Ricky's back!

[Duchess Jack]

As interesting as how/whether the offense will welcome him back is how guys like Thomas/Seau/Taylor -- ongtime vets on defense -- will welcome him back. If I were Ricky, I'd either avoid those guys entirely, or buy them all Hummers, because his absence, and the offense's subsequent misery -- lots of three and outs, putting the defense back on the field time after time after time -- probably took a year or two off their careers through wear and tear.

 

Long story short: I bet the defense loathes Josh Gordon boy.

 

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His biggest problem should be with JT.

 

The simple fact is, that the guy has problems. He got off his meds and his decision making was all screwed up. It happens to most people on meds. The meds make them feel better, they than think that they don't need them - because they feel better - and before you know it - they are doing crazy things.

 

This wasn't a 'typical' abandoning of a team. I just hope that everyone keeps that in mind.

[Bill Swerski]

This wasn't a 'typical' abandoning of a team.  I just hope that everyone keeps that in mind.

 

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I can understand that, but people who are on meds should be held to the same standard of conduct as the rest of us. If it isn't Ricky's fault for abandoning his team, it definitely is his fault for going off of his medication.

 

I'll go even further and say that Ricky is simply a self-centered, irresponsible person. Did being on medication make Ricky realize that he should be responsible for his illegitimate children? No, they continued to be non-factors in his life.

Edited July 20, 2005 by Bill Swerski

[godtomsatan]

First off, rookie RBs don't generally perform all that spectacularly. Brown is highly regarded and whatnot, but you're talking about Ricky Williams here. It's not like he blew out his knees or anything drastic (he may, in fact, have inhaled his knees...).

 

The more this unfolds, the more I think that Ricky's just a free-spirited chump who just didn't like Dave Wannstadt and his 385 and 392 carries in consecutive years with an increasingly crappy offensive line.

[Duchess Jack]

First off, rookie RBs don't generally perform all that spectacularly. Brown is highly regarded and whatnot, but you're talking about Ricky Williams here. It's not like he blew out his knees or anything drastic (he may, in fact, have inhaled his knees...).

 

The more this unfolds, the more I think that Ricky's just a free-spirited chump who just didn't like Dave Wannstadt and his 385 and 392 carries in consecutive years with an increasingly crappy offensive line.

 

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True - and Brown split carries in college.

 

If he comes back as the old Ricky, I will welcome him with open arms if only being the guy responsible for having Wanny fired. Because it was quite clear that there was nothing Wanny could do to get himself fired.

[Outshined]

From the Sun sentinel

 

"All systems are go," agent Leigh Steinberg said Tuesday. "He's pretty excited about everything. He's feeling good and upbeat."

 

Williams was unavailable for comment.

 

The Dolphins may try to trim Williams' base salary from $3.74 million to $540,000 by claiming that he violated the terms of his contract with his early retirement. The bulk of the money Williams was scheduled to earn this season came through rollover incentives he had reached while playing with the Dolphins in 2002 and 2003.

 

Carrying a $3.74 million salary for Williams is likely too lofty for the Dolphins, who already are expected to give an eight-digit signing bonus to first-round draft choice Ronnie Brown, a tailback.

 

The Dolphins also were awarded an $8.6 million judgment against Williams for violating his contract but haven't attempted to recoup the money.

 

 

Its really kind of strange situation for both sides. Does the team want him back to recoup some of the money they lost? I think there are a few unanswered questons

This is from the Miami herald

 

As for Brown, it appears he will miss at least a few days of training camp waiting for No. 1 overall pick quarterback Alex Smith's contract to be completed with San Francisco. Brown, the No. 2 overall pick, and subsequent picks Braylon Edwards and Cedric Benson, are likely to wait to see what Smith gets in a contract before doing serious negotiations.

 

According to a source close to agent Tom Condon, who is representing Smith, Smith isn't expected to be signed until July 28 at the earliest. That's when the 49ers are scheduled to report for training camp. That leaves a lag of at least four days for Brown. There are also indications that the Smith talks could drag.

 

Because the collective bargaining agreement has yet to be extended to six or seven years, the five-year contract limitation severely hampers agents and teams in the amount of guaranteed money a high pick can expect.

 

As a result, Condon has been spending time working on a very detailed contract. The source estimated that Smith's contract could run as long as 60 pages. Normally, contracts for top draft picks are usually about 15 pages.

 

 

 

 

Maybe its leverage for the Brown contract talks and also to get some money back from him.

[Duchess Jack]

I can understand that, but people who are on meds should be held to the same standard of conduct as the rest of us.  If it isn't Ricky's fault for abandoning his team, it definitely is his fault for going off of his medication.

 

I'll go even further and say that Ricky is simply a self-centered, irresponsible person.  Did being on medication make Ricky realize that he should be responsible for his illegitimate children?  No, they continued to be non-factors in his life.

 

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Sure - he is self centered. Most people in the league are. The kids are issues. No excuse for that.

 

This guy's brain does not work like yours and mine though. Expecting him to have the same decision making process as you and me is akin to expecting a parapaligic to climb stairs like you and me.

[Bill Swerski]

First off, rookie RBs don't generally perform all that spectacularly.

 

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I think you're confusing rookie RBs with rookie WRs. There have been plenty of RBs who have done pretty well in their rookie seasons (Portis, LT, Eddie George, Jamal Lewis, Fred Taylor, Bettis, C-Mart, A-Train, to name a few active players).

 

Agreed that he was probably sick of Wanny making him tote the rock 30 times per game, though. I just wish that he would've actually come out and said it.

 

This guy's brain does not work like yours and mine though.  Expecting him to have the same decision making process as you and me is akin to expecting a parapaligic to climb stairs like you and me.

 

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Agreed, but Ricky has a responsibility to take his medication so that his condition is under control. And he failed miserably at that.

[Duchess Jack]

I think you're confusing rookie RBs with rookie WRs.  There have been plenty of RBs who have done pretty well in their rookie seasons (Portis, LT, Eddie George, Jamal Lewis, Fred Taylor, Bettis, C-Mart, A-Train, to name a few active players).

 

Agreed that he was probably sick of Wanny making him tote the rock 30 times per game, though.  I just wish that he would've actually come out and said it.

Agreed, but Ricky has a responsibility to take his medication so that his condition is under control.  And he failed miserably at that.

 

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Maybe - but that is AGAIN assuming that he is thinking straight. I am sure the meds don't have him at 100%, and I am sure as well there are yucky feeling side effects. I can see how someone might say - hey, wonder if I can go without, however irrational the thought may be. But sure - his getting off the meds was his fault.

 

BUT - having gotten off the meds....his leaving the team was done under questionable circumstances. People with social anxiety disorder tend to run away from things. The feelings are irrational, so the explanation is as well.

 

As for the rookie running backs. What I think that he was saying is that they have the rookie wall. Shorter seasons and less consistently top notch opponents see rookie running backs ware down as the season progresses. Brown - having split carries - is even more susceptible to this

[Swiss Cheezhead]

Speaking of Ricky and rookie RBs...

 

Just found this in DMD's RB rankings:

 

"...Benson is slightly smaller and faster than Williams was."

 

Come on, David. Benson is SLOW. Ricky is fast. Where did that statement come from?

[Bill Swerski]

Maybe - but that is AGAIN assuming that he is thinking straight.  I am sure the meds don't have him at 100%, and I am sure as well there are yucky feeling side effects.  I can see how someone might say - hey, wonder if I can go without, however irrational the thought may be.  But sure - his getting off the meds was his fault. 

 

BUT - having gotten off the meds....his leaving the team was done under questionable circumstances.  People with social anxiety disorder tend to run away from things.  The feelings are irrational, so the explanation is as well.

 

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OK, I think we can agree on that.

 

But I still think that much of Ricky's behavior has a lot to do with his selfish, irresponsible lifestyle and little do with his mental health. Ricky fathering multiple children out of wedlock and not being around to raise them has nothing to do with social anxiety disorder. Given that he walked out on a few pregnant women, it shouldn't surprise anyone that he'd walk out on the Miami Dolphins as well.

[Jackass]

OK, I think we can agree on that.

 

But I still think that much of Ricky's behavior has a lot to do with his selfish, irresponsible lifestyle and little do with his mental health.  Ricky fathering multiple children out of wedlock and not being around to raise them has nothing to do with social anxiety disorder.  Given that he walked out on a few pregnant women, it shouldn't surprise anyone that he'd walk out on the Miami Dolphins as well.

 

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Haven't like 80% of professional athletes fathered multiple children out of wedlock? not sure that correlates to walking out on your team

[godtomsatan]

I think you're confusing rookie RBs with rookie WRs.  There have been plenty of RBs who have done pretty well in their rookie seasons (Portis, LT, Eddie George, Jamal Lewis, Fred Taylor, Bettis, C-Mart, A-Train, to name a few active players).

 

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Not confusing them at all. However, I should have qualified that I was thinking specifically about 1st Round picks. There have been loads of unimpressive rookie campaigns for a lot of highly touted guys coming out of college.

Edited July 20, 2005 by godtomsatan

[Bill Swerski]

Not confusing them at all. However, I should have qualified that I was thinking about 1st Round picks. There have been loads of unimpressive rookie campaigns for a lot of highly touted guys coming out of college.

 

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That's true. I was just pointing out that saying "rookie RBs don't generally perform all that spectacularly" isn't really true. If one drafts a back in the first round, I'd say that there's about a 60% or 70% chance that he'll perform well that year if you give him the carries. (Does anyone have any statistics on this?) But you're correct that there have been quite a few Ki-Jana Carters and Lawrence Phillips'.

[bigrocks]

I think Brown should be slowly entered into the mix. He is a rookie who never carried a full load in college. Why throw him right in and expect miracles? Let him learn, get used to the system, and the pace of the league. In a year or two he will be the man down there…

 

As far as Ricky, who knows what his real motivations were for leaving – and now returning. I do know this. The guy is a natural athlete, and RB is the one position in the NFL where you either have it or you don’t. You can’t learn how to be a good RB. Saban knows this, and if Williams does report, keeps clean, and actually plays, he will be a force.

[hooknladder]

I Have'nt really heard the news , but if Ricky comes back, I think late in the season he could return to near prior form. I know this opinion is in the minority...could happen. Money is a hell of a motivator.

[JoJoTheWebToedBoy]

Welcome back........welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

 

Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out.

Welcome back to that same old place that you laughed about.

Well the team has all changed since you hung around,

But those dreams have remained and they’re turned around.

 

Who’d have thought they’d lead ya  (Who’d have thought they’d lead ya)

Back here where we need ya  (Here where we need ya)

 

Yeah we tease him a lot cause he smoked a little pot,

Welcome back.........welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

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[sacosud]

Welcome back........welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

 

Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out.

Welcome back to that same old place that you laughed about.

Well the team has all changed since you hung around,

But those dreams have remained and they’re turned around.

 

Who’d have thought they’d lead ya  (Who’d have thought they’d lead ya)

Back here where we need ya  (Here where we need ya)

 

Yeah we tease him a lot cause he smoked a little pot,

Welcome back.........welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

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A LITTLE POT?

[Seahawks21]

All this thread is telling me is that nobody has done their homework on Ronnie Brown. The guy is a nasty brute savage. And he ran faster than Cadillac!!! This kid is going to be absolutely amazing. Ricky is never going to get any kind of chance so all discussion on how he's gonna do with his 25% of the carries or whatever is complete nonsense. Come week 5, its gonna be "where's Ricky" on Sportscenter every day cause you're never gonna see the guy after all the pub he's gonna get in the preseason.

[godtomsatan]

If one drafts a back in the first round, I'd say that there's about a 60% or 70% chance that he'll perform well that year if you give him the carries.  (Does anyone have any statistics on this?) 

 

 

OK, I'm settled in after a 16 hr day:

 

1st Round picks:

 

2004 (24) Steven Jackson, STL (134 RA, 673+189 yds, 4 TD) (35% team RA)

2004 (26) Chris Perry, CIN (2 RA, 1+33 yds, 0 TD) (<1%)

2004 (30) Kevin Jones, DET (241 RA, 1133+180 yds, 6 TD) (59%)

 

2003 (23) Willis McGahee, BUF (DNP)

2003 (27) Larry Johnson, KC (20 RA, 85+2 yds, 1 TD) (5%)

 

2002 (16) William Green, CLE (243 RA, 887+113 yds, 6 TD) (60%)

2002 (18) T.J. Duckett, ATL (130 RA, 507+61 yds, 4 TD) (25%)

 

2001 (5) LaDainian Tomlinson, SD (339 RA, 1236+367 yds, 10 TD) (78%)

2001 (23) Deuce McAllister, NO (16 RA, 91+166 yds, 2 TD) (4%)

2001 (27) Michael Bennett, MIN (172 RA, 682+226 yds, 3 TD) (46%)

 

2000 (5) Jamal Lewis, BAL (309 RA, 1364+296 yds, 6 TD) (61%)

2000 (7) Thomas Jones, ARI (112 RA, 373+208 yds, 2 TD) (33%)

2000 (11) Ron Dayne, NYG (228 RA, 770+11 yds, 5 TD) (45%)

2000 (19) Shaun Alexander, SEA (64 RA, 313+41 yds, 2 TD) (16%)

2000 (31) Trung Canidate, STL (3 RA, 6+4 yds, 0 TD) (<1%)

 

That's 5 yrs worth of 1st Round RBs and their rookie seasons, including % of team carries they handled. Kind of a mix....

[Bill Swerski]

Interesting, although that doesn't account for RBBC (Thomas Jones) or being stuck behind an established starter on the depth chart (Perry, Deuce, Johnson).

 

From that list, the ones I'd label as true "busts" would be Green, Perry, Candidate, and Dayne. McGahee was drafted only 3 1/2 months after tearing his ACL, so his rookie season can't be compared to the others. The rest range from pretty decent (Duckett) to Canton-bound (Tomlinson).

 

While there are a fair share of bust RBs taken in the first round, it's a much "safer" draft pick than, say, QB or WR.

Edited July 21, 2005 by Bill Swerski

[Klay]

Not a chance Ricky gets traded this year.. If the dolphins were thinking super bowl this year I would agree with the trade rumor. They need to give him a season to show the rest of the league that he's back and then trade him. I agree with the "dolphin insider" Brown will play fullback and Ricky will play Half back.

 

"The battles: It's pretty clear the Dolphins didn't draft Ronnie Brown No. 2 to come off the bench, so it would be a major shock if he wasn't the opening-day starter at halfback. Things get a little more complicated once Williams becomes eligible because, contrary to what some have suggested, Williams is too good not to use a lot if he's right. Whether that means Williams starts and Brown shifts over to fullback to join him the backfield, or Brown still starts and Williams gets a lot of playing time as the backup, or Williams starts and Brown gets a lot of playing time at halfback and fullback, we don't know yet. But, again, it's difficult to imagine Williams not being used at all. And we also don't see a trade happening with him until after the offeason. As far as who will make the roster at this spot, there could be a difficult decision assuming the Dolphins keep five backs. Brown, Williams, along with fullbacks Heath Evans and Sammy Morris appear safe, which means Travis Minor, Lamar Gordon and rookie free agent Kay-Jay Harris would be battling for one spot. Or maybe the Dolphins keep six backs. This position will create a difficult decision."

[CaptainHook]

I cannot imagine them using Ronnie Brown as a fullback. . .

[godtomsatan]

Interesting, although that doesn't account for RBBC (Thomas Jones) or being stuck behind an established starter on the depth chart (Perry, Deuce, Johnson).

 

 

That's certainly reflected in their stats though.

 

From 2004, Jackson and Perry were likely not going to be starters going into camp because of who was already there. Same with Larry Johnson (03), and same with McAllister, Alexander, and Canidate.

 

Tomlinson and Lewis are the only top 5 picks here, and they went gangbusters in their rookie seasons. Brown, Williams, and Benson look like they will have the opportunity to be the man (with some vet spells from Williams, Pittman, and Jones). And more importantly, should be considered middle tier RBs from the getgo.

 

From that list, the ones I'd label as true "busts" would be Green, Perry, Candidate, and Dayne.  McGahee was drafted only 3 1/2 months after tearing his ACL, so his rookie season can't be compared to the others.  The rest range from pretty decent (Duckett) to Canton-bound (Tomlinson).

 

 

The NFL scouts have gotten their act together when it comes to 1st Round RBs.

 

I think it's too early to give Perry the bust label (why do you draft him when you got Rudi?), but other than Green, I think the rest are still in the NFL. Canidate, Dayne, and T.Jones certainly never lived up to first round billing. Duckett has been filling his role on the Falcons, while Bennett has had a decent season or two.

[Duchess Jack]

I cannot imagine them using Ronnie Brown as a fullback. . .

 

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Agreed - especially when the grabbed Evans.

 

Now, I can see occsional formations wherein you put both in the lineup, but having Ronnie take the beating of a fullback when you have one is just a bad idea

Edited July 21, 2005 by Duchess Jack

[broncosn05]

might draft Williams late.

 

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Might?!?! You guys make it seem like it would be a pain to have Ricky on your team. This guy was a beast and no matter how big the risk might be Ricky is so up in the air right now that he has mid-late entitled to him. "I see a 1000 yard season," Woody Paige.