As much impact as Johnny Manziel had on Texas A&M football in his two years as a starting quarterback -- from the win-loss column, to booster donations, to the notoriety that comes to a program with a Heisman Trophy winner -- he's far from the only reason that Kyle Field is getting a full facelift.
That's the clear sentiment of Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Sean Porter, who didn't take well to Texas A&M regent Jim Schwertner's suggestion that the new facility should be renamed "The House That Johnny Built."
Porter makes a good point about the sacrifices of Aggies players that have come before Manziel. Citing the fact that football is too much a team sport to honor only one, an unassailable argument in many respects. But Schwertner's point is that no other Aggies made the impact Manziel did, which is just as undeniable.
And let's face it: Stadiums are named for singular people for a reason. Stadiums are named for people who make the biggest difference. If stadiums were meant to be named for groups, the Aggies would be playing at Junction Boys Field, not one named for Edwin Jackson Kyle. Whether Kyle Field should be re-named to honor Manziel is an entirely different question. Is it too soon, given he's just 21 years old? Is it too risky, given legitimate questions about how he might eventually represent it? Both are plausible concerns.
But if the reason is that others worked hard for Aggies victories, too, stadium names everywhere would disagree.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
