Heisman Trophy: Johnny Manziel Left Off Sports Illustrated Writer’s Ballot Due to “pending criminal charges”

All, College Football, Media Gossip/Musings Jason McIntyre December 8th. 2012, 10:30am

If you thought former Heisman winner Jason White filled out a horrible Heisman ballot – putting Landry Jones third, and not voting for Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel – Sports Illustrated’s Thayer Evans may have topped it:

I realize I don’t have Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel on my ballot. I don’t consider players with pending criminal charges, and Manziel still faces three counts relating to an early morning fight in June. Manziel has been spectacular, but when he wins the Heisman on Saturday night, he should give it away — to coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, for being the best at their positions this season, for implementing Texas A&M’s high-powered scheme and for standing by Manziel.

What a laughable way to frame the argument – I’ll pin it on the summer arrest, then note that even if Manziel wins it, he doesn’t deserve it, and the A&M coaching staff does. What are the “pending criminal charges,” you ask? Here are the details from June:

Texas A&M freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel was arrested and jailed early Friday after he was involved in a fight and police said he produced a fake ID.
College Station police spokeswoman Rhonda Seaton says Manziel, 19, was charged with disorderly conduct, failure to identity and possessing a false identification card, all misdemeanors. He was jailed overnight and released Friday afternoon, Seaton said.
Seaton says an officer on bike patrol intervened to break up a fight between Hanziel and McKinney. McKinney told the officer that Brant, Manziel’s friend, called him a racial slur and he approached Brant. Seaton says Manziel then shoved McKinney and the two exchanged punches.
When officers asked Manziel for an ID, he produced a phony Louisiana driver’s license that showed his birthday as Dec. 6, 1990.

How many of you reading this handed a cop a fake ID in college? Or got in a fight? This scuffle qualifies as a criminal charge? Pfft.

Sports Illustrated had seven voters put Manziel 1st, and the 8th voter, Evans, completely left the freshman QB off the ballot. [SI via Ben]

aroundtheweb

35 Responses to “Heisman Trophy: Johnny Manziel Left Off Sports Illustrated Writer’s Ballot Due to “pending criminal charges””

1
Black Douglas Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 10:58 AM
Sounds like bullshit to me. Old media types are the worst.
2
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Writer for irrelevant publication in a dying medium writes fishing article to garner attention? WHY I NEVER!
3
Niger, Please. Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:21 AM
So ridiculous. College football is a joke.
4
squawkbox Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:23 AM
So, I thought Evans wrote for CBS sports or Fox or something? When did SI stoop to sign that troll? He may the most soul-less pot-stirrer in sports reporting.
Writer for irrelevant publication
I’d like to think that SI is still somewhat relevant, but I have no argument that really supports my opinion. I’m so fed up with ESPN, that I’ve used SI as a relief from the ESPN agenda.
5
squawkbox Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:25 AM
~~Old~~ New media types are the worst.
Fixed for accuracy. He’s on the younger side and uses new media to sling his mud. He’s a jackass.
6
KC Resident Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
How many of you reading this handed a cop a fake ID in college? Or got in a fight? This scuffle qualifies as a criminal charge? Pfft.
I find it more disturbing he is friends with a racist.
7
HakeemtheDream Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:37 AM
This scuffle qualifies as a criminal charge?
Apparently it does, if that is how the guy sees it I don’t see anything wrong with that.
I find it more disturbing he is friends with a racist.
Agreed, but it’s not surprising coming out of College Station.
8
Keith Stone Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Keystone–Always smooth
9
Keith Stone Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:48 AM
That writer should not be allowed to vote for the Heisman anymore. It’s based on performance on the field, not off-field issues. Look at all the controversy that surrounded Cam Newton when he won it.
10
YoungmanU2 Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 11:54 AM
How many of you reading this handed a cop a fake ID in college? Or got in a fight? This scuffle qualifies as a criminal charge? Pfft.
I find it more disturbing he is friends with a racist.
Agreed also. That’s a very significant issue. And, that he defended that racist friend is HIGHLY significant. That’s as bad or worse than anything Reggie Bush did that forced him to turn in the trophy. In my book.
I don’t like the arguments of that writer (the coach thing is stupid) – but everyone has their moral conscience. Mocking people for that puts your own morality on display above the other – so, who died and made you God? Unless you have a standard to which you appeal beyond your own?
And, though I did, as a teenager in high school, purchase booze illegally (or get another to do it) – I would also say that character-wise my life then would have disqualified me for the Heisman.
The Jason White ballot is ridiculous. Landry Jones? That’s just blatant bias against A&M and for his own teammate. He should be disqualified from voting for doing something like that.
11
AssaultWithAConcreteDildo Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Evans had a restraining order filed against him in 2009.
Evans is also the guy who left Cam off the ballot… in favor of girlfriend beater LaMichael James
12
jdeeser5 Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
I keep hearing that this is going to be closer than people think. Herbstreit said on Francesa Show (8:50 mark) that he wouldn’t be shocked if Manti Te’o won. A lot of voters won’t vote for a Freshman they both stated.
13
Shuffler Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Odd folks say Johnney defended a racist. This is based on one person’s accusation. He did defend a friend. I have found in my many years on this planet that the racist is usually the one who first pulls that card.
If you are truely interested in the Heisman, you might understand it is based on what one does on the field and how one acts on the field.
Johnny is a good kid. He made a mistake…. many do. It is what he does after that mistake that makes the man.
The last perfect person to walk this earth was over 2000 years ago.
14
Dental Dam Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Evans is also the guy who left Cam off the ballot… in favor of girlfriend beater LaMichael James
15
roastbeast Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:31 PM
There are so many reasons to give zero fucks about this award. If you want to see the folks who have a vote stiffarm has a list
16
roger from oz Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Evans gets my ballot for first class asshole. He’s among friends at SI, which is a breeding ground for douche bags.
17
sctrojans Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:47 PM
I keep hearing that this is going to be closer than people think. Herbstreit said on Francesa Show (8:50 mark) that he wouldn’t be shocked if Manti Te’o won. A lot of voters won’t vote for a Freshman they both stated.
I heard this segment. Statistical types are predicting a decisive Manziel victory
18
Blue Horseshoe Loves Anacott Steel Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:53 PM
I have a ridiculous amount of money on Manziel, come on Johnny!!!!!
19
roastbeast Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Statistical types dont stand a chance against sentimental types
How does teo stack up statistically with other lbs? Every time i see highlights of him they are underwhelming. Tipped pass interceptions…passes thrown right to him
20
scripty Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:53 PM
People making shit over these awards is the worst. The baseball MVP and now this shitshow of a Heisman award. The Hall of Fame shit is brutal but bearable only in that even the fringe HOF candidates were damn good players for long careers. This other stuff has reaching a tipping point IMO.
21
roastbeast Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Agreed script. And veterans committees need to go
22
sctrojans Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:58 PM
I agree with the dumbness of awards, mainly because they get it wrong 90% of the time
23
Blue Horseshoe Loves Anacott Steel Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:59 PM
I hope Rob Parker has a vote in this too
24
Liquor Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Thayer is on the short list of names where you just KNOW the person is a complete jackhole purely based on name. We would also accept Braden, Preston, and Tyler among others.
25
sctrojans Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 1:02 PM
Agreed also. That’s a very significant issue. And, that he defended that racist friend is HIGHLY significant.
Is this the drunk airport guy? What did Manziel say in his defense?
26
Blue Horseshoe Loves Anacott Steel Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 1:09 PM
Tuberville to Cincy, wtf
27
sctrojans Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 1:13 PM
Lubbock can do that to a man
28
knifeyspoony Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 1:33 PM
I find it more disturbing he is friends with a racist.
most people are friends with or related to racists.
29
MeandWillieMcGee Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 3:13 PM
“The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity”
I may disagree with the guy’s take, but it’s not unreasonable to consider off-the-field stuff.
30
HPN Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 3:55 PM
Thayer has always been an idiot. He’s worse than Posnanski.
31
starkweather Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 5:35 PM
I keep hearing that this is going to be closer than people think.
So it will be closer than the largest margin of victory ever? Because I’ve read that it could be the highest margin of victory ever.
32
agoodfella Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 9:20 PM
There should be at least some kind of self policing mechanism to eliminate or at least minimize shitheads like this: either a committee that oversees balloting / voting and bans voters that have some clear personal agenda and or a system where the voters themselves (with enough of a majority) have the ability to ban voters that abuse the system, use their vote to make some kind of personal statement or make a mockery of it.
33
starkweather Says:
December 8th, 2012 at 10:25 PM
The mechanism in place is having hundreds of voters from all over the country. Manziel won, so obviously this shithead was minimized.
34
ND1976 Says:
December 9th, 2012 at 12:30 PM
“The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity.”
Pending criminal charges does not equate with INTEGRITY. I applaud Evans for recognizing this. And, no Jason, not everyone got arrested in college.
35
loadiejones Says:
December 10th, 2012 at 5:10 PM
Many of us had fake ID’s in college. We used them to flash at bouncers, doormen and liquor store workers, not cops. Anyone who gives a cop a fake ID is a freaking moron of epic proportions.