Johnny Football: Part One

Step into the whirlwind saga of Johnny Manziel, also known as "Johnny Football." From his breathtaking plays on the field to his headline-grabbing antics off it, Manziel's story is a cautionary tale of rapid rise and tumultuous fall. Explore how this Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M became the epicenter of NCAA controversies, challenging the very framework of amateur athletics.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome back to Playing Dirty Sports Scandals, the show where
you get to spend time with me, Jay Harris. I've
had a sportscasting career spanning two decades at ESPN, but
on this show, I'm all about connecting deeply with some
of the most disturbing aspects of humankind, serving up tales
from the dark side of sports. Do you hear that?

(00:39):
That's the sound of a lot of different ingredients grinding together.
Young fame, erraticism, substance abuse, aggression, you name it, because
today we're diving into the complex blend that is the
Johnny Manziel story. Johnny Manziel's life began Eyler, Texas, on

(01:00):
December sixth, nineteen ninety two, where he was born into
a family with a reputation. Johnny's great grandfather, Bobby Joe Manziel,
had put the family on the map in Texas by
discovering oil in nineteen thirty. According to my San Antonio
dot Com, Bobby Joe was abandonmweight boxer born in Lebanon
who sparred and became friends with heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey.

(01:24):
It was with the help of his famous boxing pal
that Bobby Joe managed to finance the exorbitant startup costs
of drilling. Proceeds from the oil secured Bobby Joe Manziel's
financial future and his local legacy was further enshrined when
he went on to grace the gridiron for the Georgia
Bulldogs in the nineteen forties. It seemed like future Menziell's

(01:46):
would be born under a lucky star after Bobby Joe's
big wins, buoyed by a flow of black gold and
natural athleticism. Two generations later, Johnny's father, Paul picked up
the Manziel family baton and ran with it. Like his
renowned grandfather Bobby Joe, Paul Manziel was entrepreneurial. He married
Michelle Liberato, who was equally tenacious. After initially meeting as bartenders,

(02:11):
Paul and Michelle made an unstoppable business team with interests
in real estate and car sales. Together they worked hard
to a mass of fortune in their own rights and
were delighted to welcome their son Johnny and daughter Mary
into their successful life. But being a Manzielle wasn't all
fun and games. Being a part of this family came
with some serious responsibility. When Johnny was born on December sixth,

(02:36):
the very same birthday as his ambitious father. His entrance
into the world didn't come with a free ride. He
was expected to make something of himself, just as his
great grandfather and father had done. We have the same mannerisms,
the same birthdays. He's me made over pretty much, Paul
Manzel shared in the Netflix documentary Untold Johnny Football. Paul

(02:58):
admitted that discipline in the Manziel family came through me,
and that discipline well dished out with love and never
through physical punishment, was the benchmark of Manziell's family life.
Johnny and his sister Mary were expected to toe the
line and not to go the way of others in
the Manziell family line who relished in bad behavior financed
by their great grandfather's good fortune. Some of the Manziell's gambled,

(03:24):
enjoyed cockfighting and even ran into trouble with the law.
Johnny's father, Paul made clear that those behaviors wouldn't be
acceptable for his children, and Johnny's mother, Michelle, was so
determined for her children to avoid those pitfalls that she
moved her young family out of Tyler, Texas and over
to Kerrville. Texas, where their family name wasn't as well known.

(03:48):
Michelle later explained to her son's biographer, John Katzowitz, that
people prejudged us In Tyler. People would know me and
I had never met them before in my life. I
hated that. I didn't want my kids to ever be
affected by it. The move to Kerrville initially seemed to
pay off in spades, as Paula Michelle proudly watched their

(04:09):
son thrive at Tybee High School, where he achieved folk
hero status for athleticism. Johnny Manziel played football and baseball,
and even had notable talent on the golf course. His
handicap was an impressive eight to ten. This is a
remarkable stat for someone with very little time to practice
the notoriously tricky game. As his high school's sports career progressed,

(04:32):
Johnny realized that he'd have to pick a focus baseball
or football. He chose the latter, where his exceptional talent
was being increasingly recognized. Initially making the varsity football team
as a wide receiver. It wasn't until his sophomore year
that Johnny Manziel started as quarterback, and what a year
it was. Johnny threw eleven touchdowns and ran for another fifteen,

(04:57):
showcasing his dual threat capability. His coach, Mark Smith quickly
recognized Johnny's unique talents, noting that he was struck by
Johnny's maturity and leadership skills. He was a great kid.
Mark Smith told the Bleacher Report Scott polasect Johnny had
a caring heart, always tried to put his teammates before himself.
Was great with kids, particularly special needs kids. He went

(05:21):
out of his way to work with the younger youth
in the Kerrville area, and Johnny's rising star had just begun.
His junior year was exceptional. He amassed fifty five touchdowns
and was named the All San Antonio Area Offensive Player
of the Year and a Texas MVP. Then senior year

(05:41):
came and Johnny solidified his legend. He threw for three thousand,
six hundred and nine yards with a forty four to
five touchdown to interception ratio, and rushed for an additional
one thousand, six hundred and seventy four yards, scoring thirty
times on the ground. His dynamic play helped Tye High
School cruise into the playoffs, capturing the imagination of fans

(06:04):
far and wide coach Mark Smith recalled the exceptional event, saying,
for our last game, people drove out here an hour
from San Antonio, people called from Houston, and eighteen came
in a couple of vehicles just to see Johnny. Even
Johnny's rivals had to admit affection for the up and
coming quarterback. Jim Strety, the head football coach at Madison

(06:25):
High School, a rival to Johnny's Tyvee High School, couldn't
contain how impressed he was by Johnny's playmaking even though
he was on the other side of the field. He's
the best playmaking quarterback I've seen in my years of coaching.
Streety declared, He's obviously a tremendous athlete who has that
inate ability to prolong plays and make something good out

(06:46):
of them. All. American running back Malcolm Brown, who played
football for Steel High School against Johnny, also shared that
his playing style was phenomenal. If you sit and watch Johnny,
you'll be in awe. He'll make you laugh if you
get to know what Malcolm said. These remarks from Johnny's
opponents highlighted not just as football skills, but also his

(07:06):
infectious personality, which resonated with teammates, spectators, and opponents alike.
But despite his high school heroics and football which ultimately
earned him the title of Mister Texas Football in twenty ten,
Johnny remained a three star prospect. Don't know what that means,

(07:27):
no worries, Let me break it down for you. In
college football, recruiting prospects are often rated on a scale
of one to five stars. A five star rating is
reserved for the most elite prospects, while a one star
rating is usually given to players who probably aren't going
to play at the Division IE level. So, according to ESPN,

(07:47):
a three star recruit in football means that the prospect
should develop into a contributor for the team, but may
need a couple of years to develop into a starter.
In other words, it was expected that Johnny Manziel would
play at the college level, but the verdict was out
as to just how big an impact he would have
on the gridiron, and so Johnny had some choices, albeit

(08:10):
not as many as he might have liked. As a
three star prospect when it came to college, Despite his
undeniable talent, Johnny Manziel faced some skepticism in the recruiting
process due to his lack of height and versatile playing style,
which led coaches to question his fit as a true
quarterback who could lead a college team to a winning season.
If I was six three or sixty four, I would

(08:32):
have had a lot more opportunities, Johnny Manziel admitted. After
initially committing to the University of Oregon, Johnny Manziel's Texas
roots got the best of him, and he ultimately decided
to attend Texas A and M. Interestingly, Johnny could have
gone to the University of Texas, his longtime favorite, to
play baseball, but his heart was set on football. Texas

(08:54):
A and M was over the moon that Johnny had
decided to become an Aggie, as Texas A and M
students are affectionately known, They offered not just a spot
on the team to their wily new football recruit, but
the chance for Johnny to become a centerpiece in their
offensive strategy. This opportunity was a significant factor in his decision,
as Johnny was determined to play quarterback. I put a

(09:18):
lot of time getting to where I am today, Johnny said,
as he reflected on the hundreds of hours he worked
to hone his skills as an all around quarterback. I
play with that it factor. Drew Brees was not the
biggest guy. He's someone I look up to along with
Brett Favre. Hank Carter, one of Johnny's coaches at Tybee

(09:39):
High School and now the Lake Travis ISD Director of Athletics,
expressed confidence in Johnny's ability to excel at any position
as he moved on to his college career. He can
play anything he wants to play. He throws the ball well,
He's not six y four, but he's a good sized kid.
He's a heck of a lot better than most six
y five kids I've seen. Plus, Johnny was driven by

(10:01):
a mission beyond his athletic aspirations, which would fuel his
early work ethic. I want to be known as a
person who performed on the field, but also a good
person off the field. That Johnny Manziel said. He echoed
the sentiments of his peer running back Aaron Green, who said,
all your personal accolades collect dust, but your character is

(10:22):
the one thing that will be left. The fact that
Johnny Manziel was, by all accounts, such a considerate, clear
headed person as he entered his time at Texas A
and M adds a poignancy to how his journey was
destined to unfold. Okay, so here's why I tell you
all to clear your palette while you can, because we're

(10:44):
about to jump off the precipice into the dark side
with Johnny Manziel, who could not have foreseen the challenges
ahead as he enrolled at Texas A and M in
January of twenty eleven, eager to get a head start
on spring football practice. Now, Texas A and M tried

(11:04):
to do ripe by their recruit, giving them a chance
to acclimate to the rigorous demands and complexities of college football.
Head coach Kevin Sumlin gave Johnny Manziel a red shirt designation,
meaning that for as long as he was an academic freshman,
he would not actually play football. He would just practice
with the team and get the lay of the lamb.

(11:24):
This approach allows a player to mature, gives them an
opportunity to build relationships with their teammates, and maintains a
full four years of eligibility for them to play once
they're a sophomore. And so, Johnny Manziel debuted in the
twenty twelve season when he was an academic sophomore with
countless practice hours under his bilt. It was the Aggie's

(11:45):
first season in the Southeastern Conference or SEC, and the
game was against the Florida Gators. He held his own,
and just three games later Johnny had undeniably found his stride.
It was the Aggies against the Arkansas Razorbacks, and Johnny
Manziel was untouchable. He broke a forty three year old

(12:06):
conference record held by Archie Manning, the father of Peyton
and Eli, by rushing and passing for five hundred and
fifty seven total yards. Two games later, Johnny broke his
own astonishing new record, putting up five hundred and seventy
six yards against Louisiana Tech. But according to the Guardian,
it was really on November tenth, twenty twelve, when Texas

(12:27):
A and M upset the defending champions, the Alabama Crimson
Tide at their home stadium in Tuscaloosa, that it became
clear that Johnny Manziel was an absolute phenomenon. Johnny Manziel
darted past other college football records as if they were
Manty Tao's imaginary girlfriend. Reporter Michael Solomon wrote, and his

(12:48):
words were spot on as college football fans went crazy
for Johnny. He wasn't just Johnny Manziel anymore. Under the
bright field lights, a legend had been born. Football was
his name now. By the end of the twenty twelfth season,
the now famous Johnny Football was the first freshman and

(13:08):
only the fifth player in NCAA history to pass for
three thousand yards and rush for one thousand yards in
a season. In December, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy,
given to the best player in college football. It was
the first time in history that a freshman had received
the honor. At this point, you're probably thinking, what is

(13:29):
Jay Harris talking about foreshadowing all the dark side, doom
and gloom for this super player. Well, you know what
they say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
Even as Johnny was getting into the groove at Texas
A and M and soon tearing it up on the gridiron,
the cracks were beginning to show in his personal life.

(13:52):
In fact, even before his tremendous twenty twelve season started.
On June twenty ninth, he and US high school pal
Stephen Brandt stir up trouble leaving a bar in the
Northgate section of College Station Texas. Stephen Brandt wasn't just
any friend popping in for a quick weekend visit. He
had played receiver at Tyveee High School alongside Johnny, and,

(14:12):
according to the Vault, had become an unofficial member of
the Manziell family after the deaths of both his parents.
The intoxicated Stephen allegedly uttered a heinous racial slur while
leaving the bar, leading to a fight and an arrest
for both himself and Johnny. When Johnny was asked for
his identification by responding officer Yargo, he produced a Louisiana

(14:36):
driver's license. Naturally, the fake ID listed the defendant as
age twenty one. In truth, Johnny was only twenty. A
year could make a big difference under the law, as
we all know. At this point, Sergeant Beatty looked in
Johnny's wallet and discovered two other licenses, a fake Texas
license and his real Texas license. Bustedny was too drunk

(15:00):
to answer the authority's questions. He just kept muttering that
he wanted a ride home and he was sorry. Johnny
was surely even sorrier when he sobered up and realized
the legal fallout from the incident. Charges were brought against
him for possessing a fake ID and disorderly conduct, and
Texas A and M initially suspended him for the entire

(15:22):
twenty twelve season, a penalty that nearly drove him the transfer.
It was only thanks to a heartfelt letter from coach
Kevin Sumlin, who advocated on his behalf, that Johnny was
reinstated to the Aggie's team by the dean of student life.
Johnny took responsibility for his actions that night and is
ready to put what happened that night behind him, his

(15:43):
attorney Cam Rental stated at the time, emphasizing Johnny's willingness
to do whatever was necessary to move forward. The charges
were dropped and Johnny was back on track at Texas
A and M. But this early incident set the stage
for tumultuous times ahead. With Johnny Football's rising fame, came

(16:05):
escalating pressures and expectations. Johnny's every move on and off
the field was now magnified, and that was a problem
because while he seemed to have felt genuine contrition for
his role in the June twenty ninth, twenty twelve, college
station fight, Johnny could not seem to get his behavior
under control. Looking back on this time at his life,

(16:27):
Johnny reflected that it was crazy that I had this
mindset that I played better the harder I parted. But
that's exactly what Johnny seemed to have an insatiable appetite
for after dark fun at any cost. For example, on
Halloween night, he was the life of the party, dotting
a Scooby Doo costume before dancing the night away with

(16:49):
a lingerie clad co ed. The press couldn't stop clicking
and pictures of the pair went viral within hours. That
in and of itself wasn't a problem, but the fact
that Johnny was late to football practice the next day.
Was Cliff Kingsbury, who had gone to coach in the NFL,
was Johnny's quarterbacks coach at Texas A and M at

(17:10):
the time of the Scooby Doo incident, and he recounted
the ensuing chaos the Scooby Doo picture. The next day,
We're going to Mississippi State and Johnny is nowhere to
be found in the offensive meeting, Coach Kingsbury remembered, the
picture has already come out everywhere. Johnny doesn't show at
all for the meeting, so we're trying to cover for
him with head coach Kevin Sumlin so he can at

(17:30):
least show up for the walkthrough. When Johnny finally did
show up, the excuses he laid out were as dramatic
as his gameplay. Coach Kingsbury was gobsmacked, saying, Friday, right
before we leave to go to Starkville and play Mississippi State,
here he comes. Johnny has some crazy excuse. His roommate
pulled the plug on his alarm clocks something with the electricity.

(17:52):
But we already knew what he's been doing. Of course,
his coach is knew. Everyone knew that Johnny had been
partying with the co ed. It was plashed it across
all the tabloids, so why lie about it. Still, even
though he missed the offensive meeting, Johnny participated in the walkthrough,
and despite the Knight's excesses, Johnny led Texas A and

(18:14):
M to one of the most significant victories in the
program's history. The next day. In light of knowing what
Johnny had been up to instead of practicing football, coach
Kingsbury simply couldn't believe the quarterback's talent. At that point,
I was like, this kid is not human. Johnny Football's fieldest,
playing style and charismatic leadership on the gridiron had now

(18:37):
firmly established the Aggies as a force to be reckoned
with in the sec Whatever speculation there had been about
Johnny as a three star recruit was buried. Johnny was
a premier college athlete. The accolades Johnny racked up on
the heels of his historic freshman Heisman Trophy win kept coming.
He also claimed the Manning Award for College Quarterbacks and

(18:59):
the Dave Brian Award, which is the country's oldest and
most prestigious college quarterback award. Johnny's nascent career of spectacular
play was a testament to how one player with grit
and flair could captivate and energize a fan base, influence
the style of play, and challenge the norms of college football.

(19:20):
His dynamic presence on the field not only redefined quarterbacking
in the modern college game, but also inspired countless young
athletes to aspire to similar heights. But fame can be
a heavy load to bear, especially on young shoulders. Even
the great genius Albert Einstein was quoted as saying, with fame,
I become more and more stupid, which, of course, is

(19:44):
a very common phenomenon Off the field, Johnny football Manziel
was struggling. His rising popularity was drawing immense media attention
at this point, and around the clock scrutiny of his
behavior was taking its toll. Every one of Johnny's social
media posts was put under a microscope by the press,

(20:05):
every word he said was analyzed, and everywhere he went
became a national stage broadcasting the details of his private life.
He was turned upside down and shared the complexity of
his newfound status. I still see myself as young, the
same guy I was before I ever won the Heisman.
Hopefully my friends still feel I'm the same way. I

(20:26):
just want people to know I'm the same person I've
always been, Johnny said, But was he, and for that matter,
were his friends the same after his meteoric rise to
start him. Arguably one of the most problematic influences on
Johnny during his head turning transition from regular guy to
a household name was Nate Finch, his best friend since

(20:48):
middle school. Riding the heels of Johnny's success, Nate followed
Johnny to Texas A and M and became his personal assistant.
A twenty something year old kid with zero experience whispering
in the ear of one of the biggest breakout stars in
college football. A disaster was looming as the two party
loving pals egged one another on against the backdrop of

(21:10):
fame and the pretense of Johnny's family fortune. Why couldn't
Johnny legitimately fund his lavish lifestyle himself, you ask, why
did Nate Finch tell everyone who would listen that the
Manziel family fortune was even more massive than it actually was. Well,
because Johnny's nightlife antics with Nate ever at his side,

(21:31):
could not be paid for by his newfound football fame.
Under NCAA regulations back in twenty twelve, college athletes were
not permitted to receive financial benefits. This policy didn't change
until twenty twenty one. Nowadays, college athletes still don't receive
direct salaries, but at least they can cash in or name,

(21:51):
image and likeness agreements, which allow them to receive compensation
when their names are televised. And really this is only
fair after In less than a year's time, as Menzell
Mania spread, Texas A and M witnessed its donations more
than double to seven hundred and forty million dollars. Shouldn't
Johnny have been entitled to some financial upside for his

(22:14):
incredible economic contribution to the school. After all, he watched
head coach Kevin Sumlin get a hefty raise, and he
saw the Aggi's athletics facilities being significantly upgraded as a
result of his talent. Put yourself in the shoes of
two young guys, Johnny and his pal turned personal assistant
Nate understandably felt that they should be able to live

(22:37):
large too. So what did Johnny and Nate do? How
did they write this perceived injustice perpetrated against him by
the NCAA. They broke the rules. According to screen Rant,
it was Nate Finch who came up with their solution
and ran with it. Nate figured that he and Johnny
could fly somewhere in the country to sign autographs for

(22:59):
thousands of dollars in cash. This would help fuel Johnny
Manziel's party going alter ego Johnny Football. The two continued
to travel around the country, spending the money from the
NCAA rule breaking autographs almost as fast as they earned it.
It was also Nate Finch who was responsible for the
cover story for their non stop partying. He devised the

(23:20):
story that Johnny Manziel was preternaturally wealthy thanks to his
family's generational oil money in the Netflix documentary Johnny Football.
Johnny has since admitted as much, saying we sold a
little bit of a dream that my family had more
money than they actually did. Johnny's father, Paul Manzil, also
told ESPN as Johnny's public partying ramped up that their

(23:43):
family fortune wasn't Garth Brooks money, but it's still a
lot of money. The idea that Paul and Michelle Manziel
were financing their son's spree certainly seemed far off, based
on their reaction to the rumors. In any event, Nate
Finch had devised a dirty play for his famous friend Johnny,
and it was only a matter of time before the

(24:04):
notoriously straight laced NC double A caught up with them.
By early twenty thirteen, reports began to emerge that Johnny Manziel,
Texas A and M star quarterback was officially under NC
double A investigation for allegedly accepting a five figure flat
fee for signing photos and memorabilia. This news broke amid

(24:25):
Johnny's already intensive media scrutiny and sparked a significant inquiry
into the veracity of the claim. ESPN's team was hot
on the case, as always, reporting that the signings occurred
in South Florida, in signing anonymous sources who witnessed the
January twenty thirteen event but did not see any direct
exchange of cash. The volume of sequentially numbered autographed items

(24:49):
for sale online nine hundred and ninety nine, to be precise,
was pretty damning and suggested that the signings had been
orchestrated in mass, a method atypical for casual fan interactions
and more indicative of a professional arrangement. The NCAA's investigation
was frustrated on the organization's reliance on unnamed sources, who

(25:12):
rarely cooperate directly. So the NCAA used the next card
up its sleeve, scrutinizing Johnny Manzel's financial records for any
anomalies that could indicate a sudden influx of unaccounted for wealth.
Even so, given the possibility of incoming moneies having come
from Johnny's family sources rather than from autograph signings, the

(25:35):
nc DOUBLEA couldn't conclusively prove that Johnny had taken money
in breach of regulations. They nabbed him on violating the name,
image and likeness rules of the time, and ultimately Johnny
was suspended for the first half of the season opener
against Rice University, an outcome that seemed minimal, but still
underscored that the nc DOUBLA would enforce their rules even

(25:57):
against the star player like Johnny Manziel. The joint statement
from the ncuble A and Texas A and M clarified
that while there was no hard evidence Johnny had received
payment for his autographs, his involvement in the signings necessitated
some punishment. Years later, Johnny Manziel revealed the truth about
the infamous signings, explaining that he was approached by a

(26:19):
man who offered him three grand for autographs. After Johnny
signed his stack, the man gave him contact information for
someone who could allegedly set him up with similar opportunities,
and so despite the NC double a's inconclusive investigation at
the time, the truth eventually came out that Johnny had

(26:39):
received a sum close to thirty thousand dollars for his
autographs while playing for Texas A and M. Turns out
he'd gotten away with a slap on the wrist for
an infraction which could have much more dramatically impacted his
twenty thirteen season. But did Johnny thank his lucky stars
for a skirting disaster and learn from the incident certainly

(27:00):
didn't seem like it. After serving his light suspension for
what was termed an inadvertent violation of NCAA rules, Johnny
Football entered the game against Rece University in the second half,
visibly eager to make an impact. On the Aggie second drive,
he connected with wide receiver Mike Evans for a twenty
three yard touchdown. As Mike celebrated in the end zone,

(27:22):
Johnny made a defining gesture that would become synonymous with
his flamboyance and utter defiance of authority. He flashed to
show me the money sign with his hands. Wooh, talk
about a burn. It's hard to imagine that NCUBA President
Mark allen Emmert was anything but livid seeing the cocky
quarterbacks show such blatant public disrespect. After all, Johnny's gesture

(27:46):
was clearly not just a spontaneous act of celebration. It
was a calculated message. I was pissed, but had the
biggest smirk on my face, Johnny said, reflecting on his
feelings about the NCUBA suspension and his return to the field.
The money gesture quickly became a symbol of Johnny Football's
rebellious spirit against the NCAA's regulations and a rallying cry

(28:09):
for those critical of the NCAA's policies on amateur athletes.
His mother, Michelle Manziel, later commented on the public's reaction
to Johnny's gesture. I didn't like it, but people begged
for it, she said. Michelle's words underscored the mixed feelings
surrounding Johnny's actions. While some viewed his disobedience as inappropriate,

(28:33):
others saw it as a bold stand against perceived injustices.
This moment not only fueled further media frenzy around Johnny,
but also solidified his public persona as a player unafraid
to push boundaries and challenge authority, despite the cloud of
controversy around his off field behavior and the personal fallout

(28:55):
with his friend and partner in partying, Nate Finch, whom
he had to replace with proper management as its career skyrocketed,
Johnny's sophomore season was marked by stellar performances that solidified
his status as one of the most electrifying players in
the nation. In his sophomore year, Johnny threw for foury
one hundred fourteen passing yards and thirty seven touchdowns, while

(29:18):
also rushing for seven hundred and fifty nine yards and
another nine touchdowns. These impressive stats not only reaffirmed his
dynamic playmaking ability, but also ensured he remained a strong
contender in the Heisman Trophy race for a second year.
The guy was an athletic marvel. Johnny's flair for extending

(29:40):
plays and escaping pressure translated into numerous game changing moments,
capturing the attention of fans and analysts alike, and highlighting
his unique skill set as a dual threat quarterback. However,
the specter of his past behaviors and the NCAA investigation lingered,
raising questions about his maturity and readiness for the professional stage.

(30:04):
He did not win another Heisman Trophy. As Johnny's time
at Texas A and M drew to a close, his
prospects in the NFL Draft were like lumping chopped Brussels
sprouts into the juicer for a green blend. Some people
loved this chances, while others not so much. Scouts and
teams were enamored with his on field abilities, but were

(30:25):
equally cautious about the potential for off field distractions. And
Johnny's dynamic play style, which had disrupted traditional defenses in college,
was appealing. Yet the uncertainty about how his play and
personality would translate to the NFL was a topic of
much debate. Like many players before him, NFL teams worried

(30:46):
about his impact in the locker room and wondered if
Johnny Football Manziel would be more trouble than he was worth.
As the draft approached, the sports were buzzed with speculation.
Were Johnny's electric, improvacydational style find a home in the NFL?
But the game is faster and more complex, after all,

(31:06):
Johnny lacked the size of the typical NFL quarterback. Could
his past and his penchant for making headlines for the
wrong reasons affect his draft status and his ability to
succeed at the professional level. Join me your host in
Brave Maurista for next week's episode of Playing Dirty Sports Scandals,
when I'll serve up the whirlwind of Johnny Manziel's entry

(31:29):
into the NFL, the stakes will be higher, the lights
will be brighter, and the tackles will be tougher, till
then stay thirsty. Playing Dirty Sports Scandals is a production

(31:50):
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