Ryan Leaf's Self-Indicting Book Won't Alter Public's Perception of Draft Bust

Ryan Leaf's book, 596 Switch, is a futile attempt by Leaf to either cash in on his past failures, appeal to the general public or remain relevant.

Regardless of his motives, Leaf will go down as the biggest bust of all time, and there is nothing he can do at this point to appeal to the masses of the sports world.

This isn't a book like Open, by Andre Agassi.

Agassi had a following. He admitted to doing hardcore drugs, spoke of his failed relationships and even said he hated tennis at times.

The difference with Leaf's book is that he has no fans. Nobody is in his corner, and his accomplishments at Washington State are overshadowed by his train wreck of a career and life.

So, what makes Leaf a bigger bust than JaMarcus Russell and other notable busts?

Peyton Manning does.

Even though Leaf went after Manning in the 1998 NFL draft, the two are connected. The Leaf-or-Manning debate prior to the draft and the fact that they came out in the same class forces people to think of Manning (one of the best players to ever step foot on a field) whenever Leaf is mentioned.

Leaf bounced around to four teams before finally getting ousted from the league after four short seasons. His classic tirades and immature attitude coming into the league are certainly a tale worth mentioning.

His off-the-field failures are equally intriguing.

Leaf's resignation as a volunteer coach at West Texas A&M and his substance abuse issues are provocative topics for a book. Even so, anyone who thinks readers are going to pick up the book thinking Leaf is the biggest bust of all time and walk away thinking otherwise is sorely mistaken.

It doesn't matter how it happened. The fact of the matter is, it happened. Even as an adult, he's proven he lacks maturity and has a serious shortage of coping skills.

Is it going to be an interesting read? Sure.

Is it going to make anyone believe Leaf is anything more than a washed-up athlete who couldn't hack it? Absolutely not.