Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston may have led his team to victory over Auburn in the 2014 BCS Championship game, but when an Auburn man reached out to help him conquer his poor judgment calls, it became obvious that Winston is the one losing.
This time, Winston’s astounding lack of good sense comes in the form of ignoring advice from a fellow member of the Heisman Trophy brotherhood: Bo Jackson.
In an appearance on The Jim Rome Show, Jackson recalled his attempt to mentor Winston earlier in the year:
“I’m the type of person, I will go out of my way to help anybody. Normally, I don’t like giving people advice if I haven’t been down that road myself. But if I give you advice on something that I know more about than you by just falling out of bed in the morning, if you can’t take that advice and learn from it, then I’ve got nothing else to do with the situation. You’re on your own.”
The frustration is palpable in Jackson’s remarks, and understandably so—a crab-leg-stealing quarterback has snubbed the wisdom of a proven legend in an astounding display of willful ignorance.
“I really don’t know who is giving this young man guidance. I have communicated with him and I just talked to him like I was his dad. The things that you need to do. And this was before the incident where he was (suspended) from the baseball team (for stealing crab legs),” Jackson said.
Bo wouldn’t disclose the specific advice offered to Jameis, but he did make it clear that his words were far from minced.
“If I told you what I told him,” Jackson says, “it’ll probably singe the hairs in your ears.”
Jackson undoubtedly sees Winston’s talent as reminiscent of his own during his heydays as a multi-sport star at Auburn. Unfortunately for the FSU quarterback, however, his career may be cut short due to injuries of the self-inflicted variety.
“I will lend you a hand. And if you take that hand for granted, I will yank it back and go about my business, go on about my life. That’s how it is,” Jackson said. “Jameis Winston needs to make some changes in his life. Because it’s affecting him now and it’s definitely going to affect him down the road.”
A true Auburn man, Bo Jackson has consistently represented the type of character expected of a Tiger. His attempt to voluntarily mentor an opposing team’s quarterback is evidence of the truth that Nike confirmed in 1989: Bo knows.
You just have to be smart enough to listen.
Follow Shanna on Twitter @Shannalo
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