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Ricky Williams wants back in....

H

hobie

All Pro
MIAMI -- Suspended running back Ricky Williams applied for NFL reinstatement Monday, his agent said.

"Ricky is extremely excited about the prospect of playing in the NFL again and hopeful for a positive response," his agent Leigh Steinberg said.



He hasn't taken the wear and tear on his body in the last couple years. He's a physical specimen and he's got the potential to be among the league leaders in rushing.
Leigh Steinberg

Williams has played in only 12 NFL games since the start of the 2004 season, but rushed for 3,225 yards in 2002-03. His current suspension began in April 2006 after he violated the league's drug policy for the fourth time. He tested positive for marijuana this April, again delaying his return.

Williams remains under contract with Miami, where he won the NFL rushing title in 2002. But new coach Cam Cameron has not indicated whether he wants Williams to stay with the Dolphins, who fell to 0-4 Sunday.

"That's ultimately their decision," Steinberg said. "We've had no contact with them."

The NFL declined comment, saying it had not received official notification yet from Williams.

Under the league's substance abuse program, when a player applies for reinstatement the doctors have up to 45 days to submit their report and recommendation to the commissioner. He then has up to 15 days to make a decision. That means the process could take up to 60 days from the day Williams applies to be reinstated.

Williams spent an extended vacation in Australia and India during a yearlong retirement in 2004. He played in the Canadian Football League in 2006.

Steinberg said Williams was in "great shape" and "great spirits." He said Williams has been working with a personal trainer and continues to teach yoga.

"He hasn't taken the wear and tear on his body in the last couple years," Steinberg said. "He's a physical specimen and he's got the potential to be among the league leaders in rushing. Aside from one unfortunate season, he's never missed a day of training camp."

Williams' attorney did not immediately return phone messages Monday


Shoot, for what it's worth, with a lack of running game the Texans have, why not entertain the thought....won't take much to get him I bet, and his legs are fresh, and for a bonus, instead of $$ for incentives, dime bags...
 
hobie said:
his agent Leigh Steinberg said.
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How far has Leigh Steinberg fallen, when his highest profile client is Ricky Williams? From "Show me the money!" to "Show me the ganja!". Sad.
 
I think most of the posters in here would be against the idea but (and I have to admit that I can't believe I'm saying this) I'd try and pry him free for a late round pick. Like for instance a 6 that could turn into a 5 if he meets yardage or games started goals (or that could turn into a 7 or nothing if he fails another drug test).

I think that if Ricky Williams is ever going to play NFL football again then he's going to do it this time or be done forever. It's really his last shot and I think it's worth the risk. I don't think the Texans would ever consider it and I think that's kind of a shame. The Texans are an organization that's "high character" and I'm all for that so don't get me wrong. Bob McNair is your basic Jesus loving, church going owner who lives his life by the good book so he has his team steer clear of all the bad guys who did bad things and I get that too. What I don't get is why everybody who has screwed up gets all lumped together into the "bad guys" pile by this team. What about forgiveness? What about sitting down and talking with the man and seeing if you believe him when he says he's ready to do things the right way? Sure, maybe you don't believe him and you say "Thanks but No Thanks" and I'd be fine with that.

What I'm not fine with is the idea that we have Ahman Green who is looking like the "Can't stay healthy" tags were justified, Ron Dayne who takes a long time to get going, and Samkon "I'm a little Rusty" Gado as our Running backs while Ricky Williams, Corey Dillon, and Stephen Davis are sitting at home waiting for a phone call. How much do any of you wanna bet that all three of these guys can still play and would be an upgrade over somebody in our backfield?

Granted Ricky is a Dolphin and may not even get reinstated but if he does and we don't at least ask for the opportunity to talk to him then we're not a very smart football team IMO.

That's all I got to say about that.
 
I would not mention Ricky in the same breath as bad guys Pac-man or Vick. I don't think Ricky is a bad guy at all, he just has some demons that he can't seem to exorcise. That's the biggest shame of it all.
 
I think that any of the aforementioned backs (Dillon, Davis, or Williams) would be better than most of our current stable. After watching Gado drop rust all over Reliant and then watching "Hunger Pain" Dayne lay an egg in ATL I'm all about signing someone else.

Sign Williams and hire Billy "Whiteshoes" Johnson to be his minder.... it worked in Atlanta, why couldn't it work here?
 
Will the NFL let you wear a jersey with 3 digits on it??

Introducing, # 420 from the University of Texas, Ricky Williams
 
I'd at least let him workout for the team to see what he's got left. He may have some issues, but it's not like he's a murderer or a bad guy. He had a drug problem and then went to rehab to fix it. If he looks good then sign him to an incentive based contract and put him on a zero tolerance program.
 
HOU-TEX said:
I guess I'm not. What does #420 mean?
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According to Steven Hager, editor of High Times, the term 420 originated at San Rafael High School, in 1971, among a group of about a dozen pot-smoking wiseacres who called themselves the Waldos, who are now pushing 50. The term was shorthand for the time of day the group would meet, at the campus statue of Louis Pasteur, to smoke pot. Intent on developing their own discreet language, they made 420 code for a time to get high, and its use spread among members of an entire generation. While our teens feel that they know something we don't, you can let them in on the fact that it was your generation that came up with the numbers.
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http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/marijuana/a/420meaning.htm

April 20th is national pot smoking day.
 
I would not hesitate on snatching Ricky up under the right circumstances. He still has alot of tread on his tires and I guarantee that noone will be clammering to sign him for more than the league minimum (does he qualify for vet minimum?). Is he still under contract with the Dolphins, if so how long? Maybe a 6th or 7th rounder if he is...

My $0.02
 
How desperately thin are we at RB if we're sitting around mulling the positives of signing Ricky Williams?

Wow... just wow.
 
drewmar74 said:
How desperately thin are we at RB if we're sitting around mulling the positives of signing Ricky Williams?

Wow... just wow.
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Yeah, about that thin. Nobody that I know really questions that Ricky Williams could haul the rock in the NFL. He's a known quantity in terms of what he was. What he is today I can see some debate over. He's gone a long time without any "NFL level" contact. He's been hurt. Does somebody signing Ricky Williams today get the back who racked up all those yards between 1999 and 2003? Do they get a guy whose one bad day away from lighting up and walking away?

I'd talk to him. That's the only way anyone is going to find out. It doesn't hurt to talk to the guy.
 
gtexan02 said:
Maybe if Ron Dayne smoked a little more he'd lose some of that excess baggage and be more like Ricky W
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I'd be afraid if he started smoking that he'd start suffering from the munchies. That wouldn't be a good thing. In fact, I'd say it wouldn't take long and we'd look like we were lining Grady Jackson up behind Schaub.
 
Isn't Priest Holmes on Kansas City's PUP? Couldn't he reach an injury settlement and be released? I remember him being almost ready to replace LJ at the start of the season, but now i don't think the Chiefs have any intention of playing him. I think his risk of re-injury may not be as high as the risk of Ricky getting high. Hell, we could platoon Green, Holmes, and Dayne by quarters so that maybe might be able to avoid getting hurt (j/k). Seriously, I would rather see Priest here than Ricky.
 
I would definately take him. He was a monster when he played. I hope, if he gets in, that the Texans at least try to gert him. Green is hurt, Dayne and Gado cant do anything so far.
 
powerfuldragon said:
seeing as how he's had four seasons with 1,000 or more rushing yards, i'd take him.
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He would be an upgrade for sure with what they have excluding Green. Also, 1000 yds. these days is an avg. of 62.5 yds a game. Sad thing is the Texans have a problem getting that from these guys.
 
I wonder about some people. I mean he's not been arrested for spousal abuse, he hasn't been invovled in a murder case, he hasn't been arrested, he doesn't have realllly bad character issues. If getting high and playing playstation at your house is cause for conern over what's been going on in places like Cinci or the pac-man saga then you've got issues.

It's not like pot is a performance enhancing drug(but hey it might calm Shawne Merriman's roid rage).

I'm with Herv on this one. It wouldn't hurt to take a look at the guy considering what's going on at RB right now. Could prolly get him for a 6th round and considering what you usually get witha sixth rounder that's a steal IMO and could shore up the running game for a few years without spending a high pick or singing and inflated FA contract. Unless some of you are still hell-bent that Chris Taylor is better then a former rushing champ and Heisman winner.
 
Seriously.... The guy is 30 years old, and hasn't played NFL caliber football in 3 years. In that 3 years he had a stint in the CFL and had surgery last year to repair the broken arm he suffered....







Oh... and he's a PETA supporter - J/K
 
Texan_Bill said:
Seriously.... The guy is 30 years old, and hasn't played NFL caliber football in 3 years. In that 3 years he had a stint in the CFL and had surgery last year to repair the broken arm he suffered....







Oh... and he's a PETA supporter - J/K
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And I'd still talk to him. That's how bad things are with our running game.
 
The Ricky Williams thread. It pops up around once a year. Usually, when Ricky has either been suspended, retires, or asks for reinstatement. And the "What's so bad about smoking pot?" crowd emerges. It's not like Ricky's killing dogs, shooting hookers, or beating up his old lady. You're right. You are all right. Ricky's not such a bad guy.

But, here's a problem. The NFL has placed marijuana on their list of banned substances. Those bastards. Here's problem #2. Ricky can't stop smoking the stuff. Ricky's a relatively smart guy. He went to a few classes at UT. He knows the rules. But he still can't stop smoking pot. At one point, he quit the game and left the country just so he could smoke dope. Ricky may love football. He just loves smoking pot more.

Look, not everyone is meant to play in the NFL. Ricky has the ability to do so. Just not the disposition. He's not going to solve any teams' problems at RB. And if some of you don't know that, be sure that the Texans do. They won't bring in a sideshow. That's not how they roll.

Sorry to bring reality into the conversation. Continue on with the speculation of the career that might have been.
 
generally when you talk about being faced with numerous consequences, and you can't quit whatever it is that's getting those consequences, whether it's losing your job or losing 8.4 million, then you start talking about addiction. and if he can't get some sort of rehabilitation, then he's not going to stop smoking pot. whether it's "bad" or not is not the point, the fact is that he wants to smoke more than he wants to play, evidently. and all the power to him. i just don't have much sympathy for him from an NFL standpoint.
 
I might very well be wrong but was Ricky Williams most recent transgression a case of sparking up a fatty or was he suspended for a supplement of some sort? I was under the impression that his last violation was not for marijuana and that he claimed (grain of salt) that it was accidental.
 
Lucky said:
The Ricky Williams thread. It pops up around once a year. Usually, when Ricky has either been suspended, retires, or asks for reinstatement. And the "What's so bad about smoking pot?" crowd emerges. Or the CFL pass a rule called the "Ricky Williams Rule" which will prohibit the Canadien Football League from offering contracts to current players banned or suspended from the NFL..
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I added one for you Lucky...
 
Hervoyel said:
I might very well be wrong but was Ricky Williams most recent transgression a case of sparking up a fatty or was he suspended for a supplement of some sort? I was under the impression that his last violation was not for marijuana and that he claimed (grain of salt) that it was accidental.
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The league didn't come out and say what the exact substance was. The rumors involved a marijuana masking agent. Which is also on the banned substance list.

Did anyone see that Ricky had popped positive on a NFL drug test, back in April?

Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams tested positive for marijuana in April and will not be allowed to apply for reinstatement to the NFL until September, sources said.

Williams was suspended last year for violating the substance abuse policy and was eligible to be reinstated this month, but the league's medical advisers who oversee Williams' personal rehabilitation program recently notified commissioner Roger Goodell of the positive test, sources said.
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Williams, through his agent, Leigh Steinberg, issued a statement to The Associated Press on Friday night:

"Due to the recent reports about me failing a drug test, I feel it is appropriate for me to issue this statement. Last month, following a psychological evaluation requested by the NFL, we -- the psychiatrist and I -- came to the realization that there were a few things I needed to iron out about myself in order to make my return to the NFL as successful as possible.

"I am an honest, God-fearing man who is intensely dedicated to being the best person I can be on and off the football field. There is no need to smear my name or to defame my character for the sake of news. When the time is right, God willing, I will be back on the field scoring touchdowns for whatever team is fortunate enough to believe in me."

The doctors also recommended that Williams not be allowed to apply for reinstatement until September, sources said. The commissioner usually adheres to the advice of the medical advisers under the substance abuse policy.

"Falling off the wagon is part of rehab," a source said. "Based on the medical evidence in Ricky's case, the doctors say it's too early to come back. He had the positive test last month. Remember, he's been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder -- that's a real disease and a good percentage of those folks self-medicate with substances like marijuana, often at the moment they are about to have a high level of social interaction."
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I get no joy from documenting this guy's disease. I guess my point is that only in FantasyBizarroLand will Ricky Williams suit up in a Texans uniform.
 
Hervoyel said:
Well, okay then. What's Stephen Davis up to these days?
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Dunno. Maybe I can leave him a voicemail and pretend to be Rick Smith. I'll ask him to give me a jingle at the stadium....

Antowain Smith is still out there. So is Patrick Pass. James Mungro? What about Wali Lundy? He'd at least know the terminology.

Man, what a bunch of retreads and also-rans...

(I'd still like to see one or more of them worked out, though.)
 
Lucky said:
The Ricky Williams thread. It pops up around once a year. Usually, when Ricky has either been suspended, retires, or asks for reinstatement. And the "What's so bad about smoking pot?" crowd emerges. It's not like Ricky's killing dogs, shooting hookers, or beating up his old lady. You're right. You are all right. Ricky's not such a bad guy.

But, here's a problem. The NFL has placed marijuana on their list of banned substances. Those bastards. Here's problem #2. Ricky can't stop smoking the stuff. Ricky's a relatively smart guy. He went to a few classes at UT. He knows the rules. But he still can't stop smoking pot. At one point, he quit the game and left the country just so he could smoke dope. Ricky may love football. He just loves smoking pot more.

Look, not everyone is meant to play in the NFL. Ricky has the ability to do so. Just not the disposition. He's not going to solve any teams' problems at RB. And if some of you don't know that, be sure that the Texans do. They won't bring in a sideshow. That's not how they roll.

Sorry to bring reality into the conversation. Continue on with the speculation of the career that might have been.
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Exactly
 
Goldensilence said:
I wonder about some people. I mean he's not been arrested for spousal abuse, he hasn't been invovled in a murder case, he hasn't been arrested, he doesn't have realllly bad character issues. If getting high and playing playstation at your house is cause for conern over what's been going on in places like Cinci or the pac-man saga then you've got issues.

It's not like pot is a performance enhancing drug(but hey it might calm Shawne Merriman's roid rage).

I'm with Herv on this one. It wouldn't hurt to take a look at the guy considering what's going on at RB right now. Could prolly get him for a 6th round and considering what you usually get witha sixth rounder that's a steal IMO and could shore up the running game for a few years without spending a high pick or singing and inflated FA contract. Unless some of you are still hell-bent that Chris Taylor is better then a former rushing champ and Heisman winner.
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Problem is though that he has already had suspensions. The next time he fails a drug test its a LONG suspension. If we sign him to a perfomance based contract, then sure I would not mind. I would just rather not sign him, depend on him, and then have his career with the Texans go up in a puff of smoke.
 
Give the phins a 6th round pick and sign him to a "you play first, then we pay" contract.

PS-Tell all the guys on the team to start storing their pee. We may need it. :)
 
Man, we're in trouble if our running game looks to be improved with Ricky Williams!

Strange enough, I agree with both Herv and Lucky's takes, even though they are opposite ends of the opinion spectrum. As a Texans fan, I want anyone that can help us win games. As an NFL fan, I do not think Ricky is dedicated enough to his game and I have serious questions if his heart would be in it for an umpteenth chance to play again.
 
This guy could be a big help for the Texans IF he still has something in the tank and can pass the drug tests. He did reasonably well in the Canadian league last year. He's better than Dayne and Gado and Walker and the other dudes we have.

So why are we all over him?
 
Nighthawk said:
This guy could be a big help for the Texans IF he still has something in the tank and can pass the drug tests. He did reasonably well in the Canadian league last year. He's better than Dayne and Gado and Walker and the other dudes we have.

So why are we all over him?
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I think thats the major point right there.
 
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