Ricky Williams Retires

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:42 am

ESPN and ESPN Radio are reporting that Ricky Williams has decided to retire at the age of 27. the reason given is he wants to travel the world

ArmyHog · Post by **ArmyHog** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:48 am

This guy has always been a little crazy.

He should play a few more years to get more money to travel. Is he planning on kicking the bucket soon? I mean he is only 27. Or do they just have better drugs in other parts of the world?

Well, anyone who had Miami going to the big show can scratch that one if this is true.

ArmyHog · Post by **ArmyHog** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:08 am

.......I am glad he is not on my fantasy football team!!

:lol:

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:30 am

Posted on Sun, Jul. 25, 2004

HERALD EXCLUSIVE | MIAMI DOLPHINS

Williams says he's retiring

Star running back deals Dolphins a blow by announcing that he plans to give up his lucrative football career

BY JASON COLE AND DAN LE BATARD

jcole@herald.com

The Dolphins' series of off-season headaches turned into a crisis this weekend when star running back Ricky Williams told coach Dave Wannstedt he is retiring -- a week before training camp.

Despite attempts by friends and colleagues to talk him out of quitting, Williams said Saturday he was overjoyed by his decision, one that has been months in the making.

''You can't understand how free I feel,'' Williams said before boarding a plane in Hawaii and heading to Asia to begin several months of travel. Williams, 27, has played five years in the NFL, including the first three with New Orleans. He said he plans to file his retirement papers with the NFL on Monday or Tuesday.

Williams, who was scheduled to earn approximately $3.5 million this season, told Wannstedt of his decision Friday and said Wannstedt tried a variety of ways to persuade him to reconsider. Wannstedt, who approved the 2002 trade with New Orleans to acquire Williams for two first-round picks, went so far as to say if Williams were his son, he would tell him to play.

Williams retorted that Wannstedt would want his son to do whatever made him happy. Williams said he was ''hurt'' by their conversation.

''I have no comment,'' Wannstedt said when asked about Williams' retiring. ``Players report Friday. Right now, it's a 10-day dead period. We'll get everybody started on Friday.''

Whan asked about the conversation he had Friday with Williams, Wannstedt responded, ``We've had a conversation, but again, I have no comment.''

Asked if there was any chance he could change his mind, Williams said, ''No, none.'' He certainly doesn't appear to be wavering. He said he has already told his mother Sandy, his agent, Leigh Steinberg, backup running back Travis Minor and friends and family of his decision. He said anyone who knows him shouldn't be terribly surprised.

Williams said his failed marijuana tests had a minor influence on his decision to retire, but only one of many factors. It didn't cause him to retire, he said, as much as reinforce his reasons for wanting to do so.

The Dolphins will hold their first practices of training camp next Saturday.

Williams said he talked to Wannstedt twice Friday. The coach urged Williams to sleep on his decision.

''He's just hoping I change my mind. But I have considered everything about this,'' Williams said. 'I always try to do the right thing, always. My heart tells me, `Don't be controlled,' '' he said. Asked what he planned to do after finishing his travels, Williams said he has no plans.

''I have no idea what I'm going to do. Who knows? I just know it's going to be fun,'' he said.

There figures to be a decidedly different reaction from the Dolphins, who face this season without their best offensive player.

Travis Minor becomes the obvious candidate to succeed Williams in the short term, but Minor has never handled the type of workload Williams has received the past two years. Aside from Minor, the team has some promising players in Leonard Henry and Fred Russell and likely would use several running backs to fill Williams' role.

Williams' timing couldn't have been worse for the Dolphins. Earlier this week, free agent running backs Antowain Smith and Eddie George signed with Tennessee and Dallas, respectively.

Williams' stunning decision comes after he produced the top two rushing seasons in team history and in his career the past two years. He set a team record with an NFL-leading 1,853 yards rushing in 2002. He followed that with 1,372 yards last season.

The decision also follows a series of embarrassing and/or ugly events for the team. In January, after the team missed the playoffs with a 10-6 record, there was the aborted hiring of former quarterback Dan Marino as vice president of football operations.

That came after the team had searched for a general manager, settling only on a change of titles and responsibilities for Rick Spielman and Dave Wannstedt. The situation led to questioning of the organization by the fan base.

Then came the promotion of Joel Collier to offensive coordinator in January after Norv Turner left. Collier resigned the position May 10 because of exhaustion. Collier was replaced by Chris Foerster, a first-time offensive coordinator.

In May, Williams was fined four weeks' pay because of a second positive drug test late last season. He appealed the fine and said he has yet to hear the result, but the issue appears moot at this point.

Three Dolphins players were arrested this off-season, including starting tight end Randy McMichael on June 29. He was charged with assault on his pregnant wife.

Williams' retirement trumps all of that. He is the best running back the team has had since Hall of Famer Larry Csonka, giving fans hope of a return to the championship days of the 1970s.

All of that apparently is over.

Most people encouraged Williams to continue playing for the money so he can support his three young children. But Williams, who has talked in the past about returning to college to get a postgraduate degree in psychology, dismissed the need for money, even for his children.

''I've had no money before,'' he said. ``People are worried about the future of my children, but a child doesn't need much to be happy -- needs food, a change of clothes and for you to pay attention to him. A bottle of baby food costs 79 cents. I have that much.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:36 am

who's out there to replace him in Miami's running game

E. George, A. Smith, C. Dillon all are off the market

Ricky really stuck it to them by waiting until now to do this

tsaler · Post by **tsaler** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 2:14 am

UNBELIEVABLE! :shock:

tsaler · Post by **tsaler** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:15 am

By the way, I just realized that this can play heavily into the hands of the Redskins. The Dolphins may be willing to take Ladell Betts and a garbage pick like a 7th rounder for Ogunleye now. That is, of course, if the Redskins are willing to part with him.

redskincity · Post by **redskincity** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:22 am

1niksder wrote:who's out there to replace him in Miami's running game

E. George, A. Smith, C. Dillon all are off the market

Ricky really stuck it to them by waiting until now to do this

Trung Canidate!! Now he will go there and get 1543 yards this year.

Justice Hog · Post by **Justice Hog** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:40 am

If memory serves me correctly.....

1. I am sooooooo glad the Redskins passed on him, drafting Champ Bailey instead.

2. To all of those Eagles fans that booed signing McNabb (instead of signing Williams that year): I bet you're happy now!

Deadskins · Post by **Deadskins** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:51 am

Justice Hog wrote:If memory serves me correctly.....

1. I am sooooooo glad the Redskins passed on him, drafting Champ Bailey instead.

2. To all of those Eagles fans that booed signing McNabb (instead of signing Williams that year): I bet you're happy now!

I was just about to say the same thing when I read your post.
We not only got Champ, but New Orleans entire draft that year. Too bad the Eagles didn't take him, eh General Failure?

Deadskins · Post by **Deadskins** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:54 am

tsaler wrote:By the way, I just realized that this can play heavily into the hands of the Redskins. The Dolphins may be willing to take Ladell Betts and a garbage pick like a 7th rounder for Ogunleye now. That is, of course, if the Redskins are willing to part with him.

I hope we keep Betts. Let's give them Sultan instead.

DEHog · Post by **DEHog** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:57 am

WOW...this fall into the line of Barry Sanders, Robert Smith and Napolean Kauffman.

floridaskinsfan · Post by **floridaskinsfan** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:00 am

Thank god I am not a Miami fan. That dude is nuts!!! :thump:

Gives the media something to talk about that is football related until training camp starts.

chalktalk · Post by **chalktalk** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:20 am

tsaler wrote:By the way, I just realized that this can play heavily into the hands of the Redskins. The Dolphins may be willing to take Ladell Betts and a garbage pick like a 7th rounder for Ogunleye now. That is, of course, if the Redskins are willing to part with him.

No it doesn't. In fact, from just a P.R. stance, the Dolphins may be forced to re-sign O-Gun to tame the ticket holders who wont like this news.

And even if they will trade him, they will LAUGH at an offer of a backup rb and a 7th round pick. they'd rather have him hold out a year.

Skinsfan55 · Post by **Skinsfan55** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:28 am

Wow, I have lost a lot of respect for Williams after this...

The time to tell the team is before the draft, before the free agency period, or at least before Smith and George get signed...

He left his teammates, his organization, and his fans in the lurch, for really no reason. Absolutely terrible.

Hopefully though, the Dolphins will trade us O-Gun, but I don't think it'll happen...

Maybe they will use him in a trade to the Bills to get Willis McGahee or Travis Henry... that's what I'd do...

tsaler · Post by **tsaler** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:44 am

chalktalk wrote:
tsaler wrote:By the way, I just realized that this can play heavily into the hands of the Redskins. The Dolphins may be willing to take Ladell Betts and a garbage pick like a 7th rounder for Ogunleye now. That is, of course, if the Redskins are willing to part with him.

No it doesn't. In fact, from just a P.R. stance, the Dolphins may be forced to re-sign O-Gun to tame the ticket holders who wont like this news.

And even if they will trade him, they will LAUGH at an offer of a backup rb and a 7th round pick. they'd rather have him hold out a year.

Probably. It was just a hope. Whoever it was up there that suggested that the Dolphins would take McCullough... well, that's nuts.

NC43Hog · Post by **NC43Hog** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:27 pm

This may be a decision he really regrets in 10 or 20 years. Hope for his sake it isn't but there is nothing worse than looking back and wishing you could have done things differently but it's too little too late.

gambit187 · Post by **gambit187** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:50 pm

Quick impersonation of How the Miami organization is feeling now

:lowblow:

I dont know what Ricky is going thru, and what direction he wants to go in his life, I wish him well. BUT. This was a classless move in my opinion. He has teammate that were depending on them. To make this call this late into the so called offseason was messed up of him.

RedskinsFreak · Post by **RedskinsFreak** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:31 pm

Here's Eddie George:

](*,)

If ... I ... ](*,)

only ...

had ... waited ... ](*,)

two ...

more ....

DAYS!!!

skinswin · Post by **skinswin** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:38 pm

Wht couldn't I retire when I was 27? Now the Dolphins have no chance. He should have retired last week at least they could have tried signing Eddie George.

1niksder · Post by **1niksder** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 2:14 pm

DEHog wrote:WOW...this fall into the line of Barry Sanders, Robert Smith and Napolean Kauffman.

and Jim Brown too.... all of them Running Backs in their prime ....

jDub · Post by **jDub** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 3:17 pm

though i feel that his retirement was ill-timed. good for him. there's much more to life than football. he had a productive career. now he has the rest of his life to accomplish other things. good luck ricky.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 5:45 pm

Man, I was pretty shocked to hear that this morning but then again, Ricky Williams is a mysterious dude. :lol:

General Failure · Post by **General Failure** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 7:10 pm

JSPB22 wrote:I was just about to say the same thing when I read your post.
We not only got Champ, but New Orleans entire draft that year. Too bad the Eagles didn't take him, eh General Failure?

You won't find anybody that laughs harder at the "Dirty 30" that went to the draft and booed McNabb. Especially that midget in the shoulder pads. They're way more fun to pick on than the guys who thought trading down and drafting Akili Smith was a good idea.

RedskinsRule56 · Post by **RedskinsRule56** » Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:21 pm

This was very odd and surprising news! Ricky Williams has a social anxiety disorder and did not like being in the spotlight. I heard that he lost his passion for the game and had other plans in mind for what he wanted to do! He wants to be a photographer and travel to Asia. As well as spend more time with his family! He said he does not care about money also. Regardless he is leaving at the age of only 27, he is letting down his teammates, fans and coaches. He was pretty damn good running back! What a suprising story!