Ricky Williams busted again!

[dol_fan_1313]

Bull**** the tag was expired that’s why he was pulled over then when they ran the tag it was registered to another automobile. I’m not saying there is not racism in the world we live in today, just not in this case. I would like to know where you get your facts about Florida being one of the most racist states in America.

 

[grooves12]

Re: Fact???

Originally posted by Expo88


Your "fact" pretty much amounts to a pile of manure. While I will not deny that racial profiling does exist, I will say that in this case, you have almost no ground upon which to stand. Let's look at the facts, shall we? He was pulled over for expired tags- nothing to be concerned about but a reason (a.ka. probable cause) to make a stop. Next, he did not have a license- the article does not state whether or not he just left it at home or if he actually does not have license. Thirdly and here's the kicker, the tag on the plate was not registered to the vehicle which it was on. This is usually an indication that the vehicle is stolen or that there is something fraudulent going on.

We, as fans, all know that RW has a somewhat enigmatic personality and he may have been acting a little bit unusual. This "unusual" behavior, coupled with the other facts that I previously stated would cause most reasonable individuals to suspect that something was going on and a search would then be warranted.

Finally, there is the issue of placing cuffs on him. At first I felt as though that may have been overkill but then I thought about it for a second and it made perfect sense from an officer safety standpoint. Here you have a guy who you suspect has taken some controlled substance and may be committing a crime. You have him step out of the car only to find that he's about 50 pounds heavier than you and is solid muscle. At this point any reasonable person would want to take every due precaution to assure that this very large individual, who you have stopped, doesn't take it upon himself to ball you up and kick you down the street like a soccer ball.

The reason that I can make these statements with such certainty is that I am a cop, I pride myself on having very little prejudices (we all have some,) and I do my best to never allow any prejudices I do have to ever affect me either personally or professionally. Grooves, next time you make a judgment like this (which only goes to prove your own prejudices against cops) , and make statements of "fact," you might want to do a little more thinking and try to see both sides of the story before jumping to conclusions.

:confused:

Now, let me ask you... do you think his numbers would have ever been run... let alone pulled over, if he was a skinny white man driving a mini-van with 3 kids in the back?? The cop wouldn't have looked twice. Again... the article doesn't mention ANY kind of driving violation, just the expired tags incident. Again... Im not blaming the cop, but to realistically think Ricky wasn't pulled over because of the way he looks and what he is driving , is pretty naive. Like someone else said, you will be judged by others based on your looks... its a fact of life.

 

[FinaticalOne]

Originally posted by dol_fan_1313
Bull**** the tag was expired that’s why he was pulled over then when they ran the tag it was registered to another automobile. I’m not saying there is not racism in the world we live in today, just not in this case. I would like to know where you get your facts about Florida being one of the most racist states in America.

It's only Bull$#!T if you didn't do the research. If it is such Bull$#!T, than why did they search his car with a drug sniffing dog if it was over such a minor violation. They would not have gone through all that red tape if it his looks were different. I had to put law school on hold for a year to get my finances right before I finish up. I have one more year left. In my civil law class, I had to do a paper on hate crimes. The states that have the most hate groups is/was in 2000:

1) Arizona
2) Florida
3) Georgia
4) Texas

Just go to yahoo or any search motor and look up "hate groups" it's a proven fact. For all I know Florida can be #1 in the year 2002, you know how time changes. You don't remember the incident last year with a Maryland state reprensentative (who is black) went to a small town in Central Florida and wanted to sit down and have a drink at a bar. They refused to serve him because he was black, and the only way african americans got served there was in a back room to go. Now that was the year 2001. The fact is there have been previous complaints about that specific bar in that town and nothing has been done until last year. The only reason why it was brought to light because it happened to this representative's family member, and when he reported it to the local authorities, they did nothing about. So he went down there himself to see and it happened to him. That segregation crap ended back in the 60's. To still hear that a small town in Florida still practices it is a complete disgrace to this nation, and that they let it go on for so long. :fire:

 

[FinaticalOne]

Re: Re: Fact???

Originally posted by grooves12


Now, let me ask you... do you think his numbers would have ever been run... let alone pulled over, if he was a skinny white man driving a mini-van with 3 kids in the back?? The cop wouldn't have looked twice. Again... the article doesn't mention ANY kind of driving violation, just the expired tags incident. Again... Im not blaming the cop, but to realistically think Ricky wasn't pulled over because of the way he looks and what he is driving , is pretty naive. Like someone else said, you will be judged by others based on your looks... its a fact of life.

AMEN!

 

[FinaticalOne]

It only happend because of the way he looks and the brand new vehicle he was driving. It happened to me, it can happend to anyone, or almost anyone.

 

[dolphan39]

Re: Re: Fact???

Originally posted by grooves12


Now, let me ask you... do you think his numbers would have ever been run... let alone pulled over, if he was a skinny white man driving a mini-van with 3 kids in the back?? The cop wouldn't have looked twice. Again... the article doesn't mention ANY kind of driving violation, just the expired tags incident. Again... Im not blaming the cop, but to realistically think Ricky wasn't pulled over because of the way he looks and what he is driving , is pretty naive. Like someone else said, you will be judged by others based on your looks... its a fact of life.

I am sure the

Humvy attacted lots of attention initially, but it is still suprising. But this is the part that is beyond belief

The Associated Press reported that officers placed Williams in plastic handcuffs, put him in the back of a squad car and searched his vehicle. Police found only Chinese food and released Williams with the traffic tickets.

:fire: Chinese food - I thought RW liked Cajun :goof:

 

[FinaticalOne]

Re: Re: Re: Fact???

Originally posted by dolphan39
I am sure the

Humvy attacted lots of attention initially, but it is still suprising. But this is the part that is beyond belief :fire: Chinese food - I thought RW liked Cajun :goof:

 

[Cranx]

You guys are trying to argue nothing here. You might want to go check out DCH's post for a more extensive look at this story. RW did take the plate off one of his SUV's that he had recently purchased in Florida and placed them on the Hummer! As I said before, this is usually an indication that the car is stolen.

To the point that they never would have run the plates if he was a skinny white guy driving a mini van you may or may not be correct. The fact of the matter is, we drive around all day long running license plate numbers on our computers at random. I personally will generally run the plates of just about any unusal vehicle, regardless of who's driving, just out of curiosity.

Again, pulling plates off one car and putting them onto another genrally means a major no-no is happening and that something should be done.

As far as the dog is concerned, that is very routine if the dog is available. People always think that we go out of our ways to bring out the dogs or the helicopter. The fact of the matter here is that the dogs and helicopters are on regular patrol patterns just like the rest of us. If they're not doing anything else they will show up on your call and do something, it's that simple. They are just one more tool in the tool box so get over it.

 

[FinaticalOne]

Originally posted by Expo88
You guys are trying to argue nothing here. You might want to go check out DCH's post for a more extensive look at this story. RW did take the plate off one of his SUV's that he had recently purchased in Florida and placed them on the Hummer! As I said before, this is usually an indication that the car is stolen.

To the point that they never would have run the plates if he was a skinny white guy driving a mini van you may or may not be correct. The fact of the matter is, we drive around all day long running license plate numbers on our computers at random. I personally will generally run the plates of just about any unusal vehicle, regardless of who's driving, just out of curiosity.

Again, pulling plates off one car and putting them onto another genrally means a major no-no is happening and that something should be done.

As far as the dog is concerned, that is very routine if the dog is available. People always think that we go out of our ways to bring out the dogs or the helicopter. The fact of the matter here is that the dogs and helicopters are on regular patrol patterns just like the rest of us. If they're not doing anything else they will show up on your call and do something, it's that simple. They are just one more tool in the tool box so get over it.

Good to see we have a cop in the forum. I totally undestand what you are talking about. I use to be a state trooper after I graduated from college. I left and went back to law school full time to fullfill my goals. Now what you said is the truth in most cases. But in my situation that I posted earlier was completely different and unconstitutional. When I asked the patorlman why I was pulled over, his exact comment to me was "because I feel like pulling you over". He gave me no reason as to why he pulled me over. He didn't ask to search my g/f's car (which is what he was supposed to do because there was no violation or crime committed). He told me to get out of the car, he put plastic cuffs on me. He then called for a K-9 officer to come by. It took approximately 15 mins. for a k-9 patrol officer to show up then they searched my g/f's car without asking.......Now you tell me.......is that a violation of my rights. I know it is, my g/f who is a lawyer know it is, and you know it is. "GET OVER IT" I THINK NOT!!!!! I'm not against cops at all. Growing up, that was what I wanted to be until I got in college, then my career goals changed. I was a state trooper after college for 4 years. Then I went to law school full time and I have one year left. Cops do get a bad break, its tough doing that job when people who I was trying to protect or serve don't like me or even trust me because I was a cop. I've seen the good and bad from the inside and on the outside during my brief stint as a trooper. Can you tell me thats the way you would've handled my situation???????

 

[Cranx]

Believe me, I'm not trying to defend all cops out there, I am a cop now but I am soon to be a former cop due to a pretty bad accident on duty. I have seen my fair share of really questionable decisions made by my colleagues and have even seen some that are flat out wrong. I've called people on the carpet for their actions and I've payed the very hefty consequences for being a "snitch." So, again, I am not here to tout cops as a group of individuals who do no wrong.

All I'm trying to do in this case is look at the facts as they're stated in the article and in this particular case I see no flaw whatsoever. Everyone in this forum must also consider one other factor that has not been brought up: RW was pulled over in front of the Sun Sentinal building in the middle of the day. That means that the cops who were out there were probably on their best behavior and were trying to do everything by the book since they were under a microscope from the media whose front door they were parked in front of.

As far as the situation with you and your G/F, I won't try to make any excuses for the guy that pulled you over. The facts, as you've stated them sound very suspect, however, if the guy did act in that manner, did not get consent to search, and also did not explain the reason for the detention, then you of all people know that it was an unlawful detention and either you, or your G/F should have filed a formal complaint.

As for the "Get over it" portion, I was referring specifically to this case. The facts, as they're stated, point to an almost unquestionalbly textbook stop and search.

Good luck in law school BTW, I almost went that route but I know too many lawyers out here in SoCal who are having a very difficult time finding work so I'm going the MBA route. I still have a year and a half left but I'm enjoying it for now.

 

[FinaticalOne]

Hey EXPO....

Thanks a lot EXPO!

I know from your post you were looking at the evidence on both sides. That's exactly what a good cop would do :)

I have seen questionable decisions made by fellow officers and flat out wrong decisions too. It looks like we have traveled and are traveling the same road to an extent :)

I actually did not know that RW was pulled over in front of the Sun Sentinel building. In an ironic way, I find that kinda funny I was wondering how the reporters were in the right place to take those pictures.

I did file a formal complaint. My g/f wouldn't let me leave the state of Florida until I filed that complaint.

I'm sorry about your on the job accident.

GOOD LUCK with your MBA, I have a friend who is going for his also.

 

[Predaphin]

well at least I know something for a fact............The police werent dolphin fans!!!!:yell: :yell: :yell:

 

[inFINSible]

Expo you are right they had every right to pull him and run his tags, the article I was going by only said the tags were expired but if they were assigned to another vehicle, I see your point.

Do you think the search had ANYTHING to do with WHO he is? I mean the cops live in Miami so they obviously recognized who they had after he was ID'd, so do you think the search had anything to do with his rep? I can't believe that what wcoastfin posted could be true, there has to be alot of Dolphin fans among the cops wouldn't you think? Why would they want to f**k up the Fins' season?

 

[inFINSible]

Nothing to talk about here boys...move along.

 

[CRAZYDOLFAN305]

First of all, I am very impressed with CRAZYDOLFAN305's piece. It's insightful, true, and wreaks of expertise. Thanks, it's one of the best Fins pieces I've read this year.

As for RW, everyone is pumped to jump on his back, make comments about his driving, scoff at his anxiety disorder... but it seems like the pro athlete persona has two extreme opposites: the guys who screw up, hit kids, hit wives, do drugs (enter RJ Soward, Darryl Russell, Lawrence Phillips, Cecil Collins, etc) and the guys who get flack for parking tickets. Ricky seems to be the latter: a truly intelligent but shy man who seems to be the brunt of a lot of articles merely because he didn't seem to fit in with N.O. And why didn't he fit in, you ask? Because as you said, he was seen as the second coming of Walter Payton, the man who would lead them from the bottom of the (Louisiana) basin to the ranks of the league's best. He didn't do that (no one could, in my opinion) and suddenly he's on his way out.

As for people who comment that we traded the farm, I'd like to recount my previous article I wrote when the trade was actually going down. In reality, Ricky is a PROVEN back who has been ultra-productive. He is 5x better than an unproven rookie (who'd be the 3rd best RB in the draft, since we'd pick him up at 26) who "seemed fast" when playing against defenses made up primarily of guys who couldn't play backups in the NFL. I'll take a 3-year-aged intelligent productive RB with a shyness complex any day. In fact, I'm PROUD to have Ricky on the team. From every press bit I ever read, even when I saw him in the first Dolphin press conference, he seemed like a real upstanding citizen. As I recall, he scored somewhere around 30 on the Wonderlic, didn't he?

For once, I agree with Glu10 in his comment that "he drives without insurance, what's the big deal about Ricky not carrying a license." I've got a $20 bill that says the cops saw a pretty nice Humvee and a photo opportunity and decided to go all-out. I've been stopped by the police before without an insurance card, and they didn't even give me a ticket let alone search my vehicle with drug dogs. Or, does Michael Irvin also drive a burnt orange Humvee?

New Orleans had Joe Horn (the traditional locker room ass-clown) and a slew of disgruntled players. The only player with heart, Turley, was chastised for defending his QB. Haslett and Meuller traded away their Pro Bowl quality RB for peanuts and then tried to pass off a guy with 10 total NFL carries as his ample replacement. Yeah, we'll see who picks up more yardage.

Ricky Williams is a stand-up guy. He's the kinda guy that will run back in the huddle with a mouthful of blood and somehow gargle out that he wants the ball (true story). He's the kinda guy that supports his mom, takes care of his kids, speaks politely and respectfully to strangers and is a little shy. He's the kinda guy that drives without a license sometimes, doesn't always like to be targeted in the spotlight, and sometimes speeds. He's the kinda guy that's just like every one of us--he's human--and he's the kinda guy that's going to rush for 1,200+ yards next year and leave trails of dust to settle over the skeptics and critics who doubted him.


My two cents.