Posted on 03/12/2017 2:49:37 PM PDT by bigdaddy45
The football world was deeply divided 19 years ago when the Indianapolis Colts were deciding whether to use the No. 1 draft pick in the NFL draft on Tennessees Peyton Manning or Washington States Ryan Leaf. There were respected evaluators on both sides of the argument.
The Colts chose Manning, launching a Hall of Fame-caliber career that included five most-valuable-player awards and Super Bowl victories with Indianapolis and Denver.
Leaf was the No. 2 pick by San Diego one spot ahead of future Hall of Fame defensive back Charles Woodson and essentially flamed out in his rookie season, although he lasted four more years in the league.
What followed for Leaf was addiction to painkillers, a suicide attempt, imprisonment and, ultimately, a dramatic change that probably saved his life. Hes now the program ambassador for Transcend Recovery Community, a sober-living environment with nine homes in the Los Angeles, New York and Houston areas.
Sitting in an office in West Los Angeles on Wednesday, Leaf talked via Skype to students from a high school baseball team in Texas, some of whom had gotten in trouble with drugs and alcohol. He told the students his cautionary tale, just as he has to many other young people around the country. The group was so transfixed and motionless during his half-hour talk, it was as if the laptop screen had frozen.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Vince Young and JaMarcus Russell are bigger busts in my opinion. It is just Ryan Leaf set the standard for all future busts to compared to.
Yep, Chicago Tribune has done that to me too. I never visit that website anymore.
[Even with all this support it is rare to see a success. It’s like watching a constant train wreck in slow motion It is sad because we do become very fond of them and are always praying for them and hoping they will succeed. Few do.]
That’s because recovery comes from within. I had to learn that the hard way with an ex-girlfriend who put me through the ringer with her drinking.
The second time I had her put in jail she woke up and is now sober for more than 6 years and leading a productive life.
I stay at arms length from her now and I also learned a lot about myself during the insanity. I learned that you will never “make” someone seek treatment unless they are willing themselves. Also you need to establish boundaries with everyone you meet in your life including family.
I’ll never think about addiction the same way again.
[Ive found that as I quickly approach 50, peace in life is VASTLY underrated.
Enjoyed mayhem in the younger years.
Now peace is a great thing.]
AMEN taxi man.
I’m 4 years into my peace.
Now even Foxnews is asking me to turn off my ad blocker. I wonder how long it will be before I can no longer access their website because I use Adblock?
Now even Foxnews is asking me to turn off my ad blocker. I wonder how long it will be before I can no longer access their website because I use Adblock?
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