With the kind of support Dez Bryant is providing, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel doesn't need enemies.
A Fort Worth Star-Telegram blog reported Tuesday that Bryant, the Cowboys' fourth-year wide receiver, will be angry if Manziel isn't suspended for receiving cash payments for signing autographs.
Bryant lost his junior year at Oklahoma State after the NCAA suspended him for lying about having dinner with Deion Sanders - the act itself did not violate any NCAA rules.
"Hell yeah, I'll be mad," Bryant told the Star-Telegram. "I will be mad. But I don't want him to get suspended. I will be mad more at the NCAA on how they do things. I just feel like it's not fair. This is something I have no problem talking about because I feel like somebody needs to say something to him and let it be known how they treat people is not right."
Bryant clearly has not forgotten about the NCAA's treatment of him; he talked to the Star-Telegram about contemplating whether to sue college athletics' governing body.
"I did lie. I came back. I told the truth and they suspended me indefinitely," Bryant said. "The way the guy was talking to me was like I did something wrong. I didn't know it was OK for me to go to someone's house."
Because Bryant didn't know whether he had violated an NCAA rule by going to dinner with Sanders, he said he lied because he was afraid of the consequences.
"Right, so I got scared and I lied," Bryant told the newspaper. "I feel like if anybody else was in my position they probably would have done the same."
Despite the fact that Bryant said he would angry if Manziel wasn't suspended, he added that he thought Manziel should be allowed to receive payment for his autographs.
"Yes. He should be able to," Bryant said. "He should be able to sign as many autographs and make as much money as he wants, because it's his name. I feel like he's the one who created it. He should be able to do whatever he feels as long as it's legal and I don't think there's anything illegal about signing a picture of yourself and making money off himself. Shoot, the NCAA is making money off of it when they're selling those No. 2 shirts. Why can't he make a little bit of money off of it?"
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