Johnny Goofball Denies He Took Money For Autographs. Yeah, Right.

   Sorry, Aggies.
   As most of us have known all along but you've been too stubborn to admit, the Johnny Goofball autograph story isn't merely an erroneous ESPN fabrication that you can simply mute via midnight yell practice. Now CBS is on the story. And now the NCAA is spending six hours questioning the reigning Heisman Trophy winner about whether he took money in exchange for signing autographs.
   That's right, six hours.
   Guarantee it didn't take that long for the conversation to go like this:
   NCAA: Johnny Goofball, er, Football, er, Manziel, did you get paid for signing all those autographs?
   Goofball: Nope.
   NCAA: Okay, we're done here. Carry on.
   As Texas A&M struggles with the risk-reward of playing its quarterback Saturday against Rice in College Station, the vital question remains unanswered. According to CBS, Manziel denied to the NCAA that he accepted cash for his countless signatures.
   Then why?

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   If not for payment, why would a 20-year-old rock star/athlete spend all that time autographing over 4,000 photos and helmets and cleats and jerseys, etc.?
   Just for fun? For some charity that he's yet to identity? Because he's such a good kid?
   C'mon. We're not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but we ain't idiots either.
   You know what I think about Manziel's thorny family tree and you're aware that irregularities in his signed memorabilia can be traced back to 2012 in Dallas. And until proven otherwise I'm sticking to my theory that Nathan Fitch is taking the fall.
   As Goofball's "manager", Uncle Nate will tell the NCAA that he lied, deceived and betrayed his friend about the autographs. That it was him who accepted the money. Sure the memorabilia brokers paid "Johnny," but Nate siphoned all the money. Nate told Johnny he was signing for, um, charity. Yeah that's it, charity. That way Nate broke no laws, A&M isn't culpable and Goofball comes off only as naive, even sympathetic. Goofball and A&M will publicly denounce Uncle Nate but, behind closed doors, the two friends split the loot and laugh all the way to the bank.
   It speaks loudly that, in the wake of the revelations, Fitch has lawyered up and declined numerous interview requests. If there's zero credibility to this story and if Manziel nor Fitch nor A&M did anything wrong or broke any rules, why the silence? Why is Fitch reluctant to talk? Why has A&M AD Eric Hyman issued a gag order on the subject?
   If I'm innocent of a charge, I talk about it openly, freely and immediately. If I'm guilty, I go quiet for a long time planning how the hell to spin the story and get out of trouble.
   Like all college football fans, I want to see Johnny Goofball on the football field, especially Sept. 14 when Alabama visits College Station.
   But I'd also like the question answered. By anyone.
   If Johnny Manziel didn't accept money, then what was his motivation for signing all those autographs?

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