Bare with me, I just returned from seeing the Revenge of the Sith...
I still see good in Ricky. The situation last year, and the reports that leaked about how dysfunctional the staff has been the last few years... I'm not surprised at all that someone with his mentality went off the deep end.
Ricky needs structure. As much as he wants to project himself as a "free spirit" and claim that he enjoys being free from structure... I'm convinced that his mental makeup prevents him from functioning normally on his own. We'll never know the full extent of Lenny's role in his decision, but I suspect that Ricky's decision to retire and become a free spirit (remind anyone of Lenny?) was at least mostly motivated by trying to please his new friends.
That's something that I always noticed with Ricky... he was never self-serving. Not once did I ever witness him be self serving. I believe his SAD influences his desire to please others... and avoid conflict. The rigid nature of a
properly run football program is a perfect place for Ricky to get his dose of pleasing others. Even on runrickyrun.com, Ricky always demonstrated a desire to please the fans. The very fact that he would even keep a journal as public as he did wreaks to me of "Please, like me!"
Given my (unprofessional, I must add) analysis of Ricky... it was only inevitable that he would falter under Wanny's regime. Again.. pardon my Star Wars reference... but "It was his destiny."
Does anyone else find it odd that Ricky thrived in the Texas program? Heck... aside from his extreme shyness, I don't recall him having any issues with the Saints. Actually... I retract that, I do recall him having trouble when he broke his foot... and was subsequently removed from the structure of the NFL. Yet two years under a, now exposed, extremely disorganized program run by Wanny... after loosing Norv Turner... and amidst the chaos that we now know was the offensive coaching staff, and BAM he's gone.
The beautiful thing about our current situation is that yes, he's a mercenary. Ronnie Brown is our "fallback" if you will. We don't need Ricky, and should he once again decide that he doesn't need the structure of the NFL... we won't be counting solely on him. That said, I don't expect he will punk out on us again. Not as long as Saban is as structured as he is reputed to be, of which I have little doubt. Still there is that lingering feeling in the back of your mind... always a sense of doubt about his motives.
That will be Ricky's punishment. The sort of treatment you might give a lover who has cheated on you. You want to trust them and love them as you did before... but there is always that little bit of you that withholds and keeps you from holding them in the same regard as you once did.
Perhaps not everyone will welcome him back... but rest assured that after he breaks his first run for a long TD that will no doubt fill all but the most jaded with the lovely exhilaration that smacks of the taste of great makeup sex, he will be cheered once again. After the celibacy that was last year, he will be welcomed... and he will be cheered. Always with that little asterisk in your mind that warns not to get too attached... but cheered none the less.
Ricky is coming back, whether you like it or not. Personally, I can't wait to put my Ricky jersey back on... and put the Wannstedt era fully behind me. I intend to pretend that Wanny never happened at all, and in that vein pretend that Ricky's falling out didn't happen either.
He's not fully lost to us yet, I can still feel some good in him.
