Dean Wormer

August 28th, 2013 at 3:36 PM ^

I don't have a clue what the Infractions Committee's barometer is on anything.  Tattoos, 5 game suspension.  Agent gives a house to a stepdad, massive probation.  Now this?  I'm guessing his national appeal and the ratings that come with him played a big part in this decision.

Ben from SF

August 28th, 2013 at 4:07 PM ^

Getting paid for autographs is small potatoes in SEC standards...  Look at Cam Newton and Auburn, Aaron Hernandez and Florida, and Jordan Jefferson at LSU.  The NCAA subscribes to the too-big-to-fail model intrinsically.

1464

August 28th, 2013 at 3:36 PM ^

Wow.  If you don't have anything, don't punish him at all.  You're either saying "We can't prove any wrongdoing, but feel like being dicks anyway" or you are saying "You broke a major rule and as a Heisman winner, we choose to wag our finger." 

Neither of those is appealing.  The NCAA is ran by monkeys.  Monkeys with below average intelligence, even by monkey standards.

bluesalt

August 28th, 2013 at 3:47 PM ^

Questionable hits can get you a full-game.  A half-game is just a made up punishment because they either have nothing, don't want to punish the player who will make them the most money, or both.  It's a bigger joke than no punishment at all.

mikoyan

August 28th, 2013 at 3:37 PM ^

Well maybe if he served in the Marines, it would have been harsher.  but they finally got it right on that one....

NCAA = No Charges Against Alabama....

Now if say Bronson Hill were found doing something...they'd give EMU the finishing penalty....

MGoCombs

August 28th, 2013 at 3:40 PM ^

I just don't understand. I don't really care about Manziel, his autograph selling, etc. like a lot of people do, but this just screams absurd to me. Clearly he did something wrong, or else why would he and A&M accept any punishment at all? All signs point to guilty of some sort of "selling of his likeness" and all he gets is a half game suspension? I don't care if players sell their likeness, for the most part, and I'm not bloodthirsty for Johnny Football's head, but I feel like if this happens to almost any other player, the consequences are much more severe. If I'm a broke player and I can make 1,000s of dollars off of my signature and worst case scenario is that I sit a half against a punching bag in a meaningless game, I'm probably getting a sharpie and some memorabilia stat.

Edit: Unfortunately if I'm a broke player and not a Heisman winner, odds are that I am getting much more than a half game against a cupcake.

oriental andrew

August 28th, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^

Manziel is the furthest thing from a broke football player.  Daddy bought him a Benz if he promised not to drink as a HIGH SCHOOLER and he's been known to flash wads of benjamins at the casino.  Of course, as a 20 year old in college, he now has the Benz, the bennies, and constant hangovers...

Meson

August 28th, 2013 at 3:38 PM ^

"The NCAA has acknowledged Manziel did not receive money for signing autographs, the source said." - ESPN story

So they asked him if he got money, he said 'no', and that was the investigation. Why is he suspended if they acknowledge he didn't get money for signing autographs?

What is this, I don't even.

ken725

August 28th, 2013 at 3:44 PM ^

Apparently the suspension is for signing autographs when he knew they were going to be sold.

I guess the NCAA couldn't prove that he actually got any money.  I'm just glad this whole thing is done with.

oriental andrew

August 28th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^

You mean brought up every time Manziel is mentioned for the first 2-3 weeks of the season, and again at the height of the Heisman race, and again during bowl season, and again during the offseason when everyone is keeping an eye on what he decides to do, then year, then yes - this whole thing is done with.  

LSAClassOf2000

August 28th, 2013 at 3:39 PM ^

Good lord, NCAA. I have to say, that's simply awful that Texas A&M should have to go into that game with their backup QB in the first half. That means it may only be a 27-point game at halftime. What a terribl...y ineffective thing to do. 

emozilla

August 28th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^

Either he did it or he didn't. If he did, he's ineligable. If he didn't, why is he getting any punishment?

I actually thought this was a joke when it first broke -- someone making some commentary on the ridiculousness, arbitrary judgements that come from the NCAA. Little did I know this was just "case in point"...

a2_electricboogaloo

August 28th, 2013 at 3:52 PM ^

It looks like the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.  This makes a lot of sense, as there is a law in the state of Texas that makes it so no one who was involved would testify against him.

Christian Dennie, an attorney with Barlow Garsek & Simon, LLP in Fort Worth, Texas, writes on the firm's website that the state of Texas passed legislation in 1987 to make "a person who violates a rule of a national collegiate athletic association ... liable for damages in an action brought by an institution. To be liable, the person must have known or reasonably should have known a rule was violated and the violation must lead to disciplinary action against the student or institution."

So essentially, if a person who bought autographs from Manziel were to testify against him, then they would be liable for the losses of profit from the institutions.  So they would get sued for (possibly) millions of dollars of lost revenue (bowl games, jersey sales, etc).

 

[source]

Mr Miggle

August 28th, 2013 at 3:46 PM ^

is reportedly based on his NOT accepting payment for his signatures. Apparently, if he got paid, he didn't deposit the money into his bank account. I wouldn't assume this is over. Nobody believes he would sign thousand of autografs for dealers for free. It just shows the limitations on what the NCAA can prove if witnesses won't talk to them.

umfan323

August 28th, 2013 at 3:46 PM ^

So dinner with Deion Sanders gets you suspended your whole senior season but taking money for a autograph gets you suspended for a half a game

swalburn

August 28th, 2013 at 3:46 PM ^

I have always generally thought there is too much complaining about the NCAA.  However, this one leaves me speechless.  What a joke.  I was wrong,  the NCAA is a total joke and failure.  I understand this sounds like rambling, but this has really left me in disbelief.  He is suspended for a half?  If I was Dez Bryant, I would be kind of pissed right now.  Can someone please explain this in a coherent manner.

Kingslayer

August 28th, 2013 at 3:49 PM ^

The school suspended him, not the NCAA.  In theory to punish him for bad judgment in who he interacted with and to discourage others from doing the same.  Doesn't mean the NCAA isn't hypocritical or inconsistent, but it's not a direct comparison to discipline the NCAA has issued in other circumstances.

Kingslayer

August 29th, 2013 at 7:14 AM ^

From what has been released, A&M was the source of the suspension and other remedial aspects, and the NCAA merely said it was ok with him playing thereafter.  A&M wasn't stupid like SC re: the Reggie Bush deal-- its lawyers did a better job of taking a firm but conciliatory approach.  I would be very suprised if the NCAA would ever impose a half game ban for anything-- as an enforcement remedy it would be embarassing, whereas as a self-punishment it is more a show of good faith.  The reality is that the NCAA couldn't prove the significant violation of taking money/value (even though it seems very likely that it happened), and it would have been silly for the NCAA to issue a punishment for the secondary violation (of allowing the sale of the autographs, etc. for someone else's profit).  http://www.aggieathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27300&ATCLID=209242479

Perkis-Size Me

August 28th, 2013 at 3:48 PM ^

Meh, whether he was suspended for one half, one game, or the whole season, it still doesn't change the fact that Saban is going to wipe the floor with A&M in a few weeks. A&M might have a good year, but I think they'll get knocked out of the national title picture pretty quickly.