" - no pun intended.

I think this is shameful. I would not want our administration acting this way. They are trying to justify what he did? He cheated, he broke the rules. Everyone in America knows he did , but lets defend it because we can get him off on technicalities.

Agree with Rick on this. No real evidence, just unsupported allegations so far. Just because someone reported it, doesn't actually make it so........... Gotta prove it first.

[MeanGreenTexan]

No matter what, you will certainly find a way to issue a complaint about how UNT runs. You are the definition of "the grass is always greener" - no pun intended.

I think this is shameful. I would not want our administration acting this way. They are trying to justify what he did? He cheated, he broke the rules. Everyone in America knows he did , but lets defend it because we can get him off on technicalities.

Exactly.

Not exactly the direction I would expect the A&M CHANCELLOR to take: 'Let's try to save our guy's face by dragging this other guy through the mud.'

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

To me, this is A&M playing the Big Boy game. The Penn State folks would be proud. Potential controversy? There's no controversy until someone catches us red handed, right?

[TIgreen01]

Exactly.

Not exactly the direction I would expect the A&M CHANCELLOR to take: 'Let's try to save our guy's face by dragging this other guy through the mud.'

Agreed. There is nothing wrong with defending Manziel if you really believe that he's innocent. As FFR pointed out, there hasn't been any hard evidence provided that proves that he did take money for the autographs. That said, you don't go about defending him in this manner, IMPO. Shame on Tamu's chancelor.

Edited August 22, 2013 by TIgreen01

[mattmartin817]

This is also a case of a bad "reporter" putting a lot of stuff out there without backing it up. Which he has done before, which was an epic fail.

Case in Point.

http://deadspin.com/5916245/how-a-teenager-with-a-fake-escort-service-duped-darren-rovell-and-cnbc

[glick1980]

Have you even paid an ounce of attention what has occurred with this case?

I'd guess no!

Rick

I guess you think that a guy is going to sign hundreds of items for multiple memorabilia brokers out of the goodness of his heart. Dez Bryant was suspended an entire season for lying about earing a meal with Deion Sanders, which wasn't even a violation. While I do not agree with the NCAA's rules, he should be suspended at least one season.

[FirefightnRick]

ESPN's Rick Reilly: "Not A Good Sign"

http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=9567169&src=desktop

Not long ago, an outfit called Heritage Auctions got $7,760 for a jersey Manziel wore when he beat Alabama last season, and a pair of cleats he wore in 2011. One jersey and one pair of cleats made more than that first entire alleged autograph session. How did Heritage get this stuff? They won't say. Why isn't Manziel getting a cut of his own stuff? Good question.

"It's a joke," Manziel's father, Paul, told reporters in March. "They're all trying to make a dollar."

And if the NCAA is investigating Manziel for these incidents, how can they not look into South Carolina stud defensive end Jadeveon Clowney? The autograph authentication firm of PSA/DNA says they've validated "many, many" Clowney signatures this offseason, according to its president, Joe Orlando. "There were at least two lots of over 300 consecutive-number authentications of Mr. Clowney's signature," Orlando says.

Did he get paid for them?

"I have no idea," Orlando says.

How often does somebody sign 300 autographs in a row and not get paid?

"It has happened, for charity, but it's rare," Orlando says. "Less than 1 percent of the time."

And if it's not for charity, what is it, usually?

"It's almost always a paid business arrangement."

South Carolina officials say they've investigated these unusually large lots of consecutive Clowney autographs and decided there was no wrongdoing.

Again, so what? Clowney is not a player South Carolina is trying to recruit. It's not booster money. It's not illegal. In fact, it's not only perfectly legal, it's a great way to do business. South Carolina should know. It just held its annual Fan Day, where fans swarmed Clowney and his teammates to get autographs. Schools do it because it builds business, increases ticket sales and even donations. They just don't let their student-athletes in on the game.

Hat Tip to the M&G board for the article link.

Rick

Edited August 22, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[El Paso Eagle]

Exactly.

Not exactly the direction I would expect the A&M CHANCELLOR to take: 'Let's try to save our guy's face by dragging this other guy through the mud.'

I have heard estimations that Johnny Football helped the Aggies bring in an extra 30 million in $$. This man is supporting an investment as much, if not more than the person

[oldguystudent]

For UNT to jump overboard protecting its players like this, wouldn't it first need players from whom thousands of people demanded autographs?

I'm still firmly in the camp that I hope UNT never becomes an LSU, Ohio State or Texas. Too big, too dirty, not for me. I'm happy to stick around in this purgatory of a division the big boys are forcing us into. At least I know my money's going toward scholarships for kids who go to class every once in a while.

[untjim1995]

For UNT to jump overboard protecting its players like this, wouldn't it first need players from whom thousands of people demanded autographs?

I'm still firmly in the camp that I hope UNT never becomes an LSU, Ohio State or Texas. Too big, too dirty, not for me. I'm happy to stick around in this purgatory of a division the big boys are forcing us into. At least I know my money's going toward scholarships for kids who go to class every once in a while.

You can rest assured that we will never become one of those schools--nor will most other schools in the country.

A&M is protecting their investment--an investment that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from his Heisman season.

[LongJim]

Not really what (IMO) the CHANCELLOR of a major university should be doing. But whatever. It's "Johnny Chancellor". It's aTm. They do things differently.

[untjim1995]

Not really what (IMO) the CHANCELLOR of a major university should be doing. But whatever. It's "Johnny Chancellor". It's aTm. They do things differently.

I have no problem with it--he's showing his constituency that he backs up the guy who almost all of their fans believe is the victim of a witch hunt and is being unfairly followed by a media that would love to get a big catch--especially if it helps get the school (UT) that most of these "journalists" either graduated from in this state and are employed by a certain network that just happens to own the content of said university to reach their "rightful" place at the top of the foodchain in Texas. Having this all break in August when its been known about for the months before just screams Texas/Bama influence to me...

I have no dog in this hunt--I think both Texas and A&M have way too much influence in this state. So do Tech and Baylor, too. But this is all dumb. If you ask me, how the hell Major Applewhite got to keep his job after screwing a female athletic trainer while his wife was pregnant is a LOT worse than Johnny Football siging autographs in the same way that Jadeveon Clowney and Teddy Bridgewater have. And that got covered up until Texas' black female track coach gets fired for basically having an affair with a female student and she sued and it all came out. In this state, as I have learned over the years, the media is full of UT writers and the legislature is full of UT lawyers and judges. They will do whatever it takes to take care of their Longhorns, even if its when their team is not as good as OU or A&M, which is certainly the case right now.

[meangreanmick]

Have you even paid an ounce of attention what has occurred with this case?

I'd guess no!

Rick

Yes

Manziel has his own run ins with the inside of a jail cell, so they might want to go a little easy on the brokers are bad guys argument. They certainly are, but Manziel has demonstrated beyond a doubt that he is no angel either. You have multiple brokers claiming they paid him money, probably hurts their business because other players are going to run from them at this point. Hard to see their clear motivation for a bogus claim.

Can NCAA prove it? They probably don't have the power needed. Does that mean it didnt happen - only if you are a fool.

[LongJim]

I have no problem with it--he's showing his constituency that he backs up the guy who almost all of their fans believe is the victim of a witch hunt and is being unfairly followed by a media that would love to get a big catch--especially if it helps get the school (UT) that most of these "journalists" either graduated from in this state and are employed by a certain network that just happens to own the content of said university...etc.

The same network that has the SEC TV deal? That one?

Whatever. I really couldn't care less what JFF does or doesn't do, or did or didn't do. He's a great player for sure. And good for the chancellor, I guess.

But why does Johnny Chancellor have to say anything at all? Let the false rumors take care of themselves and let this witch hunt run its course. Let your athletic department do their job is all I'm saying. The Chancellor should be above this stuff. But again, aTm does things differently.

[laxtonto]

As some one in academia I am appalled that the chancellor of a school is involved in an athletic squabble. This is so far under his pay grade that it is embarrassing. This is something he should have little to no involvement in and having the chancellor go on the offensive about this is making it look like the tail is wagging the dog. This is a big no no as far as academia is concerned.

To me it seems like A&M is trying to goad ESPN to release anything they have now instead of holding back till right before school starts. The Chancellor is one of the few that can get away with it and not be a NCAA target, but it provides both a bad precedent and hurts the academic image of the school.

[FirefightnRick]

Yes

Manziel has his own run ins with the inside of a jail cell, so they might want to go a little easy on the brokers are bad guys argument. They certainly are, but Manziel has demonstrated beyond a doubt that he is no angel either. You have multiple brokers claiming they paid him money, probably hurts their business because other players are going to run from them at this point. Hard to see their clear motivation for a bogus claim.

Can NCAA prove it? They probably don't have the power needed. Does that mean it didnt happen - only if you are a fool.

.

.

Unless the school or the organization...(Vegas gambling groups) they are connected to benefits from JFF getting suspended.

Do you not realize this has been going on for years and everyone has looked the other way,.... till now? Do you not realize the NCAA, the Universities and ESPN and many of their business holdings have been dealing with brokers and auction houses hired by them to legally and intentionally obtain autographed items in order to raise money for many things including charities...for years, and it's been business as usual till now?

Rick

Edited August 22, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[MeanGreenTexan]

Yes

Manziel has his own run ins with the inside of a jail cell, so they might want to go a little easy on the brokers are bad guys argument. They certainly are, but Manziel has demonstrated beyond a doubt that he is no angel either. You have multiple brokers claiming they paid him money, probably hurts their business because other players are going to run from them at this point. Hard to see their clear motivation for a bogus claim.

Can NCAA prove it? They probably don't have the power needed. Does that mean it didnt happen - only if you are a fool.

What is the NCAA's incentive to prove it? Sure, he's making A&M money hand over fist, but is he not making the NCAA money as well?

The little guys like UNT ... and what's up with that whacked-out ruling handed down, then overturned for MT (the former military guy not getting to play, then getting to play)?? ... we're the ones that the NCAA cracks down on so they can show that they mean business. Of course, we're barely making the NCAA any money at all (if we aren't a money-sucker).

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Agreed. There is nothing wrong with defending Manziel if you really believe that he's innocent. As FFR pointed out, there hasn't been any hard evidence provided that proves that he did take money for the autographs. .

..

Highly agree... what people think is true often is not... the same with what some claim to be true. Project innocence has turned a lot of people loose because DNA shows they really weren't guilty.. Personally knew a teacher that was accused of rape with a student and his name and picture appeared on front page of local paper.. About 2-3 weeks later the girl confessed , wasn't him.. she had been with a boyfriend.. and was trying to say out of trouble. . I was once shot at by a " dumb" cop..... He thought I was a burglar, I was an night employee, didn't realize he was there. In todays world he would have been fired. My experiences tell me that don't assume what you hear at first or apparently see is always the truth or what is really happening...

Even if true, this has really pointed out how colleges profit from many of their athletes.. They can sell his signature, jerseys etc. and make money with none of the profits going to that athlete. Yes, they do get an almost free education but that can be a small amount compared to what the college earns. A lot of students have jobs and earn nearly as much as athletes are "paid" (tuition etc.) to play sports. Most "earn" the tuition they receive and in some sports they put their body at some risk. Most earn with sweat every bit that they receive.

..

Edited August 22, 2013 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[meangreanmick]

.

.

Unless the school or the organization...(Vegas gambling groups) they are connected to benefits from JFF getting suspended.

Do you not realize this has been going on for years and everyone has looked the other way,.... till now? Do you not realize the NCAA, the Universities and ESPN and many of their business holdings have been dealing with brokers and auction houses hired by them to legally and intentionally obtain autographed items in order to raise money for many things including charities...for years, and it's been business as usual till now?

Rick

None of those are arguments for why Manziel is innocent. Those are excuses for why he shouldn't be punished for breaking the rules. How about this, I will buy you a Manziel Aggie jersey for you to wear since you have so much respect for the guy and we can call it a truce.

[FirefightnRick]

None of those are arguments for why Manziel is innocent.

Sure it is if there was precedence set.

Can't be punished if there were no rules broken. Looks like there were no rules broken.

Rick

Edited August 23, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[PlummMeanGreen]

Agree with Rick on this. No real evidence, just unsupported allegations so far. Just because someone reported it, doesn't actually make it so........... Gotta prove it first.

Yep, I will agree with FFR on this, too.

I said early on when all this started with Johnny Football and when everyone else had pre-judged him and had all but strung him up a tree that he would be exonerated and not miss a single game this Fall and now it's even easier to say that.

Those who have accused Manziel have been dismantled piece by piece and that mostly because of their shady past dealings in sports. It's an old story as far as I'm concerned. Time to play some football.

GMG!

PS: After hearing J.M.'s dad the other day on radio, he did describe his son as a sometimes "out there" free-spirit that had to be reeled in from time to time. Coach Sumlin & staff are probably already doing just that.

Edited August 23, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[LongJim]

Pretty succinct article in Deadspin. Keep in mind that the NCAA doesn't need to have "proof". Most media is not reporting that fact. The aTm CHANCELLOR basically answering "I just know." in reply to whether he has any evidence exonerating JFF is not really convincing.

http://deadspin.com/a-m-chancellor-blasts-darren-rovell-declares-johnny-ma-1187787763