ESPN is preparing daily reports on USC quarterback Matt Leinart prior to the draft. I guess CAA never heard of overexposure or maybe Leinart’s making up for all the stuff he didn’t do while at USC.
I realize his great crossover appeal (translation: teen-age girls like him) makes him an unprecendent figure in college football terms. But I’m also reminded what his former agent, Leigh Steinberg, told me before Leinart hired him (and then fired him).
Steinberg told me when Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was a rookie, he kept endorsements and promotional work to a minimum so Roethlisberger could focus on football first.
Once he proved himself, Steinberg would aggresively court endorsements, etc.
Maybe that’s one reason Leinart fired Steinberg. Or maybe CAA is trying to justify his existence.
The massive promotional campaigns (Desperate Housewives ad, ESPN diary) almost mean Leinart can only go in one direction: downward.
With so many ventures pumping Leinart up, expectations will be extremely high. And since he’s not an actor, he can’t blame the director or the script. It’s all on him.
Oh wait, he can blame his agent. Just ask Steinberg.