"It probably looked more interesting than it was."
These are the words
Johnny Manziel used to explain his latest incident that, according to a police report, involved an argument with his girlfriend, passing another car on an interstate while driving on the shoulder at a high rate of speed, driving across several lanes to exit the interstate at the same high speed and pushing his girlfriend's face into the car window while he drove as the two argued.
Manziel and Colleen Crowley pulled over in Avon, Ohio, and were questioned by police after 911 calls were placed about their behavior.
The facts, as presented in the police report, of what happened Monday are concerning. Plain and simple.
The focus will be on Manziel's admission of drinking, because he spent 10 weeks in a treatment facility in the offseason. However, he never has said why he voluntarily went to the Caron Treatment Center, nor has he detailed his aftercare and whether he has been counseled not to drink.
Police determined Manziel was not intoxicated. He and Crowley were allowed to leave together. But the way he drove put himself, Crowley and anyone else on that highway at serious risk.
Questions no doubt will follow, but there is one key question for the
Cleveland Browns: When will they have had enough?
The Browns have chosen to not berate Manziel publicly, but to deal with him privately. That can be questioned; the word "enabling" comes to mind, though we also don't know what the team is doing privately. The collective bargaining agreement also limits what the team can do.
Manziel could be made inactive Sunday, but when
Justin Gilbert was involved in an alleged road rage incident that had several people calling 911 reporting Gilbert and another car were racing down a different highway, the Browns handled it internally.
Manziel was not charged, arrested or even tested for alcohol.
Since the day Manziel was drafted, he has had his share of off-field distractions. He seemingly had put those distractions on the shelf this season after his rehab stint.
But his rookie-year troubles included the rolled-up bill in the bathroom and the floating swan and then security rousting him from bed the morning before the season finale because he was sleeping after being out late the night before.
Manziel said he looked like a "jackass" for those late-season actions, then said his future actions had to speak louder than his words.
Now we have this: Allegedly arguing with his girlfriend and endangering the lives of others, then tweeting that "it looked more interesting than it was."
This latest incident in no way, shape or form diminishes the efforts Manziel made in treatment, or the respect he deserves for going. But what happened Monday does raise concerns, again, about his choices.
To say it looked more interesting than it was?
For a guy trying to get and keep his life together, it's a red flag, bright and persistent as the lights on top of the police cars that pulled up to Manziel on Monday afternoon.
