Twist of Football Fate ...
We almost had riots in the City of Brotherly Love when the Iggles took Donovan. who has become part of the fabric of the city, over Ricky ...
>> Selfishness with Williams Lies in His Fans
Charles Persons
The Paris News
July 26, 2004
News out of Hawaii yesterday came from Dolphins running back Ricky Williams. The all-pro was retiring at the age of 27.
News out of Miami this morning seems to be pure, unadulterated rage.
Williams, the living, breathing definition of the word “eclectic,” has left the Dolphins without a running game, without a plan for this season and generally with a bunch of unanswered questions.
Fans, players and even reporters have gone nuts over this decision. Williams has been unabashedly called a "quitter" and been railed on for leaving his team in such a bind.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Charean Williams lambasted the running back in today’s paper with an article titled “Selfish Ricky a surprise to no one,” adding that you can’t spell Ricky without the “I.”
But who’s really selfish here? Is it Williams for not thinking of his team, or is it the rest of us for expecting the man to entertain us on command like a trick pony. The running back wants to pursue the things in life he loves, and we act spoiled and bemoan the fortunes of a football team?
How does Ricky Williams owe us anything?
Williams gave up a lucrative career of his own decision, but that’s his decision to make. We all too often make the mistake as fans of thinking of these players as something we own, something we hold the rights to like a baseball card.
We don’t. Williams is a player, but he’s not Miami’s player, he’s not the NFL’s player and he’s certainly not the fans’ player.
As Miami Herald columnist Dan LeBatard pointed out today, the people of Miami never embraced Ricky the person, they embraced his accomplishments on the field. Imagine for a moment that no one in your office cared about anything you did outside of work, just that you got things done between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. People only talked work with you, never wondering if you had other likes, hobbies or interests. Wouldn’t you be tired of it after a while?
Williams has interests outside of football, and he’s just young enough, free enough, rich enough and lucky enough to be able to pursue them. If only we all had that kind of freedom.
Ricky Williams took nothing away from us as fans. He has been fun to watch in both the NFL and at the University of Texas. He has left us plenty of memories.
But that’s all he owes us — memories. The rest of Ricky Williams belongs to Ricky Williams, not to the fans of the Dolphins, the fans of the Longhorns or others who watch him closely. He is not a baseball card we can have and hold and keep.
It’s time we stopped being the selfish ones. <<
Camps open. Niners aren't on this years schedule. Bummer!
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