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This is my first post on this forum, but I just had to write some vital thoughts after reading Clark Judge's hit piece on Ricky Williams tonight.
Also, I beg the moderators grace for starting a new thread for this -- but I think after reading it, people will agree it isn't a "normal" RW piece. And, btw, kudos to the moderator of this forum for making a good Fin page. I've enjoyed reading here, after fleeing the debacle that the old DolphinDigest forum had become, where inmates ran the asylum and lowest-common-denominator pabulum ruled. But I digress.
My reason for writing tonight is to defend RW as a person, a spiritual soul. Not, mind you, to defend his actions yea or nay, but to speak to the larger human issues in this case.
My first reaction to this news was that RW screwed the Dolphins royally. Big time screwed them for his own selfish, naval-gazing goals. And there is that undeniable element. But when I read Judge's article tonight, the light came on: there is more at stake here than just football.
The heart of Judge's article states essentially that RW has a credibility problem and that RW cannot be depended on. He lists a group of marquee talent guys, around which offenses were designed, and then faults RW for killing Wanny's job [if so, that alone is reason to defend Ricky, but again, I digress]. Judge 'judges' RW and ends with this quote:
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
In a very real sense Ricky has been on a search for Ricky, and for the truth. He hasn't been hanging at clubs, stabbing patrons and boning hangers-on. He hasn't been beating his wife or popping ****tails of illegral prescription drugs, or throwing wild parties and date-raping underage partygoers in the bathroom while the wife is away. He hasn't been chartering gambling boats and making sure the city's best strippers are aboard.
These are all things that many whom Judge lifts up as "competent" engaged in...many whom people like Judge would praise...all because they showed up for the next team meeting.
Judge makes a big deal about RW being done and stick-a-fork-in-him finished because he'll be 30 when he comes back, if he comes back. He tells Miami and the NFL to cut their ties with Ricky and say, "Good riddance."
But there is more to this than money lost or team investment dimmed.
There is Ricky's soul.
And I say it's the crucial time for our support.
If I'm Nick Saban, I call Ricky in to my office ASAP, or take him out to eat, look him in the eye and say, "Ricky, you screwed up, but you know something? there are some things larger than football and right now we're dealing with one. I believe in Ricky the person, and when he is straight, Ricky the football player can still make things happen."
I'd challenge RW to take the next year, the off year, to dedicate himself to reaching the best football shape of his life, and also, more importantly, to support him in reaching a status of spiritual peace...for the first time in his life.
I'd tell him to come back stronger at 30 than he was at 26 [body AND soul] and in this shape, to have the three greatest years of his career, between 30-33...to make wrongs right and make amends with himself and with the team he screwed.
If that is the case, a greater success story can be written, in the final analysis, than will be written about boatloads of NFL players.
For Ricky will have found himself in the ravenous wilderness called NFL success. Success as a player yes, but far greater, success as a person.
Ricky is a great and tender soul.
These words spoken at the right time may just spring him to a level yet unknown, on field and in heart.
Those are my heartfelt thoughts tonight.
Hack away!
LD7
Also, I beg the moderators grace for starting a new thread for this -- but I think after reading it, people will agree it isn't a "normal" RW piece. And, btw, kudos to the moderator of this forum for making a good Fin page. I've enjoyed reading here, after fleeing the debacle that the old DolphinDigest forum had become, where inmates ran the asylum and lowest-common-denominator pabulum ruled. But I digress.
My reason for writing tonight is to defend RW as a person, a spiritual soul. Not, mind you, to defend his actions yea or nay, but to speak to the larger human issues in this case.
My first reaction to this news was that RW screwed the Dolphins royally. Big time screwed them for his own selfish, naval-gazing goals. And there is that undeniable element. But when I read Judge's article tonight, the light came on: there is more at stake here than just football.
The heart of Judge's article states essentially that RW has a credibility problem and that RW cannot be depended on. He lists a group of marquee talent guys, around which offenses were designed, and then faults RW for killing Wanny's job [if so, that alone is reason to defend Ricky, but again, I digress]. Judge 'judges' RW and ends with this quote:
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Which is the problem with Ricky Williams. He's irresponsible. He's untrustworthy. And he's unprofessional. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]
Now, he's out of a job. Good riddance. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]
Now, he's out of a job. Good riddance. [/FONT]
That certainly is a point of view. And it's probably the normal line to take with a guy that jacks your company like this. But in all those comparisons Judge was making, I couldn't help but feel that he missed the element of Ricky's soul in it all. Ricky has exhibited extreme self-centeredness and classic irresponsibility, but he hasn't done it for the normal jock's low reasons. And that is key.
In a very real sense Ricky has been on a search for Ricky, and for the truth. He hasn't been hanging at clubs, stabbing patrons and boning hangers-on. He hasn't been beating his wife or popping ****tails of illegral prescription drugs, or throwing wild parties and date-raping underage partygoers in the bathroom while the wife is away. He hasn't been chartering gambling boats and making sure the city's best strippers are aboard.
These are all things that many whom Judge lifts up as "competent" engaged in...many whom people like Judge would praise...all because they showed up for the next team meeting.
Judge makes a big deal about RW being done and stick-a-fork-in-him finished because he'll be 30 when he comes back, if he comes back. He tells Miami and the NFL to cut their ties with Ricky and say, "Good riddance."
But there is more to this than money lost or team investment dimmed.
There is Ricky's soul.
And I say it's the crucial time for our support.
If I'm Nick Saban, I call Ricky in to my office ASAP, or take him out to eat, look him in the eye and say, "Ricky, you screwed up, but you know something? there are some things larger than football and right now we're dealing with one. I believe in Ricky the person, and when he is straight, Ricky the football player can still make things happen."
I'd challenge RW to take the next year, the off year, to dedicate himself to reaching the best football shape of his life, and also, more importantly, to support him in reaching a status of spiritual peace...for the first time in his life.
I'd tell him to come back stronger at 30 than he was at 26 [body AND soul] and in this shape, to have the three greatest years of his career, between 30-33...to make wrongs right and make amends with himself and with the team he screwed.
If that is the case, a greater success story can be written, in the final analysis, than will be written about boatloads of NFL players.
For Ricky will have found himself in the ravenous wilderness called NFL success. Success as a player yes, but far greater, success as a person.
Ricky is a great and tender soul.
These words spoken at the right time may just spring him to a level yet unknown, on field and in heart.
Those are my heartfelt thoughts tonight.
Hack away!
LD7
Seriously, it sucks losing him but he knew the rules.
