Ryan Leaf Used To Be Carried In The Arms Of Cheerleaders (Update)

When we last heard from Ryan Leaf, he was taking a leave of absence from his West Texas A & M coaching job for some "personal" issues. I guess he sorted those out.

According to the reader who sent us this extremely enjoyable photograph, this was taken this past weekend in Missoula, Montana(This was actually taken in January of 2008.) Leaf, born in Great Falls and a C.M. Russell High School legend, obviously enjoyed his homecoming. Look at the expression on his face — does that look like a man haunted by inner turmoil? Not at all. His hand gestures let everyone know where the party is at, as if you couldn't tell by his unbuttoned stripey and tousled hair. And I love the way he's balanced out the obviousness of the Live Strong bracelet with that weird Blair Witch-inspired necklace. We all bleed if we get too close to Ryan Leaf's edge.

He could be drunk, taking some time to decompress back home where people won't judge him, bracing for April and the inevitable "Who Will Fail As Mightily As Ryan Leaf?" columns leading up to the NFL Draft. Or he could be oblivious to his own history of public failures and is just overcome with combustible joy — that he's still the new blue blood, he's the great white hope.

He won't fuck us over.

***** Thank you for your continued support of Deadspin. Oh, and The National.