You are never your worst moment, nor your best. You are what you do with the sum total of all your moments. More than that, you are how you treat people, because that's what they'll remember about you.
Ryan Leaf learned that lesson- later than most, to be sure, but some folks never learn it at all. I'm glad he found the sweet spot and the peace that goes with it. 🙂
John, what a great article about Ryan Leaf. As a fellow Coug I have followed his ups and downs and have wish the best for him from afar. I’m glad he is in a good place…none of us are as bad as our worst day! Thanks
Your story on Ryan Leaf is a tribute to the human spirit , resilience and character. We never really know what our sports heroes go through, and we tend to forget they are human, just like the rest of us. Glad to hear Ryan is doing well in his second life.
I had a contract with the Montana State Fair for 30 years, a big 10 day event held in August. Ryan was a football hero and failed junkie. Nobody believe he would live long or survive. He was a front page crime spree. To witness him change is witnessing a true miracle. He gives hope to those who have lost it.
Poor Ryan Leaf. He was much ballyhooed in college (too much) and then flamed out quickly in the pros. His path was a lot like USC's Todd Marinovich, who was famous already in High School (I was made aware of him in his sophomore year in news stories) as his father basically tried to engineer a human into an NFL QB and controlled everything in his life (shades of Britney Spears). That NEVER works. All it does is destroy the human underneath all the gloss. I don't know if Leaf had the same family treatment, but the symptoms sure suggest that.
Reference to Junior Seau trying to help Leaf out is beyond ironic, considering the progression of his (roided) career and life.
Not sure if Seau used PEDs. From the reading I've done, there is no evidence. He died from CTE and no drugs were found in his system at the time of death.
That could be true. PEDs were suspected but maybe no evidence. I know the symptoms are similar between CTE and PED. Both impact the brain and cause rage and confusion.
Social media has, like most things these days/daze, has become an obsessive caricature of itself. The only “social media” I participate in is this group.
Life is better for me this way
Watched Ryan play, both in Seattle vs. the Huskies and at a couple of Coug home games. He was quite a QB talent
“As Leaf likes to say in his talks: ‘You are never your worst moment, you are the sum of all your parts.’ “
Some of us take a long time to acknowledge that - some still are learning and, unfortunately, some never get it. Social media makes it way too easy to convict without any sort of thought process
Thanks for another great piece John. Stories like Ryan Leaf’s are important because, as you said, they provide hope. And we all need a little of that from time to time!
Thank you for this, John.
You are never your worst moment, nor your best. You are what you do with the sum total of all your moments. More than that, you are how you treat people, because that's what they'll remember about you.
Ryan Leaf learned that lesson- later than most, to be sure, but some folks never learn it at all. I'm glad he found the sweet spot and the peace that goes with it. 🙂
Unfortunately some people never learn their lesson. Better late than never.
So happy for Ryan Leaf that he has turned his life around. Great article John. Proves that there is always hope.
John, what a great article about Ryan Leaf. As a fellow Coug I have followed his ups and downs and have wish the best for him from afar. I’m glad he is in a good place…none of us are as bad as our worst day! Thanks
Articles like this are why I continue to subscribe. Thank you for another article showing the human side of the sports world.
Well done, John. I root for Ryan Leaf, too.
Your story on Ryan Leaf is a tribute to the human spirit , resilience and character. We never really know what our sports heroes go through, and we tend to forget they are human, just like the rest of us. Glad to hear Ryan is doing well in his second life.
Great story John.
I had a contract with the Montana State Fair for 30 years, a big 10 day event held in August. Ryan was a football hero and failed junkie. Nobody believe he would live long or survive. He was a front page crime spree. To witness him change is witnessing a true miracle. He gives hope to those who have lost it.
Poor Ryan Leaf. He was much ballyhooed in college (too much) and then flamed out quickly in the pros. His path was a lot like USC's Todd Marinovich, who was famous already in High School (I was made aware of him in his sophomore year in news stories) as his father basically tried to engineer a human into an NFL QB and controlled everything in his life (shades of Britney Spears). That NEVER works. All it does is destroy the human underneath all the gloss. I don't know if Leaf had the same family treatment, but the symptoms sure suggest that.
Reference to Junior Seau trying to help Leaf out is beyond ironic, considering the progression of his (roided) career and life.
Not sure if Seau used PEDs. From the reading I've done, there is no evidence. He died from CTE and no drugs were found in his system at the time of death.
That could be true. PEDs were suspected but maybe no evidence. I know the symptoms are similar between CTE and PED. Both impact the brain and cause rage and confusion.
Social media has, like most things these days/daze, has become an obsessive caricature of itself. The only “social media” I participate in is this group.
Life is better for me this way
Watched Ryan play, both in Seattle vs. the Huskies and at a couple of Coug home games. He was quite a QB talent
“As Leaf likes to say in his talks: ‘You are never your worst moment, you are the sum of all your parts.’ “
Some of us take a long time to acknowledge that - some still are learning and, unfortunately, some never get it. Social media makes it way too easy to convict without any sort of thought process
Now, if I say “GO DAWGS”…
✌🏼
A study into hope and perseverance.
Thanks for another great piece John. Stories like Ryan Leaf’s are important because, as you said, they provide hope. And we all need a little of that from time to time!
So good ! Great life lessons with hope for a better way always ahead. So inspiring for so many others who suffer addictions.
Leaf was/is always a hot take. And I admire him.
Nice note on Ryan. KUTGW.
Thanks John. Made my Wednesday.
Thank you for another great article! Patrick Mulqueeney