Jadeveon Clowney Proves Press Is Everything

There is no denying Jadeveon Clowney's talent—he deserved every bit of publicity he received for being the nation’s top recruit out of high school.

However, the way he handled his decision left much to be desired, considering his personality and how his future will play out in college. Not only that, but he has now put a microscope on everything he does for his first year as a college athlete.

Any bad decisions he makes on and off the field will somehow be directed back to the time where he made schools wait until Feb. 14th, his birthday, to make hold a conference announcing his ultimate destination: South Carolina.

A few people, coaches and analysts do not like the way he handled the situation. But he is just more proof that society has become more media driven than ever, especially when it comes to sports.

Athletes are persecuted and glorified every day for a slip of the tongue or what some paparazzi may have caught on candid camera.

Just a short while ago, an innocent night out with teammates managed to be Ben Roethlisberger’s biggest mistake and landed on a list of reasons why the Pittsburgh Steelers lost the Superbowl.

Of course, the piano bar rendezvous constituted a huge media stir, but no laws or curfews were broken. Unfortunately, pictures and videos are worth a thousand words.

Clowney’s situation will prove to be no different.

Now that he has created such a huge stir about himself, he had better be the most productive player on the field every time he plays.

Perception is everything and if you do the smallest thing to altar your own, the only solution to changing the frequency is to put up pretty numbers and win.

Jadeveon Clowney seems perfectly equipped to do so, but time has proven that offseason predictions mean nothing until that line of scrimmage is crossed during the actual season.

The media has the power to bring smiling faces to the crowd or angry signs to the locker room.

Comments made against Alabama’s head coach Nick Saban could prove to be words that Clowney has to choke on.