Old habits die hard. So even though Johnny Manziel knows his behavior is hurting his favor within the Cleveland Browns organization, correcting that behavior is much easier said than done.
So Manziel's birthday tribute to LeBron James offers a mix of good and bad for his fans. The good news is, he claims no alcohol or debauchery were a part of his night -- or at least in the time it took to produce the video below. The bad part is that his night involved a Miami nightclub -- the same sort of late-night scene where Manziel has gotten himself into hot water.
But hey, it's harmless fun -- just a little well-wishing for a Cleveland star that burns even brighter than Manziel himself.
James has served as a mentor to Manziel recently, helping his fellow star adjust to being an athlete constantly under the glare of media attention. For all of the sage wisdom James might have provided, it doesn't seem like he's made any impact on curbing Manziel's wild party habits.
The Brown management and its coach have criticized their first-round draft pick for poor decision-making that has plagued his first year in the NFL. A slew of minor incidents have established Manziel's track record of toeing the line when it comes to inviting off-the-field trouble. Recent incidents include a flare-up outside a hotel at two in the morning, as well as last week's late-night party that caused both he and teammate Josh Gordon to arrive late to Browns practice.
So forgive Browns officials if they get a little nervous seeing Manziel making rounds on the nightclub circuit. At the same time, it appears Manziel was only enjoying the end of the NFL regular season with a weekend getaway to Miami with his girlfriend:
Manziel's reputation wasn't earned overnight, so most observers will wait to see whether his talk translates into tangible change. Given the rookie's lousy first year in the NFL, he might have more than mere public perception riding on his self-improvement.