II Young for Excuses

When you've become the first non-SEC QB to win a national championship since Vince Young, the second straight freshman to win the Heisman only 366 days after it had never been done before, projected as a better NFL slinger than those in both the 2013 and '14 drafts--the former including your Seminole predecessor--you're going to be given lots of passes. About as many as you completed in your Heisman/Sears Trophies-winning season.

However, all it takes is one drop for everyone to wonder if you have what it takes.

Jameis Winston already has scrambled from brushes with the law in Tallahassee; sexual assault accusations dropped just before the Seminole quarterback picked up his bronze statue from New York's Downtown Athletic Club.

Now, the school's next Deion Sanders has already garnered more attention from Florida's Finest than his decorated trailblazer ever had in his most flamboyant fashion.

Over crablegs.

Note, he has never been arrested, but cited--a special privilege given to those who break the law, whom authorities feel bad about arresting for whatever reason.

Infamous Jameis will pay a small fine--reportedly all of $30--for stealing seafood. He'll also pull community service. Great. Hang with folks who want to hang with you because you are who you are. Not exactly punishment. Just folks who'll reiterate to you how great thou art, making you forget you did anything wrong in the first place because hey, you're great, right? Twenty hours later, his sins will be annulled.

And even though he says he has no excuse, he (well, the royal he--his PR staff of lawyers put together by the University in conjunction with the sports information department) crafted an excuse-laden apology, citing his responsibility for owning his actions even though it was an honest mistake, and that he's 20.

And we wonder where we get the term "dumb jock"? They're led by enablers who think the public believes this tamahawk chop suey.

Sadly, folks react as if anything that happens now will have any real impact come judgment day (the NFL draft). They must think we're stupid, too.

They're right. We are. That, or we just don't care.

And even if we do, and remember what these pundits tell us now, it won't matter if Winston is on the board and a team out there needs a franchise quarterback. Sure, the Mel Kipers and the John Grudens and Todd McShays will bring up Winton's past for dramatics, but it's moot. It always is when it comes to star athletes. Greatness trumps all.

Just remember this:

When was the last time a quarterback with character issues led his team to a Super Bowl championship?

In case you're wondering, Ben Roethlisberger hasn't won anything since he got slapped for his missteps with women and the law.

It doesn't matter. It never will.

Winston will get his hug from the commissioner. There's no doubt about that. And he should. Criminals can repent. And if they don't, it's irrelevant. The NFL is loaded with these guys. Just like any other profession. If you can do the job and it doesn't affect business, everybody wins.

Winston can play quarterback better than anyone in college football, and better than a good chunk at the pro level.

But if he and his handlers keep making excuses for dumb decisions, he could end up like the last non-SEC quarterback to win a national championship.