Johnny Manziel has no plans to stop being Johnny Manziel
By Jack Maloney
Johnny Manziel, a.k.a. Johnny Football, has been on the front page of websites and newspapers ever since he hit the national stage a few years ago. Most of the time it has been for his exploits on the football field, which have been more than impressive. Sometimes, however, it has been for his exploits off the football field, which have been quite impressive in their own right.
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Manziel has always been a partier, and that rubs a lot of people the wrong way–especially when they’re high-ranking football executives who take things too seriously. It’s no doubt part of the reason he dropped towards the back end of the NFL Draft.
And despite the fact we’re still months away from the season even starting, there was Manziel in the news for partying, with many people chiding for doing so. But in what should come as no surprise, Johnny Manziel has no problem with it Johnny Manziel.
"Johnny Manziel was taken aback by all the flak and attention his Memorial Day weekend trip to Las Vegas caused.“I’m very surprised actually it’s actually a story,” the Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback said after looking sharp in Wednesday’s organized team activities.“I’ve been in here every day working extremely hard trying to earn my place and do what I need to do. … For me to get a free weekend, and get to spend some time with friends and family of mine, and just have fun and relax and get away from the grind a little bit and then come back and do what I’m supposed to do. — I don’t really feel that’s a story.”"
Look, I get it. Everyone wants athletes to be in the gym or on the field all the time. Any time a player is in the news for something other than sports related activities, you’ll get goofballs complaining about why they were doing such-and-such activity instead of being in the gym.
But come on, it’s May. Read that again: it’s May. He was having a good time on Memorial Day weekend just like everybody was across the country. Now, if it’s December and he starts missing all sorts of meetings or practices because of his extra circular activities, then by all means, complain about it.
As for right now, let it go. He’s a young kid trying to have fun. There are lot worse things to be concerned about than Johnny Football hanging out in Las Vegas.