Stars enrich Leinart's charity cause
Paola Boivin
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 13, 2007 07:32 PM
HOLLYWOOD -- As Maria Sharapova flips her blond hair and laughs at a friend's joke, Terrell Owens winces about his failure to pick up a 7-10 split. To his left, Sex and the City's naughty nice girl, Kristin Davis, applauds as Shawn Marion's tipsy 10-pin finally concedes. Spare!
When stars align this way, with actors and athletes debating Grey Goose and gutter balls, it's not surprising to know that Matt Leinart is in the room. What's important about this night is that it is a kickoff event for the Cardinals quarterback's charitable group, the Matt Leinart Foundation.
Leinart's star power has fueled fascination and debate. It also has triggered endorsement opportunities and frustration. (Some believe his Hollywood tag hurt him in the draft). For all the grief Leinart takes for his friendships with celebrities, it's only fair that he be applauded for capitalizing on the relationships in a philanthropic way.
"This is something I've wanted to do since I was young," Leinart said Thursday night at his Bowling With the Stars event at Lucky Strike Lanes on Hollywood Boulevard. "I'm in a position where I can help kids, and I'm excited about what the foundation can do."
Leinart's popularity is a product of growing up a telegenic athlete in a star-studded market, but it's also because enough down-to-earth nature remains in his ever-scrutinized personality.
Tennis standout Andy Roddick met Leinart at the ESPY Awards several years ago, and the pair have stayed friends.
"It's been easy," Roddick said. "He's an easy guy to like. And I like that he's using his influence to make a positive difference. You see so much negativity among sports stars."
Roddick came even though he knew it would become clear his athletic gifts don't extend to all sports.
"My bowling is horrible," he said. "Horrendous. I'll be lucky if I bowl my waist size."
He wasn't kidding.
Much of the money Leinart raises through his foundation will benefit Arizona charities. He has committed $500,000 toward Banner Children's Hospital. Among his goals is to start Matt's Magic Moments, which will grant wishes to terminally ill children, said Leinart's brother, Ryan, who heads the foundation.
For a first event, Thursday's turnout was impressive, considering it cost $25,000 to "buy" a lane for the evening and $1,000 for an individual ticket.
The organization is important to Leinart. Ask Marion, who became friends with the quarterback after the Cardinals drafted him last year.
"He asked if I could come, and then made sure and followed up a few times, too," the Suns forward said, laughing.
It was a rare summer sighting of Marion, who has remained under the radar during off-season trade talk that frequently featured his name.
He wanted to focus talk on Leinart's charity, but he did give a thumb's up to the free-agent signing of Grant Hill.
"It's a good pick-up for us," he said.
Leinart's approachable nature will benefit events like these. It lured the enigmatic Owens.
Also participating in Thursday night's event was American Idol finalist Elliott Yamin. Leinart had befriended Yamin one evening when Leinart was a guest of the Los Angeles Lakers in owner Jerry Buss' suite.,
"We've kept in touch," Yamin said. "He's a hard guy not to like, a guy people are attracted to. It was one of those things . . . I was glad to be here. It's a great cause."
Cardinals running back Edgerrin James also made the trek to Leinart's event.
"He's my quarterback," James said. "I always tell him he's going to send me into the Hall of Fame the right way."
You have to like an event that can lure Henry Winkler, Reggie Bush, Stacey Keibler, Shawne Merriman and Nick Lachey to the same room.
And you have to like that Leinart is using his star power in a positive way.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0713boivin0714.html
Paola Boivin
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 13, 2007 07:32 PM
HOLLYWOOD -- As Maria Sharapova flips her blond hair and laughs at a friend's joke, Terrell Owens winces about his failure to pick up a 7-10 split. To his left, Sex and the City's naughty nice girl, Kristin Davis, applauds as Shawn Marion's tipsy 10-pin finally concedes. Spare!
When stars align this way, with actors and athletes debating Grey Goose and gutter balls, it's not surprising to know that Matt Leinart is in the room. What's important about this night is that it is a kickoff event for the Cardinals quarterback's charitable group, the Matt Leinart Foundation.
Leinart's star power has fueled fascination and debate. It also has triggered endorsement opportunities and frustration. (Some believe his Hollywood tag hurt him in the draft). For all the grief Leinart takes for his friendships with celebrities, it's only fair that he be applauded for capitalizing on the relationships in a philanthropic way.
"This is something I've wanted to do since I was young," Leinart said Thursday night at his Bowling With the Stars event at Lucky Strike Lanes on Hollywood Boulevard. "I'm in a position where I can help kids, and I'm excited about what the foundation can do."
Leinart's popularity is a product of growing up a telegenic athlete in a star-studded market, but it's also because enough down-to-earth nature remains in his ever-scrutinized personality.
Tennis standout Andy Roddick met Leinart at the ESPY Awards several years ago, and the pair have stayed friends.
"It's been easy," Roddick said. "He's an easy guy to like. And I like that he's using his influence to make a positive difference. You see so much negativity among sports stars."
Roddick came even though he knew it would become clear his athletic gifts don't extend to all sports.
"My bowling is horrible," he said. "Horrendous. I'll be lucky if I bowl my waist size."
He wasn't kidding.
Much of the money Leinart raises through his foundation will benefit Arizona charities. He has committed $500,000 toward Banner Children's Hospital. Among his goals is to start Matt's Magic Moments, which will grant wishes to terminally ill children, said Leinart's brother, Ryan, who heads the foundation.
For a first event, Thursday's turnout was impressive, considering it cost $25,000 to "buy" a lane for the evening and $1,000 for an individual ticket.
The organization is important to Leinart. Ask Marion, who became friends with the quarterback after the Cardinals drafted him last year.
"He asked if I could come, and then made sure and followed up a few times, too," the Suns forward said, laughing.
It was a rare summer sighting of Marion, who has remained under the radar during off-season trade talk that frequently featured his name.
He wanted to focus talk on Leinart's charity, but he did give a thumb's up to the free-agent signing of Grant Hill.
"It's a good pick-up for us," he said.
Leinart's approachable nature will benefit events like these. It lured the enigmatic Owens.
Also participating in Thursday night's event was American Idol finalist Elliott Yamin. Leinart had befriended Yamin one evening when Leinart was a guest of the Los Angeles Lakers in owner Jerry Buss' suite.,
"We've kept in touch," Yamin said. "He's a hard guy not to like, a guy people are attracted to. It was one of those things . . . I was glad to be here. It's a great cause."
Cardinals running back Edgerrin James also made the trek to Leinart's event.
"He's my quarterback," James said. "I always tell him he's going to send me into the Hall of Fame the right way."
You have to like an event that can lure Henry Winkler, Reggie Bush, Stacey Keibler, Shawne Merriman and Nick Lachey to the same room.
And you have to like that Leinart is using his star power in a positive way.
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http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0713boivin0714.html
