Johnny Manziel compares himself to Justin Bieber at SEC media day

Johnny Manziel has been under intense scrutiny ever since becoming the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy last year.

Every word, tweet, movement has been discussed, analyzed and, more often than not, criticized, sometimes justifiably.

Remind you of a certain pop star of around the same age that also often seems to be doing the wrong thing in the eyes of the media?

“I guess I feel like Justin Bieber or something,” Manziel said in an appearance on ESPN at SEC media day. “I never thought it would really be that way.”

In that interview as well as a news conference in front of hundreds of reporters, the Texas A&M; quarterback got the chance to tell his side of some of the off-season stories surrounding him, including why he left the Manning family football camp early last weekend.

Manziel said he missed meetings and activities at the camp because he overslept and that the decision for him to leave was a mutual one between him and the camp’s organizers. He denied that he was hungover that morning but would not answer when asked if he had consumed alcohol the night before.

As for all the criticism he’s received in recent months, Manziel admitted that he may have brought some of it on himself. But he also made no apologies, using his age as an excuse for his behavior (in true Bieber fashion).

“I’m still 20 years old, I’m still a sophomore in college, I’m still going to do things that everybody in college does and I’m going to enjoy my life,” he said. “Hopefully people don’t hold me to a higher standard than that because I am still in college and I’m still going to live my life to the fullest.”

At least he didn’t refer to himself as an artist.

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