The Trials of Johnny ‘Autograph’ Manziel
In the past 48 hours, the recent half game suspension of Texas A&M Heisman Winner Johnny ‘Autograph’ Manziel by the NCAA is, if anything, amusing. With no proof of Manziel violating NCAA Bylaw 12.5.2.1 which states student-athletes cannot permit their names or likenesses to be used for commercial purposes, including to advertise, recommend or promote sales of commercial products, or accept payment for the use of their names or likenesses, one can’t help but laugh at the hypocrisy. Whether you a college football guru or someone who enjoys a good tabloid, it doesn’t take much to read between these lines. Johnny Football is an icon, and icon’s make money.
Given the simple fact that Texas A&M was able to finance major upgrades to their program for what seems to be mere pennies on the dollar investments on their “Student- Athletes” ( a very loose fitting term) who are granted free tuition and room and board. Texas A&M is by no means the only one, and it is not my intention to pass judgment on them but instead to make light of the irony and head shaking many who have been following these stories certainly are feeling. The SEC, the best conference in football, has had its fair share of controversy in recent memory (see Cam Newton and A.J Green).
But who can forget Dez Bryant’s final season at Oklahoma State. If there was one NFL Pro who probably isn’t laughing at these developments, its him. In 2009, Bryant was suspended the final 8 games of his college career for lying about a lunch he had with Deion Sanders; some expect a lawsuit against the NCAA to materialize.
Getting back to the numbers, which tells my favorite part of the story, supposedly Manziel signed some 300 helmets for about $7,500 in January down in Miami during the BCS Championship. Last year, Texas A&M generated an estimated $37 million in publicity and has recently begun a $450 million dollar stadium face lift. Kevin Sumlin isn’t complaining either, since he got a nice raise from $2 million to $3.1 million. In the SEC, it’s all a matter of keeping up with the Joneses. Nick Saban from Alabama makes $5.3 million, topping the list, with Les Miles and Steve Spurrier making $3.7 and $3.5 million, respectively; no head coach makes less than $2 million and I am sure that excludes incentives and endorsements.
With the way big money is changing the college arena of sports, it makes you wonder if the rules reflect the current status of the game. Major TV contracts weren’t in the mix back then and college’s weren’t as widely recognized as For Profit businesses. It is hard to deny (and forgive) the impact of NCAA football over the last couple decades (yes, I am still bitter about the Big East Men’ Basketball Conference collapse) and that is before I learned about the NFL mandate that limits eligibility to players only 3 years out of high school. Looks like Manziel won’t be making above minimum wage until 2014.
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