Watching the Leaf E:60 special right now

[Flatlandcoug]

Watching the Ryan Leaf special on ESPN right now. It's great to see that he's saying the right things and owning his mistakes. I'm worried for him because his eyes tell me that he's still in a dangerous place right now. I wish him the best as he continues his journey through life.

 

[79COUG]

I enjoyed it too. Thought it was done without pulling any punches.
As far as Ryan's sobriety goes, I only wish him the best.

 

[ATLcoug10]

It was well done. Good to see a reputable face like Tom Rinaldi doing the piece. Leaf admitting to a suicide attempt was my primary takeaway and the one piece of info I had not come across previously.

A few news stories were left out of the segment - be it intentional or not - but it was clear they could not saturate it with all negative anecdotes if shooting for optimism in the end. I'm rooting for Ryan as much as anyone. While he is saying and doing all of the right things, it does also resemble his previous path to self-improvement. Hopefully he sees this all the way through.

Admittedly, by the end it was great seeing Ryan smiling with a Coug cap atop of his head.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

What I appreciated the most about the show was that they took a bad situation, presented it fairly and didn't make an attempt to make Ryan look bad (or unusually good). Too often, the media decides to paint someone as a hero or a villain. This show does a good job of staying in the middle and just telling his story. I agree that the Coug gear with a smile was great to see. Even in his down moments, he's always stayed true to WSU.

 

[YakiCoug]

What I appreciated the most about the show was that they took a bad situation, presented it fairly and didn't make an attempt to make Ryan look bad (or unusually good). Too often, the media decides to paint someone as a hero or a villain. This show does a good job of staying in the middle and just telling his story. I agree that the Coug gear with a smile was great to see. Even in his down moments, he's always stayed true to WSU.

The high rate of recidivism with painkillers and other highly addictive drugs (meth) gives me pause regarding Leaf's future. It's likely he will stumble again. I try to stay clear of threads on his "progress," but I thought I'd throw in this perspective now.

 

[fingerdisco]

It's a shame he wasn't as mentally mature as he was physically coming out of WSU--it would have been fun watching him and Peyton going head-to-head over their careers in the NFL ala Marino-Montana.

 

[kayak15]

Watched this yesterday for the first time. For those who have not, there is a link on brand y. As others have noted, it was very well done and evenly presented. Wishing Ryan the best but, as Yaki mentioned, he has a hard and long row to hoe.

 

[Cougsocal]

The high rate of recidivism with painkillers and other highly addictive drugs (meth) gives me pause regarding Leaf's future. It's likely he will stumble again. I try to stay clear of threads on his "progress," but I thought I'd throw in this perspective now.

Drugs appear be Ryan's effort at self medicating his emotional distress. I hope they are working on his underlying emotional issues, or a relapse is almost a certainty. We all know people whose personalities make them difficult to like. Ryan needs to embrace it, and just focus being productive/successful in what ever pursuit he chooses. Not everybody is cut out to be everyone's friend... John Chaplin for example. He accepted it and was very successful despite the prickliness.

 

[LoveJeffersonFanClub]

I was driving to Portland on Friday and caught the 2nd half of an interview on a local Portland radio station. According to Leaf the E60 didn't come out as he hoped but he wasn't mad about and didn't seem to say they made him look bad but I missed the beginning of the interview to find out why. He also talked about addiction as a disease and the need for mental health help. He said he sees a counselor. It was a good interview and wish I would have caught the beginning.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Watching the Ryan Leaf special on ESPN right now. It's great to see that he's saying the right things and owning his mistakes. I'm worried for him because his eyes tell me that he's still in a dangerous place right now. I wish him the best as he continues his journey through life.

I still am scratching my head at the sudden rush of Leaf in the news - he has a hell of an agent or publicist.

I mean, if we are being completely honest, he was a good/ great college quarterback and a complete washout in the NFL - that usually doesn't warrant a round on the talk show circuit, E:60 specials, etc., especially since his only contribution to society since WSU has been to clean up his act (hopefully.) Yes, I am aware of his foundation, but those things come and go and his is very new.

I'm not hating on the guy - he's one of my all time favorite Cougs and I wish him the best, its just... doesn't all this Leaf love seem to be coming from left field? Something isn't passing the smell test to me - something else is brewing, like maybe an on air position or some such thing hence the attention/ redemption story.

 

[Coug95man2]

I still am scratching my head at the sudden rush of Leaf in the news - he has a hell of an agent or publicist.

I mean, if we are being completely honest, he was a good/ great college quarterback and a complete washout in the NFL - that usually doesn't warrant a round on the talk show circuit, E:60 specials, etc., especially since his only contribution to society since WSU has been to clean up his act (hopefully.) Yes, I am aware of his foundation, but those things come and go and his is very new.

I'm not hating on the guy - he's one of my all time favorite Cougs and I wish him the best, its just... doesn't all this Leaf love seem to be coming from left field? Something isn't passing the smell test to me - something else is brewing, like maybe an on air position or some such thing hence the attention/ redemption story.

lol. You read my mind. You've outlined the long hand for PR. Not a hating thing but something is coming and set up and this is just setting the table, OR he's lobbying for something and his agent is pushing hard. Good call, BCG.

 

[CougEd]

I still am scratching my head at the sudden rush of Leaf in the news - he has a hell of an agent or publicist.

I mean, if we are being completely honest, he was a good/ great college quarterback and a complete washout in the NFL - that usually doesn't warrant a round on the talk show circuit, E:60 specials, etc., especially since his only contribution to society since WSU has been to clean up his act (hopefully.) Yes, I am aware of his foundation, but those things come and go and his is very new.

I'm not hating on the guy - he's one of my all time favorite Cougs and I wish him the best, its just... doesn't all this Leaf love seem to be coming from left field? Something isn't passing the smell test to me - something else is brewing, like maybe an on air position or some such thing hence the attention/ redemption story.

Why not?

1) He is considered the biggest bust in the NFL.
2) The Qb he was rated ahead in some circles just retired at the end of 2015
3) He went from making millions to living in a jail
4) He battles a huge demon, one that many do not come back from and stay sober.

So the story has drugs, money, criminal behavior, jail, a job only 31 other players had, was a millionaire and probably set for life, hit a bottom, went to jail and now lives to tell his story. Only thing it doesn't have is sex.

 

[dgibbons]

lol. You read my mind. You've outlined the long hand for PR. Not a hating thing but something is coming and set up and this is just setting the table, OR he's lobbying for something and his agent is pushing hard. Good call, BCG.

It was mentioned briefly in the show- he's doing it to raise awareness for the center he works for. He's an ambassador.

Yes it is, PR but not really for Leaf.

 

[Coug95man2]

It was mentioned briefly in the show- he's doing it to raise awareness for the center he works for. He's an ambassador.

Yes it is, PR but not really for Leaf.

I get that aspect. He's been very open about that. But there's a lot of current players and those with a lot more "fame" that have foundations and goodwill movements that don't get this kind of exposure. I think it's great he's moving forward with his life, I think it's great that he is shedding light on this issue. But something beyond this is afoot. And good for him, if there is. Good for him, if there isn't and it's just PR for that specific foundation or center.

Just sayin'... I see gears moving in the background.

 

[LoveJeffersonFanClub]

Only thing it doesn't have is sex.

They alluded to it, he is expecting a child soon.