Sweat is dripping from your forehead onto the cold, hard floor as you strain to finish one last sprint. You've been here for hours, always striving to become better than the man beside you. No one sees today's exhaustion. Instead, they see yesterday's healine; the one that says you're on steroids and party too much.
The Texas A&M Aggies have forgotten the success of last season. They're still booing their stud quarterback, Johhny Manziel, the one who gave the University of Alabama their only loss in 2012. The acheivement- Heisman Trophy as a freshman- doesn't seem to matter anymore, not after party mishaps and autograph allegations. Although the fans are beginning to move past Manziel's decisions, he will always live under a shadow of scandal.
It doesn't matter if an athlete is a better quarterback than Joe Montana or hits more home runs than Babe Ruth, he or she will be judged by his or her character and what he or she does on a Friday night.
Fans' favorite athletes are those who fly under the radar, the ones that focus on the game instead of the headlines. Sometimes, the most hated players are fantastic on the field, but their stories are in People Magazine intead of ESPN, and sportscasters don't like that.
There is a problem when your name off the field overshadows your work on the field. If you open the door for off-field criticism, you set yourself up for on-field scrutiny.
In order to prevent that scrutiny: don't make decisions that would ruin your career, don't sacrifice your reputation for one night of fun, keep your head down, don't seek out the spotlight, and, "Johnny Football," don't post pictures of you partying; rumors may spread. All of these decisions can lead to the downfall of your sports career.
Over the past few months, Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman winner Johnny Manziel has been involved in autograph allegations.
photo courtesy of newsfixnow.com
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