Ricky still loves drugs, will play in Toronto in '06

[QB Eagles]

The 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.

See, Momma Williams was right after all.

[PhillyPhreak54]

I betcha it was prescription drugs.

Either that or he bought some of our buddy Larry's crack.

[LBIggle]

i was under the impression prescription drugs barely stay in your system at all.  24 hours was the limit i thought.  weeds like 30 days max.  cokes like 3 days.  i'm thinkin nose "haha", or bombers.  or crack.  or opium.  at least if its something of that sort he has an excuse to being a complete shiavo.

[MadMarchHare]

It completely depends on the drug in question.  There are also secondary effects from taking prescription drugs, called biomarkers, which can be used to detect the previous presence of a drug.

[PhillyGirl]

Williams' 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.

[mussa]

a good example of what can happen when u give children millions of dollars to play a game. 

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

What the hell does that comment mean?  Would you rather all pro sports just disbanded for the good of the young athletes' lives, so that none of them can be tempted by their millions of dollars to get into some wacky shtein?

I just don't get what that comment is trying to accomplish at all.

[mussa]

i think they are all overpaid, that is all.  if you don't agree thats fine. 

[PhillyGirl]

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.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

i think they are all overpaid, that is all.  if you don't agree thats fine. 

I can't possibly agree.  Supply and demand, buddy.

[Geowhizzer]

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.

So much for the belief that weed causes sterility.

[MadMarchHare]

Just decreases fertility.  Especially in women (makes an unwelcoming uterus).  If you hit it enough......

[mussa]

wow, when did i say being a multi-millionaire at 21 makes u a drug addict. chill out people. 

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

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.

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.

[Diomedes]

I hope Ricky makes it back because I want to see him play another season.