In recent weeks we have seen Johnny Manziel all over the sports news for doing some things that should appear questionable to the Texas A&M fans and the college football fan base. Recently Johnny Manziel was removed from the Manning Passing Camp, a University of Texas fraternity party and was seen giving the Texas Longhorns hand sign at a concert in Austin, TX recently. Manziel was not removed from the Manning Passing Camp because he was partying in New Orleans. Rather, it was because he overslept for a meeting at the camp according to multiple sources to include ESPN. Here is a link to the official ESPN report Manziel Leaves Manning Camp. Johnny Manziel is the current Hesiman Trophy winner and as such he is supposed to represent college football in the best manner. However, what I see happening is a severe misrepresentation of what the college football player should be. Here also, is a reference to the recent events that Manziel participated in while in Austin, TX. Johnny Manziel in Austin, Manziel Asked to Leave Party. These recent behaviors represent some character issues that need to be addressed with Johnny Football. This also says to me that the awarding of the Heisman Trophy should not be based off of athletic performance alone. It should be based off of on and off the field performance. A lot of people say that it is awarded to the "best athlete" in college football. The term BEST ATHLETE should encompass community service, grades, and on field performance. Johnny Manziel was awarded the Hesiman Trophy as a freshman and it is beginning to show in his actions. Some of the small amount of known community service Manziel appears to have completed has been in conduction with consequences of partying and alcohol usage this comes from a New York Times article completed on the quarterback in 2012. Although he has stepped up since winning the Heisman Trophy to support cancer research. However, he will be completing community service as part of his recent plea agreement from his arrest last year according to Sports Illustrated. It is the opinion of this sports fan that never should a freshman be awarded the Heisman Trophy. Partly based upon the media attention and other many obligations that come along with it. Johnny Manziel has also recently plead guilty to misdemeanor charges where he did not properly identify himself to police officers and used a false identification card. Manziel Pleads Guilty. I am not trying to crucify Johnny Manziel here rather, I am trying to have the sports audience at large take a look at character issues when delving out awards to football players. Johnny Manziel made his mistake and I am willing to allow him to make it up in the large scheme of humanity but when I think about it he has continued to show small bouts of irresponsibility. I think this can be corrected with age and maturity but only time will tell with this young man.
Aaron Murray has been the pillar of strength since arriving in Athens, Georgia. As quarterback of the University of Georgia Bulldogs he is the example of what a young man should be in the opinion of this writer. Although I do not know either of these men personally I can through media reports gather some idea of the type of character that they possess. Mark Richt and Mike Bobo always speak highly of the character and work ethic of their starting quarterback. He is a young man who appears to be sensibly grounded in his faith with Jesus Christ and is comfortable with who he is. During his time in Athens Murray has not been the subject of off the field incidents that a few of his fellow and former Bulldogs have been subject too. Before I go any further let me preface this with the knowledge to the reader that I am a UGA Bulldog fan but I write this piece on a non-biased premise of what is acceptable in society and what is not.
Aaron Murray has some of the best statistics for a UGA quarterback in the history of the football program and some of the best stats ever among Southeastern Conference quarterbacks in history. This is not what sets him apart from his peers. What sets him apart is character, work ethic, and leadership. He is a man who is focused on his future but present goals at the same time. In an age when players leave school early and go for the glow and lure of the National Football Leagues big money Murray went back to "Finish the Drill" as they say in Athens. "Murray has graduated from the University of Georgia in 3 1/2 years with a 3.5 GPA and is now continuing his studies in graduate school. By coming back to UGA he has set a standard for what is expected out of the young men of the future who will be chosen to be the UGA quarterback. Yahoo Sports."In another recent event Aaron Murray personally led a 96 year old fan on a tour of the UGA Football facilities as a gesture for the woman who was recuperating from a hospital stay. What I do know and see about this young man tells me that he is a special human being that from a football program only comes along once a decade. Matthew Stafford was a good UGA quarterback but he is not Murray and Murray is surely not him. The way people in the UGA football community speak about Murray speak volumes as to who and what he aspires to be. In September 2012 Murray was named the SEC Community Service Team Member of the Week, AFCA Good Works Team, and Peach of an Athlete Role Model. When a man achieves his undergraduate degree and begins working on his masters degree what you can see looking past the surface is that he understands that there will be life after football and he knows he should be prepared for it.
I do not know Murray personally and only have one communication with him in the history of my life and this was very recently. I have been going through many issues regarding my ACL ligament in my knee and just recently had my second ACL repair. As a joke I sent Aaron Murray a tweet with a picture of me sitting in my chair wearing my UGA shorts asking him to pray for me. A couple of hours later he tweeted me back and said he was praying for me. Now I do not know if this was just lip service but for him to stop and take a moment to send me that tweet gave me great encouragement that maybe he sent up a quick prayer for me because, I need all the prayers I can get trying to get through this surgery.
With all this being said we as fathers are to raise young men of character and your children will never listen to everything you have to say. However, if you need to point to a college football athlete, are a Christian, hate the Florida Gators and don't wanna use Tim Tebow then this guy is a pretty good substitute. God has given us the awesome responsibility of raising young men and women who have character. We as fathers and mothers must never forget our responsibility in this matter. God Bless.
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