Having your employer coming after 8 million dollars of your money can have that effect on you i guess. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1895704 NEW YORK -- Ricky Williams has asked the NFL for a hearing to clarify his playing status, a possible first step if the running back tries to return to the league. His request was first reported by ESPN's Hank Goldberg and later confirmed by an NFL spokesman who declined to comment further on the matter. Reached by phone, Williams' agent, Leigh Steinberg, also told Goldberg that the letter was sent to the league, saying that it was "the first step in Ricky showing interest in playing football again." Steinberg said Williams was seeking a definite answer from the league as to when he would be eligible to play. "Ricky has made his tour around the world and taken his time away," Steinberg said, "and now has realized that he has a real passion for football." The Miami Dolphins running back announced his retirement just before training camp. He subsequently was ordered by an arbitrator to repay more than $8.6 million to the team for breaching his contract. The NFL source said no date had been scheduled for the hearing. "This is an issue between the player, his representative and the league," Dolphins general manager Rick Spielman said. "Accordingly, we don't have a comment on the matter." Williams has given many reasons why he called Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt days before workouts were to begin in July to tell him he was quitting. At different times, Williams has expressed displeasure with his contract, an excessive workload and new offensive coordinator Chris Foerster. Williams has acknowledged testing positive for mar1juana three times, which means if he decides to return he could face a one-year suspension. Under league rules, a player in the NFL's drug program faces a suspension if he returns in the calendar year after he announces his retirement. If he returns after a year, he faces a lesser suspension. To retain his rights and potential trade value, the Dolphins would have to take Williams back if he decided to unretire. They could release him, which would make him a free agent. The Dolphins would not have to pay Williams for any time during which he was suspended. The award made to the Dolphins by arbitrator Richard Bloch involved bonus money included in the contract that ran through 2007. After mailing a letter to Williams asking him either to report or pay the money back, the team filed the request for arbitration. The Dolphins have started the season 0-4 and may be headed toward their first losing season since 1988. They have scored only two touchdowns in four games without Williams, who rushed for 3,225 in two seasons after being obtained in a trade with New Orleans. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
So, who needs a running back...and a good one. Ricky needs to pay of his debt. The dolphin really nailed him. How great would it be if he signed with the division rival like the Jets.
"Ricky has made his tour around the world and taken his time away," Steinberg said, "and now has realized that he has a real passion for football." i love it!
conversely, is there anyone who would wanna play on the same team as the dolphins right now? ricky is one weird dude (and flaky). you knew this couldn't be permanent. he now realizes he has a passion for football. more like a passion for not losing 8.6 million dollars.
He'll be a raider in 2005. Bring us back a contingency of scallywags... this current team is too full of softies.
I concur. As badly as we are this year there is no way he stays a Dolphin, the bridges have been burned. He will most likely have to sit out this year due to the failed drug tests and then be traded to the Raiders, for what I hope would be a 1st and 3rd round draft pick. Funny how all of a sudden he misses football....if he would have kept his mouth shut when he quit he wouldnt look like such an idiot trying to come back......pass the bong Ricky
I've seen mar1juana make a person go through the buffet line at Shoney's eight times in 20 minutes. I've seen mar1juana make a person sleep like a rock for 12 hours straight. I've never seen mar1juana turn a millionaire pro athlete into a peabrained dipsh*t. NOTE: Vernon Maxwell was a peabrained dipsh*t before he started firing snappers from the bong!
Uh, yeah. I don't think I'd want this fellow on my team. What a sham. And he's not too intelligent, either.
Who is to say that, if he comes back again, he won't change his mind again? I think all NFL teams should give him the cold shoulder. Let him go play in Canada or somewhere. He might be able to smoke and play in Canada. I think this boils down to he wanted an extended vacation, decided he has had enough vacation, and now wants to work again. The Dolphins reclaiming much of their money they gave him obviously had the effect of Ricky not feeling so comfortable with his finances. So, he can either really work for a living or play a game for a living. Ah...football isn't so bad after all eh Ricky? To bad you've already doomed the Dolphins season. They will probably take you back because they suck worse without you. They should give you hell, however, if you return. They should make you go through your own personal and hellish training camp.
I beg to differ SurfGuy. He was scared of people chastising him after returning from his mary jane rehab, and THEN he wanted to come back.
I have to agree. Had he retired immediately after the season, I could see him trying to make a comeback and people welcoming him with open arms. I can't see that happening now after he basically left the team and the organization left high and dry.
-He does have top 5 talent among RBs -The Fins are noted for having a terrible organization (GM, Coach) in terms of player relations. -Lots of other athletes go through this yet still contribute to future teams. (Bison Dele anyone?) -Do you guys say the same thing when Barry Sanders "retired" on his teammates? -Someone will give him a chance, though I can't see how it would be Miami. But other team's players and GM staff who could care less about the Miami Dolfins but who know the kind of impact RW brings when he shows up--they will give him a chance. -Miami is better off trading him for whatever they can get now. -Too bad, I want Miami to get better b/c I am a Cowboys fans and we have Buffalo's pick. -I wouldn't mind trading Eddie George and conditional 4th or so pick for Ricky Williams even if the Boys only get a couple seasons from him.
As much as their offense sucks, I don't think the players would want him back on their team. He bailed on them. They're supposed to go through thick and thin out there on the field and Ricky simply quit on them and left them reeling. If he did go back, not all the players would be happy to have him, that's for sure.
Conditional 2nd or 3rd round pick at best (like CK said). RW has talent, but the Fins have ZERO leverage. Further, RW can "show up", even if a cancer to the Fins given the situation (if the line refuses to block in hurts RW, but it hurts the team more), and the Fins can't get their 8 million back. They HAVE to trade him, and just get what they can, the sooner the better so it is no longer a distraction.
and Ricky's talent is overrated, not to mention that he's an older and flakier player than he was when the last team booted him away. And Miami would have nil leverage. RW will at least miss 4 games next season, even if he does decide to come back, and he has the drug stigma surrounding him, couldn't give up the weed before, but now he suddenly can, yeah. That certainly doesn't spell 1st rounder material for a quitter. Dillon and Faulk were talent and all they could fetch were 2nd rounders.
