Johnny Manziel needs to continue doing the next right thing
By Roger Cohen
Jul 30, 2015; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) runs a play during training camp at the Cleveland Browns practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
So what has been the best Johnny Manziel news out of Cleveland Browns training camp thus far?
Is it:
- Completing 9-of-11 (and that first bomb should also have been caught) and 2 touchdowns in Friday’s Orange and Brown scrimmage?
- The high praise from future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas and head coach Mike Pettine?
- The photo of Josh McCown’s arm over Johnny’s shoulder, both smiling?
- That other teams’ “bad boys” (see Niners, San Francisco) can’t seem to stay out of trouble, while Browns’ camp has been drama free? (That sound you hear is repeated knocking on wood.)
The correct answer is actually “none of the above.”
That is because the absolute best news was buried midway through Thursday’s media session where, according to the team’s website, Manziel talked about what has changed from last year to this year:
“Now it’s a really simple schedule; just come to work every day, be in the building, do what I’m supposed to do and everything else will take care of itself,” Manziel said. “Just do the next right thing and things will be good. That’s where I’m at right now.”
While the quote isn’t pulled directly from the Big Blue Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, the saying is a mainstay of all 12-step programs. For newcomers at step zero of their recovery, it provides an easy, one-phrase reminder on how to deal with, well, just about every life situation.
For Manziel to repeat those words, verbatim, means he’s heard them more than once and he’s using them to help guide his personal journey. That’s huge – and is way more important than mastering the three-step drop, identifying a cover-two, or pin-pointing a back shoulder throw.
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Most Browns fans might rather hear Manziel talk about how the game has slowed down for him this camp. Or hear Pettine praise Manziel for looking poised after leading two perfect scoring drives against Washington this upcoming Thursday night in Cleveland’s first preseason friendly of 2015.
But Manziel’s football reboot will have to wait, because another mainstay motto heard in 12-step meeting rooms: “you’ll fail at anything you put in front of your recovery.”
So regardless how Manziel plays Thursday against the Redskins, or even the rest of this season, if he gets up each morning and just does the “next right thing,” there’s just no telling how great a Brown he might become.
Are you encouraged by what you’ve seen out of Manziel so far?