Operation Overkill
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.
First off, Roethlisberger is not Leinart(off the field). Leinart went to USC, Roethlisberger went to ...uh....uh...Ohio? Whatever, Leinart definitely has some opportunities that Ben will never have regardless of how many Super Bowls he wins(Ok, if he wins 4 or 5 i'll take that back). But you're right, Matt can only go down from here and something tells me he is taking too much of a liking to being a celebrity. I cant stand when he tries to fix his hair every time he takes his helmet off and does the Jolie thing with his lips. Will this hurt him? maybe, I think he should focus on football right now because ultimately the only reason people care or know about him is thru football.
For whatever reason, you obviously have it out for Leinart. That's fine. Given his unprecidented level of fame right now, a lot of people will want to tear him down.
Despite what you think there's absolutely nothing wrong with him taking full advantage of his opportunities. They are opportunities that no quarterback, especially Rothlisberger, has ever had coming out of college. Nothing wrong with embracing your fame...as long as you can handle it (which he has for a couple years now) and back it up on the field. There's no reason to think he won't continue to work just as hard as he always has.
Oh, and you're wrong that the only direction he can go is down. He could stay on top.
Maybe Scott has it out for Matt. He wasn't the most approachable person last year, far less approachable than many pro athletes, let alone a college football player. He was protected much more like a Hollywood celebrity than an athlete, and I'm sure this rubbed more than a few reporters the wrong way. I can see how it irritated a beat reporter with a deadline to make.
That said, I think Trojans need to stop being so blind and reactionary. What exactly did Wolf post that is wrong? Matt Leinart is going into very risky territory here. The NFL is brutal on rookies, particularly rookie QB's with significant endorsement deals before they ever throw a pass. So the pressure on Leinart to perform will be that much greater.
Whether he went to school in LA or Ohio is pointless. Any remember Cade McNown?
Still, CAA sees an opportunity with Matt that is available to very few football players: he can be marketed to consumers who are not necessarily football fans (young women). Can't blame CAA for exploiting those who want to be exploited. It's in their DNA.
Matt's a stud, but the jury is out whether he'll be a star in the NFL. There are too many intangibles, especially for QB's.
yeah Monroe...Matt had an agreement with Leigh Steinberg and already bailed on him before taking one NFL snap....you must be the type that looks through everything with cardinal-colored glasses...
it seems Matt cares more about who he is dating right now instead of worrying about football...I don't see Ben caring either way, he cares about winning...Ben didn't start telling people he wants to play in New York City like Matt or Eli Manning..he made the best of the situation...
just like I'm sure Matt actually did his own writing for MattLeinartblog...riiiiiiiiiiiiiight...