USC football: Matt Leinart is Sporting News college football player of decade

Matt Leinart won the 2004 Heisman Trophy and helped lead the Trojans to two national titles and a 34-game winning streak.

Not a bad college career, according to Sporting News, which named Leinart the college football player of the decade.

Leinart chose the end of the 2005 Notre Dame game, which featured his fourth-and-nine pass to Dwayne Jarrett and his Reggie Bush-assisted sneak into the end zone, as his favorite moment.

“The thing was, we didn’t panic,” Leinart told Sporting News. “We just executed a play. And then the Bush Push, or whatever they call it, I had to decide whether to spike the ball or go for a touchdown. I told Reggie, ‘I’m going to go.’ He said, ‘OK. I’ve got you.’

“I remember, after the game, being so emotionally drained. Everything that went into that game and getting the rivalry back in the spotlight. That last drive felt like it took years off your life. But I’ll never forget celebrating in the locker room after we won.”

-- Gary Klein

Adrian Peterson still sore at USC

Adrian Peterson is a Pro Bowl running back for the Minnesota Vikings, but when he looks back at his college career he still has two major regrets.

And USC is involved in both.

In 2004, Peterson ran for an NCAA freshman record 1,925 yards for the Oklahoma Sooners, becoming the first freshman to place second in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

Which was won by USC quarterback Matt Leinart.

Then, a few weeks later, Peterson and the Sooners were thrashed, 55-19, in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

The winner: USC.

"When I look back, I had an outstanding [college] career," Peterson said in a story published today by the Associated Press. "There were some things that -- a national championship, I didn't accomplish that. I fell short. I had the opportunity my freshman year, and I don't even want to talk about that."

In that game he didn't want to talk about, USC held Peterson to 82 yards rushing in 25 carries, with a long gain of nine yards.

Peterson said he longed for a Heisman when, during a visit to Reggie Bush's home in L.A., he found himself gazing at Bush's Heisman. "I was like, 'Awww!' I wanted to ask him where Matt Leinart was so I could go over there and take mine. But it's all good. It is what it is."

Hey, he might still have an outside shot. Depending on how USC and Bush fare in the NCAA's investigation of the Trojans football program, there might be a national championship and Heisman up for grabs.

-- Mike Hiserman

Sports and Hollywood: Sean Payton, Matt Leinart and Scientology

Because we're in L.A., after all ...

• New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton can write a play script, but what about a film script? He's trying to sell a movie concept called "The Xbox Kid," which combines everything guys love: sports, video games, and natural disasters. It sounds an awful lot like Adam Sandler's "Click."
• Matt Leinart is taking MMA lessons. What does this have to do with Hollywood? A) It's Matt Leinart. B) The lessons are being taught by Fox's Jay Glazer. C) Leinart used to be represented by CAA, which is hawking Payton's script.
• It's amazing what you can find in the Sports Illustrated Vault. Deadspin went poking around this weekend and discovered a Scientologist -- former 49er quarterback John Brodie. The site raises a great question: Why aren't there more Scientologists playing sports? It's a surprise, writes A.J. Daulerio, "given how malleable (and super rich) these guys are coming out of college. And most athletes are already hard-wired to process various self-help and motivational techniques."

Finally, a line poigniant enough for Vin Scully though perhaps a bit too biting, from Bob Brenly during a sloppy Cubs-Reds game:

"If there are any Little Leaguers watching, turn the TV off."

-- Adam Rose

Photos, from left: Sean Payton; Matt Leinert; Bob Brenly. Credits, from left: Bill Haber / Associated Press; Matt York / Associated Press; Matt York / Associated Press.

Nothing compared to USC's 2006 Pro Day

NFL coaches and scouts turned out en masse for USC's pro day to watch quarterback Mark Sanchez, linebackers Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga and Clay Matthews and the rest of the draft-eligible Trojans.

But the scene paled in comparison to USC's 2006 event, regarded throughout the college and pro football worlds as the pro day to end all pro days.

Back then, pro day was open to the public. So a huge crowd showed up to catch a glimpse of Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, running back LenDale White and others. The crowd grew so large, in fact, the fire marshal threatened to shut down the event.

Coach Pete Carroll, capitalizing on the interest, had tied pro day to junior day, when high school prospects come to campus. It made for an interesting mix of college players, high school players, agents, coaches, scouts, media and fans.

Pete Carroll, Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez to attend memorial

USC Coach Pete Carroll and former Trojans quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez are scheduled to attend a memorial service for Ryan Davidson on Saturday in Wisconsin.

Davidson, who fought a 10-year battle against brain cancer, died Feb. 19 on his 16th birthday. He inspired many.

Davidson first attended a USC game in 2004 and was adopted by the program as a good luck charm over the last five seasons.

Before the 2005 Bowl Championship Series title game, running back LenDale White said he was inspired by the presence of then-11-year-old Davidson, who had attended a team meeting and rode the bus to practice in Davie, Fla. White had been nursing an ankle sprain.

"I see him and it took all my pain away," White said. "Nothing can be harder than that. That's real life."

Last October, Davidson served as an honorary captain when the Trojans played Arizona State at the Coliseum.

-- Gary Klein

Cardinals' Matt Leinart keeping his chin up

TAMPA, Fla. -- Former USC star Matt Leinart was asked about the difficulty of keeping a positive attitude after losing the starting quarterback job to Kurt Warner just before the beginning of the season.

“It took me a while just to sit back and say, 'You know what? I can be a distraction and be all mad and point the finger, or I can be a good teammate and support Kurt, and still work my butt off and prepare every day like I’m the starting quarterback,''' he said. "And that’s the road I decided to take."

That said, does he have regrets about staying for his senior season at USC, rather than leaving as a junior and almost surely winding up with another team?

"No regrets at all," he said. “That was the best decision I could have made at the time. There isn’t one day that goes by that I wish I had come out. ... It hasn’t been the way I pictured it, but it has been good. It really has.”

-- Sam Farmer

Photo: Matt Leinart. Credit: Christian Petersen / Getty Images

Sam Farmer breaks down Super Bowl teams

You may have read Sam Farmer's posts from Tampa, Fla., where the Super Bowl XLIII frenzy is building. With the 3 p.m. PST Sunday kickoff nearing, what could be better than getting Sam's help with an interactive breakdown of how the Pittsburgh Steelers line up against the Arizona Cardinals?

Our NFL columnist teamed up with EA Sports to provide an audio-visual guide to the Super Bowl showdown (and if you look really hard, you can kind of make out a pixelated Matt Leinart on the sidelines).

Click here to check out the simulation.

-- Austin Knoblauch

Photo: The Arizona Cardinals' Matt Leinart, left, and Karlos Dansby turn their camcorders on the media today during Super Bowl XLIII media day at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Credit: Rob Schumacher / The Arizona Republic / Associated Press

Who is the worst player in the Super Bowl?

Scouts Inc. has rated all 105 players on the rosters of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.

Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, left, is rated No. 1.

I won't give away No. 105, except to say he's a Californian.

No, it's not Matt Leinart. He's rated behind both kickers but ahead of both punters.

-- Randy Harvey

Photo: Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald during a practice break Thursday at the team's training facility in Tempe, Ariz. Credit: Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press

Wake-Up Call: Matt Leinart, Ben Roethlisberger, Jeff Fisher, Mickey Rourke, popcorn

First things first: The Arizona Cardinals are playing so well that they could well get to the Super Bowl. Of course, they have to get through the Philadelphia Eagles first for the NFC title. And then they could win it all now that quarterback Kurt Warner has regained his Super Bowl form. And what a hoot it would be if the Cardinals do just that and the fumbling (on and off the field) Matt Leinart actually gets a Super Bowl ring. Remember Matt Leinart? Let's see ... he played in four games for the Cardinals this season and had 1 interception, 1 TD, fumbled twice, completed 15 of 29 for 264 yards for a rating of 80.2.  Not fair, you say? OK, let's look at 2007. And 2006 was no different but noteworthy in that he had 8 fumbles in 12 games.

Add Arizona: If the Steelers beat the Ravens, then Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt goes up against his old team. Remember, he was offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh when Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to the playoffs as a rookie and the Super Bowl title in his second season. And will the Ravens' defense be off their game now that they know their leader, defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, interviewed for the New York Jets head coaching vacancy?

Add NFL: Dan Patrick may have the best solution to the "blown call" from Saturday's Titans-Ravens game when the play clock went to 0: The ball should deflate when time runs out. Another solution? A buzzer goes off  in the officials' pockets. Meanwhile, the Titans (and ex-USC star) Jeff Fisher are still upset.

Add NFL: Tiki Barber doesn't miss playing for Tom Coughlin, the Giants head coach. But Sunday, he probably didn't even miss playing football. He was on the red carpet talking to Hollywood stars arriving for the Golden Globes, which was broadcast by NBC. Yeah, talking to Salma Hayek and Beyonce might be better than getting hit by the likes of Mike Patterson (and wasn't he fun to watch Sunday on that rumble downfield).

Add Golden Globes: Even after reading the stories about Mickey Rourke and his movie "The Wrestler," it still was numbing to see him at the Golden Globes. And he won. So although he may have lost that handsome, devilish look of "Diner," he hasn't lost the ability to act.

Late but not least: Totally Random last week mentioned the prank Sacramento Kings rookie Jason Thompson suffered through. 

Photo: Brandon Meriweather of the New England Patriots strips the ball from Matt Leinart of the Arizona Cardinals at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 21 in Foxboro. The Patriots won 47-7. Credit: Jim Rogash / Getty Images

Pop-up photo: Salma Hayek arrives at the 66th annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday. Credit: Matt Sayles / Associated Press

Why did Matt Leinart start at USC instead of Matt Cassel?

Boston Herald writer Ron Borges had a good time lampooning Arizona Cardinals reserve QB Matt Leinart after his former USC backup, Matt Cassel, and the Patriots whomped the Cardinals in the snow at Foxboro on Sunday, 47-7.

Borges asked: "How in the world Matt Cassel ever rode the bench [at USC] behind an Arizona Cardinals scrub named Matt Leinart..."

On Sunday, Cassel picked up his 10th win as Tom Brady's replacement. Cassel was 20 for 36, with 345 passing yards and three touchdown passes. The score was 44-0 when Leinart came in. Leinart had a fumble, an intereception and ended up 6 for 14, for 138 yards and one TD pass.

Patriots Coach Bill Belichick yanked Cassel to rest him while Leinart was getting his garbage time.

After the game, Patriots guard Logan Mankins was asked to explain why Cassel, a seventh-round draft pick, is starring in the NFL, while Leinart is a non-factor in pro ball, yet Leinart kept Cassel on USC's bench. Answered Mankins: "Something bad must have happened on the day they had tryouts."

QB Cassel was PC: "I think Matt Leinart is a great player and he'll be a great player in the NFL," Cassel said. "He did a great job at USC. We won two national championships with him as a starting quarterback at USC so they obviously made the right decision."

-- Barry Stavro

Photo: Brandon Meriweather of the New England Patriots strips the ball from Matt Leinart of the Arizona Cardinals at Gillette Stadium on Sunday in Foxboro, Mass. Credit: Jim Rogash / Getty Images.