at 2pm on Thursday which could be monumental for the Heisman Trophy front-runner, Florida
State, and college football. If the Florida State quarterback is charged, his season, Heisman
chances, and career could be over. If not, he will win college football's most prestigious
award and lead the Seminoles into the national championship game.
What is amazing to me, is the about-face the media and public made when the possible charges
against Winston came to light last month. Here was an elite quarterback who was a suspect in
a heinous crime and the court of public opinion didn't go into a frenzy calling for him to be
suspended or banned from playing college football again, kind of like they did with Texas
A & M quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Funny how things work out. Manziel was investigated for taking money for signing autographs,
yet was treated like he was the focus of a sexual assault investigation. Winston is being
investigated for sexual assault, but is being treated as if he just took a little money for singing autographs.
The hatred for Manziel was almost bizarre. The media, mostly ESPN and the experts like
Mark May and Lou Holtz, crucified the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. After he got flagged
for taunting in his first game this season against Rice, you'd have thought Manziel ate one of
their grandchildren and was the first player in the history of the game to get flagged for talking
a little smack.
When ESPN broke the story that Manziel may have taken money in exchange for autographs,
the rush to judgement broke the speed of sound barrier. Somebody, somewhere had a picture
of Manziel signing a ton of autographs in a hotel room, so by golly, he was GUILTY.
Winston's DNA shows up on the underpants of his accuser and nobody vilified the guy as
they did Manziel for using bad judgment. The investigators have actual DNA of Winston
showing that he was there and the accuser wasn't lying and nobody really says peep. Yet,
when somebody has a tape of Manziel talking to a sports memorabilia representitive, he was
all but tarred and feathered. INSANE!
Manziel reportedly overslept and missed a session of the Manning passing camp last
summer and he gets treated as if he's the worst person in the world. After all, nobody has
ever overslept and stood up the Manning's, who have been tagged as football royalty.
When news broke a few weeks ago that Winston was involved in an incident with BB guns
where windows were shot out on campus, nobody bats an eyelash. When a police report
showed that Winston was accused of stealing sodas from a fast food joint, everybody turns
a blind eye.
Why was there such a market correction on the attitude toward Winston after all the flack
created with Manziel? Did people all of a sudden realize that a person is innocent until
proven guilty?
Did people just decide to chill out and let ALL the facts come out before they put a kid
on a stake and burn his reputation?
Or did they just think Winston "seemed" like a good guy whereas Manziel is considered
a punk, entitled, and a person who comes from money. Right, nobody in this country is
ever jealous or wants to knock someone off their lofty perch. Sure, it never happens at school,
work, or in sports. Give me a break.
I am glad the court of public opinion didn't crucify Winston right away. Maybe they''ll
decide all future cases in this manner, but I doubt it, because in this country, it all depends
who it is and if they are likable or not.
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