Ricky Williams - Retired At 27
Story:
Ricky Williams retires weeks before training camp after only 5 years in the NFL and coming off of a dominating season with everyone and their dog expecting another one.
Ricky Williams has always been an individual and proved it by walking away from a successful career in professional sports and a contract that would have given him over $10 million over the next three years.
I love Ricky. What do you think?
Ricky Williams retires weeks before training camp after only 5 years in the NFL and coming off of a dominating season with everyone and their dog expecting another one.
Ricky Williams has always been an individual and proved it by walking away from a successful career in professional sports and a contract that would have given him over $10 million over the next three years.
I love Ricky. What do you think?
Comments
Originally posted by groverat
Story:
Ricky Williams retires weeks before training camp after only 5 years in the NFL and coming off of a dominating season with everyone and their dog expecting another one.
Ricky Williams has always been an individual and proved it by walking away from a successful career in professional sports and a contract that would have given him over $10 million over the next three years.
I love Ricky. What do you think?
I really like Rickey too, this is a rough call. I gotta give it to him he is walking away from a lot here and from the statments he's made it seems as if he's been thinking about this for some time. I sort of feel deep down that we havent seen the last of Ricky though.
But I don't see his retirement as being entirely noble, particularly due to the fact he just failed his second drug test a few weeks ago. But who's to say? I wish him all the best.
Although, the drug thing does raise some questions......"what, i can't smoke pot if im in the NFL...fuck that." but....whatever
He's banked like $16 million in those 5 years. It would have been more if he hadn't signed a very dumb contract in New Orleans that was negotiated for him by Master P (I assume Snoop Dogg hadn't passed his bar exam yet) and which was all incentives.
The man just wants to be left alone (and yes, smoke his weed in peace). Playing football leaves you with a broken and battered body. You end up with knee and hip replacements, and basically are in pain all the time. I find it hard to argue with him. Does it suck for his teammates and the fans in Miami? Sure. But it's just a game.
I am sure Ricky will appreciate this move in 30 years when he can run around the yard with his grandchildren pain-free and still be able to tell stories about putting the greatest linebackers in the game on their ass.
A lot of people are complaining about the timing, saying he abandoned his teammates. I, personally, think that is a load of crap. Loyalty should not be expected in the NFL, where a team can cut your contract at any time for any reason it wants.
His initial contract, the interviews with his helmet on, the website, now this.
I think it's kinda cool-very true to himself above all else.
J
but don't worry. pretty much everyone blames ditka, not ricky.
Originally posted by bunge
Even if it's the right choice, he seems like he's being kind of a dick about it. I'm all in favor or someone doing what they want, but don't be a smug prick about it.
How so?
Am I missing something that he is doing?
I know that he did choose a pretty rough time to do it . . is that what you mean?
They live vicariously through the athletes they were never able to become and will switch from hero-worship to vile-hatred at the drop of a hat.
Sports is a diversion, and to dedicate one's profession to something so meaningless is a soul-draining enterprise. I feel sorry for the people bashing Ricky, not threatened enough by them to feel defensive for him.
Originally posted by pfflam
How so?
Am I missing something that he is doing?
I know that he did choose a pretty rough time to do it . . is that what you mean?
Nah, just his attitude. I'm sure he's just sick of so many people telling him not to do it, but he still sounds too bitter for my tastes. If he were at peace like he says, he'd be at peace talking about it too. Sounds like he's just bitter.
Barry Sanders did it, Michael Jordan did it twice, I have no problem with Ricky doing it other than I'll miss watching him run.
Originally posted by groverat
Ricky has severe social phobias, he is not good with the media at all.
Right Grove hence the "weed" issue. I don't think Ricky smokes because he's trying to be a bad boy or anything. I think the weed relaxes his phobias and makes them managable. Hell if I could just walk away when people asked me to piss in a cup I would.
Originally posted by groverat
Ricky has severe social phobias, he is not good with the media at all.
Makes sense. You can tell he has a problem but I didn't know it was diagnosed.
Ricky went through a big publicity thing last year talking about his social anxieties, Paxil even used him as a spokesperson.
From that website, here's what it boils down to:
My whole life I?ve been shy, so at Texas I would do interviews because the media loved me, my teammates loved me and my coaching staff loved me. But when I was drafted to New Orleans, I thought I was the same person, but for some reason the media didn?t like me and my teammates weren?t friendly to me.
Ditka traded New Orleans entire draft to get him, and when they didn't win the Super Bowl the next year the entire town hated him and let him know. He is a sensitive guy. He will tear your ass to pieces on the field but he can't handle the off-the-field pressure.
We do love him here in Austin and I hope he comes back. We will give our Ricky boy big hugs and lots of loving attention. He is a genuinely nice person who simply cannot take the abuse of fame.
i'll smoke a bowl with you ricky.