Some people just dont get it...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

More interesting for football fans and people fascinated with self destructive behavior.

Ricky Williams, the troubled running back playing for Miami, looked to have a bright future in '06 as the Dolphins were widely expected to trade him to a team that needed a starter. His current 'deal' with the dolphins is cheap, so he stood to go back to making some serious coin.

Sources today report that Ricky has as of this week failed his fourth drug test. His first three failures were for marijuana, so I think its a good bet this one is too.

If true, this will result in at least a one year suspension; maybe more. Considering he was still getting back into "football shape" from his time off learning holistic medicine and sleeping on the ground in australia, another year off and his age probably means the end of his career.

I guess you can say that he's a guy meant for early retirement.

 

[Eagle43]

He personifies talent that is wasted on a fool. Good riddance.

 

[REWahoo]

Ricky really enjoyed his college days in Austin. Unfortunately for him, he continues to live as if he's still there.

A great potential career up in smoke. Literally.

 

[justin]

He has traded one kind of green for another kind of green.

 

[KB]

It's a shame with an addiction/habit interferes with a great career.

I was just reading about Vin Baker (NBA) and how his drinking problem has undermined his career. Sad stuff.

 

[frayne]

Spoiled jock, nothing more or less. Being a buckeye fan and watching Maurice Clarett do bascially the same thing, I don't feel sorry for any of these people whatsoever.

 

[mickeyd]

Yet another of the many life stories that are forgotten when the "decriminalize marajuana" crowd trys to convince the world that continual use of MJ is a personal decision that hurts no one at all.

Ricky Williams doesn't even know that he has a problem because his priorities are focused on only one thing.

 

[justin]

I can see where Ricky is coming from. Wealthy famous athlete. Not getting what he wants out of life regardless of how famous he is or how much money he earns. Football must not be an avocation for him. He must have enough money saved up to ER. He probably got to the point where he said "screw it all".

Makes you wonder how many pro athletes or actors/actresses are out there, working away in the public spotlight, raking in the dough, while at the same time wishing they could have a simple, private life like the other 99.99% of the folks out there. No paparazzi, no fans mobbing you for an autograph. Not being recognized. Freedom. Is that such a unique thing to stive for? I would think not, given the nature of this forum.

 

[shiny]

I really agree with justin about Ricky Williams. He has (had?) talent, but just because he was good at something doesn't mean that is what he should do with his life. (Maybe we both feel this way because we did well in law school, but no longer practice law?)

Anyway, I'm not condoning Ricky Williams failure to live up to a contract that he signed, but I do think he has some emotional problems ~ I've read that he is painfully shy. Sure, he did the wrong thing by having the team rely on him then doing something (which I believe shouldn't even be illegal, but still could be against sports rules) that would disqualify him.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'm not sure where he is financially now, but before he went back to football he was pretty close to bankruptcy, and thats where the dolphins also filed suit to get back a portion of his signing bonus, which would definitely have put him over the edge. Rumors were that he blew most of the money.

He also just got hit with a paternity suit that had him paying something in the 300k-450k range, with rumors that there were at least one or two more of those waiting in the wings.

I'm not sure whats in the contract that the dolphins hooked him up with, it may require that he pay back part of any bonuses or salary paid. Since its offseason, probably no impact.

At least this time around, they have ronnie brown to fall back on.

Ricky does indeed seem to have big problems with being "in the spotlight". Then when he has the chance to get out of it, he seems to do everything he can to get back in.

Dave Wannstead, who lost his job primarily due to ricky walking away from the team 2 years ago, may have had the best quote of all. "Please stop coming around telling everyone your problems. Just go away".

I can relate to Dave...I took Ricky with my first round pick in an early fantasy football draft 2 years ago

 

[HFWR]

I would argue against the drug testing for marijuana, but having said that, he has a choice, and he chooses to smoke instead of making brazilions playing pro football.

C'est la vie...

 

[wildcat]

Have Funds -

I would have figured you would ask him to share some of that weed. You starting to mellow out on us?

 

[HFWR]

Uh, yeah, send it to me, and I'll get rid of it... 8)

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Michael Irvin has a service where if you leave your drug paraphernalia with him, he'll put it in his car and take it to the local minimart for disposal...



Anyone actually BELIEVE that story? :

 

[justin]

I'm not sure where he is financially now, but before he went back to football he was pretty close to bankruptcy, and thats where the dolphins also filed suit to get back a portion of his signing bonus, which would definitely have put him over the edge. Rumors were that he blew most of the money.

I really have no idea about his finances. I kind of wonder how money savvy a fellow he is, given the stereotypes of pro athletes being not so good at personal money management.

One potential scenario that is likely: He bought a big-a$$ house worth a couple million bucks and has a lot of equity in it. Florida homestead exemption will protect this asset in a bankruptcy. Ricky files, all debts wiped clean, he then sells his house, and walks off into the sunset with a big portfolio sufficient to support a $50k-$100k safe withdrawal rate.

I'm not saying he's thought of this exact plan, but he may have stumbled into it during one of his "relaxation and meditation" sessions.

 

[azanon]

This is really strange; at least half of you are critising Ricky Williams for "throwing away a career" for something else, some other hobby (the hobby is irrelevant isnt it?).  Isn't that what many of you have already done or plan on doing much sooner than everyone else?

Azanon

 

[wildcat]

This is really strange; at least half of you are critising Ricky Williams for "throwing away a career" for something else, some other hobby (the hobby is irrelevant isnt it?).  Isn't that what many of you have already done or plan on doing much sooner than everyone else?

Sure, quitting a career to break the law is the same as retiring early.  Also I am not especially talented so I am not throwing much away.

 

[Nords]

I can see where Ricky is coming from. Wealthy famous athlete. Not getting what he wants out of life regardless of how famous he is or how much money he earns. Football must not be an avocation for him. He must have enough money saved up to ER. He probably got to the point where he said "screw it all".

I think the frustration of the board is that at one time he had enough to ER, but has since lived beyond his means, blown through his stash, pissed away his endorsement contracts & contacts, and is forced to return to the workplace. And he's not making the transition very well.

"I used to have a drug problem, but now I can afford it."
-- David Lee Roth

"But I couldn't record for another company, so I had a five-year sabbatical where I was just smoking, just freebasing. So I was smoking $7,000 every week. That's a couple of ounces a night. ... I could have never been broke. See, that was the thing. Even when I was down to a couple hundred thousand, I would always get a check for 600, 700 more thousand, from the "Super Freak" album, or Teena Marie. That's the way it was."
-- Rick James

Makes you wonder how many pro athletes or actors/actresses are out there, working away in the public spotlight, raking in the dough, while at the same time wishing they could have a simple, private life like the other 99.99% of the folks out there. No paparazzi, no fans mobbing you for an autograph. Not being recognized. Freedom. Is that such a unique thing to stive for? I would think not, given the nature of this forum.

Refrigerator Perry?

 

[HFWR]

Sure, quitting a career to break the law is the same as retiring early.  Also I am not especially talented so I am not throwing much away.

Great!! Thanks, Wildcat... Now I have that stupid Judas Priest song stuck in my head...

"Breakin' the Law, breakin' the law..."

 

[TomSimpsonAZ]

If someone can beat me at something while getting high as a kite, I should be kicked out, not them.


We can basically prescribe heroin to people, but when it comes to a 230 lb man in awesome shape, heaven forbid he smokes a natural plant.


I rank pot below mcdonalds on the "**** that is bad for people" scale in my head.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Shoot Tom, I wish Justin had said that because I agree with it.

But the point is, heres a young guy who had everything going for him. Just has to play football for 3-4 more years and he's financially set for life. He likes getting high, but knows if he does, it'll be detected by his now required regular monthly drug tests. I'm sure a lot of people here have smoked a little pot (but of course we didnt inhale). I dont recall any physical addiction, if by recall you mean have read about it a lot but of course never tried it myself (we need an emoticon that shows the face I make when I'm saying something completely preposterous but trying to keep sounding credible).

Whats worse, 2 years ago he totally derailed his team, whose offensive approach completely relied on a player of his caliber at his position. A team with a shot to win big fell into the gutter. Bad planning on the coaches behalf, but when you have the best running back in the league and you're soft in a lot of other spots, its probably not the worst idea to feature him. Coach got fired. Free agents might have lowered miami as a great place to play. Fans didnt buy tickets.

Then he spends the offseason telling the media every 7 1/2 minutes during interviews he practically creates how he wants to be left alone.

Then he plays again, does reasonably well, looks to have fixed up his stuff and maybe get back on track. A few teams are even thinking he's got his **** together and might trade for him.

Sounds like its time to spark one up!

It seems to me Ricky's life can be summed up in one sentence. I'm an extremely talented guy who likes attention, doesnt really want to play football, and doesnt care about anyone else that depends on me.

At least at this point I'm fairly sure nobody else will go out on a limb for him, and except for a "where are they now" spot 5-10 years from now, his media life is also over.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Rumor has it the substance is not marijuana, but a substance "previously unknown". Hmmm.

Also, confirmed that he still owes the dolphins $8.6M.

 

[Nords]

At least at this point I'm fairly sure nobody else will go out on a limb for him, and except for a "where are they now" spot 5-10 years from now, his media life is also over.

Hey, maybe it's not too late for him to join the Dennis Rodman fan club...

 

[brewer12345]

RW's actios strike me as "less than bright", BWDIK? Any poster who has ever been a top talent in a major league sport let us know...

As far as doob goes, I'm not sure I find it all that attractive, but the stance of the feddle gummint on this plant has always struck me as foolish. Then again, I tend to think the same thing about huge military budgets, so you know I'm not really a good Merkin.

 

[TomSimpsonAZ]

His choices are retarded if his priorities are football and his finances, but if they aren't, his choices are totally legit if you ask me.

The laws and rules work for most people and really limit other people.  What if we just let him smoke all he wants until it hampers him in some way, we'd learn more about marijuana that way and he would learn more about himself.  Instead, we are out a great football player and have robbed him of his credibility and ability to show us that marijuana is probably one of the least harmful things in our society.  This isn't Nate Newton and his rebelling for shits, giggles, and easy money, this is a dude who doesn't mind sitting around in his own house and lighting up a doobie.  At the end of the day, the guy is still one of the most athletic talents in the league and like the snowboarders who lost their medals, being almost cheated for having a different lifestyle.

This isn't steroids, where others would literally have to hurt themselves to keep up, it is pot, and shame on our society for making rules so that we don't have to think anymore.  This is the same reason why wars are fought over religion, because the wording that is put in place is regarded more heavily than personal thought, reflection, compassion, and experience.