NEWS: Ricky Williams

[PawneeSports]

Williams appeals failed drug test, person familiar with case says
Yahoo Sports News Article
Written by: STEVEN WINE, AP Sports Writer
Date: 02-21-2006

Name: Ricky Williams
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 226 lbs.
Position: Runningback
Born: 05-21-77
College: Texas '99
Acquired: T, '02 (NO)
NFL: Sixth Season
Dolphins: Third Season

http://www.miamidolphins.com/images/lockerroom/teamroster/portrait9631.jpg

MIAMI (AP) -- Troubled running back Ricky Williams is appealing a positive drug test that could force the Miami Dolphins star to sit out the 2006 season, a person familiar with the case said Monday.

If the positive test result is upheld, it would be Williams' fourth violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy, meaning at least a one-year suspension.

Previous positive tests were for marijuana, which Williams acknowledged using. But the latest test involved a drug other than marijuana, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because league policy is to keep test results confidential.

The Miami Herald reported Monday that two sources said Williams failed a test for a substance not publicly known. His latest positive test was first reported Sunday by Denver television station KDVR.

A ruling on the appeal isn't expected until April. Williams, the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner and 2002 NFL rushing champion, is in India studying yoga and holistic medicine.

"Ricky Williams has been in outstanding behavioral mode for the past six months. No one should jump to any conclusions," said Williams' agent, Leigh Steinberg.

The Dolphins and the NFL declined to comment, citing the private nature of the league's drug program.

Williams retired and sat out the 2004 season. He owes the Dolphins $8.6 million for breaching his contract, and motivated at least partly by the need for a paycheck, he returned last year to play for new Miami coach Nick Saban.

Before being allowed to return, Williams served a four-game suspension at the start of the season for his third violation of the drug program.

Despite the long layoff and a limited workload, Williams ran for 743 yards and averaged 4.4 per carry while sharing playing time with rookie Ronnie Brown. Williams gained 280 yards in the final two games when Brown was hurt.

Saban and the Dolphins praised Williams' attitude, work ethic and leadership. Dispelling his reputation as an aloof, selfish pothead, Williams became such a model of good behavior that he was chosen co-winner of the local media's annual postseason Good Guy Award, given to the player most cooperative with reporters.

Williams laughingly described himself as weird and compared his career to a roller coaster. Since returning last season, the NFL has required him to undergo drug tests up to 10 times a month.

[OKLAHOMAMOSES]

Looks like Ricky can't shake the Demon Weed! What a waste of a gift from God! Hope things work out for him, my boy will be heart broken when he hears the news. Our family will pray for him.

[FR Turbo]

The report says it was a 'drug other than marijuana'. I wonder what it was?

[PawneeSports]

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FanBall.com Articles
Date: February 21, 2006 3:23 PM ET
Dolphins: Williams has appealed

The News
Even before news of running back Ricky Williams' positive NFL drug test had become public knowledge, Williams and his agent had appealed the test with the league. "It's really distressing that what is supposed to be a confidential, private rehabilitation and assistance program gets talked about by supposed league officials," Leigh Steinberg, Williams' agent, told the Miami Herald. "For this to come out before we have had a chance to go through the appeal process is extremely disappointing." Published reports continue to indicate that Williams' violation of the league's substance abuse policy is not a missed drug test but a positive drug test, though the banned substance is not marijuana, which Williams has tested positive for thrice previously. According to the Herald, the Broncos discovered Williams' positive test while performing due diligence with regards to a possible trade; a Denver TV station was the first media outlet to report Williams' positive test.

Our View
Williams is out of the country, studying yoga and holistic medicine in India until early April, while this saga unfolds. His positive test could be for something as innocuous as too high of a water level in the urine, as it would be treated as a masking agent. Appeals are rarely successful, but they have happened. We'll here plenty more speculation before the facts come out, so hold your cards if you're carrying Ricky or Ronnie Brown into next season (Fantasy Football Participants).

[PawneeSports]

Up in Smoke
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Written by: Bo Mitchell, Publisher
Date: 02-20-2006 at 9:00 AM ET

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Williams rushed for 743 yards and six touchdowns in 2005.

It seems as though Ricky Williams taken his last hit…on the football field at least.

Indeed, Williams' football career is likely over. According to numerous sources, including KDVR-TV in Denver and the Miami Herald, the Dolphins embattled running back has violated the NFL's substance abuse policy for a fourth time and faces a one year suspension.

It is not clear whether the violation is a result of a missed test or a positive test for a banned substance, but it is very clear that Williams is in hot water again. "There is an appeal process so you can't write him off right away," Williams' agent Drew Rosenhaus was quick to point out to Knight Ridder Newspapers. However, even Rosenhaus concedes that if Williams loses the appeal, the ramifications are obvious, adding: "It's very unlikely he would ever play again or anyone would take a chance on him again." The Dolphins have had no comment on the situation yet.

Raise your hand if any of this surprises you.

That was a trick question. Rosenhaus sounding rational when admitting that his client might be done—that was surprising. The part about yoga master Williams getting caught for a fourth time is not at all surprising.

I don't know of any fantasy owners in keeper leagues who signed Williams beyond 2005. Oh there may have been a few that decided to designate him a keeper following the season because he actually looked pretty good while sharing time with rookie runner Ronnie Brown in Nick Saban's running back committee. However, there is still plenty of time in most keeper leagues to change keeper designations.

Even in the best-case scenario (Williams wins his appeal) a cloud (pun intended) of suspicion will linger over him. But seriously, when was the last time a player won his appeal in a matter like this?

The Dolphins were reportedly attempting to trade Williams this offseason, and the Broncos were the team most often mentioned in trade rumors. Now, not even Mike Shanahan, who fancies himself a player savior of sorts, would dare touch Williams. Not even for a conditional seventh-round pick.

Assuming the violation sticks, and Williams is banned from the NFL for a year, he will be 30 years old when he is eligible to play again in 2007. And he will have missed 36 of the last 48 regular season games. Who would touch him then?

I think the only way he ever tries to play again is if the Dolphins sue him again and ask him to fork over more millions. It was clear to me last summer when Ricky came back that he had exactly eight million rea$on$ to play, and if it were not for the money he owed, he would still be touring with Lenny Kravitz or reading poetry and learning about holistic medicine on a mountain in Tibet or India, or wherever the heck he was.

While it's true, Williams ran well this year—he averaged 4.4 yards per carry and scored six times—it's more obvious than ever to me that his heart was never really in this.

But enough Ricky-bashing; what does this mean for fantasy owners?

That's the easy part. We don't have to wait for a trade any more because we now know that Brown no longer has to share carries with Williams. Ronnie took only 207 handoffs as a rookie. Williams siphoned 168. Had Brown carried the ball even 100 more times in 2005, given his 4.4 yards per carry…even I can figure this one out: he would have had more than 1,300 yards instead of 907. And rather than scoring five times, he might have approached double digits.

You'll note I qualified the above by saying that Brown no longer has to share touches with Williams. I suppose there is always a chance that coach Saban goes out and gets another running back to split time with Brown. It's not like he's ever been shy about using a committee backfield, even in college. The good thing (at least for fantasy owners with Brown) is that the Dolphins aren't likely to sink a lot more money into the running back position when they already have so much invested in Brown. Thus, they probably won't spend a high draft pick or a lot of free agency dollars on another back.

For now you can drop Williams from your fantasy cheat sheets altogether and elevate Brown's ranking up to among the other group of 1,000-yard runners who project to possibly crack 10 touchdowns.