Mr. Winston’s bomb-throwing attorney may have done a good
job of steering his client through the university’s disciplinary shoals, but the
PR strategy is more problematic.
The good news for Florida State fans: Winston again escaped charges on the basis of
lack of evidence.
But, especially in light of his boorish and illegal behavior
in other situations, Winston’s demeanor of defiance and lack of explanations
won’t play well in the court of public opinion.
Even if he doesn’t slip a lot in the NFL draft, the team
that takes him is going to be nervous—what happens if women mount a boycott of
his NFL team? The fact that Michael Vick is Winston’s most outspoken defender
isn’t going to help.
So they’ll offer a contract with compensation well below
what Winston’s draft number would suggest.
His agent will then foster a holdout. Messy.
Who will pay Winston for endorsements? He may have the
lowest income of any high draft choice in history.
But the real unpleasantness will be at the university.
Penn State got hammered by the NCAA because, even though
there wasn’t a clear allegation that a crime had been committed, not to mention
specific evidence of one, the university chose not to investigate, a decision
that prevented evidence from coming forward.
Florida State, on the other hand, did have clear knowledge
of a specific allegation and nevertheless decided not to pursue the issue, a
choice that prevented a valid investigation. The university evidently chose to
drop the matter because Winston’s attorney told them the case was closed. Or
moribund. Or something like that.
What responsible organization takes an important legal action
on the unsubstantiated word of a defense attorney?
In light of its prior decision that Penn State’s much more
ambiguous situation was highly culpable, the NCAA will have to come down hard,
not just on the school but on individuals.
Of course, the NCAA is now under the gun for overreacting
with Penn State and might again overreact in the opposite direction.
So what will happen
if the Wizards of Indianapolis find Florida State’s deliberate decision not to
look into a rape accusation acceptable? All hell will break lose.
In the meantime, Florida State will be roasted by the Office
of Civil Rights, whose lawyers will be there to stick pitchforks into the
university’s hapless coaches and administrators for years to come.
Apropos of that, why the heck did Penn State hire Rape
State’s president, the guy who presided over this mess?
Update on Jameis Winston
After his team was clobbered in the Rose Bowl by Oregon, Winston
observed, "It hurts badder than whatever you can imagine. I ain't felt
this way in a long time."
For the record, and for better or badder, Mr. Winston is in
his third year of study at Florida State University.
Should he not make it in the pros, he would make a fine
spokesperson for this institution.
