Williams to Be Reinstated After Suspension
BARRY WILNER
Associated Press
NEW YORK - Ricky Williams will serve a four-game suspension beginning next month, then will be reinstated to the Miami Dolphins by the NFL, according to his lawyer.
But the league says no agreement has been finalized.
"I am pleased with the National Football League's proposal," attorney David Cornwell said Tuesday. "I think Ricky will be pleased, too."
Williams must approve the deal, which would move him from the retired list to the suspended list for the final four games of the schedule. The running back is required to serve a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
After that, his contract with the Dolphins would be in force.
"Anything regarding Ricky's status is a league matter," Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said.
"No agreement has been reached at this time," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said, adding the league and Williams' representatives have been in discussions "for some time."
Williams, 27, retired during the summer, giving up the $5 million he would have earned this season, which would have been his sixth in the NFL, amid reports he faced the suspension for substance abuse. Williams is now about a month into a 17-month course at the California College of Ayurveda in Grass Valley, Calif., studying holistic medicine.
I'm trying to get his agent on our show this weekend. We'll shall see.
It's doubtful he even comes back. Note the fact that the EXACT SAME DAY as this report, this is the Sun Sentinel Headline: Ricky on playing again: 'It's not worth it'
looks like someone else has been smokin' too!
That sound you heard was everyone jumping on their keyboards to stash him in their keeper leagues.
Ricky on playing again: 'It's not worth it'
By Alex Marvez
Staff Writer
Posted November 23 2004
SAN FRANCISCO -- Ricky Williams is living about three hours from where the Dolphins are spending the week preparing to play Sunday against the 49ers.
But when it comes to Williams' future in football, the retired tailback may as well be another world away.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that while he may change his mind, Williams has no plans to play again despite attempts by his agent and lawyers to pave the way for his reinstatement.
Williams had toyed with the idea of emerging from retirement a few months ago but decided to change his career goals. Williams is studying holistic medicine at a small college about 45 minutes outside Sacramento.
"I decided I don't want to do this," Williams said of playing football. "It's not worth it. I'm closer to being happy. I'm doing things that make me happy.
"In football, I loved to practice and I loved to play. But I hated to be in meetings, hated to talk to the media, hated to have cameras in my face, hated to sign autographs. I hated to do all those things."
Williams doesn't appear to have much sympathy for the Dolphins amid their 1-9 season or for ex-coach Dave Wannstedt, who resigned two weeks ago.
Williams said he was especially dismayed with how the offense performed in the offseason under new coordinator Chris Foerster, whom Wannstedt promoted after Joel Collier resigned for medical reasons.
"The offense didn't make sense," Williams told the Chronicle. "We weren't doing anything that was productive. We couldn't get a play off in practice. It was just a really crappy situation."
Williams said he believes his life situation has improved since becoming involved with Ayurveda, an ancient Indian holistic science that the healersoftheworld.com Web site describes as "the knowledge of complete balance of the body, mind and spirit, including the emotions and psychology, on all levels." Williams is enrolled in a 17-month study program.
"I've let a lot of things go, and obviously football is one of them," Williams said. "I think the hardest thing to let go is your self image. That's what I'm working on now."
I think he will come back. The Dolphins will unload him to some dog team, he'll get abused toting the rock for 400+ carries in '05, and then hang up the es again. Williams will say it's closure of some sort to come and play again, but really it'll be for the money. Then we'll hear "Is Ricky coming back this season?" for the next four or five years.
I had drinks with a couple of the ESPN radio guys Monday and one of them swears Ricky will commit suicide in the next few years. Was talking about how Ricky had no idea what to do with his life, he's never happy (unless he's on something), and he's in seriously dire financial straits.
I wanted to play in the NFL,
but then I got high..[/afroman]
First thing Ricky needs to do is get out of that hole football town that is Miami. That team with or without Ricky isn't going anywhere.
I wanted to play in the NFL,
but then I got high..
I al-most retired and you know why,
'cause I got high, 'cause I got high, 'cause I got high...
I think Ricky may have learned something from this. He's not financially ready to retire. I think you'll see him play for 3-4 more years (NOT in Miami) and then hang up the es when he's stashed a few mill. The sports figure that I see the most parallel with is former NBA player Bison Dele, aka Brian Williams. He had loads of talent, but really wasn't interested in the game, and ultimately walked away from it.
Ricky may be a flake, but if Miami would take Dallas' two first rounders this year (theirs and Buffalo's), I'd have him in a heartbeat. Not sure if Parcells would, but there is no doubt: he's a premier, Pro Bowl calibur RB. He might do better a little bit closer to home, too.
On the ESPN crawl at lunch: Ricky Williams agent says that he will not accept the NFL's deal for re-instatement, and will remain retired.
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