RICKY WILLIAMS ...MORE TROUBLE

[Brian Fein]

CONSPIRACY THEORY ALERT

OK So i'm looking ot trade for Williams, but his value to a team is unsure, given his past, and looking at what he has just done this season. There's a sure fire way to ascertain his value, make it zero by starting rumours of failed drugs tests, knowing full well the NFL can't comment on such things as it violates their policy.

Less conspiracy theory like, is the idea that someone just decided to start a rumour because they knew it would upset Williams, Saban, the dolphins, everything.

Funny you bring this up...  According to Joe Rose on NBC6 news at midnight last night, a Denver TV station broke the news.  I thought the same thing....  Funny how its in Denver, huh?

[Phishfan]

I don't think Ricky will have to pay back the 8 Mil anymore.  The first time he quit -- so the judgement for him to pay back the money was based on his unwillingness to work.  This is a totally different case.

Unless something was worked out behind closed doors he technically still owes the money. The Dolphins never followed up on the settlement, that said he had to return the money, after Ricky came back to play. I don't think his coming back put that settlement aside.

[Jim Gray]

I'm just sick about this.  I hope there is a mistake and somehow Ricky will be in a Dolphin uniform .  

I just can't understand why he would do something like this.  Maybe he was intentionally doing it to get suspended.  That way, he doesn't have to play, and he doesn't have to pay the money back.  I'm disappointed on two levels. The obvious one is that this hurts the Dolphins.  The second is that I really like Ricky.  I like that he's a little odd.  He interesting and seems like a really nice guy.  I liked having him on the team.  

There is no need to say "I told you so".  All of the Ricky supporters knew this was a very real possibility.  

Until I hear something official from the NFL, I'll just keep hoping that it's a mistake.

[TonyB0D]

pothead!!!! good riddance.... SEE YA IN HELL, RICKSTER!!!

[gocowboys31]

Here's where I fall in on this subject:  If it's a missed test, and he was in India when he was supposed to take the test, and didn't want to fly the 20 hours every few days to take the test, can you blame him?  It's the off-season, and he's doing his thing, studying whatever it is he wants to study, and the NFL tells him he needs to lose 2 out of every 3 days (10 tests per month equals one every 3 days, and 20 hours travel from India to the U.S. and back adds up to nearly two days).  I'd have a problem with this if I were Ricky Williams.  If the scenario I described is the issue, I think Williams has a good case on his hands.  Is he supposed to lose the freedom to travel and study because he failed drug tests in the past? 

No excuse. Williams must give the NFL notice on his plans prior to leaving when you're under the policy. Shannon sharpe stated this morning, that the NFL WILL send someone for you whether your in india, china, canada, dosent matter. When you're name pops up for testing you must be accesible. Williams lost all rights of a regular NFL player when he entered the substance abuse program. He just didnt give a damn and know he's DONE!!!!!!


IMO its no big loss. Brown is the franchise running back, and unlike the last time the dolphins have plenty of time to absorb the blow. Miami can easily overcome this.

[jtex316]

I'm sorry UK, but you need a reality check about this.  I actually quite baffled that you can't understand why he would do something like this.  It's more like why wouldn't he do something like this.  

He clearly has a problem with drugs.  He didn't fail or refuse to show up to the NFL drug test once.  He failed to do so twice, then a third time, and now a fourth time!  He is a very selfish human being, IMO.  He is, and has been for years, very well aware of the NFL rules and how it effects his team and his teammates when he gets caught and suspended for his actions - and he does and repeats them anyways - TWICE.

There is no good that can come out of this story.

[JVides]

No excuse. Williams must give the NFL notice on his plans prior to leaving when you're under the policy. Shannon sharpe stated this morning, that the NFL WILL send someone for you whether your in india, china, canada, dosent matter. When you're name pops up for testing you must be accesible. Williams lost all rights of a regular NFL player when he entered the substance abuse program. He just didnt give a damn and know he's DONE!!!!!!


IMO its no big loss. Brown is the franchise running back, and unlike the last time the dolphins have plenty of time to absorb the blow. Miami can easily overcome this.

I have no problem with most of this point of view IF the NFL sent people to Ricky and Ricky was unavailable for testing.  Like I said, I don't much care one way or another if Ricky Williams is on the team next year.  As for the "Ricky lost all his rights" stuff...please.  Convicted felons lose rights like that, not guys who screwed up at work.  There's a difference in severity.  The guy smokes weed (and though I don't and never have, I understand this is quite prevalent in our society) and you want to strip him of his rights? 

[Thundergod]

its weird, but all I can do is laugh. I don't know why its so funny to me, I guess its just thinking about how truly cursed my beloved franchise is.  Well now all the ronnie brown jocklovers get their wish. We get to see if our "savior" can walk on water alone this coming season.  I honestly hope we finally get to see him as money well spent, and not benchwarmer material.  P.S. atleast ricky did no damage, besides taking away the best running back on the team, but he was making the league minimum.  For the record, I never said he was a changed man, I just had no beef with the dude, I got over my anger from a year ago, unlike a few on this board, and gave him another chance.  He couldn't keep his nose clean, but hey I'm sure he'll find a gig being a motivational speaker just like the ultimate warrior.


P.S. why hasn't this story broken on NFL.com or their network?! 

Predatory...  Best post on this thread,  bar-none!  I'm with ya on this one. 

[Dphins4me]

Hey man, if you play in the NFL, you know the rules.  No excuse.  He gets paid a lot of money (even the league minimum is a boat load of cash).  He knew of the rules, regardless of how unfair it is or how little time you have to report to your off-season drug test.  You sign a contract = you abide by that contract, otherwise, find another career.  Simple as that.

Ricky didn't show up to his drug test.  That = violation of drug-policy, which is his 4th offense, which in turn = 1-year automatic suspension, which makes him = worthless.

Goodbye Ricky.  Have a nice life.  Those cows in india don't shit dollars, so you're gonna have a hell of a time paying $8.6 M. 

Wouldn't this be mud in everyone eyes who started calling him names, if this is the case.

From PFT:

 RICKY MIGHT HAVE A DEFENSE


It's now well know that Dolphins running back Ricky Williams missed a drug test, supposedly because he is in India.


But the fact that Ricky's trip to the land of the Dell computer call center staffers caused him to apparently miss one of his unannounced tinkle tests doesn't make his case open and shut.


A league source tells us that the testing process becomes complicated when a player travels outside of his home territory.  The player has an obligation to advise the league of his precise travel plans.  The league then has the responsibility to ensure that the player is properly notified as to the location of the testing facility to which he must report, if he ultimately is required to submit to testing while on the road.


If a player like Williams fails to show up under such circumstances, it might have happened because of something the player failed to do -- or it might have happened because of something the league failed to do.  If, for example, the league accidentally tried to contact Williams at a number other than the number he had provided, Williams wouldn't have known about the testing obligation, and his failure to report for testing wouldn't be his fault.


Under the NFL substance abuse policy, Williams has the right to appeal the alleged violation to the Commissioner for a hearing.  As part of the preparation for the hearing, the timeline and other nuances regarding the ultimate responsibility for the snafu will come to light.


Per the source, it wouldn't be the first time that a player who initially was found to have failed to show up for a test was later exonerated.


We're not suggesting that Williams definitely will be off the hook.  Instead, we're saying that Ricky might be able to show that the failure to report for the test was the result of a mistake made by the NFL, not by him.

 

[JVides]

P.S. why hasn't this story broken on NFL.com or their network?!  

The NFL cannot comment, so its services can't either.

[DolFan619]

CONSPIRACY THEORY ALERT 

OK So i'm looking ot trade for Williams,  but his value to a team is unsure, given his past, and looking at what he has just done this season.  There's a sure fire way to ascertain his value, make it zero by starting rumours of failed drugs tests, knowing full well the NFL can't comment on such things as it violates their policy.

Less conspiracy theory like, is the idea that someone just decided to start a rumour because they knew it would upset Williams, Saban, the dolphins, everything.

Admittedly there's a lot of people saying he's failed something, either drug test or failure to show for one, but i'd rather wait for an official announcement before accusing Ricky of something which is currently only unconfirmed rumour

     I thought about this for most of the morning, and I can't help get the sinking feeling that something doesn't smell right about this story.  How in the bluest of blue hell does a TV station located in Buttfuck, Colorado receive "supposed" information on an NFL athletes drug testing results?  If they do have the "connections" that they say they have how come they haven't broken other testing results in the past?  Where were they when Onterrio Smith or Travis Henry failed their respective tests?

[JVides]

I thought about this for most of the morning, and I can't help get the sinking feeling that something doesn't smell right about this story.  How in the bluest of blue hell does a TV station located in Buttfuck, Colorado receive "supposed" information on an NFL athletes drug testing results?  If they do have the "connections" that they say they have how come they haven't broken other testing results in the past?  Where were they when Onterrio Smith or Travis Henry failed their respective tests?

With rumors swirling about Ricky ending up in Denver, some enterprising young journalist probably used up every connection he / she had to get the scoop.  He's an interesting story in Denver, so...

[gocowboys31]

It's now in ESPN is reporting williams failed a drug test, but the substance is unknown.

[JVides]

It's now in ESPN is reporting williams failed a drug test, but the substance is unknown.

Well, if that's the case, vaya con Dios, Ricky Williams.  May you find happiness and never again find the inside of an NFL locker room.

[fyo]

I don't think Ricky will have to pay back the 8 Mil anymore.  The first time he quit -- so the judgement for him to pay back the money was based on his unwillingness to work.  This is a totally different case.

The way I understood the situation last year was that Ricky was ordered to pay the 8 mil for not fulfilling his contract. The Dolphins then agreed to waive the payment, providing Ricky fulfilled his new contract. Since he failed to do this, the 8 mil kicker should be back in effect. IANAL, of course, so it's possible that there's a loophole for him somewhere, but this was how the situation was represented, IIRC.