Is Matt Leinart Getting A Bad Rap? Or Just Business As Usual In NFL?

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   Stevennix2001posted 14 years ago

   According to various news articles, it seems Cardinals coach, Ken Whisenhunt, has chosen Derek Anderson as his new starting quarterback to replace Kurt Warner.  Needless to say, this did not bode well with Matt, so now it seems the Cardinals are shopping him around.  Here's an article by ESPN to know the full story:
   
   http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5518740
   
   
   anyways, do you think this is fair?  Or does Leinart have justification for his complaint?

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      Mikeydoesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Derek Anderson is a much better quarterback than everyone in the media is making him out to be. Good QBs can't do anything on crappy teams. The Cards are not crappy, neither is Leinart. Leinart does not throw more than 10 yards, ever.
      
      the "they are who we thought they were"(bears/cards) game I saw this same stupid screen at least 8 times. And a bunch of weak passes. Which isn't a bad thing, apparently everyone would rather have gunslinger.

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2. 0

   Stevennix2001posted 14 years ago

   sucks to be leinart.

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      wavegirl22posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      but he is hot. . maybe not as  a QB . but he does have one of the sexiest butts in the NFL .. its gotta count as something

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         ThoughtfulSpotposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         
         
         Maybe he should consider a career switch then... I'm sure Chippendales is always hiring.

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         Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Speaking of which...
         
         ...love the new avatar.

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3. 60

   HELLAposted 14 years ago

   That's because Leinart is TERRIBLE. And he thinks he's owed something...he hasn't done jack shit to be owed anything by a Superbowl winning coach. I think Leinart is such a joke.

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      Stevennix2001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      i'll say. i think leinart was more of a systemize quarterback of a great usc trojan football system that made him look better than he actually was.

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4. 69

   Michael Willisposted 14 years ago

   A Coach is responsible for choosing the starting QB that is Best for the team. Looks like Lienart is not the best choice.
   He should have put more in his work ethics I guess than being the 'pretty/Hollywood boy' and he might have had a chance before Warner kept pushing him out of the starting role.
   Now, even Derek Anderson is taking the job from him...on performance, not entitlement.

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      Deucemyersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I find this entire situation strange. If you look at the pre season stats leinart has better numbers across the board. Including a completion percentage much higher and a QB rating over 100 whereas Anderson, who completed 50% of his passes in the games he played, had a rating in the very low 70's. Perhaps Leinart has just been doomed from the start. He's a national champion and a heisman trophy winner from a program who essentially wasn't following the rules while he was there winning ha. Let's not forget the NFL draft, remember how he dropped out of the top 10? Now since he's been in the NFL he hasn't been able to maintain the starting job in Arizona and at times has looked awful, very awful. I think he's doomed maybe just bad luck or bad karma from his passed party habits and work ethic but I don't think he's a bad quarteback and honestly not worse than Derek Anderson.

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5. 61

   Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years ago

   Another reason that Leinart will be packing his bags is that two other QB's (Skelton and Hall)have played very well so far for the Cardinals.  The Cardinals will take what they can get for Leinart (probably nothing) or just cut him.  He's the biggest QB bust since cryin' Ryan Leaf.

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      Michael Willisposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Don't forget JaMarcus Russell!!! The Raiders finally wised up also.

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         Deucemyersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I don't know if it's fair to label Leinart a bust at least being compared to Leaf and Russell. Lets not forget Leinart is still in the NFL and will probably play somewhere. Russell is gone I think Leaf is in jail or rehab or something crazy haha. I think the Cardinals are primarily making this decision because they really like Max Hall  he was great in college and is a smart kid with all the tools. Also Wisenhunt did not draft Leinart, so there is no connection between the two. Leinart isnt "his guy". The Cardinals can't  get anything for Anderson if they wanted to trade him but Leinart does have at least some value to other teams. They owe Leinart a few million if he stays there so it's not as financially decapitating as Russell was in Oakland. I'm not ready to say Leinart is a total bust but he's definitely a bust pending.

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            Deucemyersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I wouldn't be surprised if Leinart got reunited with Pete Carrol. The Seahawks are looking to deal houshmanzedeh, and the cardinals may be tempted to replace Anquan Boldin.

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               Stevennix2001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

               hate to break this to you, but anquan boldin already been traded to the ravens, so that kind of shoots out your theory.  although the reunion between pete caroll and leinart might still be a possibility if the asking price is right by the cardinals.

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                  Deucemyersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  I said they would do the trade to replace Boldin(due to the fact he was traded)

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                  Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Is $0.00 a good enough price?  Leinart will probably be cut outright.

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                     ThoughtfulSpotposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     Agreed. But, I doubt he'll be out of work.  Someone will pick him up.

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                        Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                        I agree.  Picking him up as a backup could work for certain teams.  Who knows?  Maybe a new team will encourage a new attitude.

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                           ThoughtfulSpotposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                           One would hope, but lately it seems like a lot of QBs have decided to act like entitled 2yr olds.  Being a starting QB doesn't mean you can quit working at it, or expect any favors when your numbers are failing - or at least it shouldn't.
                           
                           (Yay! Oh football, how I've missed you...)

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                              Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                              All the more reason to admire Payton Manning.  He could easily have turned into one of these brats, but has instead made being a good citizen a priority equal to being a good quarterback.

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                                 ThoughtfulSpotposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                 Its funny you mention Manning.  My husband used to have an issue w/ both Manning bros, and he's come around to Peyton. I always kinda' liked the guy. Now, Eli on the other hand....
                                 
                                 

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                                    Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                    Eli is to Payton as Billy is to Jimmy (maybe you're too young to remember)

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                                       Kidgasposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                       Very good analogy.

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                                       ThoughtfulSpotposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                       Alright... I give up... Explain the analogy to us young 'uns. (lol.  Enjoying having someone think I'm too young for anything! lol.)

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                                          EYEAM4ANARCHYposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                          I don't think it is a particularly apt comparison either way, but...
                                          
                                          

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                                             ThoughtfulSpotposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                             Thanks! Didn't cross my mind, and I've been wondering about it.

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                                          Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                                          I was joking.  Eli was phenomenal in the Super Bowl.

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   logic,commonsenseposted 14 years ago

   How many Heisman Trophy winning QB's turned out worth a damn as a pro?
   Nuff said!
   Leinart sucks otherwise he would have played years ago!

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      Deucemyersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      It's true to an extent. Heisman winning QBs haven't had great success recently. Eric Crouch and Jason White didn't even play qb in the league. Andre Ware did nothing and Leinart has yet to prove anything. Its not so true for all heisman QBs though. Roger Staubach is a hall of famer. Vinny Testaverde although not great has over 30,000 yards and was in the league for 21 years starting a large part. Doug Flutie didn't play awful and was a great success in Cananda. Jim Plunkett won two superbowls and was MVP of one of them. Carson Palmer I would say has turned out ok. The Heisman is a college football award it doesn't garauntee success in the pros. Interestingly Peyton Manning and John Elway were runner ups for the award.

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   ThoughtfulSpotposted 14 years ago

   Hi Steven - btw
   
   (and everybody)
   
   been out of commission for awhile... Its nice to be back.

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8. 68

   kingisposted 14 years ago

   The preseason game the Cardinals played the Tennessee Titans was Leinart's demise.  He flat out looked awful in this game.  I never think he was thought of highly by Ken Whisenhunt, why else would Kurt Warner have become the starter years ago.  Leinart will find another team, so, I would not call him a bust just yet.  Think of the QB's that people written off like Steve Young, Vinny Testaverde, and Kurt Warner.

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   drej2522posted 14 years ago

   (shrugs) Eli may be more clutch though...I don't see Peyton throwing up a game winner in a Superbowl. In fact, if I recall, Peyton threw up an interception in the same situation...last year.

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      Stevennix2001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      that's true. it seems like in the super bowl that manning won, it was the defense and the running game that won it for the colts, in spite of peyton.  sure, he's clutch in the season, but in the playoffs it seems he's a helluva a lot more conservative.

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    EYEAM4ANARCHYposted 14 years ago

    Leinart should have been a second or third round pick at best. All the talk before the draft of him being the number one pick was silly. The difference between the disparity in talent in college and the pros is ridiculous. There are 270 Div. I schools and just 32 pro teams. Playing in the pros is like playing against a college all star team every week.
    
    When you play for one of the major college teams like USC, you might play 3 or 4 games a year where the other team is even close to the level of talent your team has. The vast majority of time in college, Leinart was standing behind the line as long as he wanted to and then throwing to a wide open receiver or handing off to one of the top running backs in college.
    
    When he actually went up against a team with comparable talent in the phony national championship game, he got completely outplayed. The fact he is well on his way to washing out of the league should have never been a surprise to anyone who actually watched him and analyzed his ability in college.

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11. STAFF

    Paul Edmondsonposted 14 years ago

    As a fan I wanted to see Matt play this year.  The one thing I thought he did really well was manage a game.  He kept the team in sync and was kind of like a good point guard.
    
    I don't know if we'll ever get to see him play much now.  If he were starting for the Cardinals, I'd be watching their games.

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