There are way too many me-guys in sports. You’re probably asking yourself, “what is a me guy?” It’s simple: a "me-guy" is a selfish person who prioritizes their own interests, stats, or personal gain over the team or group. It's commonly used in sports contexts to criticize players seen as focused on individual achievements rather than collective success. So, who was the biggest me-guy in sports this past week? I’m glad you asked…

Indiana has been on an absolute tear. They have yet to lose a game this season, and are -7.5 in the National Championship next Monday, one of the heavier favorites we’ve seen in recent memory. You’d think that a team who’s blowing out almost every team they’ve played would rest their starters and play their backups a little more than most teams, right? No reason to risk injury for the guys who got you to this point, especially in the postseason. Well, that hasn’t necessarily been the case for the Hoosiers…

Fernando Mendoza had an unbelievable season this year. Heisman winner, on his way to playing in the National Championship in his hometown against a team that didn’t recruit him out of high school or in the portal this offseason. He is (-1200) to be the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. You’d assume that after going up by 30+ points in the Peach Bowl last week, he’d sit out the 4th quarter and eliminate potential injury risk. His stock is already as high as it can possibly get; why risk playing meaningless drives when your team is destroying every opponent down the stretch? How about against Alabama… no shot Mendoza played the entire game when they were up 38-3 late in the 4th quarter, right? Well, he played the entirety of that game too, except for the final drive where Indiana ran out the clock and took a knee for the final nail in the coffin against the Tide. 

Why has Mendoza played damn-near every snap this season, and in the CFP where they’ve outscored their opponents 94-25? I’ll tell you why… It's because he’s a me-guy. You might be thinking to yourself, “it’s not a big deal, let the kid play,” or “who cares?” I’m assuming his little brother, who’s also the backup quarterback, probably cares. In one of the most dominant seasons in college football history, Alberto Mendoza, Fernando’s little brother, has barely sniffed the field. What is up with that? I get it during the regular season when Fernando is trying to lock down the Heisman,  but in the postseason? Why is he playing meaningless drives, risking injury in games that are already over? There is only one answer, and it’s because he’s a me-guy. 

We all assumed we’d see Alberto take over in the 4th quarter during the blowout against Oregon the other day. Even the broadcasters were talking about it, as the camera panned to the sidelines showing the brothers dapping each other up in a 56-15 route. His parents got some serious TV time too; I’m sure they wanted to see Alberto get some reps. You’d assume Curt Cignetti would want to pull his star QB, avoiding a flukey last-second injury before heading to the National Championship. Well, Alberto didn’t end up playing a single snap in that entire game. 

It gets even weirder. Josh Hoover just committed to Indiana for next season. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the portal, and pretty much a lock to start under center for the Hoosiers next season. Wouldn’t you think Fernando would want to pass the baton to his little brother for some reps, increasing his stock before (probably) entering the transfer portal this offseason? Nope, Fernando wanted to play every single snap of the Peach Bowl, keeping his little bro on the sidelines once again.

It is a me-guy move for a quarterback to play every snap of a blowout, especially when the backup quarterback is YOUR LITTLE BROTHER. If I was Alberto, I would be pretty salty right now. He had a chance to go out there and get some reps on the national stage, but no, Fernando had to stay in the spotlight in a 56-22 blowout. Congratulations, Fernando. Not only are you heading to the National Championship, but you’re also the me-guy of the week. Will we see Alberto play in the final game of the season? At this point, I wouldn’t bet on it. 

Honorable mention me-guys: AJ Brown could win me-guy of the week every week. From reading books on the sidelines, to going on streams and telling viewers to trade him in fantasy football, he always finds a way to one-up himself. This weekend, he got screamed at by his coach after two atrocious drops, and instead of stepping up and taking accountability, he pouted on the bench and proceeded to have another massive drop that debatably cost the Eagles the game. AJ Brown is such a me-guy. Another honorable mention… Aaron Judge is the ultimate me-guy. He didn’t do anything this week, he’s just such a me-guy.