Jack Nicklaus puts himself in Jameis Winston's corner

Jack Nicklaus isn't unbiased when it comes to college football. Nicklaus' grandson Nick O'Leary is a star tight end for Florida State, and Nicklaus attends numerous Seminoles games.

As somebody who follows college football is wont to do, Nicklaus has an opinion on No. 5, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.

He told the Palm Beach Post last week that everybody needs to lay off Jameis Winston, specifically regarding the questions swirling around whether Winston was paid for his autograph.

"I just hate to see them hammering a 20-year-old kid," Nicklaus said. "Has he made mistakes? Maybe. But you're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, I think. Not charged and convicted and sentenced.

"I wonder how many autographs I have out there. Every game I go to I sign (autographs), probably 20 or 25 (people) and four or five each. Start adding that up. And he's a lot more available than I am. He's not the only kid with a couple thousand out there. A bunch of those kids have to have a couple thousand."

I appreciate Nicklaus' interest in college athletics -- I think it's great, actually -- I'm just not sure that's a corner you want to stand in. Maybe I'm wrong, of course, but why even take the risk?

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