Ricky's mom "heartbroken"
- Thread starter DolfanDaveInMI
- Start date
inFINSible
Don't believe everything you think.
I don't want to register, what did she say?
JAGFISH
FinHeaven VIP
Or just the gist of it.
LIQUID24
hi
Me neither, please post the good parts at least.inFINSible said:
touborg
Board Linebacker
Yea post the article please.
I got 5 dollars on her being heartbroken because her son gave up a brilliant career to go to asia do do drugs.
I got 5 dollars on her being heartbroken because her son gave up a brilliant career to go to asia do do drugs.
DolfanISS
Perennial All-Pro
AUSTIN – Sandy Williams knows how the Miami Dolphins feel. She, too, was shocked by the abrupt decision of her son, Ricky, to quit professional football at 27 after just five seasons.
"As a fan, I'm heartbroken," she said Monday. "I understand how the Miami fans are feeling, and I asked him if he really wanted to do this. I asked him about his coaches and teammates in Miami and if this was fair to them. And he said this was something he had to do."
Williams told the Dolphins, who open camp Friday, of his decision late last week. Williams was Miami's starting running back and focus of the Dolphins' offense.
Sandy Williams, who still resides in Austin after moving from San Diego while Ricky was at Texas, doesn't pretend to know the thought process of her enigmatic son.
"I'm on edge, just like everyone else," she said. "People think I should know what he's thinking as his mom, but I don't. I wait to get a call to find out what's next."
That call came as she finished a cruise Saturday with several parents of former Texas football players. Once ashore, she checked her cell phone, got a message to call her son and then needed to sit down once he gave her the news.
"I was in shock," she said. "Think of all the kids who dream of playing in the NFL. And he's walking away from it. There are some players who can't walk away from it – even when they should. I think the majority of people think he's nuts. But I raised him not to be selfish but to look out for himself. And he took it to the limit. I'm happy for him because it's what he wants."
Sandy Williams said she knew from her son's first year in the NFL that his pro career was going to be short. The New Orleans Saints traded their entire draft (seven picks, including two first-rounders) in 1999 to get Williams, and the pressure immediately was almost unbearable.
When things didn't turn around quickly for the Saints after acquiring Williams, general manager Bill Kuharich and coach Mike Ditka lost their jobs.
"Ricky almost quit football after that first year," Sandy Williams said. "But I talked him out of it. There's no question Ricky got a cold-hearted taste of the NFL as a business right away in New Orleans, and it affected him. From that point on, he said he wouldn't be in the NFL long."
Williams, however, liked Miami after being traded to the Dolphins for two first-round draft picks in 2002. And his mother, a longtime Dolphins fan, loved Miami. Ricky's attitude improved, according to his mother, and he had his two best seasons in 2002 and 2003.
"When he was in New Orleans, it put a strain on our family because Ricky's whole attitude changed," she said. "He wasn't Ricky. We had to give him space. When he got to Miami, it got better. But over the last month, as he really got serious about retiring, he was back to the fun-loving, care-free person he was at Texas and growing up."
Sandy Williams said if her son doesn't return to football in the next week, he probably won't return. She said a shoulder injury has also probably eliminated any interest in resuming a pro baseball career. She said Ricky's not hurting for money, despite walking away from three years of a contract that would have paid him between $11 million and $18 million.
"He spent a month making sure my finances were taken care of and his sisters' finances were taken care of," she said, adding that Ricky is paying for both of his sisters – Cassie (his twin) and Nisey – to attend graduate school. "He gave this a lot of thought. It wasn't some overnight decision."
The Miami Herald has reported that Ricky drank a liquid masking agent to conceal his use of marijuana from NFL drug tests – even though he failed two drug tests, according to published reports. But his mother said she knows nothing about that.
"We had a lengthy conversation, and that was never mentioned to me, so I can't comment on that," she said.
Sandy Williams said while she will miss watching her son play football and dreads all the negative media attention on him right now, she said she is almost relieved.
"I just don't think people like Ricky are meant to be in the spotlight," she said. "He's sensitive, and the whole 'love you today, hate you this afternoon' aspect of the NFL was taxing on him. His mind doesn't work like most football players.
"Football was something he was good at. And when he was on the field, he gave everything he had. But he wasn't passionate about football. He's too curious about other things to be passionate about any one thing for long."
She said Ricky wants to travel, pursue his love of photography, return to the University of Texas to finish his degree and maybe even study to become a psychologist.
"I don't even think Ricky knows what he wants to do right now," she said. "He just knows it's not football."
"As a fan, I'm heartbroken," she said Monday. "I understand how the Miami fans are feeling, and I asked him if he really wanted to do this. I asked him about his coaches and teammates in Miami and if this was fair to them. And he said this was something he had to do."
Williams told the Dolphins, who open camp Friday, of his decision late last week. Williams was Miami's starting running back and focus of the Dolphins' offense.
Sandy Williams, who still resides in Austin after moving from San Diego while Ricky was at Texas, doesn't pretend to know the thought process of her enigmatic son.
"I'm on edge, just like everyone else," she said. "People think I should know what he's thinking as his mom, but I don't. I wait to get a call to find out what's next."
That call came as she finished a cruise Saturday with several parents of former Texas football players. Once ashore, she checked her cell phone, got a message to call her son and then needed to sit down once he gave her the news.
"I was in shock," she said. "Think of all the kids who dream of playing in the NFL. And he's walking away from it. There are some players who can't walk away from it – even when they should. I think the majority of people think he's nuts. But I raised him not to be selfish but to look out for himself. And he took it to the limit. I'm happy for him because it's what he wants."
Sandy Williams said she knew from her son's first year in the NFL that his pro career was going to be short. The New Orleans Saints traded their entire draft (seven picks, including two first-rounders) in 1999 to get Williams, and the pressure immediately was almost unbearable.
When things didn't turn around quickly for the Saints after acquiring Williams, general manager Bill Kuharich and coach Mike Ditka lost their jobs.
"Ricky almost quit football after that first year," Sandy Williams said. "But I talked him out of it. There's no question Ricky got a cold-hearted taste of the NFL as a business right away in New Orleans, and it affected him. From that point on, he said he wouldn't be in the NFL long."
Williams, however, liked Miami after being traded to the Dolphins for two first-round draft picks in 2002. And his mother, a longtime Dolphins fan, loved Miami. Ricky's attitude improved, according to his mother, and he had his two best seasons in 2002 and 2003.
"When he was in New Orleans, it put a strain on our family because Ricky's whole attitude changed," she said. "He wasn't Ricky. We had to give him space. When he got to Miami, it got better. But over the last month, as he really got serious about retiring, he was back to the fun-loving, care-free person he was at Texas and growing up."
Sandy Williams said if her son doesn't return to football in the next week, he probably won't return. She said a shoulder injury has also probably eliminated any interest in resuming a pro baseball career. She said Ricky's not hurting for money, despite walking away from three years of a contract that would have paid him between $11 million and $18 million.
"He spent a month making sure my finances were taken care of and his sisters' finances were taken care of," she said, adding that Ricky is paying for both of his sisters – Cassie (his twin) and Nisey – to attend graduate school. "He gave this a lot of thought. It wasn't some overnight decision."
The Miami Herald has reported that Ricky drank a liquid masking agent to conceal his use of marijuana from NFL drug tests – even though he failed two drug tests, according to published reports. But his mother said she knows nothing about that.
"We had a lengthy conversation, and that was never mentioned to me, so I can't comment on that," she said.
Sandy Williams said while she will miss watching her son play football and dreads all the negative media attention on him right now, she said she is almost relieved.
"I just don't think people like Ricky are meant to be in the spotlight," she said. "He's sensitive, and the whole 'love you today, hate you this afternoon' aspect of the NFL was taxing on him. His mind doesn't work like most football players.
"Football was something he was good at. And when he was on the field, he gave everything he had. But he wasn't passionate about football. He's too curious about other things to be passionate about any one thing for long."
She said Ricky wants to travel, pursue his love of photography, return to the University of Texas to finish his degree and maybe even study to become a psychologist.
"I don't even think Ricky knows what he wants to do right now," she said. "He just knows it's not football."
inFINSible
Don't believe everything you think.
Thanks F150.....now quickly edit out a few paragraphs so Finheaven doesn't get sued...