I have seen a lot. Translated by my kids, I am old. And yet, even though I have seen certain things over and over again, some still surprise me. Yeah, yeah the Kinel kids would say that just means their dad is incredibly thick.
I’m still fascinated by the concept that some all time great professional athletes were unknowns in college and some college All-Americans can’t make it in the professional ranks. Which brings us to Matt Leinart. Who’d have thunk it? This guy had it all. An amazing college career that included BCS Championships and a Heisman Trophy. He was projected to be the first pick in the draft had he come out after his junior year. Hard to imagine that it’s all gone down hill since.
The Cardinals just released him, letting him go and getting nothing in return. Wow. How could this have happened? It’s clear now that Leinart greatly benefited from all the talent around him at USC. It wasn’t bad quarterbacking on Saturday with so many players soon to play on Sundays. Once he got to the NFL he was on a team that didn’t blow the other team away in talent.
It’s one thing for me to be surprised by Leinart’s struggles but how did the Cardinals not know? It just amazes me that so many highly successful college players get drafted early and fail. The list is extensive. Part of the issue with quarterbacks may have to do with them never having to deal with adversity in college. It comes easy to them because of all the talent around them. Once they get to the NFL the talent evens out and they have to gut it out and it’s not easy.
Then again, maybe it’s just because these guys aren’t really that good. Rumor is that the Houston Texans have already contacted Leinart and are the leading candidate to sign him. His old college coach, Pete Carroll, is sitting in Seattle with only Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst on the roster after they just cut JP Losman. If the Seahawks show no interest, what does that tell you?
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