I tell you something...I'd almost rather see Ryan Leaf telling his story of failure and redemption than to see him be a big time QB bragging about super models and deflated footballs. He is giving in the most essential way. I am very proud of him, and believe he only does more good things moving forward.
Leaf on Ellen
- Thread starter SideWaysDown
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if it holds, sure. though i feel like we've seen this movie before w/ leaf...
also, because we tend to (rightly) be sympathetic and understanding toward those with addiction issues, it can be easy to forget that many of leaf's (non-legal) problems have stemmed from the fact that he's an inveterate asshole.
Yes, we have seen this movie before. After publication of his book and during the publicity tour that new books entail. During that episode of expressed regret, he was accompanied by a publicity agent representing the publisher. Thus, his comments may have just been regurgitations of what he had been fed by the publicist or, maybe, it was sincere. Who knows? At least this time he is on his own without outside input or direction. So there is that and it may be significant or not. Like you and undoubtedly most of the others, I will give him the benefit of the doubt but cautiously so. If this isn't a replay of the same movie then it is at least a sequel of one that ended up a major flop. A generous dose of skepticism accompanied by a minor dash of optimism would be well advised.
His character problems may have been due to his immaturity during his time at WSU and San Diego. He referred to this in another interview by noting that while in Pullman the joke was that the difference between Ryan Leaf and God was that God didn't think that he was Ryan Leaf. So he at least recognizes his history of immature pomposity and shows a bit of honest humility to me in addressing the issue. Can't speak for the rest of the board but there are undoubtedly people who ran into me in my youth who still remember me as an "inveterate asshole". Time has long since pounded me down to the occasional pain in the ass status and possibly the same has happened to Leaf. Again, file this in the "wait and see" folder.
In another interview he mentioned that he has apologized in person to some of the media folks that he had treated so abysmally during his stint in San Diego. A hopeful sign of regret and maturity on his part. Again, wait and see.
An addict often has the best of intentions. Some manage to see it through. I hope that Ryan ends up being one of them.
He is on a long tough road and there will be many chances to detour. One hopes he makes good choices and decisions on his journey.
Yea, that Tom Brady. He's always going around bragging about deflated footballs and his supermodel wife. 
