Damn, damn, damn, damn damn! http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/news/0514ricky.html Sources: Ricky Williams violates NFL drug policy Friday, May 14 By Jose Lambiet and Joe Schad Palm Beach Post Staff Writers Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams faces a $650,000 fine after violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, sources told The Palm Beach Post. This was Williams' second violation since he joined the Dolphins in 2002, sources close to the case said. Williams, 26, is appealing the fine that the league imposed when a drug test he took on Dec. 10, 2003, turned up positive for mar1juana. Another failed test would result in a four-game suspension. The sources said Williams was seen at NFL headquarters in New York on April 16, the date of the appeal. "I'm in good standing with the NFL and the Dolphins,' Williams said when reached by the Post. "There is no story here," Williams said. "I was in New York a few weeks ago and I did visit the league headquarters. I guess that's how rumors get started. But I was just visiting friends in the city and I just decided to go in. I will be at training camp on Tuesday." The sources said Williams' lawyer, Fort Lauderdale criminal attorney Gary Ostrow, accompanied him on his visit to the league offices. "I'm not in a habit of discussing my relationship, professional or otherwise, with professional athletes," Ostrow said, adding that he would not comment further. According to NFL documents seen by the Post, Ostrow filed arguments with the league titled "NFL vs. Player #909965J." In it, Ostrow questions the integrity of the league's drug-testing system. Williams scored a 15 on the league's testing scale -- the NFL's lowest positive score and consistent with what an occasional mar1juana user would score. Another sample taken from Williams the same day came back at 14, which would not have warranted league action unless the previous sample was positive. "Ricky is pretty confident he's going to beat this thing," one source said. "When he took the test, for example, he was dehydrated after exercising. Dehydration sometimes causes people who would be negative to test positive." The league is expected to give Williams its decision at the end of the month. He's been in New York this week with all of the crap that's been going on," a source close to Williams said. "If they tested all of us for weed, half of America would be out of work. I know the guy who's helping us out is good because he used to do the drug stuff for the NFL. I know the attorney. He's a good friend. Ricky should come out of this all right." The sum of $650,000 equals Williams's paychecks for four games. That is consistent with the league's fining schedule for a player whose test turns up positive for the second time while on a probationary program that the league calls "an intervention program." Williams said he is not in an intervention program, but the sources said he first tested positive for mar1juana shortly after arriving in Miami from the New Orleans Saints in May 2002. Because it was the first offense, he was placed on the intervention program. The athletes on the program sign an agreement to be drug-tested up to 10 times a month. They also must undergo weekly drug group-therapy sessions and they must call a special NFL hotline, sometimes hourly, to report their whereabouts. "He was just weeks away from getting off the intervention program," one of the sources said. "Officially, he would have been off intervention on Super Bowl Sunday. He has tested negative more than 100 times before. But then, this thing happened. He now gets back into intervention for another two years." Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said the team "can't comment on any player because of the confidential nature of the program unless the league announces a suspension."
mary wauna is soooo evil. people need to get a life and leave pot smokers alone. go get a freaking hobbie. dumbasses.
Man, if I was a pro athlete and was getting paid that much money there is no doubt I would be able to stay away from drugs. Seriously, that much at stake.
So... he knew he was going to be tested up to 10 times a month? It's called Terminator Gold, Rick. Invest. Sheesh.
