Matt Leinart to return for senior season
 

As just announced Fox Sports West press conference. YAY!

Lofa Tatupu will enter the draft
Tom Malone is staying for his senior year.

Re: Matt Leinart to return for senior season
 

Wow! Best of luck to all of them!

Lofa's dad broke all kinds of records in HS football here and almost 30 years later, they're still standing. It was inevitable that Mosi's son would also do wonders on the field!

:::scratching head:::
 

I really don't get it. He's got a Heisman & a National Championship & is expected to be the #1 draft pick.

The only thing I can figure is that he really doesn't want to play for the 49ers.

Kind of a curious decision since he has two national championships and a heisman already. Anyone can finish their schooling at a later time.

I have to agree nutbrnhair, maybe he just doesn't want to be chosen by San Fran.

Well, Leinart said he's having the time of his life in college and wants to use the next year to mature mentally and physically. He wants the chance to lead USC to its third straight Nat'l Championship--which no other school has ever done.

And he spoke with Carson Palmer, Troy Polamalu and other Trojans in the nFL and they all advised he stay, reportedly. Also he took into consideration that both Peyton and Eli Manning chose to stay for their senior seasons and it was the best choice for them. Also he said he didn't want to make the leap now and regret leaving USC too soon when he loves being there so much

And he's due to complete his undergrad coursework this semester.

Though I DO NOT like USC, you gotta give Matt props for that decision. To stay and finish, to attempt to make history when his stock has a better chance of going down than up next year (All he REALLY has to do is avoid injury and he's set), that takes a lot of resolve to turn down millions.

But, I hate to admit it, something tells me he's not just about money...and you gotta respect that.

There still are some "student/scholar" athletes left. I applaud him and his decision -- and SC for being the kind of place where people want to stay, and also recruit people who aren't only looking for a quick ticket into the NFL.

I wish there was more of this.

Interesting decision - as was said, he has the two national titles and a Heisman. Not much left to do on the college front, although I couldn't blame him for avoiding the Niners. That new regime coming in has a lot of work to do.

I can't think of another time when someone in his position stayed in college. Peyton didn't have the Heisman or the national title, and same for Carson. I hope Matt has a good year and stays healthy.

So you suppose it's even remotely possible that he went to college to get an education as well as play football?

Nah...to radical a thought.

I'm not going to sit here and say he didn't - from hearing and reading interviews with him, he seems like an intelligent guy. I like to think the best of people, and it's great if he is staying for the education.

I'm just saying that, regardless of what he's doing, this is one of the only times I can think of that someone with his college resume is staying for his senior year.

Is he a good student? Maybe he wants to follow in Bill Bradley's footsteps. It's nice to see a young man who values education.

BUT...neither of them won the Heisman and/or a national championship!

Geez -- no one values an education more than I do, but for Matt Lienhart, I think this is a crazy move.

Hmm, Heisman/Nat'l Championship doesn't really matter in the NFL. Many great players don't have either.(as was brought up in another thread not too long ago)

Crazy idea sure, but a smart one...what if he had blown out his ACL or some other crummy injury his first season in the NFL and it was unrepairable and he was screwed, he'd still have no education to fall back on in the end.

I applaud his staying at SC to finish up..too bad we can't get basketball players to do the same thing.:rolleyes:

The second he signs an NFL contract he'll be set for life, financially. Listen, I hope he doesn't get hurt, but it's obvious that he'll be worse off if he gets hurt as a college player rather than an NFL player. Out of curiosity, what's his major that he has to "fall back on?"

(And I notice you're from Southern California -- of course you're glad he's staying.)

I'd be shocked if he doesn't have some sort of insurance policy taken out, in case something happens.

He seems like an intelligent, well-spoken guy, so who knows what he'd do if he wasn't playing football.

I didn't go to SC...I couldn't give a crap less if he stays or not. I didn't say I was glad, I said I applaud his decision to stay with his education. He's majoring in Sociology. It's on the USC football page, along with the rest of the team.

I went to a school with no football program. I just think he's made a smart decision for staying in school. Just because you get drafted by the NFL doesn't mean crap...look at Ryan Leaf.

I rest my case
 

The second overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft, Leaf signed an $11.25 million signing bonus ...

???

Yeah....now that I read that, it made no sense either.....

Re: I rest my case
 

And where is he now? Retired at the age of 28. Pretty sad. He'll probably have spent all the money by the time he's 35. It's not that hard to spend 11 million. I could do it.:)

no worries dude -

Besides, it's brutally clear that, at least in part, this decision WAS about money. Many sources have claimed that Leinart was worried when the 'other' junior QBs, many of whom show similar (or superior) NFL skill sets, announced for the draft (Rodgers, Smith, etc) - with them gone, next year's draft should be nearly devoid of QBs.

Contrary to what this thread seems to think, Leinart was never really slotted in the number 1 pick . . . he was going to have to do the private workout circuit, to answer questions about arm strength, athleticism, and ability to throw a spiral (esp on the run). Going back is really a brilliant decision for the guy - he gets to be a kid, he avoids his professional competition, and he can work on footwork and getting stronger.

Smart kid, that's for damn sure - I'm glad he listened to the right people.

I still say Leinart should have come out last year.

Let's see...

Instead of being the #1 pick in 2005 -- he's the #10 pick in 2006

Instead of being drafted by the 49ers in 2005 -- he's going to the Arizona Cardinals in 2006

Instead of not graduating from USC -- he returned to school and took one class in Fall 2005 (ballroom dancing)

Instead of winning another National Championship in 2006 -- USC lost to Texas

You make it sound like receiving a multimillion dollar signing bonus is a bad thing.

I'm just saying he should have come out last year.

I could care less about him. I am just glad the Titans didn't take him. He's too "Hollywood" for Nashville...and perhaps for the NFL. I really don't think he's going to be that great in the NFL.

With that being said.. I still think he's hot and I'd still go out with him.

He has a shitty arm and he is a sore loser....evident by his comments after the UT game. He is the third best qb in the draft and I don't think he will be that great in the NFL either.

Really? I think he's weird looking...all his features are smooshed together in the dead center of his face.

He is in a 100X better position with the Cardinals than he would have been in with the 49ers. So, while he may have lost the big signing bonus for being No. 1, he will have a much better chance for success. Unless Bidwell can find a way to fuck this up as well.

Okay you've got me and EXiADPi totally jumping for FRICKIN JOY that we have a HOT, HOT, HOT (did I mention HOT) player on the CARDINALS!!!!!!!!

Do we care that he didn't get to be #1 and the 49er's didn't pick him up? HELL NO!!!!!!!

He just made us very happy!!!!!!!



Pardon us while we try to go see if there are any season tickets left. who the hell are we kidding, this is the cardinals we are talking about. hell the only reason the first five games are sold out is because of the new stadium, no one gives a shit about the team. it's all about seeing the new multi-million dollar stadium


Carrie and I are both Arizona natives. So we understand pretty damn well how the Cardinals games work. Hell, I worked at SDS (sun devil stadium) it was NEVER full for a Cards game. And yes we understand that he is like 3rd string, but we can still stare at his ass

Yes, we are laughing while we type this.

I seriously could not agree with you more.