Ricky Williams

[Philuva]

I agree with Homer and Daryn. If some guy sells his company for millions at 28 and retires to travel the world, everyone is amazed and thinks that is so cool. Why is it different for a football player?

If he was sick of playing, good for him. Hope he invest wisely and is set for the rest of his life.

[WC64]

Well this opens up the running back spot for Edgerran James to go to the Dolphins next year.

I used to work with his little brother and he also told me that Edge wanted to play somewhere warmer and would love to play for Miami since he is from there. When they got Ricky Williams I didnt see that happening but now it could. I expect him to have a big year this year too.

[adios]

Supposedly Williams wants the freedom to smoke marijuana as well as interested in preserving his health. My take is the same as others, if he's got a lot of money why not?

[Oski]

I think the guy can do what he wants. However, there is a right way to go about this choice and a wrong way.

R.W. is involved in a team sport, and he is the focal component in the offense. The other 52 guys on his team have chosen to make football their livlihood, and the whole organization (obviously) is in business to win games, attract fans, and turn a profit.

The fact the whole organization was relying on R.W. was no mystery, especially to R.W. Long after the team can properly address the absence of its best player, R.W. ups and quits. This has left all his teammates and the organization in the lurch.

With that being said, I certainly cannot advocate somebody playing such a violent sport if their head is not into it ... as Ice Man would say, "That's dangerous." Furthermore, because R.W. plainly is not up to playing, he SHOULD NOT play, period. That is common sense, and it is his right.

The bottom line is that perhaps R.W. could have addressed his problems with football in a more timely fashion. The NFL buttered his bread, and when he chose to accept the buttered bread, he undertook certain obligations that are not associated with a "normal" job.

Therefore, although I respect his decision (and considering his mental state, it seems the only RIGHT decision) I respect that his teamates, organization and fans have a right to be bitter as well.

In the movie Dazed and Confused, "Pink" Floyd set the proper precedent ... he told his coach to shove it three months before camp then went off to buy Arrowsmith tickets. Pink made no bones about wanting to be a stoner, but he showed remarkable integrity in executing his choice ... Remarkable for such a young man.

[mikeyvegas]

[ QUOTE ]
Or maybe he realized he was wasting the prime years of his life playing a game he didn't love just to meet others expectations. It seems strange to most of us to see someone to walk away from fame and fortune, but it isn't the life for everyone.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, that's great and all but let's look at this guy's history. He starts off his pro career by letting Master P negotiate his contract, which could be argued as one of the worst rookie contracts ever. He then decides to do all of his post goame interviews while still wearing a helmet. He then is diagnosed with a social anxiety disorder, gets on his meds, drops master p, drops some pounds and becomes arguably one of the best RB's in the NFL. I heard that he then stops taking his meds, tested positve for Mary Jane (for the second time), and goes on tour with Lenny Kravitz where he decides he doesn't want the same life as Lenny. WTF! I guess he was going to be fined 4 game checks because of the pot incident which wasn't going to be much money since he's still working under his "Master P" contract. Also, if I remeber correctly I beleive the NFL has a 3 strike policy for drug use so he's next positive test would cost him a year. With all that said, I have no problem with what he's decided to do , because it in no way affects my life. But to quit on your team 6 days before you go to camp, I can see why some of his teammates are pissed.

[jwvdcw]

Yeah many people are missing this point...Its one thing to do it right after the season ends..Its another thing to do it right before training camp after all of the FA RBs have been signed by other teams, so that your team, whose coach has always relied upon a power running game, is left high and dry.

[Homer]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah many people are missing this point...Its one thing to do it right after the season ends..Its another thing to do it right before training camp after all of the FA RBs have been signed by other teams, so that your team, whose coach has always relied upon a power running game, is left high and dry.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, you guys have a point. As I said, I have no issue with him walking away from the game, but by doing so just before the start of training camp, he is letting a lot of people down.

-- Homer

[theBruiser500]

I don't know much about this situation but my take is... If he knew he was going to quit for a while and just carelessly didn't tell anyone than that is pretty classless. If he had an ephiphany suddenly - well, then he has to do what he has to do and I see nothing wrong with it.

[ArchAngel71857]

[ QUOTE ]
He's on Clarkmeister's team in our fantasy football league.

Na, na, na, na, na, na. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ha.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this a keeper league? or do you guys just draft way way early?

-AA

[J.A.Sucker]

Who cares about his teammates? The front office probably pissed him off, and frankly I can't blame him for just walking away. You can get cut by the organization with no warning, so why not turn the tables? It sucks for his teammates, but what's the difference between this and Ricky tearing his ACL in minicamp? Nothing. Get over it.

The Dolphins have been a pathetic excuse for a "decent" team for years. This will flush them securely down the toilet, where they belong.

Good for Ricky. I hope he enjoys his life, and as others have said, he still has his health. Most of these guys are practically in wheelchairs after being done. Was Ricky gonna win a Super Bowl with the Dolphins? Hell no. So, like I said, what's left for this guy? As Jim Brown once answered in an interview I saw, "Why did I leave? It's just a game! I had many more important things to do." I suspect that Ricky feels the same way. Even if he doesn't, who cares; it's just a game.