Matt Cassel deserves $63 million and more
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Congratulations to Matt Cassel, the former Chatsworth High and USC quarterback who just signed a $63-million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
No one deserves to be recognized more as one of the best in his profession than Cassel, who’s always believed in himself and never let setbacks or being second string prevent him from success.
I met him when he was 12 and one of the top players for the Northridge team that made it to the Little League World Series in 1994. He was the team’s most charismatic talker, humorous, outgoing, friendly but classy and respectful.
He always enjoyed having fun. I thought baseball would be his sport, but he loved football. He was a standout at Chatsworth, went to USC and was stuck as the backup behind Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. He never stopped believing he could play quarterback, so when he went to the NFL and became a backup to Tom Brady, he waited for his turn.
His time has finally come, and he can thank his mother and older brothers for preparing him for the pressures and expectations ahead. He’ll perform to the best of his abilities, and he’ll have fun doing it, and there will be countless Cassel fans rooting for him because he’s one pro athlete who has truly paid his dues, put team ahead of individual and patiently waited for his chance to prove himself.
-- Eric Sondheimer