Johnny Pun

[BwareDWare94 723]

Johnny Manziel dares Texans to pass on him

• 
• By Chase Goodbread
• College Football 24/7 writer
• Published: Feb. 14, 2014 at 12:34 p.m.
• Updated: Feb. 14, 2014 at 01:42 p.m.
• 219 Likes | 81 Comments

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The Houston Texans picking Johnny Manziel No. 1 overall in the NFL draft would be a great decision, Manziel said, but not picking him would be one the club would live to regret. Especially if the quarterback-starved Jacksonville Jaguars grabbed him with the No. 3 overall pick, and Houston had to play against him as a division opponent.

"It would be the worst decision they've (the Texans) ever made," he told The Houston Chronicle of the possibility. "I'd be in the same division playing against them twice a year. Sorry, but you just turned that chip on my shoulder from a Frito into a Dorito."

Double-dares aside, however, Manziel made it clear that playing for the homestate Texans is what he wants most.

"I want them to say absolutely, without a doubt, with 100 percent certainty, that I'm who they want," Manziel said. "I want everybody from the janitor at Reliant Stadium to the front office executive assistant all the way up to (owner) Bob McNair to say, 'This kid is 100 percent, can't miss. This is who we want being the face of our program. We want the Texas kid staying in Texas and leading theTexans.'"

Manziel played his high school ball in Kerrville, Texas. From a pure distance standpoint, it would be a stretch to suggest that Manziel is a hometown Houston kid. ButTexans tend to be a close-knit group. State pride is no small matter, and not much summons Texas state pride as much as its quarterbacks. From Drew Brees toMatthew Stafford, from Robert Griffin III to Andrew Luck, they are everywhere.

But they don't all play in Texas.

"I'm a Texas kid. The state means a lot to me," he said.

Your move, Houston.

Candidly Manziel

In his first public comments since announcing he would leave Texas A&M two years early for an NFL career, Manziel had plenty more to say on a variety of topics, including questions about his maturity, his rookie-year aspirations and more:

» Manziel will be asked plenty about his maturity, reputation as a partier, and off-field decisions by NFL clubs at the NFL Scouting Combine next week. He'll be well-coached for all of it, but was candid about those subjects with reporters who visited his San Diego training site as well.

"I was a kid who made some goofball decisions. That's been part of my journey. Maybe it's part of the whole Johnny Football deal that I'm trying to get away from," Manziel said. "I'm trying to show people I've grown up, and I've learned from my experiences. I feel like you're a stupid person if you continue to make the same wrong decisions. I don't want to hear, 'Oh, anybody in his situation would have been doing the same thing.' I'm 100 percent responsible for my actions."

» The era of NFL rookie quarterbacks apprenticing on a bench for a year or two is disappearing quickly, especially for those drafted in the first round. If Manziel reaches his rookie-year goal, that notion could be buried for good:

"People can call me crazy, and it's not cockiness (but), I'm going to put myself in (position) to win theSuper Bowl every single year. A 5-10 guy (Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson) just won the Super Bowlin his second year in the NFL," he said. "That's unreal. I want to be the first rookie to win the Super Bowl."

» Nobody can say Manziel doesn't know his Cleveland Browns history. The club has the No. 4 overall pick, but has historically had plenty of turnover at the quarterback position, and Manziel would love to try to end it if he ends up in Cleveland.

"If something happens, and it's the Cleveland Browns, I'm going to pour my heart out for the Dawg Pound and try to win a Super Bowl for Cleveland," he said. "I don't care if they've had 20 starting quarterbacks since 1999. I'm going to be the 21st and the guy that brought them the Super Bowl."

» Manziel's preparation for the combine includes film study with Kevin O'Connell, who was a New England Patriots backup quarterback when Texans coach Bill O'Brien was an assistant there under Bill Belichick. O'Connell is helping Manziel learn O'Brien's likes and dislikes about offensive football, and he can't wait to talk to O'Brien about it next week in Indianapolis.

"In Indianapolis, I want to be able to sit there and him draw a play on the board and be like, 'Coach, that was your third-and-12 play from the Super Bowl," Manziel said. "You called that on the right hash from the 42-yard line driving in to score to win the game.' I want to blow his lid off when I'm in that situation."

Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.

 

This kid is such a dumbass lol

Edited February 14, 2014 by BwareDWare94

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

All this talk is going to make it so painful for him when he busts out. At least he will have millions of dollars to comfort him.

[BC 331]

All this talk is going to make it so painful for him when he busts out. At least he will have millions of dollars to comfort him.

I hope he makes the rookie minimum and then is cut and files for bankruptcy.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

Wow mucho Manziel hate up in here. I by no means am a big fan of JFF, but I gotta say I do admire his confidence.

 

I hope he's successful if just for the sole purpose that he can be the "villain" of quarterbacks much like LeBron is/was seen as the villain of the NBA. Strong hatred/disliking for a player does wonders for ratings.

[Vin+ 3,121]

What's Johnny Autograph gonna do when the Jags pass on him too?

 

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

Eh. NBD imo. You'd rather hear something like that coming from a personal interview with an FO or something, but either way, confident/arrogant athletes gonna be confident/arrogant. Nothing wrong with that (as long as they back it up).

[seanbrock 1,684]

This is what every QB thinks, why is it wrong for him to say it. I bet Drew Brees thought along these lines when teams passed him by due to his height. I'm sure Marino had this mentality when he slipped to the end of the first and I bet Rodgers still carries a bit of a chip for being taken after Smith. He's had an excellent collegiate career. I'd probably think the same thing.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

This is what every QB thinks, why is it wrong for him to say it. I bet Drew Brees thought along these lines when teams passed him by due to his height. I'm sure Marino had this mentality when he slipped to the end of the first and I bet Rodgers still carries a bit of a chip for being taken after Smith. He's had an excellent collegiate career. I'd probably think the same thing.

 

I bolded four words, one is unlike the others. Why?

 

I am not saying it's necessarily wrong, but I can definitely see why it would be a turn off for a lot of people. I don't hear Brees, Marino, or Rodgers openly discussing these things, especially at this point in the process and with this amount of fervor. It's almost sounds like he is threatening teams, lol. Kind of ridiculous. I don't have any doubt that the guys you mentioned thought the things you claim... Maybe Johnny Football should do more thinking and less talking.

 

However, he's an enigmatic figure. That's where his value comes from, not his football skill set -- so he is just doing what he has to to be relevant, i suppose.

Edited February 15, 2014 by Favre4Ever

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel will not throw at the NFL Combine.

Manziel will attend the Combine, but only plans to throw at his March 27th Pro Day and at private workouts. It's a decision that most top quarterbacks have made in recent years. Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, Jadeveon Clowney, and Blake Bortles are considered candidates to be drafted by the Texans with the No. 1 overall pick.

Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter

[BwareDWare94 723]

Wow mucho Manziel hate up in here. I by no means am a big fan of JFF, but I gotta say I do admire his confidence.

 

I hope he's successful if just for the sole purpose that he can be the "villain" of quarterbacks much like LeBron is/was seen as the villain of the NBA. Strong hatred/disliking for a player does wonders for ratings.

 

Before I make my point, I want to stress that this is not meant in regard to you, as a poster, but to people in general.

 

Where is this level of acceptance with confidence when it comes to African American athletes like Richard Sherman?

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

 

Wow mucho Manziel hate up in here. I by no means am a big fan of JFF, but I gotta say I do admire his confidence.

 

I hope he's successful if just for the sole purpose that he can be the "villain" of quarterbacks much like LeBron is/was seen as the villain of the NBA. Strong hatred/disliking for a player does wonders for ratings.

 

Before I make my point, I want to stress that this is not meant in regard to you, as a poster, but to people in general.

 

Where is this level of acceptance with confidence when it comes to African American athletes like Richard Sherman?

 

Lol ok, so if you think Sherman was white, he wouldn't have gotten any shit for acting like a dick in that postgame interview?

 

And why are some people so scared to call black people ''black''? Reminds of when a couple of my middle/high school teachers threw a fucking fit when I called black people ''black'' and not ''African American''. Bunch of fucking righteous liberal douchebags lol.

[BwareDWare94 723]

 

 

Wow mucho Manziel hate up in here. I by no means am a big fan of JFF, but I gotta say I do admire his confidence.

 

I hope he's successful if just for the sole purpose that he can be the "villain" of quarterbacks much like LeBron is/was seen as the villain of the NBA. Strong hatred/disliking for a player does wonders for ratings.

 

Before I make my point, I want to stress that this is not meant in regard to you, as a poster, but to people in general.

 

Where is this level of acceptance with confidence when it comes to African American athletes like Richard Sherman?

 

Lol ok, so if you think Sherman was white, he wouldn't have gotten any shit for acting like a dick in that postgame interview?

 

And why are some people so scared to call black people ''black''? Reminds of when a couple of my middle/high school teachers threw a fucking fit when I called black people ''black'' and not ''African American''. Bunch of fucking righteous liberal douchebags lol.

 

 

I used "African American" instead of black because Richard Sherman's another human being. In other words, I think he should be seen as a man, not a "black" man.

 

But yeah, Manziel's coming off as a much bigger douche than Sherman ever has, and that's because Johnny's is a much biggger douche than Sherman.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

 

I used "African American" instead of black because Richard Sherman's another human being. In other words, I think he should be seen as a man, not a "black" man.

That makes no fucking sense lmao. If you saw him as just ''another human being'', then you wouldn't have slapped on the ''African American'' label. Who you trying to kid?

 

 

But yeah, Manziel's coming off as a much bigger douche than Sherman ever has, and that's because Johnny's is a much biggger douche than Sherman.

They're both huge douches lol. Johnny is a egomaniac that does college brah things and Sherman is another egomaniac that is a non-stop shit talker. Regardless of their skin color, they both get a ton of shit and hate for it. Not tough to grasp lol.

[BwareDWare94 723]

 

 

I used "African American" instead of black because Richard Sherman's another human being. In other words, I think he should be seen as a man, not a "black" man.

That makes no fucking sense lmao. If you saw him as just ''another human being'', then you wouldn't have slapped on the ''African American'' label. Who you trying to kid?

 

 

 

But yeah, Manziel's coming off as a much bigger douche than Sherman ever has, and that's because Johnny's is a much biggger douche than Sherman.

They're both huge douches lol. Johnny is a egomaniac that does college brah things and Sherman is another egomaniac that is a non-stop shit talker. Regardless of their skin color, they both get a ton of shit and hate for it. Not tough to grasp lol.

 

 

 

I used "African American" instead of black because Richard Sherman's another human being. In other words, I think he should be seen as a man, not a "black" man.

That makes no fucking sense lmao. If you saw him as just ''another human being'', then you wouldn't have slapped on the ''African American'' label. Who you trying to kid?

 

 

 

But yeah, Manziel's coming off as a much bigger douche than Sherman ever has, and that's because Johnny's is a much biggger douche than Sherman.

They're both huge douches lol. Johnny is a egomaniac that does college brah things and Sherman is another egomaniac that is a non-stop shit talker. Regardless of their skin color, they both get a ton of shit and hate for it. Not tough to grasp lol.

 

I used African American because the treatment Sherman dealt with by general NFL fans was due to his race.

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

 

How quickly Teddy processes information during a play followed by throws with anticipation is why I think he'll be real solid pro QB — size/frame be damned. That and his best skill in my opinion is knowing how to manipulate the pocket via avoiding the rush while keeping his eyes down field.

 

Sorry for the random comment on a different QB there but I was just watching cut-ups and wanted to gif that play. On topic — I got no problem with Johnny's comments. That's what some confident people do. Often times they do it on purpose to add pressure on themselves to motivate them even further. Some don't like it, that's fine, there's more than one way to do it. Not everyone is PC and humble in the media, nor should they have to be or judged for not being that way. I have no idea how Manziel is gonna turn out in the NFL, we've seen guys like Tarkenton have success with the same playing style so who knows. Hardest QB to project in awhile, mostly because he improved a lot this past year throwing wise. If I were to make a call after his first year I wouldn't think he'd have a great chance but he showed much better ball placement and accuracy from the pocket that I didn't see as near often the year before. He still drops his eyes and will get himself in trouble bailing from the pocket but the 50/50 is he also makes plays doing so. Who knows man, I can't even pretend to make an educated guess on him.

[BwareDWare94 723]

^Maybe Bridgewater does what you say he does, but that looks like a really lucky throw, a dumb throw that should have been picked.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

 

Sorry for the random comment on a different QB there but I was just watching cut-ups and wanted to gif that play. On topic — I got no problem with Johnny's comments. That's what some confident people do. Often times they do it on purpose to add pressure on themselves to motivate them even further. Some don't like it, that's fine, there's more than one way to do it. Not everyone is PC and humble in the media, nor should they have to be or judged for not being that way. I have no idea how Manziel is gonna turn out in the NFL, we've seen guys like Tarkenton have success with the same playing style so who knows. Hardest QB to project in awhile, mostly because he improved a lot this past year throwing wise. If I were to make a call after his first year I wouldn't think he'd have a great chance but he showed much better ball placement and accuracy from the pocket that I didn't see as near often the year before. He still drops his eyes and will get himself in trouble bailing from the pocket but the 50/50 is he also makes plays doing so. Who knows man, I can't even pretend to make an educated guess on him.

 

Manziel just bails from the pocket too early, too often, IMO. I don't think he feels comfortable in the pocket often and he is ALWAYS looking to pull the ball down and run it even if he has wide receivers wide open down the field. And I really don't know if that is something a coach can even fix. You have to complete alter his mindset, how he looks at the game, how he reacts.... It's not going to be easy. As you mentioned, he's gotten better at throwing the football. But how do change, not somebodies actions, but their reactions? How do you go about altering what isn't an actual decision making process but merely an instinct -- something he has been doing his entire football career? Is it impossible? Surely not... but again, lots of work to be done.

 

That's why I've liked Bridgewater from the beginning. He has some issues of his own, make no mistake. But he reads the field and reacts in ways QBs at the pro level should. He sees things before they happen, and that's a skill the elite QBs in the NFL possess. He knows where all the defenders on the field are... and where they are going to be. He's studied the game to the point that he can anticipate those types of things, and THAT is what I want out of my QB.

 

In the NFL, there are a lot of different schemes and formations and just crazy combinations of plays that may throw him off as a rookie just a little... But I am confident he will grow and learn from those things and be a very very good QB. Again, am I going to guarantee he is a star? Of course not,and who knows how the coaches he ends up with are going to treat him. Just merely making observations here.

Edited February 15, 2014 by Favre4Ever

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

^Maybe Bridgewater does what you say he does, but that looks like a really lucky throw, a dumb throw that should have been picked.

 

If you notice the one DB #31 basically ran the route for the WR which usually means bad news for the QB. This usually means the QB doesn't see a wide open WR so he ends up taking the sack or running.There's no way to know since we don't know the play or what they communicated but to me it looks like:

 

1) a QB and WR who are on the same page and know where each other is going/thinking

2) A perfect — and I mean perfectly placed ball (gets enough air to get over the LB and seeing the DB play on top of the WR he throws it far enough behind the DB where only his WR can make a play on the ball)

 

I'm guessing you only think it's a dumb throw that should of been picked because there's 2 DBs around the WR plus a LB in a zone underneath. But if you're on the same page as your WR meaning you put in work in practice and outside of practice with repeated reps with your WRs plus game experience you can feel confident throwing that ball. Now if he's not accurate on that throw that's going to look like a horrible decision but that's the thing with Bridgewater — he's shown time and time again good accuracy in the short and intermediate game with good ball placement and anticipation. That's pro caliber stuff, because in the NFL guys aren't just running wide open like in college and you have to be pinpoint to sustain drives or score in the redzone. We'll see if he can do the same in the pros but he shows all the signs that he can.

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

 

Manziel just bails from the pocket too early, too often, IMO. I don't think he feels comfortable in the pocket often and he is ALWAYS looking to pull the ball down and run it even if he has wide receivers wide open down the field. And I really don't know if that is something a coach can even fix. You have to complete alter his mindset, how he looks at the game, how he reacts.... It's not going to be easy. Impossible? Surely not... but again, lots of work to be done.

 

 

Yeah that's a legit concern. Like I said in my original post he does drop his eye level (meaning he'll stop looking down field and instead look at the rush coming his way — in which he usually ends up scrambling to avoid them or getting outside the pocket.) One thing that amazes me with Manziel though is even after he drops his eye level and does his little water beetle like scrambling maneuvers he somehow instinctively finds a guy open quicker than most QBs.

 

If I'm a coach who's team drafts Manziel though I don't try and fix his maverick like ways. Because it's his gift and curse. It's what makes him special, he thrives in chaos whether brought upon him or self manufactured. I think his main issue when he gets in trouble is he tries to make "the big play" too often. Forces it. The one thing I would coach him up to do is to take those quick 5 yard routes sometimes. He's done that before but too often it does seem like he tries to make too many big plays. But that's a slippery slope because you don't want to muzzle him up and take away what makes him special because he can indeed make those big plays. Basically tame the beast, don't cage the beast.

 

I'm not gonna pretend to know how flexible/versatile Bill O'Brien is with his offense but in his past he's stuck with the classic style pro offense. Maybe that's because of the QBs he's had, but at the same time he recruited Hackenberg so that tells you the type of QB he likes, which doesn't fit Manziel. So my assumption would be that's a bad scheme fit for Manziel. For Manziel to be successful in the NFL I think he needs one of the more creative type offensive coordinator like a Chip Kelly, like a Jedd Fisch, like a Kyle Shanahan. Guys who have shown they're not against going unconventional. Some call it gimmicky but that's another conversation, I just think those types of OCs are his best shot at making his style of play work.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Ya, definitely agree with most if not all that you said... But some of those amazing escape type things he did at the college level -- not sure that is going to work in the pros. Yes, we have seen QBs like Big Ben and Aaron Rodgers escape from guaranteed (nearly, anyway) sacks and make amazing plays.

 

But sometimes you see Manziel just run into a sack, he thinks he can take these guys head on and win.. And quite frankly he could win most of the time against other college players. Not so sure it's going to work ala Fran Tarkenton in today's NFL.

I know it's really cliche.. But guys are bigger, faster, stronger, smarter.. And with his frame? I just think it's a recipe for disaster. And what if you take Manziel and then adapt your scheme around him and his talents... And then he goes down in Week 3 or whatever? Do you have a backup, more sedated system in place for your 2nd QB? Or do you go out and stock your entire QB roster with similar skill sets? I don't know.. it's tough.

 

But make no mistake, I will eagerly be watching where he lands and how that system evolves and works (or doesn't) with him in it. Should be fun, even if I don't like the kid and wouldn't want to take on that challenge.

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

Agreed.

[BJORN 679]

Personally, I think Manziel is being used as a smokescreen to try and detract teams away from Bridgewater and maybe even Bortles.

[BC 331]

Eh. NBD imo. You'd rather hear something like that coming from a personal interview with an FO or something, but either way, confident/arrogant athletes gonna be confident/arrogant. Nothing wrong with that (as long as they back it up).

 

Out of my quarterback I want poise and composure, not someone who parties and taunts.

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

Personally, I think Manziel is being used as a smokescreen to try and detract teams away from Bridgewater and maybe even Bortles.

 

Only the Browns have been on record saying they really like Manziel so I'm not sure how you've come to that idea. This is Manziel talking about the Texans, Jags and Browns, not the teams themselves (other than the Browns of course, who pick after the former two teams.)

[BJORN 679]

 

Personally, I think Manziel is being used as a smokescreen to try and detract teams away from Bridgewater and maybe even Bortles.

 

Only the Browns have been on record saying they really like Manziel so I'm not sure how you've come to that idea. This is Manziel talking about the Texans, Jags and Browns, not the teams themselves (other than the Browns of course, who pick after the former two teams.)

 

I came to that idea from that exact Browns statement, to be honest. lol