Barry Switzer Unleashes Personal Critique Of Johnny Manziel

Former University of Oklahoma and Dallas Cowboys head coach Barry Switzer discussed Johnny Manziel at length in a recent radio interview, and was brutally honest in his assessment.

Switzer, who has apparently grown rather curmudgeonly in his advanced age, talked about Manziel as both a person and a player, with his thoughts swaying wildly in each direction.

Here is Barry on Johnny Manziel, the person:

"I'm gonna tell you. I said Johnny Manziel is ... I don't like his antics. I think he's an arrogant little prick," Switzer explained. "I've said that and I'll say it again. He's a privileged kid, he's embarrassed himself, he's embarrassed his teammates, his program. He's embarrassed his coach. And they'll all have to defend him because they have to coach. I know that. I spent 40 years in the damn game so I know how it works."

Well, not much ambiguity there.

Of course, all of this has been said before, but perhaps not in such an animated fashion. Switzer did make sure to remind us he spent 40 years in the damn game, so that was helpful.

There has been no word on whether Barry asked anyone to get off his lawn during this portion of the interview.

Now we have Barry discussing Johnny Football, the player:

“For whatever his antics are, he’s the best that I’ve seen," Switzer said. "I have never seen a quarterback in college football [take] control of the game like he does and put up the numbers he does. It is fantastic what he’s done, against good competition. Game after game after game, he puts numbers up that are staggering ... He’s the most dominant, most dynamic college quarterback I’ve ever seen in a long, long time.”

This is actually a condensed version of Barry’s remarks. There was much more. Notice the old-man venom has been replaced by generous helpings of sunshine.

Switzer went even further in an interview with Grantland, mentioning Manziel in the same breath as Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.

Johnny Manziel is one of the more polarizing figures in the 2014 NFL Draft. Opinions tend to vary on his prospects as a player and his attitude in general. But the contrast Switzer displays in his remarks is off the charts. I suppose if someone makes it to 76 years of age, they have earned the right to engage in a little hyperbole, but this is ridiculous.

We have yet to confirm whether Switzer was wearing black socks with sandals during any of the interviews, or repeatedly banging pots and pans together in the style of 'Old Prospector' Gus Chiggins.