Commentary: Ricky’s return recalls Sanders’ abrupt departure

[jlfin]

Weed isn't addictive. People do it because they want to. They don't feel the need to like someone would with an addiction to Cocain, Herion, or even Cigarettes.

Don't delude yourself into believing that. You are dead wrong. The fact that you would even make that remark suggests that you are a user, and that you are in denial.

 

[stan marino]

I dont get the article really. It compares Sanders to Ricky except that Ricky was failing drug tests left and right before he retired, and then compares Ricky to others who had failed drug tests but they didnt retire. In both instances its not a real comparison.

 

[Wildbill3]

Weed isn't addictive? What have you been smoking?

http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/teenpg13-14.html

Third FAQ down. Ricky showed classic signs of being addicted at that. Risked his job by failing multiple tests, alienated those close to him, ran from his problems to other countries, etc. just for a few puffs of the whacky tobaccy. That's classic addiction right there.

Yeah, like he didn't have any of those syptoms BEFORE smoking MaryJ. Ricky's problems go beyond any drug addiction he may have.

 

[Sulamar]

Don't delude yourself into believing that. You are dead wrong. The fact that you would even make that remark suggests that you are a user, and that you are in denial.

Age clearly doesn't show wisdow here.

How is it a fact that since I made that remark suggest I smoke weed? Is it because I am up on my facts and not believing all the government agency's war on drugs statements.

 

[Muck]

Ricky hasn't smoked marijuana since last fall (according to reports).

Also, I don't recall Barry Sanders giving many months notice. Like the Doc says, he quit two days before camp. And I recall that the Lions were upset because, like Miami, they weren't given a chance to address the position in FA or the draft (outside of drafting Sedrick Irvin in the 4th round). There was some speculation that he was contemplating retirement. But nothing strong. And certainly nothing indicating that he'd walk TWO DAYS before camp.

 

[Muck]

Just my opinion here. But I think the "weed apologist" sentiment is indicative of regular use.

It may or may not be addictive. I wouldn't know because I don't bother with that stuff (though anything can be addictive IMO). But it can, and often does, lead to the use of other drugs.

 

[fishfan34]

Good Article, I hated to see Barry leave as much as Ricky...

 

[TRUDOLFAN54]

people make mistakes all the time and everyone deserves a second chance and in some cases a third chance.well i guess what im trying to say is he made a mistake i really hated as im sure alot of people hated it to but if the guy quits partying gets his head rite apoligizes for his mistake ill except him back like im sure his teamates will also. :fire: :fire: :fire: :fire: :fire: :fire:

 

[FIN-IN-RI]

Just my opinion here. But I think the "weed apologist" sentiment is indicative of regular use.

It may or may not be addictive. I wouldn't know because I don't bother with that stuff (though anything can be addictive IMO). But it can, and often does, lead to the use of other drugs.

I echo these sentiments. Personal experiences.

 

[Beaker]

Interesting discussion....Does anyone recall if Barry had to repay the Loins any portion of his signing bonus? I'm sure Barry was rewarded handsomely for his services and could afford to pay back whatever portion he owed the team (if any?). Ricky however owes the Fins more greenbacks than I'll ever see. I think his primary motivation for returning to football is get rid of this huge debt.

 

[Scrap]

Barry didn't fail drug tests before retiring. Ricky did. Barry didn't make a negative issue of it, the way Ricky did either.

I see the similarities, but the differences are glaring, imo.

Barry was a class act. Ricky ? He was Ricky.

I've already said I've forgiven him. I don't want to compare him to Barry though.

 

[3P]

Interesting discussion....Does anyone recall if Barry had to repay the Loins any portion of his signing bonus? I'm sure Barry was rewarded handsomely for his services and could afford to pay back whatever portion he owed the team (if any?). Ricky however owes the Fins more greenbacks than I'll ever see. I think his primary motivation for returning to football is get rid of this huge debt.

I believe it was $7 million that Barry paid back. Pretty darn close to a Ricky number... especially considering that it was 6 years ago.

 

[DrAstroZoom]

The difference is Ricky walked away then refused to appologize. Or as he said on 60 Minutes..."appologize for what?"

I think you will see an apology from Ricky after he takes the first day of training camp to apologize to his teammates. They deserve it before we do

Not to mention he gave his team ZERO notice while walking away. Barry told the Lions months before.

Again, a piece of revisionist history. Here's how it really went down, as reported by the Detroit Free Press on July 29, 1999:

“Knowing what I know about him, Barry's made up his mind and he's not changing it," said a stunned coach Bobby Ross of his star player's sudden retirement. "Over the last few months, I called him 10 times, and sent three or four handwritten letters."

He never received a word in return. Not a call. Not a note. Training camp was about to begin. Rumors were flying. What was Barry thinking? The front office nervously assumed he would show up. He did, after all, have four years left on his contract.

And then, on Tuesday night, came the bombshell phone call from his agents. Healthy, in his prime -- one good season away from becoming the NFL's all-time rushing leader -- Sanders had decided to check out. He was retiring from football. He left a written statement, a good-bye note of sorts, which he placed with a Wichita, Kan., reporter. And he flew to London to escape attention.

A couple other pieces of housekeeping:

Interesting discussion....Does anyone recall if Barry had to repay the Loins any portion of his signing bonus?

On February 15, 2000, arbitrator Sam Kagel ruled that Sanders was in default of his bonus agreement and owed $5.5 million plus interest over the next three years.

Barry was a class act. Ricky ? He was Ricky.

The College Football Hall of Fame might dispute Barry on being a class act. As reported in the Detroit Free Press in December 2003:

Barry Sanders still doesn't get it.

He doesn't have to explain to anyone how he chooses to live his life, but he still must be held accountable for those choices. "Barry just being Barry" has grown into a tired, old justification for his enablers to excuse a simple lack of common courtesy.

His was the lone vacant chair among the 13 inductees at a Tuesday morning news conference for the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Knowing Sanders' penchant for unexplainably changing direction at the stop of a dime off the field as well, Hall of Fame officials reconfirmed one final time with Sanders' representatives Monday afternoon that the legendary running back would be at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel for a one-hour media availability session that's more a promotional tool for the foundation and the sport it honors than anything else.

Sanders missed the morning activities.

Sanders arrived in time for the black-tie induction dinner Tuesday night and said that nobody told him about a news conference.

"Had I known that it was a press conference I probably would have deliberately blown it off," Sanders said, apparently in jest. "I was just told that I needed to be there no later than 10:30 and then I got a note when I checked in that I missed this thing and that I would have to take care of some things before the dinner. But I'm very pleased to be here for this overwhelming honor."

It's no big deal that the dozens of media waiting for him Tuesday morning were unable to question him on a variety of topics. He wasn't going to shed any significant new light on why he bolted from the NFL. But it was college football that he slapped in the face with his absence because the Hall of Fame looked at the interview session as an opportunity to celebrate the game and a century's worth of heroes.

 

[Agua]

"Over the last few months, I called him 10 times, and sent three or four handwritten letters. He never received a word in return. Not a call. Not a note. Training camp was about to begin. Rumors were flying. What was Barry thinking? The front office nervously assumed he would show up. "

Sounds quite a bit different from RW showing up at all offseason meetings and standing up before the locker room a few weeks prior to TC and stating that Miami was "his team" [paraphrasing, I wish I had that article].

You *know* there's not much of an excuse for RW's conduct when Dr. Z can't write a strong argument for it.

 

[finmann]

I don't know man...I just liked Barry. Maybe because he wasnt a phin that we do not take it as personal, i wonder how the people of Detroit felt about him then? was it as bad /worse than we feel about Ricky?