Ryan Leaf: Not exactly a brain surgeon

washington state university guy. what can you expect?

 

I wonder if he'd be up for an interview?

 

KNOCK IT OFF!!!!!

 

As a Coug alum who was on campus during the 1997 football season, I've always rooted for Ryan Leaf because he led my alma mater to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 67 years. He's made it hard sometimes, to be sure. Like Homecoming 1998, when he allegedly declared in a Pullman bar "I can buy all of you!" Then there was the NFL career busting, especially the infamous locker room tirade as a Charger. The drug arrest in Texas a few years back didn't help matters, either.
I've met Ryan twice and came away impressed both times, including earlier this month. In 2005 I was covering the Oregon at WAZZU game, with Ryan's younger bro Brady playing for the Ducks. I saw Ryan early in the game but didn't want to interview him because I knew of his reputation of being a you-know-what. But I talked to him late in the game and was blown away by how nice he was.
That encounter, plus his recent willingness to own up to past mistakes, led me to believe he had truly learned his lessons and changed. The stories I've been seeing this weekend make it seem like his addictions simply couldn't be overcome. I'm disappointed and a bit mad, but mostly I'm sad. I truly thought he would fully overcome his past problems but he didn't.
I remember when he declared he was going pro a year early. Everyone knew he wasn't ready mentally, but 16 of 22 starters of that 1998 Rose Bowl team were not returning for the 1998 season, so it was no surprise. His stock would plummet if he stayed in Pullman one more year when he wouldn't have a good team around him. To go from such a high potential to what happened this weekend saddens me.

 

Arrested again for burglary.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-ryanleaf-arrest

Please get this man a reality show.

 

Arrested twice in four days is a pretty sad feat.

If he can't get his fix he will burglarize another place and get arrested again.

 

As I said elsewhere today, it used to be much easier to plan a defense for Ryan Leaf.

 

His addictions may have changed this considerably, but I had always heard that Leaf kept just about every dime he ever got from the Chargers so he really was set for life.

 

He just signed a three-book deal a year or so ago. He must be having a hard time finding his drugs.

 

Seriously?

That would be three more books than he's read, I'd guess.

 

http://seattle.sbnation.com/washington-st-cougars/2010/12/21/1890834/ryan-leaf-books-washington-state-cougars

At least he's got something to write about the third act, if he doesn't kill himself first.

 

He doesn't seem to be going after money or valuables, just painkillers.