Comments on: Barkley will pass on throwing passes at the “biggest test of my life”

By: broncosnative

broncosnative — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:06:20 +0000

If you are a team who’s looking for a franchise QB, barkeley is not your man. If you are a team who’s looking for a backup QB to our starter, barkeley is not your man. If you are a team who’s just looking to add a QB for dept then barkeley is your man.

By: abrellbama

abrellbama — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:05:12 +0000

At the beginning of the 2012 season, Barkley was #1 for the heisman and #1 pick for the NFL draft. He was a hot commodity. After a 7-6 season and an injury, he of course didn’t win the heisman and has dropped considerably. Some even have him going in the 2nd round. If he wants to make a lot of money and is healthy, he should throw. Otherwise, take your chances but lately, USC QB’s have been busts in the NFL anyway so I am not sure they would look at Barkley as closely now anyway.

By: azjohnny

azjohnny — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:47:01 +0000

Barkley has thrown for more than 60 TDs the past 2 years. That tells more than any combine or Pro Day would. IMO if you ate one of the top players in FBS the combine doesn’t mean that much

By: kevpft

kevpft — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:42:18 +0000

As much as I admit to the same kind of initial judgment that a lot of people here are showing, think about it: if this was you, with your whole career and financial future at stake, with a high-roller agent talking in your ear about what you should do at every step, you wouldn’t be so cavalier about it.

It’s easy for us to say this choice is “weak”, but we have nothing at stake. This is a college kid with a tricky road ahead of him, and either financial splendor or ruin ahead if he makes right or wrong choices.

So let’s cut the kid some slack. And certainly wish him better than all the naysayers here are doing.

By: skinsrock

skinsrock — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:34:46 +0000

All the NFL has to do is stop showing up at these pro days, then all the QB’s will fall in line & throw at the combine.

By: chattanola

chattanola — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:17:13 +0000

If Matt has made this decision because his shoulder isn’t 100% then why wouldn’t he just come out and say so. It’s a built-in, bonafide reason.

If his agent and family are concerned about his showing, opting out is an overly-cautious move and is very telling.

By: psilenttype

psilenttype — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:33:09 +0000

He already hurt his draft stock by enrolling again instead of opting for NFL…. I think he learned his lesson, he is not as good as he thought!

By: ialwayswantedtobeabanker

ialwayswantedtobeabanker — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:26:53 +0000

If I’m a scout, I’d rather see a kid brimming with confidence in himself demanding to throw, rather than cowering from the pressure out of an obvious concern for failure on the stage – especially a player not even close to being assured of being THE top pick, let alone a high pick at all.

In addition, defensive game plans in the NFL aren’t tightly scripted – the whole idea is to confuse, bait and overwhelm offenses (especially QBs). So the fact Barkley sought out the safer “dumbed down” option would be alarming – particularly after his commentary showing he recognizes this as “the biggest test of his life.”

It bears some similarity to Matt Leinart balking at the NFL challenge when he could have been the top pick — in order to spend a year taking a whopping total of THREE credits, where he opted for Ballroom dancing. Though to differing degrees, both appear to be indicia of athletes shrinking away from NFL-caliber challenges, not to mention conducting themselves in a me-first fashion, putting their own needs above the NFL scouts, coaches, teams, etc.

Not good. I think Barkley has already gone a long way toward failing the “biggest test of his life.”

P.S. If he thinks he’s going to be top 10 pick, he’s insane. And contrary to what Barkley may think, he had a lot to gain. Even before this development, my take is Barkley will not succeed on Sundays.

By: stealthjunk

stealthjunk — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:26:48 +0000

Sounds to me like Barkley just “passed” the biggest test of his life. Congrats, Matt!

By: dawglb

dawglb — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:26:11 +0000

The kid has the work ethic of a leaf (not Ryan, just a leaf).

By: cshearing

cshearing — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:25:18 +0000

Maybe the Jets can draft him to back-up The Sanchize. We can only dream.

By: cmstrick

cmstrick — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:11:27 +0000

Why aren’t quarterbacks REQUIRED to throw at the combine? That’s why they’re there. That’s why they were invited.

Oh, you don’t want to risk having a bad day while people are watching? OK, then. Stay home. We’ll give your invitation to someone else. Maybe we can find a running back who not afraid to, you know, run.

By: packerman1968

packerman1968 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:55:14 +0000

Should have came out early.

I do not blame any athlete for grabbing the cash while their star is shining the brightest.

By: rbanks51

rbanks51 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:40:27 +0000

Maybe his shoulder isn’t 100% yet?

Nah, lets just assume a 4 year starter at a major university isn’t confident in his abilities.

By: ronniemundsmambo

ronniemundsmambo — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:40:04 +0000

Jack Aroot used “Underwear Olympics” in SiriusXM NFL Radio last night on his show but didn’t credit you.

By: mazblast

mazblast — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:32:02 +0000

Barkley and his agents are trying something new. Instead of the usual for USC quarterbacks, they’re starting the prospect-suspect-reject progression BEFORE the draft.

By: andymannfl

andymannfl — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:31:41 +0000

“But the agent-driven decision apparently reflects a conclusion that Barkley has nothing to gain and plenty to lose by throwing passes to receivers he doesn’t know in an unfamiliar setting”

Yeah, against receivers running the most basic of routes, with no defenders on the field in a dome stadium. That sounds verrrrry intimidating. I’m sure many prospective teams want to hand the keys of the franchise over to a guy that is scared – I mean just say it for what it is – to look bad at the combine. The coddling by these agents is priceless.

By: vikings1976

vikings1976 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:28:32 +0000

“you want to see me throw, come to my pro day. Not at some farm and livestock show” I like it.

By: hockeyfan28

hockeyfan28 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:20:42 +0000

Not a surprise the book on him is he has a lollipop arm similar to Leinart why get shown up by other qb’s at the combine when he can just wait for a USC pro day and get someone like Trent differ or whoever to pump him up as the second coming…get a team to draft him high… and watch as that team needs to draft a qb again in two years.

By: birdbrainsnj

birdbrainsnj — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:16:05 +0000

This guy has limited arm strength when healthy. Anyone who touches this guy before the 3rd is nuts. I’ve never been impressed with anything about this guy. Guaranteed bust.

By: ccjcsr

ccjcsr — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:14:46 +0000

Who cares, he’ll be a perennial clipboard holder!

By: raiderufan

raiderufan — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:10:50 +0000

Or maybe his arm still isn’t 100%? It wasn’t 6 weeks ago and I doubt it’s pro day ready right now. Of course they’d rather play it out like the setting isn’t optimal…Better than admitting your moneymaker isn’t working.

By: madtownthrowdown

madtownthrowdown — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:09:24 +0000

USC isn’t exactly where I want to draft my teams QB out of. Lets see here. Sanchez, Palmer, Cassell, John David Booty (future knuckleballer?), and Leinart , man I think you may have to go all the way back to Rodney Peete to find a good QB that came out of there. Heck what am I saying. Rodney Peete was only good on Tecmo Bowl (Nintendo NES).

By: chattanola

chattanola — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:05:40 +0000

These young athletes, no doubt on the advice of a greedy agent, are becoming cowardly. Last season he showed what he is capable of in terms of skill and clutch play. The courage to show up and just go for it would be an indication of confidence–a great “intangible” to have.

Just go for it Matt. You were a Heisman hopeful before you got hurt and your talent did not disintegrate when you got injured.

By: spunjmunke

spunjmunke — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:02:31 +0000

He doesn’t have the balls to throw because then people would finally see how close to a bust he really is…just like pretty much every other big name USC QB to enter the draft in the past 20 years.

By: tbtrojan

tbtrojan — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:58:39 +0000

The other ex USC QBs of the NFL welcome you to Bustsville, Mr Barkley.
We hear you took the route down Choked in Every High Pressure Situation as Trojans QB Avenue, sure is an over rated route to take to the NFL.
I hope you enjoyed peaking in highschool.

By: lololnpnp

lololnpnp — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:52:30 +0000

Dude stunk in college this year and will stink in the NFL.

By: NoobTubeTV

NoobTubeTV — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:46:54 +0000

Then why show up? No team wants you for your blazing speed.

By: herlies

herlies — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:44:00 +0000

Weak.

By: fuglyflorio

fuglyflorio — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:26:12 +0000

Huge red flag. A decision that will cost him millions. Then again, if he can’t make all the throws then it’s a smart move. Grab that rookie deal and retire on it.