Ricky Williams coming back already?

[Nick]

Dolphins | R. Williams Already Considering Comeback? - from www.KFFL.com
Wed, 25 Aug 2004 19:53:20 -0700

Ethan J. Skolnick and Alex Marvez, of the Sun-Sentinel, report former Miami Dolphins RB Ricky Williams called head coach Dave Wannstedt earlier this week and is considering a comeback in the future. It's believed Williams broached the subject of returning to the Dolphins if they met certain conditions – including renegotiation of his contract. A return in 2004 would be unlikely unless Williams were to register a favorable appeal with NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

[AvengerRam_old]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

Gee... I wonder if this has anything to do with the Dolphins seeking $8 Million in signing bonuses back from Ricky.

[adarian_too]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

Gee... I wonder if this has anything to do with the Dolphins seeking $8 Million in signing bonuses back from Ricky.

If it is, he's a wuss. The Dolphins should be embarrassed asking for the pro-rated portion of the signing bonus back that he already earned. He ought to stay retired, turn it around, and claim the moment he signed, the entire bonus became vested, and he is due the rest of it and file a countersuit for "pain and suffering" and "soft tissue damage" and any other vague claim.

In effect, the signing bonus is a guaranteed contract. If the Dolphins had released him, he still would be entitled to the bonus so just because he released himself doesn't give the Dolphins greater entitlement. It just negates Ricky's entitlement to the rest of the bonus. When will justice begin to prevail in this great country of ours?

[AvengerRam_old]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

Well, I haven't seen Ricky's contract, but my understanding is that there is a clause in it that provides that Ricky would be required return some portion (not sure how much) of the signing bonus if he retired during the contract's term.

If that is the case, Ricky's only options would be to try to void the clause either citing to public policy (which almost certainly would not work under Florida law) or under the collective bargaining agreement between the Players' Union and the NFL.

Whatever the outcome, I've lost any respect that I might have had for RW. Its one thing to walk out on your team because you want to "find yourself." But the man has young kids. I seriously doubt they're going on his "sample the herbs of the World" tour with him.

[Nick]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

Ricky quells comeback rumors
BY JASON COLE, DAN LE BATARD AND ARMANDO SALGUERO
[email protected]

Ricky Williams said Wednesday night he contacted the Dolphins earlier this week at the request of agent Leigh Steinberg, but the retired running back said he has no plans to return to the team anytime soon despite numerous reports he is coming back.

Williams hasn't completely ruled out a return, but he made it clear that under the current state of the coaching staff and of his contract that ``it's not in my best interests to play football right now.''

Beyond that, Williams is facing a suspension of at least one year from the NFL for violations of the league's substance-abuse policy.

Williams, who is in Australia and said he plans to travel to India soon for ''a couple of months,'' said the Dolphins basically forced the conversation after sending a letter last week demanding repayment of $8.6 million by Monday.

''Yeah, it's true that I called them,'' Williams said. ``You need to understand that I didn't call them to see if I could come back. I was just causing a conversation to happen.

``They sent me the letter, and [Steinberg] told me it's in my best interests to call them.''

Asked if he was prepared to repay the money or return to the team by Monday, Williams said, ``That's really up to the Dolphins about the money . . . this whole thing gets crazier by the day.''

SEVERAL FACTORS

Williams said a number of factors weighed into his decision to retire. Among them was the decision to promote Chris Foerster to offensive coordinator instead of Marc Trestman in May after Joel Collier stepped down.

''I felt that if I played I probably would have gotten hurt,'' Williams said. ``It was my opinion that Marc Trestman should be the coordinator. When Chris was going through things in practice, it didn't make sense to me. I felt they were going to run me again as they had in the past. I would feel more comfortable if [Trestman] was the coordinator because then we at least would have had balance.''

In two seasons with the Dolphins, Williams carried 775 times, including a franchise-record 393 last season. ''I've taken a beating the past two years, and I did it with a smile on my face,'' he said.

But Williams did say money was a factor this offseason. Steinberg and the Dolphins were in discussions about a restructured contract.

''I do feel I have been underpaid the past couple of years,'' Williams said. ``I'm not a person who cares that much about money. It's more of a respect thing.''

The Dolphins revised Williams' contract, allowing him to make $5.3 million in incentives the past two seasons.

QUICK RETURN UNLIKELY

Regardless of what Williams ultimately does, it's unlikely he will play this season. An NFL source said ''major hurdles'' would have to be crossed before Williams could play.

Among the hurdles is that Williams would have to appeal to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue for reinstatement after filing his retirement papers this month.

Even if he were reinstated from retirement, Williams likely would face the suspension. Williams has tested positive for marijuana use three times since being acquired by the Dolphins in March 2002.

Finally, coach Dave Wannstedt would have to discuss the return with members of the team, some of whom were critical of Williams.

Williams was contacted in Australia with the help of agent Drew Rosenhaus, who was ''invited'' by Williams, both men said.

[HUbison]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

``I'm not a person who cares that much about money. It's more of a respect thing.''

Yea, I'll buy that. So if your contract had more of a signing respect bonus and some additional respect incentives with a larger respect base, then you would still be in Miami. Oh, ok. :bored:

[DJRamFan]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

lol

From what I've read, he still has no intentions of returning any time soon and if he ever does, he's still going to have to sit for a while. Ricky was a good back, but he's making himself look like a jackass. Huizenga is P.O.ed and should be, I say let him go after Ricky for whatever he wants, that's not to say he'll get it.

When Barry Sanders retired I seem to remember him giving some money back, but I can't remember the exact terms of that.

[adarian_too]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

Well, I haven't seen Ricky's contract, but my understanding is that there is a clause in it ...

And there it is isn't it? Another boiler plate contract? A BIG clause in bold letters? Contracts are leglitmate if in simple words and without the 80 word sentences. Why do they have to be longer than a page? If he agreed to certain bargained for terms, he should be expected to honor them. If, at the same time, there is a clause in his contract that obligates him to return the pro-rated portion "already earned" it should be voided for public policy reasons because he gave up consideration those years he already worked.

Frankly the issue should be why his agent allowed such a clause to be part of the agreement in the first place. And if Williams thought such a risky clause were profitable then he needs to find someone who smokes the same weed as he does before he inks such a deal.

It's a shame he now seems to be waffling between stances. It gives the impression someone put paraquat in his weed.

[afrightertoo]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

under the current state of the coaching staff ... "it's not in my best interests to play football right now.''

Pretty uncommon for an athlete to attribute his early departure to a staffing situation.

[DJRamFan]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

a coaching staff that sought him out and built their offense around HIM.

[Nick]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

I can't say I blame Ricky for being upset about the gameplan. It's one thing to build your offense around Ricky. It's another thing for him to run the ball 775 times in two seasons because the rest of your offense is piss-poor and that's the only thing you can rely on.

[afrightertoo]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

"Williams said: `When Chris was going through things in practice, it didn't make sense to me.' "

I suppose one might try to credit/discredit Williams for saying this depending on how you interpret the remark, but I also find it uncommon for someone to admit this.

[Nick]

Re: Ricky Williams coming back already?

Source: Williams mulled return until raise was declined
By Alex Marvez
Staff Writer
Posted August 27 2004

DAVIE -- Although facing other obstacles toward a return to the NFL, a source said Thursday that Ricky Williams was prepared earlier this week to rejoin the Dolphins until the tailback learned the team had no interest in giving him a new contract.

Unhappy with an incentive-laden deal that would pay him $3.73 million in 2004, the source said Williams approached coach Dave Wannstedt and General Manager Rick Spielman about the possibility of a return provided he received "a significant raise." Williams was told that wasn't a possibility, with another source adding Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga would never agree to financially reward a player whose abrupt retirement in late July caused so much harm to the franchise.

"He was interested in playing until he saw they were not going to give him a new contract," the source said. "I don't believe he's going to play again this year. I think he's going to take a year off and try to come back next year and be traded."

Agent Leigh Steinberg, who also reportedly spoke with Wannstedt and Spielman, did not return telephone calls seeking comment. Wannstedt and Spielman declined comment.

The Dolphins recently sent Williams a letter warning he had until Monday to report or face the recoupment of $8.6 million paid by the team and the New Orleans Saints over the previous five seasons. Williams and Steinberg agreed to recoupment provisions in a restructured contract the Dolphins gave the tailback in 2002.

An ESPN report Thursday stated that Williams' approach toward the recoupment issue is, "`Well, let's see what can happen in terms of a court of law deciding that the NFL deserves that money that I earned in incentives instead of my three children.'" ESPN also reported that Williams "doesn't have that $8 million to give them back. He says he's been poor before. He hasn't been happy with his contract, but he says this is not a negotiating ploy."

Even if he did end a vacation in Australia and report to the Dolphins, there are no guarantees Williams would be cleared to play in 2004 because he filed retirement papers as a three-time violator under the NFL's substance abuse program. NFL rules state that applying for reinstatement before next August would count as a one-year mandatory suspension because Williams would be credited with a fourth failed test.

But a source said Williams thinks a lesser penalty from the league was likely if he wanted to return.

"He was under the impression he could work it out with the league and miss just four games," said the source, referring to the mandatory penalty for his third failed drug test for marijuana. "He really believes the league would allow [that]."

Not only would the league have to reinstate Williams, the Dolphins also would have to welcome him back. That might not be so easy, considering Williams' actions and continuing comments that are upsetting his former teammates.

In particular, there is growing resentment toward Williams as he takes shots at the Dolphins from a distance. Williams' latest gripes about the franchise concerned his unhappiness with logging an NFL-record 775 carries over the past two seasons and the promotion of Chris Foerster to offensive coordinator instead of Marc Trestman when Joel Collier resigned in May.

Sources told the Sun-Sentinel on Wednesday that Williams thought his heavy workload was going to continue under Foerster, while Trestman would have presented a more diversified offense.

"The players in this locker room just looked at it and laughed," Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain said. "It has become a sideshow. I see no way in hell that he comes back, especially the way he put people off when he left.

"He made a grown man's decision, and that was fine if he didn't want to play football. What pissed people off was he broke the code [of the locker room]. He didn't have to talk about other players when he left."

Defensive tackle Larry Chester was just as critical.

"He is acting like a bitter girlfriend," Chester said. "He is just looking for someone to lash out at. It doesn't bother me that he wants to be happy, but he doesn't have to tear other players down to do it. That's not right.

"If he wanted to come back to this team, it would depend on the circumstances as far as I'm concerned. He doesn't just owe the fans a big apology. He owes a lot of players in this locker room apologies. He keeps getting attention and causing a circus that no one in this locker room is interested in."