Leinart goes from Heisman to wingman

FOXSports.com ^ | December 7, 2005 | Peter Schrager

[rockthecasbah]

Luigi from the "Super Mario Brothers" video games. Richard "Boner" Stabone from the '80s sitcom Growing Pains. Rob Schneider in pretty much any Adam Sandler comedy. USC quarterback Matt Leinart. What do these four men have in common? No, not terrific mustaches. Not wonderful foreign accents either. And certainly not perfect nicknames. No, each one of the above men has proven their capabilities as the ideal friend a guy would want by their side during a moment of need. Team players with utilitarian attitudes and an understanding that one's cronies should always be first on the priority list — Luigi, "Boner", Schneider, and Leinart have one major shaded area on the Venn diagram of life.

Matt Leinart serves as the perfect wingman to teammate Reggie Bush. That's right; they are all perfect wingmen. Wait a second. Matt Leinart, the Heisman Trophy winning, two-time NCAA All-American, New York Post "Page Six" spotting fixture is a wingman?

[rockthecasbah]

How's this for filling the shoes of a Heisman Trophy winner (Carson Palmer)? Leinart, a sophomore who had never thrown a pass at USC while seeing brief action in just 3 games in 2002, won USC's starting quarterback job at the end of 2003 spring practice...by an ever-so-slight edge. Matt threw the first pass of his college career (for a touchdown) against the Auburn Tigers in 2003. Since then he has led the Trojans to an impressive 36 -1 record as the starting quarterback. His lone loss occurred at Cal on September 27, 2003 in overtime.

[July 4th]

The author wrote a whole column just so he could use the word "Boner."

[dfwgator]

Here's to the wingman.

[rockthecasbah]

Ping.

[dfwgator]

Luigi, "Boner", Schneider

Uhh huh huh, you said "boner," uh huh huh.

[MikefromOhio]

College Football Ping.

Freepmail me to be added to this list.

[Alberta's Child]

One interesting note about the Heisman Trophy is that it is not a good indicator of NFL success for the quarterback position. Since 1980 a total of 12 quarterbacks have won the Heisman, and none of them has gone on to become a franchise-type QB in the NFL. 2002 winner Carson Palmer may end up being the best of the bunch, but other than Doug Flutie (1984) and Vinnie Testaverde (1986) none of them went on to have successful NFL careers. Most of them, in fact, have been complete NFL busts . . . and 1993 Heisman Tropy winner Charlie Ward ended up playing pro basketball in the NBA and was never given any serious consideration by NFL teams.

[BigBobber]

Leinart is a stiff who is probably one of the most overhyped college football players in recent memory. Check out the first half of the recent UCLA game if you need confirmation. Pass after pass to open receivers were uncatchable high. This against the worst defense in the Pac-10. USC won the game on the strength of their ground attack.

He wins because he's on a great team surrounded by great players. Reggie Bush deserves the Heisman this year.

Leinart didn't even deserve to be all Pac-10 last year, let alone Heisman material. Joe Walter, Drew Olsen, and Arron Rodgers were all better QB's in 2004.

[BTHOtu]

I thought this was funny:

Carroll's hiring is another mistake for troubled USC - University of Southern California football coach Pete Carroll

Article from 2001. The author thought USC made a big mistake hiring Pete Carroll. He thought USC would have made a better hire with Dennis Franchione. As an Aggie, I would be willing to trade Dennis for Pete Carroll now.

[rockthecasbah]

"Check out the first half of the recent UCLA game if you need confirmation. Pass after pass to open receivers were uncatchable high"

Check out the first and second half of January's Orange Bowl to see why Leinart rightfully won the Heisman last year.

[Michael.SF.]

Check out the first half of the recent UCLA game if you need confirmation.

He had a bad half and you call him a stiff?

He has lost one game as a starter.

Read up on what happened before the game, then come back when you know what you are talking about.

[Michael.SF.]

His lone loss occurred at Cal on September 27, 2003 in overtime.

More precisely: Triple OT.

[PRND21]

Since 1980 a total of 12 quarterbacks have won the Heisman, and none of them has gone on to become a franchise-type QB in the NFL.

Not for long. Carson Palmer may win MVP this year and has the best numbers in the NFL.

[PRND21]

Leinart is a stiff who is probably one of the most overhyped college football players in recent memory.

Ridiculous.

[Dog Gone]

Leinart has run up better numbers this year than last, yet the conventional wisdom is that he'll finish third in the Heisman balloting.

He's okay with that. As a former Heisman winner he gets to cast a vote, and he said he voted for Reggie Bush.

[BigBobber]

He's a good player on a great team. Nothing more. The USC hype machine and LA press put him where he is.

Check back in five years and we'll see how he does in the NFL.

[OkieDoke]

"You can be my wingman any time, `Maverick'."
Val 'Iceman' Kilmer

Boner? Did he say "boner"?

[PRND21]

The USC hype machine and LA press put him where he is.

Not losing and putting up great numbers got him where he is.

Check back in five years and we'll see how he does in the NFL.

Ok. See Carson Palmer.

[aft_lizard]

Eric Crouch wanted to play QB but every team wanted him to play Strong Safety.

[rockthecasbah]

"hype machine?!"

You want hype? Check this out:

"Forget about the Dolphins and Colts. If Indy beats the Jaguars, Chargers and Seahawks, then we'll talk. Until then, we ought to be naming babies, buildings and freeways after the greatest dynasty this side of Ming.
The USC Trojans.
The Colts are 12-0, and we're treating them like they've been canonized by Paul Tagliabue. I love the way the Colts play (I'd pay money just to watch Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison in pregame warm-ups), but the Colts haven't even clinched the AFC South yet. Meanwhile, Pete Carroll's USC program has won its last 34 games and is going for an unprecedented third consecutive national championship.
The Trojans haven't lost a game since Sept. 27, 2003, and it took three overtime periods at Cal to do it. Since Oct. 6, 2002, USC is 45-1. Freaks.
In those 45 victories, only five were decided by less than a touchdown.
Thirty-three of those wins were decided by 20 points or more. Colts, who? .... The Trojans are on such a championship roll, they have their own parking space at the White House Rose Garden. The only downside to this remarkable run is having to hear the Trojan Marching Band play "Conquest" 11,000 times per game."

-Gene Wojciechowski