Leinart talks about not starting

[SoCal Cardfan]

As someone who has never had faith in Matt, I can honestly say Whis' handling of Matt has been atrocious.

Why keep the kid around, pay him a huge salary.. just to mindfizzuck him all day long?

 

[Stout]

Just curious... do you guys view Whiz as a players coach? A coach that cna get along with his players, earn their respect and trust? Or, do you see him as some sort of ego freak who is totally distant from his players? Someone who couldn't care any less about connecting with them??

He's definitely a player's coach. At this point, Leinart hasn't earned a cushy treatment. I think he's definitely not lost the starting gig, and I'm still sure that Whiz will start him this season. This is just Whiz doing what he does when a player needs motivated. Just ask Lutui, who is still on the secodn string. Once a player has his job and locks it down, he'll be handled well, treated well, and protected. Until then, he will on occasion need motivated.

 

[Buckybird]

Just curious... do you guys view Whiz as a players coach? A coach that cna get along with his players, earn their respect and trust? Or, do you see him as some sort of ego freak who is totally distant from his players? Someone who couldn't care any less about connecting with them??

I think Wiz is a players coach who challenges his players to be the best they can be. His winning record & where this team has come from earns him respect fans, players & media. Sure we as fans don't know what kind of relationship the 2 have but to think Wiz has been fair in his approach to Leinart in the preseason is ridiculous. I know winning is the bottom line, but at some point a HC has to step back & look at every situation on his team & look at the present & the future, which it appears he has done except for Matt Leinart. Is he the QB of the future? Doesn't appear that way to the HC, but to have a top ten pick that has shown glimpses of good play not be given a chance is just plain ignorant. Maybe he doesn't fit the system, maybe he can't play at all but we as fans & the coaches will never know until he is given games to test his abilities, not a game here, a series here, 2 starts there but games. How many other early 1st rd QB's recently have been given just 17 starts to evauluate their NFL career? If I'm Wiz I ride the entire season out with #7 to fully evaluate him given what is ahead in 2011. I trust the HC but it sure is fishy that he didn't get along with another highly picked QB in Pittsburgh & that turned out pretty good on the field. But sometimes...a change of scenry does a player good because it's quite obvious Leinart won't get that shot in AZ.

 

[binkar]

Would you rather have him say; "No big deal at all. I am cool with being the backup."? You would give him crap about that to. This guy can do no right in some people's minds. It's unreal.

 

[binkar]

I love Whiz, but I don't think he even wants Leinart to be successful. Whiz has handled this very poorly, IMO. It's pretty sad.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Well at the very least, we know that Leinart will not be signing an extension with the team. Whiz obviously despises the dude and with what he's done since taking over the team, I don't feel like anyone is in position to question his decision-making just yet.

Bingo. I hope Skelton is the real deal. I'm not convinced. Our most important position is in a state of flux. Unreal.

 

[THESMEL]

Well I am an optimist in shock. But Whiz benched Edge after he lead the Cardinals to a division win at halfway through the season. reinserted Edge for a 100 yrad game and Edge was the engine behid our playoff run/SB in 2008.

THT was the offensive olineman in the back field that Edge hated being and we sank our ship to the tune of 9-7 and some of the worse losses I've seen in AZ Cardinal history, and thats saying a mouthful.

yea I want to see the 09 Oline restablished, The Bean as a starter, Matt Leinart as the QB and a comparable balanced game plan and play calling that DESTROYED THE ARIZONA CARDINALS in our last meaningful game against the saints.

Thats what this fan wants to see, and I have hope that Whiz will do that against the Rams, like reinserting Edge. If He hasn't poisoned Matt Leinart forever like Rolle, Q and Dansby.

practice is almost over it is time for production. and Matt's 90+ QB rating without a first down is Awesomely amazing belond belief. he is even more of an elite QB than I have him graded at. In spite of Whiz, THT, oline, broken Wr's and total lack of fundementals and defense.

 

[BigRedRage]

i got the article, thx guys.

 

[Duckjake]

As someone who has never had faith in Matt, I can honestly say Whis' handling of Matt has been atrocious.

Why keep the kid around, pay him a huge salary.. ?

Because they aren't paying him a huge salary. Around $2.6 million I think. If I understand correctly the Cards will owe Leinart a huge bonus at the end of the season.

So in all probability he's gone at the end of his first contract, just like almost every other Cardinal first round draft pick since the start of free agency*, and Skelator hopefully will play well enough to be our QBOF.

*Since 1993, of all the Cards first round selections, only L.J. Shelton, Leonard Davis and Larry Fitzgerald have played more than 5 seasons for the Cardinals.

For comparison from the Steelers. Mark Bruener 9 years, Faneca 10 years, Chad Scott 8 years, Kendall Simmons 7 years, Palamalu 7 years and they still have Ben R and Heath Miller.

Just think if Pittsburgh let the Cards pick their Wide Receivers it just wouldn't be fair.

 

[vince56]

Whiz has handled this very poorly, IMO. It's pretty sad.

He's kicking him in the butt, telling him to wake up and compete or he's gone. I love it. Sometimes with these premadonna types you have to beat the spoiled out of them.

For Leinart to say and I quote: "I think if it’s an open competition, then let’s make it that from the get-go" That shows me that he thought he was just handed the job and could coast. You're always competing in sports, and you always have a paid professional right behind you ready to take your place if you don't perform.

You want the job Matt? Get first downs. Lead your team. Make players around you better. If you can't do that someone else will because that's what a quarterback does.

Now Matt's moaning to the media in interviews? I'd rather him step up and say "You know what, coach is kicking my butt and challenging me, so be it. I'm going to show him by playing the best ball of my life."

That would fire all of us up if Matt would say that and then back it up on the field. But it's not him. He's not that guy.

 

[BigRedRage]

Kick The Bears Ass Matt!!! Earn The Job!! We Need You!!!

 

[binkar]

He's kicking him in the butt, telling him to wake up and compete or he's gone. I love it. Sometimes with these premadonna types you have to beat the spoiled out of them.

For Leinart to say and I quote: "I think if it’s an open competition, then let’s make it that from the get-go" That shows me that he thought he was just handed the job and could coast. You're always competing in sports, and you always have a paid professional right behind you ready to take your place if you don't perform.

You want the job Matt? Get first downs. Lead your team. Make players around you better. If you can't do that someone else will because that's what a quarterback does.

Now Matt's moaning to the media in interviews? I'd rather him step up and say "You know what, coach is kicking my butt and challenging me, so be it. I'm going to show him by playing the best ball of my life."

That would fire all of us up if Matt would say that and then back it up on the field. But it's not him. He's not that guy.

Understandable. However, that doesn't explain him getting 1/4 the passing attempts of DA.

 

[vince56]

He's being challenged! How is that not understandable? He's being put under stress and they're seeing how he reacts.

 

[THESMEL]

again

I have been watching football over 40 years and never seen this work out with the possible exception of the Cards these last 2 years. But Kurt was better with Whiz's full confidence to the tune of a SB and playoff run than Kurt was in 06 and 07.

Ive been to 2 county fairs, an ankle hanging and a goat nutting
"and I aint seen nuthing like this"

He's kicking him in the butt, telling him to wake up and compete or he's gone. I love it. Sometimes with these premadonna types you have to beat the spoiled out of them.

For Leinart to say and I quote: "I think if it’s an open competition, then let’s make it that from the get-go" That shows me that he thought he was just handed the job and could coast. You're always competing in sports, and you always have a paid professional right behind you ready to take your place if you don't perform.

You want the job Matt? Get first downs. Lead your team. Make players around you better. If you can't do that someone else will because that's what a quarterback does.

Now Matt's moaning to the media in interviews? I'd rather him step up and say "You know what, coach is kicking my butt and challenging me, so be it. I'm going to show him by playing the best ball of my life."

That would fire all of us up if Matt would say that and then back it up on the field. But it's not him. He's not that guy.

 

[binkar]

Understandable. However, that doesn't explain him getting 1/4 the passing attempts of DA.

He's being challenged! How is that not understandable? He's being put under stress and they're seeing how he reacts.

I said "understandable". How did you interpret that as me not understanding?

 

[Cardiac]

Good news is that ML showed some fire. Bad news is that he also served some whine.

Preseason games are just part of the equation. Plus none of us are sitting in the film room. Matt's limited reps may be due to the fact that he is missing reads and not checking out of bad plays (audibles).

Whatever Whis's reasons I for one don't think they come from a petty or misguided mind set. All of a sudden Whis is evil and an idiot????

 

[CaptTurbo]

I think DA starting the game with a cold oline, 0 healthy wr's and TH instead of the bean bag will be a comedy of errors.

 

[Indiana Hoosier]

Stop the whimpering and get your, "A** IN GEAR", and win the JOB!

 

[Shane]

I think DA starting the game with a cold oline, 0 healthy wr's and TH instead of the bean bag will be a comedy of errors.

We can only hope.

 

[Cardiac]

We can only hope.

 

[Shane]

I want Matt to start game one regular season

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Interesting...he's mad (good thing) and broaches a line of thought that he doesn't feel it was an open competition at the outset, and if it was he doesn't feel he's had an equal opportunity.

Thanks for the firewood, Toast. This fire is a'blazin!

Neither do I. He told us it wasn't. He said Leinart earned the right to start. He has every right to be angry. Feels like a bait and switch to me. I could only imagine if I were Leinart.

 

[Cardiac]

I want Matt to start game one regular season

Gotcha and that is my hope as well.

My biggest desire is that someone, anyone steps up and plays well at the QB position.

 

[vince56]

I said "understandable". How did you interpret that as me not understanding?

Clearly it was I who didn't understand

 

[overseascardfan]

Well at the very least, we know that Leinart will not be signing an extension with the team. Whiz obviously despises the dude and with what he's done since taking over the team, I don't feel like anyone is in position to question his decision-making just yet.

This. I think no matter what happens with Matty this year, either riding the pine or coming in and being Warner II, he is going to bolt. I think Cheaty Petey takes him or he goes back to Cali. Either way ARZ is going to need a QB next year. Will McNabb sign an extension with WAS or end his career here in the desert?