He WAS a top tier runningback. I don't know if you noticed, but Ricky did not play a down last year. The top runningbacks don't spend a whole season away from the game so they can smoke a few J's and tour Asia. As far as catching up.........you're just talking the system, but there's more than just "the system"........ He has to get his legs back, his vision back, his endurance back......all that.......he definately has ALOT of catching up to do in the all-around facets of the game.
You speak as though putting on 30lbs of sheer, mean muscle mass can be done in the flick of a wrist. But if we're going to focus on the physicalities, then lets talk about his chronically bad shoulders. He's never been able to escape those. And again, like I said, as he continues to get older, turning 28 on the 21st this month, that's going to be a problem that creeps and creeps and creeps up on him.
His mental conditions can certainly be treated...........as far as the result keeping him and his head in the game? That's yet to be seen. I love how you just immediately abandon the idea that he's not mentally sound......especially to play the game of football. Man with problems like that it takes YEARS to get to the root of the psychological problem in order to address it and iron it out. Do you think the Miami Dolphins have some magic man who Ricky's going to talk too and suddenly he'll just snap out of it? Furthermore substance abuse is substance abuse. Anything you you use habitually to escape reality is a problem. And Ricky's been trying to escape reality with weed..........there's no denying that.
Again......caught only on the stats and not on the player. Just because Wanny had no backup plan, doesn't mean a guy like Saban won't. Ricky Williams isn't the only man we could ever employ as a backup to Ronny, sorry to break that to you. We're in a competitive rebuild brother. We've got plenty of time to get the right players in the positions we need them. You're talking in a win-now mentality........caught on the name Ricky Williams and not the guy that actually is. I for one and not for the man joining ranks with this newly refreshed franchise. Time to stop recycling old trash. Time to move on. If he was 24 and making stupid life choices I'd be more for it.