The Curious Case of Johnny Manziel

If you haven't seen or heard anything about Johnny Manziel this off-season, then you aren't paying attention or have been on a long vacation.  Manziel has been everywhere.  He's been court side and in the locker rooms of both Spurs and Rockets games.  He randomly showed up in New York at the NFL Draft and even did an interview with ESPN.  He's thrown out two first pitches at MLB games and hit a home run during batting practice.  He even got to play Pebble Beach.  He's really  been everywhere.

Can't really fault the kid.  He went from unknown to Heisman Trophy winner and a celebrity now.  Who

wouldn't take advantage?  It's not like he's getting free gifts or breaking any NCAA rules.  His family is well off and he can afford certain luxuries.  Some will question whether those activities are taking away his focus to football and could cause him to have a down year because of it.  However what people aren't realizing is that while out in California he was working with quarterback coaching guru George Whitfield.  So what's wrong with taking in a baseball game in his downtime?  What's the difference if he plays Pebble Beach compared to a course he is a member of back home? Absolutely nothing.

But the big question is whether Johnny Manziel going to slip from last year?  Personally I think he does.  It has nothing to do with him throwing out first pitches or sitting court side at an NBA game.  I originally thought it was because it's going to be damn near impossible to replicate the amount of success he had last year (Manziel broke Cam Newton's record for most combine yards last year with 5,115 yards).  While I still believe that is the main reason he'll struggle to put up those numbers, his mental toughness could be the biggest indifference. 

A couple of situations really stand out for me.  Because of all his trips and appearances, A&M Compliance Staff had had to ask him questions and he couldn't understand why it was an issue.  Even though his family has money, he has to understand that it looks shady.  Not getting why, really shows that's he's naive or just clueless.  The other example is Manziel's dealing with his knew found stardom.  It's been reveled that Manziel is overwhelmed by all the requests and attention and that is really gets to him.  However in the same sense, Manziel still relishes in the attention and welcomes it at times.  This seems to be a confused young man.

Does that make him a bad football player or even a bad person.  Not at all.  But you have to wonder when it gets tough is he going to be able to get out of it?  I don't know.  That may also turn him off from some NFL teams who are really watching him.  None the less it should be interesting to see how he does this year now that everybody expect huge things from him.