April 1.

What better day to name the world of sports’ Fool of the Year?

The eligibility period runs from last April 1 through today. And, as usual, there are a number of worthy candidates.

Let us start with the Detroit Red Wings. They had one of the NHL’s top head coaches in Mike Babcock and have been one of the league’s most consistent winners because of him.

Inexplicably, for whatever reason, the Wings let Babcock get away — and now may miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 24 years.

Babcock, by the way, left Detroit for Toronto — where the Maple Leafs are still losing. He could be considered quite the fool as well.

How about Chicago Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler? He turned down a qualifying offer back in February to stay with the Cubs this season for $15 million.

After playing the free agent market this off-season, Fowler signed a one-year deal with the Cubs — for $5 million.

Duh.

We certainly cannot forget Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant. On the brink of breaking through as a star receiver in the NFL as the perfect complement to Antonio Brown, he fails to show up for a scheduled drug test.

Bryant gets suspended for a year by the NFL and his pro football future is suddenly very much up in the air.

Foolish, indeed.

A team candidate is Northern Iowa in men’s basketball. After winning its first-round NCAA Tournament game on a buzzer-beater from half-court, the Panthers were primed for an appearance in the Sweet 16. It was a real opportunity to put their program on the map.

Up by 12 points against Texas A&M with 40 seconds to go, they lose. Huh? Is that really possible?

After one back-court turnover after another, they did it. The Aggies tied the game and won it in overtime.

Fools, fools, fools.

Worthy as they all are, none of the above has earned the moniker of Sports Fool of the Year.

The winner of that distinction is ... drum roll, please ... Johnny Manziel.

Johnny Football has turned himself into Johnny Football-less.

How does a guy win the Heisman Trophy, get drafted in the first round by a team that desperately needed a quarterback and get released by that team after just two seasons?

Well, show up unexpectedly in Las Vegas, be continually partying when you should be continually studying, don’t show up for meetings or concussion testing, punch your girlfriend, etc.

Manziel went from checking himself into a substance abuse rehab center to denying he needs any help at all. Now he’s out of football well before his 25th birthday.

This man is truly a fool because he’s fooling himself.

Some NFL team may give Manziel a second chance. There are teams who believe the guy can still be a successful NFL quarterback.

The team that does sign him may be the leading candidate for Fool of the Year, 2017.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.