Matt Leinart's stunning, surprising and, really, almost stupefying decision last Friday to remain at USC and pass up millions of dollars from the pros seems to have gotten lost in the blur of the NFL playoffs. So let's return to it now, and try to figure out why so many people slammed Leinart for deciding to return to college — where he seems so happy. How crazy have we become that we think this kid is crazy?
Where is the praise for Matt Leinart for staying in school? All I read is criticism: How stupid is this kid? Look at all the money he's passing up. What if he gets hurt at USC next year, and he can't play anymore? Look at all the money he'll lose. What if he has a bad year and his draft position crumbles? Look at all the money he'll lose.
In The Post's story, some unnamed NFL executive said what just about everybody connected with the NFL — and everybody outside of USC was thinking: "Why risk it? There's too much money at stake."
All the criticism centers on money. Why? Because we're all so conditioned to players leaving school early to get the money that we think if you don't grab the money, you're doing something wrong; you're an imbecile. Don't you get it? Money is the reason you're playing! Oh.
Here's what Leinart had to say: "College football and this whole atmosphere here, and being with my fans and teammates . . . is ultimately more satisfying, and will make me happier than any amount of money could make someone happy. The money isn't important to me. My teammates and being here is more important to me right now. This is the greatest time of my life. I'm close to home. My family, my friends, everyone's here."
This automatically makes him an idiot? Hold on a second. By going back to USC, Matt Leinart has a chance to do something that nobody has ever done — not Montana, not Elway, not Unitas: win three national championships and two Heisman trophies, and become, hands down, no argument, the Greatest College Football Player of All Time. The NFL will still be there for him. The No. 1 pick will still be there for him. The money will still be there for him.
If Leinart has a poor season, or, God forbid, gets injured the way football players do, the NFL will still be there for him — though the money will be smaller at first. The example of Willis McGahee comes to mind. You'll remember that McGahee was thought to have suffered a career-ending injury in the Fiesta Bowl a few years ago, the last game he was to have played before declaring for the NFL as a junior. Before the injury, McGahee was projected to be the No. 1 running back in the draft (Leinart is projected as the No. 1 quarterback now). Buffalo drafted McGahee late in the first round, costing McGahee considerable money. McGahee recuperated during his rookie season and did not play. But this year he was healthy, became the Bills' starting running back and gained more than 1,100 yards. He'll get the big money on his next contract.
Leinart made his choice not to mess with happy — to try and enjoy happy — in the same week that other men made alarmingly dumb choices. For example, Prince Harry of England chose to wear a Nazi armband to a costume party; ding-ding-ding, you can hold your calls because we've got a winner. Randy Moss chose to audition a vulgar pantomime, and then, after he was fined for that one, threatened something more explicit and obscene. The lovely Brad Pitt reportedly chose to dump the lovely Jennifer Aniston and it's rumored that he did so for the lovely, insane and randomly creepy Angelina Jolie.
(Excuse me, Tony, aren't you even going to mention how Larry Hughes's injury proves the existence of the Curse O' Les Boulez?
The what???)
At the moment Leinart announced his decision to stay at USC, Michael Wilbon and I were watching him on television. This is the same Michael Wilbon who is always screaming about "knuckleheads who are ruining the NBA by coming in straight out of high school," the same Wilbon who advocates banning everybody under the age of 20 from entering the NBA, the same Wilbon who cheered when a court decision barred Maurice Clarett from entering the NFL after his freshman season at Ohio State. That Wilbon.
When Leinart smiled and said he was staying in college, I said, "Good for him."
Wilbon said, "He's not staying. He'll be in the NFL next season."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"He'll change his mind," Wilbon said. "He'll never play in college again. He's got too much money to lose."
"I thought you hate when kids come out of school early?"
"I hate it when they're not ready," Wilbon said. "This kid is ready. There's no reason for him not to take the money."
At the moment, Leinart seems to have placed his faith in love over money. Maybe he's making a terrible mistake. The NFL doesn't have guaranteed multiyear contracts. Regularly, when players get hurt, they get cut, and they get paid only that year's salary, no matter how long a deal they signed. That's why the signing bonus money is so high — players understand that up-front money is their only guaranteed money.
Maybe this is actually a strategic move by Leinart. Maybe he doesn't want to play for the 49ers, who have the first pick in the draft, and this is his way of discouraging their interest. Maybe if they back away, Leinart will agree to join the NFL with some other team.
Or maybe, just maybe, Leinart loves playing at USC. And since he's eligible to do it for another year, he wants to.
I have always supported a person's right to go to the pros whenever he wants, even straight from high school. In many cases I don't think it's the smart move — it's exceedingly rare that a high school football player would be physically ready for the NFL, and we've seen case after case of high school basketball players not being emotionally ready for the NBA — but I think it's a person's legal right. It's also a person's right not to go. I'm thrilled by Leinart's decision to stay in school, even if he never attends another class. And stunned by all the criticism dumped on him.
Leinart is passing up the road taken by Ben Roethlisberger, who came out early, and following the road taken by Peyton Manning, who stayed in college for his senior season. Who's to say which road is better? Does "G.B." (for Green Bay?) Shaw have a quote on this? How about Artie Shaw?
Matt Leinart is choosing to remain the quarterback of an undefeated, national championship team at a great football program in, hello, Hollywood, California, where he's King of the World. This is stupid? I don't think so.
