[SignalZero]

RICKY RULING COMING

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to announce within the next week whether Dolphins running back Ricky Williams will be reinstated after a one-year suspension.

If Williams is reinstated, his days with the Dolphins could still be over. As Schefter points out, the Fins have spent a third-round pick on running back Lorenzo Booker -- and have also given Williams' locker to him.

New Miami coach Cam Cameron has had little to say about Williams, who still owes the team more than $8.3 million as a result of his abrupt retirement in 2004. And Cameron has not had any communications with the player for whom the franchise gave up two first-round draft picks.

The more important figure with the Fins in this regard could be G.M. Randy Mueller, who was in the same position with the Saints in 2001 when the team selected a sliding Deuce McAllister to replace Williams, a mere two years after Mike Ditka made one of the worst trades this side of Herschel Walker in order to get Ricky in the 1999 draft. If Mueller wasn't sold on Williams six years ago, there is even less of a reason for Mueller to embrace him now.

With all that said, we wouldn't be surprised at all if the Fins trade him. Ricky's contract carries a very reasonable salary for 2007, and the Green Bay Packers have a clear need at the tailback position. Maybe in the end the Packers, Chiefs, and Fins will work out a . . . we're not sure how to pronounce it, but we think it's "menage-a-trade," in which Ricky heads to Green Bay, the Pack sends a fourth-round pick to the Chiefs, and quarterback Trent Green lands in Miami.

[ganggreen_ewok]

If Williams is reinstated, his days with the Dolphins could still be over. As Schefter points out, the Fins have spent a third-round pick on running back Lorenzo Booker -- and have also given Williams' locker to him.

They were saving his locker? Does anyone else find that particularly odd?

[kelticwizard]

Yes. I find it odd, too.

This is a side issue, but I think marijuana should have been made legal a long time ago. Neverthelss, Ricky's use of it against the rules plus his attempt to play cute and "retire" cost Miami an entire season and his coach's career. I don't see how any team can trust him now except in a reserve capacity. That is, keep him as a second stringer who can help you in certain situations, don't build your team around him because he may not be there.

Even though it is ridiculous to keep marijuana illegal, Ricky knew the rules when he signed onto the team and he knew how much the team depended on him to follow those rules.

[gmany3k]

I think Ricky turned his life around and thats very important and I was never a big ricky fan because I live in longhornville " e woks home " let be the 1st to say for all those pot smokers of the NFL Ricky is your guy" you can have your cake and it it too". but ofcourse you knew that. Maybe the Giants will go for him and keep him from the pats.those with the GOLD MAKE THE RULES and that doesn't make it legit.

[kelticwizard]

In what way has Ricky "turned his life around"?

On the issue of pot smokers, I have not smoked it in over 20 years. For some reason, it's effect on me became less pleasurable and less fun, so I didn't bother with it anymore. Just walked away, with no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. I had much worse effects giving up coffee than I did marijuana. Which is why I think the laws against it should be changed-it doesn't seem to do any real harm, why put people in jail for using it?

Nonetheless, it IS presently illegal, and the team offered Ricky millions of dollars-several lifetimes' fortune-to play football for the team on the condition that he keep away from this. And when Ricky decided he didn't want to, he "retired" to try to get around the rules, and made things worse. Then he got caught again.

The prohibition against marijuana might be silly, but considering the financial and other rewards for playing in the NFL you have to be pretty stupid to use it. Especially after you got caught and paid a high price yourself, and caused the team which counted on you to have a horrible season and the coach that believed in you to lose his job.

If I were a coach in the NFL, I would make sure I had a good RB as a starter, then bring in Ricky as a substitute for certain situations. I would never trust him.

[theanalogkid]

Neverthelss, Ricky's use of it against the rules plus his attempt to play cute and "retire" cost Miami an entire season and his coach's career.

Wannstedt sucked with or without Ricky, he sucks in Pittsburgh too.

[SignalZero]

Yes. I find it odd, too.

This is a side issue, but I think marijuana should have been made legal a long time ago. Neverthelss, Ricky's use of it against the rules plus his attempt to play cute and "retire" cost Miami an entire season and his coach's career. I don't see how any team can trust him now except in a reserve capacity. That is, keep him as a second stringer who can help you in certain situations, don't build your team around him because he may not be there.

Even though it is ridiculous to keep marijuana illegal, Ricky knew the rules when he signed onto the team and he knew how much the team depended on him to follow those rules.

I think Steroids should be made legal. Especially for professional sports. The end result would be more entertaining . Can steroids be harmful? sure, but so can marijuana. So if they legalize marijuana, I say legalize steroids.

[jets0n]

Ricky aint coming back. He failed a drug test in April. He has to wait until September to be reinstated and pass more drug tests. Supposedly he can come back and file again in September because he's under the rule of the Dr's not the commissioner at this point and they are saying give him 3-4 more months and run some more tests.

All I have to say is this guy obviously doesn't care about playing football.

[Greenseed3]

I think Steroids should be made legal. Especially for professional sports. The end result would be more entertaining . Can steroids be harmful? sure, but so can marijuana. So if they legalize marijuana, I say legalize steroids.

I agree. But not with contact sports. I think fans want to see human athleticism at its finest (highest degree)... I personally want to see just how far the human body can jump, run, throw objects etc. If an athlete is willing to shave years off of their his/her to accomplish such goals, so be it; less traffic for the rest of us.

But allowing players to "juice up", and physically compete with those who don't seems unfair and unsafe. I think Baseball, Golf, Bowling, Decathalon, and all X-game sports should allow the progress of human's athletic advancement. If a player can train his muscles (with man-made chemicals) to allow him the ability to jump 10 feet in the air; I want to see it!

If a player can use man-made chemicals and then jump 40-50 feet; I want to see it! If a player uses illegally, and puts a non-user in a coma after a roid-rage helmet-to-helmet, then that player needs to be treated as a criminal.

Tiger Woods on steroids = double-eagle par 5's...
Shawn Merriman on steroids = 5 to 10.

[jets0n]

I completely disagree. Horrible idea.

[HarlemHxC814]

I agree. But not with contact sports. I think fans want to see human athleticism at its finest (highest degree)... I personally want to see just how far the human body can jump, run, throw objects etc. If an athlete is willing to shave years off of their his/her to accomplish such goals, so be it; less traffic for the rest of us.

But allowing players to "juice up", and physically compete with those who don't seems unfair and unsafe. I think Baseball, Golf, Bowling, Decathalon, and all X-game sports should allow the progress of human's athletic advancement. If a player can train his muscles (with man-made chemicals) to allow him the ability to jump 10 feet in the air; I want to see it!

If a player can use man-made chemicals and then jump 40-50 feet; I want to see it! If a player uses illegally, and puts a non-user in a coma after a roid-rage helmet-to-helmet, then that player needs to be treated as a criminal.

Tiger Woods on steroids = double-eagle par 5's...
Shawn Merriman on steroids = 5 to 10.

[gmany3k]

Ricky turned his life around as far as being in control of his social anxiety disorder.
Drug use in the NFL legal and illegal have been condone for decades.
So far who is losing the battle on the war on drugs ?
Who controls all drugs and human behavior , the little guy?
check on the other ricky williams thread and see my posts.