[Mick]

But I'll admit that I'm biased because I think that Winston committed a far worse crime than stealing crab legs while he was a student at FSU.

Although, personally, I think Winston skates on everything no matter how anybody tries. His only punishment might be a loss of a few $$$ in the draft and maybe in the endorsement marketplace.
But the point is, Jameis can't do anything about the sexual assault allegations. Most likely they will eventually peter out, but the stink will hang around.  But the crab legs thing makes a larger narrative about Jameis as felon, creepy sex guy and petty thief.  The petty thief rap punches above its weight because it makes him look like he has top-to-bottom character issues. If Jameis can't make the sex crime allegations go away, at least his handlers can try to marginalize the petty theft.  I think the employees or even some store management being in on the freebies for players practice could be true.  But true or not, the whole point of the story was to get the spotlight off his participation and make it about something --anything-- else.

I wouldn't minimize the loss when he drops in the draft.  Each succeeding pick over the first 10 or so picks loses an average of about $1 mms. over the life of the contract, then each drop over picks #11-20 loses about $400k, then selections #21-32 lose about $150k.  Given the shortness of NFL careers, that isn't chicken feed.  And he can just about forget about sponsor income, he's already frittered that away.  Last year's #1, Jadeveon Clowney signed a deal with Puma for $190 million over the life of the deal.  Mr. Winston will receive no such largesse.  No sponsor wants to be affiliated with an athlete who is ripe for mocking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kup7ZcBGk0I

[Mick]

But I'll admit that I'm biased because I think that Winston committed a far worse crime than stealing crab legs while he was a student at FSU.

Although, personally, I think Winston skates on everything no matter how anybody tries. His only punishment might be a loss of a few $$$ in the draft and maybe in the endorsement marketplace.
But the point is, Jameis can't do anything about the sexual assault allegations. Most likely they will eventually peter out, but the stink will hang around.  But the crab legs thing makes a larger narrative about Jameis as felon, creepy sex guy and petty thief.  The petty thief rap punches above its weight because it makes him look like he has top-to-bottom character issues. If Jameis can't make the sex crime allegations go away, at least his handlers can try to marginalize the petty theft.  I think the employees or even some store management being in on the freebies for players practice could be true.  But true or not, the whole point of the story was to get the spotlight off his participation and make it about something --anything-- else.

I wouldn't minimize the loss when he drops in the draft.  Each succeeding pick over the first 10 or so picks loses an average of about $1 mms. over the life of the contract, then each drop over picks #11-20 loses about $400k, then selections #21-32 lose about $150k.  Given the shortness of NFL careers, that isn't chicken feed.  And he can just about forget about sponsor income, he's already frittered that away.  Last year's #1, Jadeveon Clowney signed a deal with Puma for $190 million over the life of the deal.  Mr. Winston will receive no such largesse.  No sponsor wants to be affiliated with an athlete who is ripe for mocking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kup7ZcBGk0I