John Sharp's words lived up to his last name Thursday when the Texas A&M University System chancellor became the latest public figure to offer his opinion on the NCAA investigation into Johnny Manziel's alleged profiting from mass autograph sessions with memorabilia dealers.
The Texas A&M quarterback's eligibility is threatened under an NCAA rule prohibiting promotion or advertising of commercial product sale.
Video of Sharp chiding the NCAA about its own profiting from student-athlete notoriety was published at dallasnews.com and would seem to bring the full weight of Texas A&M's institutional authority in defense of the Aggies quarterback.
Except that he offered the quote as a personal opinion, not an administrative one.
"I also think that there's something, you know this is just me talking not as chancellor of the system, something is wrong with the system when we can make money off of our football players, the NCAA make money off of our football players and they can't be treated like Olympic athletes," Sharp said.
Alleged in three different ESPN reports on Manziel are six autograph signings for three dealers in three different states in a month's time, and a total-signature estimate of over 4,000. One of those reports alleges a payment of $7,500. The NCAA, facing an image crisis on multiple fronts, could possibly penalize Manziel using a rule that has come under open fire.
From the likes of the Aggies' high-ranking administrator.
"I suspect, courts or somebody or the NCAA is going to have to take a look at that and see whether or not they're violating someone's anti-trust deal. How can the NCAA, for instance, make money off of his jerseys and he can't, you know, make two bucks off of signing something like that, like other athletes can who happen to be in the Olympics? That's just my opinion."
Sharp went on to call Manziel, "a good kid. He is an honest kid ... I think a whole bunch of folks are mistreating him and I'm not very happy about that."
NFL Draft 365's first thought for comments below? If this shows nothing else, it shows Manziel's father Paul's reported contempt for TAMU officials could perhaps be repaired with a phone call.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
