What an idiot this guy is. Looked like he had a solid comeback coming and now?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2336760
Bam, one year suspension
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What an idiot this guy is. Looked like he had a solid comeback coming and now?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2336760
Bam, one year suspension
He had a suprisingly good season last year.
But I seriously doubt that he took marijuana again. It's probably something else that might have to do with his herbal medicine classes. And given the fact that he is making the league minimum and I doubt that he would risk losing it.
Sorry for bumping this, but I haven't heard anything about this in about a month.
What's going on? Has it been proven to be false or is he still appealing it?
He is still appealing. Apparently Ricky is having the NFL and a private drug testing company looking into the possibility of a false positive. He apparently is coming off as legit and told them what he has taken. One of the items he has consumed may be the cause of the positive test but is not a banned item. So we should find out soon.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2402518Quote:
Williams' NFL future on the line in Monday hearing
The football future of Miami Dolphins tailback Ricky Williams, both short- and long-term, could be on the line Monday, as the NFL convenes a hearing to consider the appeal of the erstwhile runner to allegations that he again violated the league's substance abuse policy.
The hearing will be held in New York beginning at 2 p.m. ET at an undisclosed location and, unless Williams is successful in his appeal, he faces a year-long exile from the league. NFL attorney Jeff Pash is hearing the case. He is not expected to deliver a ruling on Monday.
According to reports, Williams tested positive, likely in December toward the end of the 2005 season, to a substance banned by the league.
In at least three other violations, Williams tested positive for marijuana. Several sources have claimed that the substance in the latest positive test was not marijuana. There have been suggestions that Williams will contend in his appeal that he ingested an herb which registered a red flag. Williams has been a student of holistic medicine for the past two years and the use of herbs is substantial in that practice.
Williams, who recently returned to South Florida after an offseason in which he spent considerable time in India on a yoga retreat, will be represented by David Cornwell. A former league counsel, Cornwell helped craft the NFL's substance abuse guidelines, is eminently familiar with the policy, and has represented many players in the past in the appeals process.
But if Cornwell is unsuccessful in persuading the league and commissioner Paul Tagliabue that there were extenuating circumstances in Williams' latest positive test, and that a year-long suspension is undeserved, the veteran tailback faces his second lengthy exile in three seasons.
Williams missed the entire 2004 season when he abruptly retired, only days before the start of training camp that summer, following his third violation of the substance abuse policy. Were he to be suspended for the entire 2006 campaign, Williams could apply for reinstatement to the league after one year. But were he to be reinstated in 2007, Williams would return as a 30-year-old running back who had appeared in just 12 games in three years.
Life is difficult enough for a running back in the NFL once he turns 30. It would be especially difficult for Williams, given the rust we would have accumulated. And there are no guarantees, if Williams is banished for 2006, that he would even want to resume his career when eligible for reinstatement.
The four-time 1,000-yard rusher returned to the Dolphins in 2005, served a four-game suspension for his past drug-related offenses, and forfeited an additional four game-checks as part of the sanctions against him. He then ran for 743 yards and six touchdowns while serving as the backup to rookie tailback Ronnie Brown, the team's first-round pick. Williams played in 12 games and started three of them.
For his career, Williams, the first-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints, and traded to Miami in 2002, has rushed for 7,097 yards and 47 touchdowns on 1,757 carries. The former University of Texas star has appeared in 82 games and started 73 times.
In a related matter, Miami head coach Nick Saban, in a taped interview for ESPN that will air as a "Sunday Conversation" segment, said he does not believe Williams has a substance abuse problem.
"I've been with the guy all this time," Saban said. "He's had a significant amount of drug tests. ... So it depends on how you define that problem. But I'd just like to say that we're going to be very supportive of Ricky."
Miami officials might request an expedited decision in the Williams appeal. The draft is set for April 29-30, and Dolphins management would prefer to have some feel for Williams' availability in 2006 before the lottery. If the Dolphins know that Williams will not be available, they might address the issue of a backup to Brown during the draft.
The Dolphins recently re-signed backup tailbacks Sammy Morris and Travis Minor, but neither figures to provide them the kind of productivity that Williams did in 2005.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2418934Quote:
Ricky Williams picture may clear up this week
This could be the week in which the football future of erstwhile Miami Dolphins tailback Ricky Williams, who faces a year-long suspension from the league over allegations of a fourth violation of the substance abuse policy, is determined.
League officials have offered no indication of when a resolution might come on Williams' appeal earlier this month of the pending suspension. But in the April 10 appeals hearing, presided over by NFL counsel Jeffrey Pash, the Dolphins requested an expedited decision -- preferably before the draft. Miami officials would like to approach the draft this coming weekend with a clear picture of their tailback situation.
Decisions on such appeals can often take months, but the league might view the Williams situation and the proximity to the draft as a mitigating circumstance and make a determination this week. By policy, the league does not comment on matters involving its substance abuse policy, including appeals, until a resolution is reached.
"I'm on the team right now," Williams, attending a Friday evening charity function, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "What's going to happen, I really can't say. I'm a spiritual person, so I believe that whatever happens is God's will. Whatever it is, I'll make the best of this, and life goes on."
According to reports, Williams tested positive, likely in December, toward the end of the 2005 season, for a substance banned by the league. In at least three other violations, Williams tested positive for marijuana.
In the lengthy appeals hearing, it is believed that attorney David Cornwell, who represented Williams, claimed that the positive test was inconsistent with his client's behavior over the past year. A former league counsel, Cornwell helped craft the NFL's substance abuse guidelines, is eminently familiar with the policy and has represented many players in the past in the appeals process.
One of the witnesses who testified in support of Williams in the appeal was Dolphins coach Nick Saban.
Unless Williams' camp succeeds in persuading the league that there were extenuating circumstances in the latest positive test, and that a year-long suspension is undeserved, Williams faces his second lengthy exile in three seasons. He missed the entire 2004 season when he abruptly retired, only days before the start of training camp that summer, following his third violation of the substance abuse policy.
Were he to be suspended for the entire 2006 season, Williams could apply for reinstatement to the league after one year. But were he to be reinstated in 2007, Williams would return as a 30-year-old running back who had appeared in just 12 games in three years.
Life is difficult enough for a running back in the NFL once he turns 30. It would be especially difficult for Williams, given the rust he would have accumulated. And there are no guarantees, if Williams is banished for 2006, that he would even want to resume his career when eligible for reinstatement. The four-time 1,000-yard rusher returned to the Dolphins in 2005, served a four-game suspension for his past drug-related offenses, and forfeited an additional four game checks as part of the sanctions against him. He then ran for 743 yards and six touchdowns while serving as the backup to rookie Ronnie Brown, the team's first-round pick. Williams played in 12 games and started three of them.
The Sun-Sentinel reported that Williams, who spent much of the offseason in India on a yoga retreat, appeared to "have lost a considerable amount of bulk." The paper reported that, when asked what he will do if his appeal is denied, Williams replied: "You live life in the moment. To say what something was in the past, or what will be in the future, is just a waste of time."
For his career, Williams, a first-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints who was traded to Miami in 2002, has rushed for 7,097 yards and 47 touchdowns on 1,757 carries. The former University of Texas star has appeared in 82 games and started 73 times.
The Dolphins recently re-signed backup tailbacks Sammy Morris and Travis Minor, but neither figures to provide them the kind of productivity that Williams did in 2005.
According to ESPN, Ricky Williams has been suspended for the 2006 season.
Edit: Here is the story from ESPN.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2421774Quote:
Williams suspended one year
Dolphins halfback Ricky Williams lost his appeal with the NFL for violating the substance abuse policy and will be ineligible for the 2006 season.
The appeal was of his fourth violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy, a ruling that places his football career in jeopardy.
Two sources said Williams was told of the ruling earlier Tuesday. This will mark the second time in three years that Williams will sit out a full season. Williams missed the 2004 campaign when he abruptly retired days before the start of training camp that summer, following his third violation of the substance abuse policy.
"I'm disappointed with the decision but I respect it," Williams said in a statement issued through the Dolphins. "I'm proud of my association with the National Football League and look forward to returning to the Dolphins in 2007."
Williams can apply for reinstatement to the league after one year. He will not be allowed to train at the Dolphins' facility for the next year.
But even if he were to be reinstated in 2007, Williams would return as a 30-year-old running back who had appeared in just 12 games in three years. Life is difficult enough for a running back in the NFL once he turns 30. It would be especially difficult for Williams, given the rust he would have accumulated. And there are no guarantees that he will want to resume his career when eligible for reinstatement.
"Ricky is obviously disappointed," his agent, Leigh Steinberg, told The Associated Press. "He'll need to work hard to get back to the league in 2007."
The four-time 1,000-yard rusher returned to the Dolphins in 2005, served a four-game suspension for his past drug-related offenses and forfeited an additional four game checks as part of the sanctions against him. He then ran for 743 yards and six touchdowns while serving as the backup to rookie tailback Ronnie Brown, the team's first-round pick. Williams played in 12 games, starting three.
League officials have yet to comment on the resolution to Williams' appeal, which was heard April 10 in a session presided over by league counsel Jeffrey Pash. There had been no indication of when a resolution might come on Williams' appeal, but in the hearing, the Dolphins requested an expedited decision. That was because Miami wanted to go into the draft the weekend with a clear picture of their tailback situation.
Decisions on such appeals can often take months, but the league clearly viewed the Williams situation and the proximity to the draft as a mitigating circumstance and made a quicker determination.
According to various reports, Williams tested positive, likely in December toward the end of the 2005 season, for a substance banned by the league. In at least three other violations, Williams tested positive for marijuana. Several sources have claimed that the substance in the latest positive test was not marijuana.
News that Williams had failed another drug test surfaced in February, while he was in India studying yoga and holistic medicine.
In the lengthy appeals hearing, it is believed that attorney David Cornwell, who represented Williams, claimed that the positive test was inconsistent with his client's behavior over the past year. A former league counsel, Cornwell helped craft the NFL's substance abuse guidelines, is eminently familiar with the policy and has represented many players in the past in the appeals process.
"We raised substantial and legitimate issues arising out of the application of the NFL's policy and program for substances of abuse," Cornwell said in a statement. He urged the players' union and ownership to "review the issues we raised on the appeal ... and restore the original intention of the NFL's policy to put equal focus on helping NFL players as is put on testing and suspending them."
One of the witnesses who testified in support of Williams in the appeal was Dolphins coach Nick Saban, who has repeatedly praised Williams' conduct and performance last season.
"This is a league decision, and we are disappointed in what it means for Ricky and the team," Saban said in a statement. "Ricky did an outstanding job for the Dolphins, not only as a player but also what he added as a person to the team's chemistry and to our overall success."
For his career, Williams, the first-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints who was traded to Miami in 2002, has rushed for 7,097 yards and 47 touchdowns on 1,757 carries. The former University of Texas star has appeared in 82 games and started 73 times.
The suspension represents a financial blow for Williams, who owes the Dolphins $8.6 million for breaching his contract when he retired in 2004. His return to the NFL was motivated partly by the need for a paycheck.
The Dolphins recently re-signed backup tailbacks Sammy Morris and Travis Minor, but neither figures to provide them the kind of productivity that Williams did in 2005.
What a jackass. I mean, I would really think he would be smart enough to check with the league in regards to what kind of medication he could take or something. If it was for weed, he's an even bigger jackass.
I don't think it was weed.Quote:
Originally Posted by bangpow
It's supossedly something else that he took while he was doing holistic medicine in India.
I can see that happening, but damn. One would think he would be a tinge more careful.