Here is the story;
Look who's in charge
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By Matt Leinart
ESPN The Magazine
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article appears in the June 18 issue of ESPN The Magazine.
Most everyone at ESPN has fantasized once or twice (or 10,000 times) about scoring six at Happy Valley, going yard at Wrigley or taking the checkered flag at Daytona. Turns out, athletes have fantasies too. When we asked a bunch of pro and college jocks if they wanted to run The Magazine for an issue, they couldn't wait to get started. First in line? Matt Leinart, the Cardinals QB who's spent a lot of time wondering why he dropped in last year's NFL draft. Well, it's your story, Matt …
DON'T GO TO NEW YORK
When players asked me for draft advice this year, that was it. Stay home. Be with friends and family. Enjoy draft day. But if you're not guaranteed the top overall pick, do not go to New York.
April 29, 2006, was one of the longest days of my life. There was so much anxiety, so much buildup. I felt like I sat in that room forever. The Texans … the Saints … the Titans … the Jets … When my name was finally called -- "With the 10th pick, the Arizona Cardinals select Matt Leinart" -- I was just happy my draft was over.
I've thought about the draft process a lot over the past year. It's something that's still deep in my heart. I was surprised I fell so far, surprised teams I was sure had me first on their list chose someone else. I'd spent the four months leading up to draft day working out, putting on a suit and tie, flying to meet with coaches and GMs -- and I was drafted by a team that never interviewed me. I was coming off a national championship game, my second straight, but my stock kept falling. It was difficult. I had so many questions about why, but I didn't think I'd ever have answers. Even if, one day, I saw Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum at a game or ran into Titans head coach Jeff Fisher at a restaurant, I figured I'd never have the courage to ask them what happened that day.
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