Self-Inflicted Wound
The slide we alluded to in ``Draft Dilemma'' yesterday is on with former USC quarterback Matt Leinart. While everyone knows Leinart fired his agent Leigh Steinberg a few weeks ago, no one really reported that one of Steinberg's partners is former NFL star quarterback Warren Moon.
Well, Titans GM Floyd Reese was an executive with the Houston Oilers when Moon played there. Reese respects Moon. With Moon's backing, Reese could be convinced to take Leinart over Vince Young.
But Leinart jettisoned Moon and Steinberg to be fully represented by talent agency CAA. If Leinart falls all the way to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 10, firing Moon cost him about $10-12 million.
Here's Titans general manager Floyd Reese disucussing the pick of Vince Young:
'Last night at 2:30, I was on my knees praying ... he [Young] will rewrite the position. This guy physically is such a combination of arms and legs. People want to make him out to be a Michael Vick. He's not that. He's different," Reese said.
'"This guy, he led the nation in college as a junior in passing efficiency. This guy is special. Now we have to get him special in the NFL, and that's why it's going to take a little bit of time. And we realize that. It's a big jump."'
Reese doesn't sound like a man who could have been readily influenced by ex-quarterback, part-time agent Warren Moon. Clearly, Reese had his heart set on Young and Leinart's dismissal of Steinberg had nothing to do with Leinart's falling to Arizona.
Link:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5554754
There's a lot of speculation in this post, Scott. You have no idea whether or not Moon could have persuaded Reese to pick Leinart. None at all. Especially given the fact that Warren Moon would obviously have a conflict of interest with Reese. Moon's self-serving appraisal of Leinart wouldn't be necessary after the team performed their own evaulations of Leinart.
Leinart wasn't the best QB in the draft. That's why he fell to #10. Why do you think that Chow passed on Leinart?
Hey Chuck, If the GM felt like praying for VY, there is absolutely nothing Chow can do about it. It has nothing at all to do with who the best QB was in the draft. Quit trying to be so argumentative.