Matt Leinart and LenDale White gotta be kicking themselves

[Jacky Roberts]

Guy on TV said that Leinart's decision to stay his senior year likely cost him appx $13mm vs. coming out after his jr year and likely being #1 (must have been a helluva ballroom dancing class).

Meanwhile LenDale White comes out early and falls out of the first round.

Yikes.

 

[zippo59]

Matt Leinart is a total idiot. All his coaches were telling him that he has done and learned everything he can at the college level and it is time to move on, yet he chose not to. I guess he liked being a big fish in a small pond. Furthermore when your stock is that high as his was there is only one way it can go. Down. The A.D.D. media is always looking for a new story, a new player to hype, so it is no suprise they got bored of him and moved on to Regie Bush and Wince Young. Also I think the fact that Leinart chose not to go to the NFL when he was clearly ready made teams question his desire to play. Recently there was talk that he might even pull a Jim Brown and prematurely abandon football to persue his acting career. This guy's priorities are way out of walk. 2004 was an ideal year for Leinart to go out for the draft, because he was the guaranteed #1 pick due to the fact that the top of the draft was week. In college some new player will come along and wow people, so Leinart was fortunate in 2004 that for the most part that didn't happen, but he pushed his luck by trying to repeat that for a second year. Now instead of going to a terrible team that at least has a rich history on winning so is more likely to return to that, he gets to go to a terrible team that has an embarrassing history, has proven they don't know how to win, and have uniforms that look like they came form the Arena League. Not to mention he lost the bragging title of #1 pick and also lost millions of $$$$. Way to go Matt.

 

[Hoodie]

Wasn't Leinart recently quoted as saying "I'm a Tom Brady type. All I do is win."

Not anymore Matty. Not any more.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Wasn't Leinart recently quoted as saying "I'm a Tom Brady type. All I do is win."

Not anymore Matty. Not any more.

While some seem to question whether Leinart "slid" in the draft at all I think its obvious he did.

That being said, I can't help but think that aside from the signing bonus (yeah, I know - $13 million... "other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?") - this might wind up being a good place for Leinart to play

AZ has a brand new stadium
AZ has Edgerin James at RB
AZ has a veteran QB so there's no immediate pressure on Leinart
AZ is a "good weather" location like USC
AZ has a lot of Californian transplants - likely a built in cheering squad for Leinart

Now very litte in AZ's past tells me they can turn things around, but you never know

 

[Caspir]

Guy on TV said that Leinart's decision to stay his senior year likely cost him appx $13mm vs. coming out after his jr year and likely being #1 (must have been a helluva ballroom dancing class).

Meanwhile LenDale White comes out early and falls out of the first round.

Yikes.

And he avoided the hell hole known as San Fran to go to a young Arizona team with Boldin, Fitzgerald and Edge on the offensive side of the ball. I tink he'll be able to survive off the $25m or whatever it is he pulls down.

 

[hallfamebrady]

Although Arizona has a sub[ar football history, I think they have the makings of a good team. This is a good landing spot for him.

Leinart's biggest problem is that he was coached by Pete Carroll

 

[TruthSeeker]

I fall for the Leinart hype. I actually think he's going to be a star in this league. I saw nothing during his college career that suggests he's going to be a but. Don't give me this weak arm BS either. They said the same thing about Brady & Montana, and they threw some of the most beautiful long passes I've ever seen (Brady 60 yarder to Branch in the 2004 AFCCG vs Pitt and Montana vs Denver in the SB rout come to mind). He also has some awesome WR's to throw to.

 

[mikegibbons]

For the record I don't ever see him being anything more than an average QB.

That said, I'll side with him:
-$13M difference but money will go further in AZ than SF
-better team in AZ
-more offensive weapons

Lastly,
You can't really put a price on being an A-list celeb in LA for a year and getting into any party you want and any girl you want. It's every guy's dream, but most guys supress that dream because they realize it'll never happen. For him it did, and that's probably worth $13M.

 

[Handel]

Not to mention he lost the bragging title of #1 pick and also lost millions of $$$$. Way to go Matt.

So what, he will have plenty of millions anyway.

 

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

I find it funny that the two highest profile players in the draft (Leinart and Bush) are now going to be playing for arguably the two worst cities for one to become a big star. The league is probably fuming right now. I can't blame Leinart for staying in school, he made it to the national championship game and almost became the only other person besides Archie Griffin to win two Heismans. And Arizona is in alot better shape than SF was last year so he has that going for him too, also Warner is a great mentor for young QBs ex. Bulger and Manning.

 

[rabthepat]

Why didn't the Raiders...

take Matt Lienert? Are they really thinking Aaron Brooks is the answer?