This Man Is The Leader Of A Major Higher-Education Institution

John Sharp is the chancellor for the Texas A&M system. He's actually in charge of not just one, but a system of institutions of higher learning. And when recently opening a new addition to that system, he spoke on Johnny Manziel. Read more after the jump.

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

"He is a good kid. He is an honest kid," Sharp said. "He has his heart in the right place. My mother wishes I was as nice a kid as Johnny when I was a sophomore in college."

Again, he's speaking of a "kid" who's had several incidents with alcohol, a Twitter-tantrum over a parking ticket, and was cock-punching his assistants with his dad in an ESPN article. But Friday, Deadspin acquired a letter sent to business and former players asserting his belief, which starts with this line:

As you are all aware, our Heisman Trophy winning, freshman quarterback has been very popular this summer!

And ends with this:

Darren Rovell of ESPN, who broke this story, has been duped before. During his report on Johnny Manziel, he cites unnamed sources who refuse to provide an interview or any tangible proof. In fact, his "named source," Drew Tieman (initially referred to as the broker), was reportedly booked twice for possession of marijuana and placed on four years probation. He has taken down his Facebook page, changed his telephone number and is refusing attempts to be interviewed by the NCAA. It is surprising that the nation's largest sports channel would support publication with this lack of corroboration.

Rovell was "duped" by a kid on Twitter who claimed to have knowledge of escort agencies suffering during the NBA Lockout.  Besides the pasty old fat white man bringing up a mari-ju-wana charge, he points to ESPN, which brings up the Longhorn Network-A&M flap that lead to them bolting for the SEC and leading to the most disastrous realignment shift so far. Billy Luicci of texags.com reported on The Tim Brando Show his message board is crammed with commenters claiming the Manziel story is a collaboration between the University of Texas and ESPN meant to destroy A&M over their dispute.
As for Sharp's proof of Manziel's innocence? He told local CW station KBTX 3:

Sharp: "I just know. I've seen things that other folks can't see. And it didn't happen. It did not happen."
[Reporter Steve] Fullhart: "Have you heard from him as well, straight from his mouth?"
Sharp: "Don't have to. I don't have to hear from him. I don't have to hear from him. I can hear from his original accusers and what they're saying now. Didn't happen, and I hate it that he would go through it, and I think we all ought to look at it from a point of view of, what if that were our son that was going through that? So take your time look at everything that happened and I don't have any doubt that Johnny Manziel is innocent of stuff that they were throwing at him."

Again, that first quote at the top? At the opening of the new Texas A&M Law School in Fort Worth.
Congrats, Texas A&M alumni. He's yours.
Read more at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Deadspin, and KBTX 3.
Image courtesy Wikipedia.