Johnny Manziel, former Texas A&M and Cleveland Browns quarterback, is one of those tragic sports figures who experience a meteoric rise only to be brought down by temptations like drugs and alcohol. Yesterday he offered up some advice to President Trump and then deleted his Twitter account shortly afterward.
Manziel tweeted at Trump about 2:30 p.m. Monday, advising him to “lead the country and let them hate.”
Johnny Manziel has some Twitter tips for President Trump 😂 https://t.co/9068uaBxpa pic.twitter.com/5r0jP1QYQA
— theScore (@theScore) January 23, 2017
A second tweet which was not immediately screen-grabbed read, “Control what you can control and let the rest fall by the wayside,” according to Yahoo Sports.
Afterward, Manziel’s Twitter account was deleted.
Manziel was on Trump’s radar three years ago.
I think somebody should pick Johnny Football – he will be a star.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2014
Teams are making a big mistake not taking Johnny Manziel – he is going to be really good (and exciting to watch).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2014
That prediction didn’t come true as Manziel’s troubled personal life derailed his football career. The former Heisman Trophy winner recently remarked that he was sober and wants to return to football.
The tweets came three days after Manziel said he’s achieved sobriety on his own and is determined to resume his career as a NFL quarterback.
“I refuse to let my entire life of sports from the age of four be squandered by partying,” Manziel said in a message sent Friday to ESPN’s Ed Werder. “I just got sick of it. One day I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror and realized I could really help people in the position I’m in.
“I love sports, I love football and when you take something away from yourself you realize it the hard way. The happiness from doing it sober has been astronomical. Beyond my wildest imagination and once that continued other good things started happening in my life and it just clicked.”
Manziel was to the point when asked his immediate goal: “Play football. A pre-season game, anything I don’t care what it is. Only need one team to believe in me and I’ll do anything to make that a possibility.”
While his other social media accounts remain active, Manziel’s spokeswoman said that Twitter was “not a priority and he’s trying to eliminate distractions.” I suspect that deleting his Twitter account may have been a way for him to take his own advice.
A professional athlete who disappoints fans is already someone who has a mean crowd populating his mentions column. Tweeting something other than criticism to the newly elected President probably attracted a brand new wave of political “haters.”
And he’s right. That sh*t will drive you crazy, if you let it.
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