The gist of things from the ESPN OTL report (http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9537999/otl-ncaa-investigating-jo...) is quoted below.
Three sources said Manziel signed photographs, footballs, mini football helmets and other items at the request of an autograph broker named Drew Tieman. Two sources, who are aware of the signing arrangement, told "Outside the Lines" that Tieman approached Manziel on Jan. 6, when he landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to attend the game between Alabama and Notre Dame the next day.
After that meeting, three sources said, Manziel, accompanied by his friend and personal assistant Nathan Fitch, visited Tieman's residence and signed hundreds of items in the main room of the apartment despite the fact that there were many people in the room. Before Manziel left South Florida, after taking in the title game, he signed hundreds of autographs more, one source said.
The source also told "Outside the Lines" that James Garland, the NCAA's assistant director of enforcement, in June contacted Tieman and at least one person associated with the signings. The source said Garland, who did not return calls from "Outside the Lines" for comment, told the person that he wanted to talk about Manziel signing items that had appeared for sale on eBay. An NCAA spokeswoman cited NCAA policy to "Outside the Lines" and declined to comment.
Comments
Run roh. No bueno for aTm if this ends up costing Johnny football. And honestly the same for the fans. Kid is fun as hell to watch
Well this was a long time coming...
Has there been a marquee event in the past year without Johnny Football in the front row? I mean I heard his parents are wealthy, but...c'mon.
His parents are oil wealthy. Like rich rich
He's exciting, but he's turning into the guy that you just want to see fail. I'm not going to fault him for living it up, but when he came out and said "boo hoo everyone needs to walk a mile in my shoes", that was it for me. The hardest decision he ever has to make is whether he's in a tits or ass mood and yet I'm supposed to feel sorry for him?
What a dilemma to have
his offensive linemen need to lock him in a closet until gamedays
I want him to be on Bama's mind when we play them.
Raise your hand if you're shocked by this.................. Anyone?............ Bueller?
This is the SEC though...I don't expect much to come of this unfortunately...
It really sucks that a player can't get $$ for a signature. Having said, how freaking stupid can you be? Why would you risk your eligibility for some money? Especially when your parents are loaded, and if you can keep your nose clean, you'll get millions from the NFL in a year!?
If Johnny Football becomes an above average qb in the nfl I'll eat a shoe. Dude is on the verge of a breakdown already and he doesn't have ideal measurables for a pro qb either.
He's got Ryan Leaf 2.0 written all over him.
"What if I told you, the only Freshman to ever win the heisman was a complete nutcase" ESPNs next 30 for 30
Neither does drew brees. Russell Wilson is 6' on a good day and look at what he did. Slowly that is changing. Don't need to be 6'4 and big anymore. The game is evolving at a rapid rate and Mobile qbs are part of it. Not saying johnny is gonna be an all pro but his measurable a won't be why he's not
I haven't seen a quarterback escape pressure and find an open guy downfield like he does since Vick. The game is evolving to the spread, with a lot of pistol. Mobile QB's like Russell Wilson and RG3 were able to make such an impact at such a young age because of that transition.
Manziel is a rare specimen in the mold of Vick, Roethlisberger, or Romo in that he just knows what's happening around him due to some kind of sixth sense that I don't understand.
I think he'll be pretty solid in the NFL at QB if he doesn't go batshit with all the media scrutiny.
Or as a slot receiver for the Patriots.
Or linebacker who catches touchdown passes in the Super Bowl.
Mobile QBs haven't shown much longevity yet (RG3 and Vick) and have only had above average success when they properly execute the read option rather than relying on scrambling alone. I wasn't entirely sure what offense aTm ran with Manziel but from a highlight video it appears that he's using his athleticism to escape tackles and get into the open field rather than execute plays in a designed offense. This leads me to believe that he'll have trouble translating into the NFL. It does remind me a lot of Vick, who demonstrated his otherworldly athleticism and had some great plays in Atlanta, but was never able to achieve consistency or lead his team very deep in the playoffs.
I was just thinking about Vick the other day. As good as he is, and his ability to keep his job, I still don't think he will go down as one of the greats in the NFL as far as QB's. And with the Hall of Fame game yesterday, don't think he will ever be put there either.
Yea I'm not saying Manziel is gonna be an all pro just simply saying that his height/weight won't be to blame. Kid has some wonky mechanics sometimea
Add Colin Kaep to that list of mobile QBs.
There was a story going around twitter last night that the Bama-aTm game had been taken off the board at the Las Vegas Hilton, but when I looked this morning I don't see any point spreads listed for any college games from the major Vegas casinos yet. That could have been an indication that somebody knew a suspension was coming, but its probably too early to tell.
Lets just start paying the players already so we don't have to worry about this stupid stuff in the future.
They better be back up in 2 weeks. I'm going to Vegas and plan to put some money on us to #BeatBama
I'm sick of this guy. I was sympathetic to his 'plight' as a famous college kid but now I'm fully converted to thinking he's a spoiled brat.
I probably wouldn't do it any better, but I haven't seen anyone in the rest of the NCAA do it worse. Look at AJ McCarron. Tajh Boyd. Some guys represent themselves well. And some are the QB at aTm.
This is the only way Bama beats aTm this year.
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9544137/broker-says-johnny-manzie...
Good. I hope he is ruled ineligible
I hope he's ruled ineligible on September 1st.
Me too. The more I read about this kid the more I can't stand him. Spoiled ass rich brat.
As a person yes I want to see it happen. As a fan no. That rule is dumb and I might not like him off the field but I enjoy the hell out of watching him on it. So as a fan I want to see him play even if after the season he's ruled ineligible and the wins are vacated
I was kind of hoping he would be eligible, so bama could have 2 losses in three weeks.
If he's ruled ineligible does Bama lose focus because they feel they would win? Does their focus move to VT or is there a let down?
He could always tell the NCAA to shove it after this:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/johnny-manziel-t-profit-...
He's gone. They now have video of him signing hundreds of mini-helment in a hotel. He also said what he would do if they caught him.
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9544137/broker-says-johnny-manzie...
aTM should suspend him immediately. If he plays a game, they will later have to forfeit the season.
Plus...this guy is just a friggin idiot! He doesn't need the money...his parents are loaded (like Texas oil family loaded). Drives a Mercedes (that his dad bought for him if he promised not to drink in high school). No way the League is going to touch this guy (i.e. Maurice Clarett).
Sure is a lot of vitriol for a 20 year old kid over here. Anyone here read the Wright Thompson piece? Can't even begin to tell you how immature and emotionally reactive I was at 19, and that was without ESPN doggedly shaping an unflattering narrative for views. "The kid is rich"? Ok, probably still hates asking mom and dad for money. Not really a good reason to vilify him. Probably wants to be a bit more of a man than he's ready for. Did something dumb (allegedly). Any of you have any idea how much stuff like that goes on at LITERALLY every school?
Difference is, this kid's high profile, and getting after him for it benefits the NCAA for face-saving purposes, and every media outlet because people love a scandal, and scandals bring viewers.
Let's also remember that a "broker" tattling on his cash cows won't have too much of a future in the autograph selling business. Who knows this guy's motives for saying what he said?
Lastly, the NCAA is garbage. I don't see why a kid can't make a few bucks off his hard work and name. You know that whole "We're there for athletes after sports" ads they played during the NCAA tournament? Yeah...bullshit. I say gang up on the institution that creates rules that are ridiculous and nearly impossible to truly follow, instead of a kid with too much thrown at him acting like a kid with too much thrown at him.
Once you open the door to making money, a pandoras box has been opened. Give an inch and a mile will be taken. He may be a crazy 19 year old, but he knows the rules and it is up to him to follow them. If thousands of athletes across the nation can abide and/or not be arrogant enough to get caught, why can't he?
The big issue with allowing money to be made is that boosters will then be able to use their wallets to attract athletes and there is no way to limit a players income since it is extremely difficult to get caught. He is 18, he knows right and wrong, let us not treat him like a "kid" and make excuses for him.
This... I think it's very important to remember that these rules are here so that rich benefactors are restricted from making their team the Yankees of college football.
And since our beloved Hokies are protected by said rule, then I think we are totally within our rights and self-serving agendas to dump on Manziel for being a dummy.
something tells me thats not the case
So Logan apparently has two signed helmets being sold by the same guys as Manziel and now Clowney...
http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&_osacat=0&_armrs=1&_ssn=the_hub_co...
Logan is taller than the NCAA.
Items get sold secondhand a lot. I'm sure VT will look into it, but finding an item for sale is very different from what it seems may be going on with Manziel. USCe has already cleared Clowney of any wrongdoing, and OSU did with Braxton Miller.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9547660/braxton-miller-jadeveon-clowney-autographs-okd-ohio-state-south-carolina
Maybe OSU is a bad example....
Ha, I did feel odd citing OSU as a "good" example, but you have to imagine that with their recent bad history, their compliance people are going to be really vigilant for a while. Secondhand autographs are ubiquitous, so I wouldn't worry too much about items like this showing up. Who knows how many helmets Logan signed at various Hokie Club autograph sessions and the like?