ESPN Host Shades Johnny Manziel After 'College GameDay' Absence

ESPN star Reece Davis is genuinely one of the most likable guys in all of sports media.

The College GameDay host is always front and center for the network's coverage of its most high-profile college football games, because not only is he well-versed in the game but also incredibly kind and fair.

So, when Davis went on his College GameDay podcast and called out Johnny Manziel without even mentioning the Heisman Trophy winner's name, everyone's ears perked up.

Davis' shade comes not long after Manziel was a no-show during a scheduled appearance on College GameDay last weekend.

Manziel, the former Texas A&M star quarterback, was an obvious choice for the network to select him as the guest picker ahead of the first round of the College Football Playoff in College Station, Texas, between Manziel's Aggies and the visiting Miami Hurricanes.

Related: Johnny Manziel Breaks Silence on 'College GameDay' Drama

Well, Manziel was a no-show, which triggered producers to come up with a backup plan. That backup plan came to fruition when Alex Caruso, a former Texas A&M basketball star and NBA champion with the Oklahoma City Thunder, stepped in Manziel's place.

What Happened to Johnny Manziel?

That's the question everyone pondered, given that ESPN had publicized all week that Manziel would be the guest picker.

Manziel, the Cleveland Browns' 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, was among the many stars who attended Friday night's "boxing match" between former heavyweight world champ Anthony Joshua and YouTube star Jake Paul in Miami, Florida.

Manziel was seen in the crowd, mugging for the 'Gram while wearing a gigantic, diamond-encrusted OVO chain. The next day, Manziel was a no-show in College Station. And he not only missed his College GameDay appearance, but Manziel also missed witnessing in person his Aggies going down to the Hurricanes.

The day after the game, Manziel took to social media and apologized to the College GameDay crew, claiming that his absence was "out of my control." He added, "I will continue to let everyone out there run with a fake narrative and at the end of the day, perception always wins over reality."

The perception and narrative is that Manziel partied too hard in Miami and couldn't recover in time for his flight to Texas. The Daily Mail later reported that a sudden illness prevented Manziel from fulfilling his obligation.

Reece Davis Not Buying It

On his podcast, Davis didn't have to mention Manziel by name to let everyone know exactly who he was talking about, after co-host Dan Wetzel mentioned the Joshua-Paul match.

"When you go to a fight like that, you've got to be very careful about where you eat breakfast the next morning," Davis joked. "Because it can leave you ill and give you difficulty in reaching the locales where you are scheduled to be. But I digress."

After sporting a smirk, Davis doubled down.

"I just wondered, is that what the kids are calling it these days? A bad breakfast?" he continued. "Anyway, wouldn't cast aspersions anywhere. For those who follow closely, you'll be able to read between the lines there. You have to follow a little closely."

source https://www.mensjournal.com/news/espn-host-shades-johnny-manziel-after-college-gameday-absence