The Heisman Trophy winner has become a Heisman Troll.
It's, what, two weeks since Johnny Manziel got the Texas Longhorn logo temporarily tattooed on his ribs? Well, Thursday he went and told the San Antonio Express News that Texas and Texas A&M are no longer a rivalry.
"I understand the rivalry between the two ... (but) for me it's not a rivalry," Manziel told the paper. "We got out of their conference, and we're not playing them anymore, so it's not a big deal."
So this is all true, and it's a pretty reasonable take on the situation. It is difficult to maintain a sports rivalry with a team you don't play. On the other hand, people have a hard time letting go of traditions, and in offices and construction sites, sports bars and Twitter, on bumper stickers and Facebook posts, Texas A&M and Texas are very much still a rivalry.
It is worth noting that Manziel grew up a UT fan, but was not heavily recruited by the Longhorns.
The football rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M dates back to 1894 and, though it has been discontinued, remains the third-most-played rivalry in college football history. Between 1894 and 2012, the Aggies and Longhorns played each other every year except for six. The rivalry ran uninterrupted form 1914-2012. Texas owns the all-time series 76-37-5.
