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The Trouble with Johnny Football

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Alma, Jul 30, 2013.

  1. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Oh, yes. Manziel talked so often and at length last year while not doing any publicity whatsoever for two months.

    A&M has indeed made its pile of cash off of Manziel. But if the family, and Manziel said tomorrow: Not another autograph or jersey or placard or anything, A&M would probably stop what it could, knowing there's things that it can't.
     
  2. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Insomuch that you believe any college player is exploited -- obviously you do -- any player will be exploited regardless of their personal wealth. The wealthiest of those players are less exploited, because they have the means to cover the expenses a scholarship doesn't cover. And the money for a Mercedes. And courtside seats. And other things.

    Manziel doesn't have to sign a single shirt he doesn't want to sign, or meet a single person he doesn't want to meet.
     
  3. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Pretty good little story. Not sure I have much sympathy for Johnny. Spoiled kid. Possibly bi-polar, hopefully not schizo, who might snap after Alabama beats A&M 41-0; or after the Aggies' third loss of the season, when the love and adulation disappears for good; that restaurant scene toward the end was telling ... Johnny slumping in his chair and disappearing almost, defeated, a sad and angry little boy and yet seconds later he's tickling gammie and shoving one of her green beans up his nose then putting it back on her plate and tickling her again. That was the most telling scene in the story. That's a little too much emotional up-and-down in such a short amount of time. The boy might not be right in the head.

    And to echo another sentiment here about Wright: Slipping in the line about Crown and Sprite being second on the list of big-boy drink was peculiar.
     
  4. H.L. Mencken

    H.L. Mencken Member

    This is an odd piece. I don't think I see the point of running it.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130731/johnny-manziel-andy-staples-sports-illustrated/
     
  5. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    I wonder how much readers care about process. Maybe we're wrong and they do.

    What I do know is this: I sure don't miss that shit. I covered one of the most protected, catered-to college QBs of the last decade-plus. At least Manziel is interesting. This guy was a bump. And we were forced to chase him around like the President protected by the Secret Service. I. Sure. Don't. Miss. That. Shit.
     
  6. H.L. Mencken

    H.L. Mencken Member

    If you're SI, why run that? Especially now that you know your cover story is going to be much weaker when compared to your main competitor? I get it that they're doing this thing where they have their writers give previews to their stories on-line, and then you have to buy the magazine to get the read story, and then a week later they put the mag story on-line.

    But to have that story out when people are still buzzing about the ESPN piece makes you look silly. I would have just killed it and moved along.
     
  7. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    Assuming that it is, right? Have you read them both yet? (Honest question.)
     
  8. H.L. Mencken

    H.L. Mencken Member

    I have not read both. While I like Andy Staples, think he is a valuable asset to SI, two hours of sitting with the Manziels in their house is not going to produce the kind of insight that Thompson showed us by reporting so many scenes and weaving them together to give you an pretty powerful picture of Manziel on the brink. If Staples story is better, I'll eat Manziel's Heisman with a fork and spoon.

    I don't know either writer outside their work and reputation. But I imagine Staples heart sank when he saw Thompson's piece go live yesterday.
     
  9. nmmetsfan

    nmmetsfan Active Member

    What about when the parents are part of the posse?
     
  10. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    From Staples' story:

    I had called a muckety-muck at Texas A&M and asked if I could shadow Manziel for a day. Basically, I wanted to take Manziel up on his offer and spend a day in his size-15s. The A&M muckety-muck seemed optimistic when I pitched the story. He seemed pretty sure Manziel would agree to the conceit.

    I wonder if Wright Thompson went through the A&M people. It sure doesn't sound like it. That's the main takeaway here -- the schools have a large degree of control over the athletes. They have none over the reporter, particularly a national one that doesn't need the school on a day-to-day basis.
     
  11. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Until A&M suspends him for "violation of team rules".

    Which means they would have to consider their chances of winning without him vs. the chances of "the team coming together" and "overcoming the odds" to win.
     
  12. tapintoamerica

    tapintoamerica Well-Known Member

    Speaking of "team rules," wouldn't underage drinking be considered a violation of team rules? Or do such rules only apply in-season?
    The story is well written. Wright Thompson is great. But I'm not buying the premise that we should feel sorry for a guy who blows off therapy and other counseling and retreats into an alcohol-occupied coccoon.
     
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