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QuoteDolphins | Williams' mom believes he's not smoking marijuana
Sun, 19 Feb 2006 21:31:23 -0800

Jeff Darlington, of the Palm Beach Post, reports Miami Dolphins RB Ricky Williams' mother does not believe her son is smoking marijuana. His mother, Sandy, said her son is currently in India, and she has not spoken to him. She said she feels like she has spent enough time with her son to believe he no longer smokes. "I'll bet my life he's not smoking marijuana," Sandy Williams said Sunday night, Feb. 19. "He's so particular about what he puts in his body now. I would just be shocked. I just don't believe he's smoking weed. I'm thinking maybe it was one of his (legal) supplements for his yoga school. I really just don't believe he's smoking weed."

Quote

RICKY VIOLATION WAS A MISSED TEST



A league source tells us that Dolphins running back Ricky Williams violated the NFL substance abuse policy not through a positive test but by failing to report for a scheduled test.



Players who are subject to the drug program face regular requirements to submit to testing.  Once notified of the obligation to provide a sample of kidney Kool Aid, the player has a specific time period within which to do so.  (Per the drug policy, the player has four hours from the time of the scheduled test to produce an Italian astronaut.)



As a participant in Stage Three of the program, Williams is subject to up to 10 unannounced tests per month. 



Meanwhile, The Miami Herald has revised its story regarding the failed test to leave the door open for the possibility that it was, indeed, a failure to show up for the test.



The difference is technical.  Either action is a violation of the substance abuse policy, and a violation (for Williams) most likely will trigger a minimum suspension of one year.  During the suspension, he still will be expected to submit to testing and other aspects of his treatment plan. 

QuoteRICKY 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.

Quote from: PhillyGirl on February 20, 2006, 02:19:40 PM
Looks like it wasn't a missed test, he failed it (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2337252)

QuoteThe substance discovered is not known publicly but a source told ESPN.com's Clayton that the drug for which Williams was said to have tested positive was not marijuana. Williams has three times prior tested positive for marijuana use.

Quote from: PhillyGirl on February 20, 2006, 09:35:28 PM

QuoteThe substance discovered is not known publicly but a source told ESPN.com's Clayton that the drug for which Williams was said to have tested positive was not marijuana. Williams has three times prior tested positive for marijuana use.

QuoteWilliams' drug test appeal to be heard today
Ricky Williams and his attorney hope to prove the player did not purposely violate the league's drug policy a fourth time.
BY JASON COLE
jcole@MiamiHerald.com

NEW YORK - Dolphins running back Ricky Williams will fight for his professional, and perhaps personal, life today in front of NFL attorney Jeff Pash.

And one element of his defense is to fully admit he has been a drug user in the past. Just not the type of drug he tested positive for in December.

Williams and attorney David Cornwell are expected to be at the league offices in Manhattan this morning to appeal Williams' fourth violation of the league's substance abuse policy.

''At this point, I don't want to discuss any of the strategy of what my defense will be,'' Cornwell said last week.

Williams tested positive just before the end of the regular season. The violation could lead to a suspension of at least one year for Williams, who served a four-game suspension last season, was fined another four weeks of pay and had his salary reduced to the league minimum when he retired for the 2004 season.

However, unlike his first three positive tests, Williams did not test positive for marijuana this time, according to three sources. According to one source, Williams tested positive for what is commonly known as an ''upper'' or amphetamine-like substance.

''If you know Ricky, this is not the type of thing you'd expect from him,'' agent Leigh Steinberg said last week. ``What they're saying he used, it's just not him. It's not in his character. It doesn't make sense.''

Steinberg said Williams, who has admitted to marijuana use on numerous occasions, denied taking the substance he tested positive for in December. Now, Williams and Cornwell, who has battled at least 20 drug cases during his career and gotten players off for unwittingly taking a substance, must convince Pash.

''We all know that Ricky can be quite compelling, and he's going to have to be all of that,'' Steinberg said.

Or face an uncertain future.

Williams had a strong return last season after spending a year in retirement -- gaining 743 yards on 168 carries in 12 games as primarily a backup -- but another year off could be problematic.

''It's impossible to say where Ricky will be in a year,'' Steinberg said. ``He has a lot of interests that pull him. The sad part is that he was in a really good place with the team.''

In all likelihood, Williams will have to come back again. The Dolphins still hold an $8.6 million federal judgment against him for retiring before the 2004 season.

Furthermore, Williams faces pending financial issues for the care of his three children. He pays $4,200 per month ($50,400 annually) in child support for one of the three and supports the other two generously.

Quote from: mussa on April 10, 2006, 12:05:09 PM
i think they are all overpaid, that is all.  if you don't agree thats fine. 

QuoteFurthermore, Williams faces pending financial issues for the care of his three children. He pays $4,200 per month ($50,400 annually) in child support for one of the three and supports the other two generously.

Quote from: PhillyGirl on April 10, 2006, 12:07:41 PM
Being overpaid doesn't make them drug addicts. If that were the case, there would be a hell of a lot more Ricky Williams situations in the NFL and there sure are not.

Quote from: mussa on April 10, 2006, 02:04:19 PM
wow, when did i say being a multi-millionaire at 21 makes u a drug addict. chill out people. 

Quote from: PhillyGirl on April 10, 2006, 12:07:41 PM
Being overpaid doesn't make them drug addicts. If that were the case, there would be a hell of a lot more Ricky Williams situations in the NFL and there sure are not.

Quote from: FFatPatt on April 10, 2006, 02:49:38 PM

Quote from: PhillyGirl on April 10, 2006, 12:07:41 PM
Being overpaid doesn't make them drug addicts. If that were the case, there would be a hell of a lot more Ricky Williams situations in the NFL and there sure are not.

Quote from: mussa on April 10, 2006, 02:04:19 PM
wow, when did i say being a multi-millionaire at 21 makes u a drug addict. chill out people. 

Not only did you generalize your comment to PG and make it incorrectly to multiple people, but you grossly misread what she wrote anyway.  The point is that your initial comment was a gross generalization about all of sports and your position is basically indefensible, because you're a sports fan yourself.  If you stopped supporting pro sports, then you could complain about the athletes making too much money.

QuoteIf you stopped supporting pro sports, then you could complain about the athletes making too much money.

QuoteRICKY GETS BOUNCED FOR A YEAR

The Miami Dolphins have responded to the news that running back Ricky Williams lost his appeal of his fourth violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy.  Under the ruling, Williams will be suspended for at least one calendar year.  Thereafter, he will be permitted to apply for reinstatement.

"This is a league decision, and we are disappointed in what it means for Ricky and the team," said coach Nick Saban in a statement released by the team.  "Ricky did an outstanding job for the Dolphins, not only as a player but also what he added as a person to the team's chemistry and to our overall success.  I know I speak for all of his teammates and the entire Dolphin organization in supporting him in any way we can in his future endeavors."

Said Ricky, per the team:  "I'm disappointed with the decision but I respect it.  I'm proud of my association with the National Football League and look forward to returning to the Dolphins in 2007."

Compare the two statements, and pay particular attention to Saban's final words --  " . . . in his future endeavors."  In our opinion, that's code for, "It's over.  We're done.  Nice knowin' ya.  Get the hell out."

Technically, Williams' contract tolls, meaning that the Fins hold his rights for two more seasons, at $585,000 and $670,000.

Williams also owes the team $8.6 million under an arbitration ruling entered against him after he abruptly retired prior to the 2004 season.  When we interviewed Saban last year, we asked him about the status of Ricky's debt to the team.

"I try to stay out of the business side, and I'm not trying to dodge the question here," Saban said.  "But the business side of some of this stuff, there's a lot of legal ramifications relative to all this, and I think these are things that are all going to have to be resolved as he continues to play.  And it's between his agent and our organization to try to do whatever is fair and equitable for whatever the consequences of all those situations are.  I haven't gotten in that arena, nor do I want to."

To date, the Fins have not released the judgment, even though it's unlikely that the team ever will recover much (if any) of the money.

Still, Williams has some football in him, if he plays for Miami or another team in 2007.  He's only 28, and he'll be 30 at the start of the 2007 season.

But his reinstatement isn't a no-brainer.  While in exile, he still must comply with the requirements of "Stage Three" of the NFL's substance abuse policy, which includes submission to testing and treatment.  In other words, if he tests positive again at any time in the next 12 months, his chances of being reinstated after one year will be diminished.

If Ricky had $8.6 million, we'd suggest against letting it ride on whether he'll make it that far.

QuoteDolphins | R. Williams loses out on $1 million bonus
Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:53:37 -0700

Jeff Darlington, of the Palm Beach Post, reports Miami Dolphins RB Ricky Williams' one-year suspension will cost him a $1 million bonus, as well as his $560,000 base salary.

Quote"I don't ever want to be mentioned in the same breath as Ricky Williams as a football player. He's a disgrace to the game. The man doesn't deserve to play football.

QuoteCFL | Williams not worried about Theismann's comments
Tue, 30 May 2006 13:11:02 -0700

Jeff Darlington, of the Palm Beach Post, reports Toronto Argonauts RB Ricky Williams isn't worried about Joe Theismann's latest harsh assessment of him. After all, Williams said Tuesday, May 30, he knows an apology will be forthcoming. After practice today, Williams noted that Theismann has often been critical of him in the past, consistently bashing anyone who is willing to associate with the controversial star. However, Theismann reverses course when he sees Williams in person, the player said. "Every time he says something, here's what happens: He says a remark about me that's offensive, then when he has to (broadcast) one of our (Dolphins) games, he comes in and apologizes and says, 'I'm sorry,'" Williams said. Williams indicated that he would accept an apology from Theismann.

Quote from: Diomedes on May 30, 2006, 04:36:55 PM
And in this case, so right.  Joe is a hack, doing his hack thing.  Ricky understands, and disregards it.

Quote from: Geowhizzer on May 30, 2006, 04:39:51 PMBut that's pretty much Ricky's reaction to everything.

Quote from: Diomedes on May 30, 2006, 04:44:40 PM

Quote from: Geowhizzer on May 30, 2006, 04:39:51 PMBut that's pretty much Ricky's reaction to everything.

Oh, I forgot this was the "hate Ricky" thread.   I'll pipe down now.

Quote from: Geowhizzer on May 30, 2006, 04:48:59 PMLittle sensitive today, Dio?

Quote from: Diomedes on May 30, 2006, 04:51:57 PM

Quote from: Geowhizzer on May 30, 2006, 04:48:59 PMLittle sensitive today, Dio?

I guess so.  Maybe you can kiss it and make it better.