It looks kinda touching, I think. The filmmaker, Tim Carr (no relation to David), has a myspace page where he gives out a little bit more information about his movie. I have a feeling this is going to be a sleeper hit.
Ryan Leaf the Movie: Comedy or Tragedy?
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12/18/2006 11:02 AM ET By Michael David Smith
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- Michael David Smith
- Michael David Smith is FanHouse's Lead Blogger
This hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, but Mike Tanier wrote a great piece at Football Outsiders about the upcoming film Leaf: An Almost True Story. It really is, honest to goodness, a movie about the life and times of Ryan Leaf. Here's the trailer:
It looks kinda touching, I think. The filmmaker, Tim Carr (no relation to David), has a myspace page where he gives out a little bit more information about his movie. I have a feeling this is going to be a sleeper hit.
It looks kinda touching, I think. The filmmaker, Tim Carr (no relation to David), has a myspace page where he gives out a little bit more information about his movie. I have a feeling this is going to be a sleeper hit.
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iT'S NOT WHETHER YOU LIKE THE GUY OR HATE THE GUY, I KNOW MOST PEOPLE HATE HIM. WHY DO THEY HATE HIM? MAINLY BECAUSE HE WAS A BUST IN THE NFL. IT IS STILL A STORY TO BE TOLD, I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHER STORIES. HOW MANY PLAYERS NEVER MAKE IT AT THE NEXT LEVEL - LOTS AND LOTS! WHETHER IT'S FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE OR COLLEGE TO THE NFL, THERE ARE MANY SUPER STARS AT THE PREVIOUS LEVEL THAT NEVER EXCEL IN THE NEXT LEVEL. WHY DO WE JUDGE PEOPLE AS HUMANS BASED ON THEIR FOOTBALL ABILITY? IS IT FAIR? I FOR ONE DON'T THINK SO. OK YOU CAN TALK ABOUT HIS ATTITUDE - BUT HERE HE WAS A QB WHO HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL THRUST INTO THE LIMELIGHT BY THE MEDIA. EXPECTATIONS RAN HIGH, AND WHEN HE FAILED IN THE NFL CRITICISMS FLEW NOT ONLY OF HIS PLAYING SKILLS BUT OF HIS CHARACTER. DID HE ASK FOR ALL THIS PRESSURE, ALL THE LIMELIGHT, ALL THE ATTENTION? I THINK NOT - IT WAS PLACED UPON HIM. WHEN HE DIDN'T PERFORM AS EXPECTED HE WAS LABELED A FAILURE. DOES ANYONE READING THIS REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN YOUNG QB'S IN THE NFL WERE BROUGHT INTO TEAMS AND WOULD SIT FOR YEARS WHILE THEY SEASONED BEHIND VETERAN QB'S? THIS RELEIVED MUCH PRESSURE ON YOUNG QB'S AND WAS COMMON IN THE NFL FOR A LONG TIME. BUT NOW WITH FAT CONTRACTS BEING HANDED OUT, AND HE NO DOUBT GOT A FAT CONTRACT, THESE YOUNG PLAYERS ARE EXPECTED TO PERFORM IMMEDIATELY - THERE IS NO TIME TO DEVELOP THEM LIKE THEY DID IN THE PAST, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO PERFORM RIGHT AWAY WITH THAT FAT CONTRACT - MORE THAN ANY OTHER POSITION THIS HAS HURT ROOKIE QB'S IN THE NFL. IF I WERE A GREAT COLLEGE QB, I'D RATHER BE DRAFTED IN THE 5TH ROUND WHERE EXPECTATIONS AND SALARY GIVES ME TIME TO GROW - AND THE MONEY STILL ISN'T BAD!!!! TAKES OFF A LOT OF THE PRESSURE AND EXPECTATIONS. THE MEDIA AND EVERYONES EXPECTATIONS SET RYAN LEAF UP FOR FAILURE. IT IS TRUE SOME ROOKIE QB'S PERFORM WELL IMMEDIATELY, BUT SO MANY OTHERS COULD BENEFIT FROM EXPERIENCE PLAYING BEHIND TESTED EXPERIENCED VETERAN QB'S.
At least he made a few bucks. At least he put Michigan on the map.
I would take Leaf over Manning. In the playoffs
He was from Washington State, probably didn't put Michigan on any map; MU has been on a few college football maps anyway.
Leaf was an enigma, self destructed. Maybe no one sat him down and explained it to him-his coaches, his father, anyone.
Didn't seem like he really had the tools, anyway.
I agree with seasoning a rookie QB, it's impossible to go from college to NFL QB.
Dear Bret Mathers (AKA Ryan Leaf--I didn't know you read this site!)
1) Ryan Leaf did ask for the limelight. If you're seeking a career in professional sports, you're asking to be on national television on a regular basis. Also, I didn't hear him say "no" when they asked to put him on the cover of sports illustrated.
2) Plenty of players fail on the professional level, but none of them have movies. This is because none of them acted like the whining little punk that Leaf did. None of them blamed their teammates for their failures. He pointed the finger at everyone but himself.
3) Manning struggled plenty his rookie season. He didn't complain or point fingers. He got better.
4) Plenty of teams don't rush in their starters (see: Carson Palmer). Leaf would have sucked if they gave him 3 days or 3 years. He just wasn't good, and COULDN'T handle ANY pressure.
5) If you can't handle growing pains of being an immediate starter, get your degree and remove yourself from draft eligibility. NFL clubs don't want little girls who want to be drafted on day 2. They want winners who want the ball. If you don't want the ball, you'll never amount to anything.
What was the quote from the Rock? "Don't try. Losers try. Winners go home and f#$k the prom queen."
Kevin Gilbride was Ryan Leafs head coach and now hes Eli Mannings QB coach not to mention he was also Kordell Stewarts offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh.It makes ya think doesnt it? A long resume of failure doesnt lie.