What to do if ricky comes back?

[A Wing Pilot]

I'm posting here for insight vs flames:

Lets say ricky comes back, He's in decent shape and has served his 4 game suspension. It's early in october and its a home game. When they announce him coming onto the field. Whats going to happen? Is he going to get Boo'd is he going to get cheers? I'm curious at what you guys think could happen.

I think he'll get boo's untill he starts breaking big runs and scoring. I just think that people forgive players who produce. In hindsight who knows if wanny would have been fired and all the great things that have happened so far would have actually happened, had ricky stayed and played (post suspension of course). With the interview on 790 it just seems nick would like to have him back.

 

[xiidaen]

I think he'll get a mix of cheers, and boos, mostly boos. If he starts producing again, the mix will shift to only a small percentage of boos.

I have a hard time with Ricky coming back, to be honest. I think the potential for problems (injury, personality, or drug-related) is pretty high, and if circumstances allow Williams to screw the team AGAIN then I think Miami *will* be a laughing stock, as was claimed last year. I think it's a serious risk for Saban to take.

The risk isn't without rewards, however. He's taken steps to mitigate the risk by drafting Brown, so the team should not be solely dependant on RW again. And, from a matchup perspective, a backfield of Brown and Williams could give defenses fits. Line up Brown as FB, play action to Williams, throw to Brown... could be nice.

We'll see what happens. I still am not comfortable with it, and I think there are a lot of other issues (suspensions, etc) that remain to be worked out.

 

[Jeep]

Yeah, I have to agree with you.. IF Ricky comes back.. I think he will be a fraction of what he once was...

I do like the idea of helping and talking him to into the comeback and then trade him for whatever we can get out of him...

 

[NLude33]

I think he'll get a mix of cheers, and boos, mostly boos. If he starts producing again, the mix will shift to only a small percentage of boos.

I have a hard time with Ricky coming back, to be honest. I think the potential for problems (injury, personality, or drug-related) is pretty high, and if circumstances allow Williams to screw the team AGAIN then I think Miami *will* be a laughing stock, as was claimed last year. I think it's a serious risk for Saban to take.

The risk isn't without rewards, however. He's taken steps to mitigate the risk by drafting Brown, so the team should not be solely dependant on RW again. And, from a matchup perspective, a backfield of Brown and Williams could give defenses fits. Line up Brown as FB, play action to Williams, throw to Brown... could be nice.

We'll see what happens. I still am not comfortable with it, and I think there are a lot of other issues (suspensions, etc) that remain to be worked out.

That is just it though, he can't screw us again. If he comes back, I assume it would be for minimum salaries, and probably forgive his 8.6 million he owes us. Pretty small rish paying a guy like Ricky minimum salaries. Also, when/if he bails again, we say "leave you pot smoking b@stard, we have Ronnie Brown and maybe Kay Jay Harris here, so you wont be missed."

 

[3P]

When Ricky retired... I must admit, I was just as pissed as the rest of you.

I restrained myself however.... I just moved my Ricky jersey to the back of my closet, rather than burn it like many did.

I decided to play a "wait and see" with it.

Here's my thinking on it now... If Ricky had left, and the team had fallen just short of the playoffs.... if they looked like a solid team that was missing a running back, I'd have written him off for good. I think most people would have. That's not what happened, however... and what DID happen actually seemed to validate Ricky's leaving. He did list many, many reasons for why he left... but I see that as a product of his social disorder, not wanting conflict. I tend to think that something happened with Ricky and Wanny... some private conversation that we're not privy to.

Overall, I think the state of the team last year gives Ricky a good "out". I know if I had the inside track to knowing something like that was going to happen, I think I'd seriously want to avoid it too. Perhaps Ricky's leaving last year caused the whole mess, but in my eyes last year's problems went MUCH deeper than a team missing it's franchise runningback.

 

[DOLFANMIKE]

I'm posting here for insight vs flames:

Lets say ricky comes back, He's in decent shape and has served his 4 game suspension. It's early in october and its a home game. When they announce him coming onto the field. Whats going to happen? Is he going to get Boo'd is he going to get cheers? I'm curious at what you guys think could happen.

I think he'll get boo's untill he starts breaking big runs and scoring. I just think that people forgive players who produce. In hindsight who knows if wanny would have been fired and all the great things that have happened so far would have actually happened, had ricky stayed and played (post suspension of course). With the interview on 790 it just seems nick would like to have him back.

When Ricky is here he always seemed to work hard. He practices hard. I dont think he'd be in a situation where he couldnt win fans over. But earning our trust back isn't going to just happen. If he hints at flaking out again, or fails another drug test (which i expect to happen) thats when he'll burn bridges down for good...IMO.

Brown and Williams will give us a fantastic backfield.....if Ricky can stay sober. I have a feeling he's the next Bobby Humphrey (sp?)

 

[Den54]

The last time I saw RW was on 60 minutes. Infact it would'nt surprise me if he was high for that interview. That being said if he has put down the pipe and had a long moment of clarity he may have wised up matured or whatever.

If he's motivated to play again for whatever reasons I'm for it. I suspect that he's letting his dreads grow back and will be hitting the weights here shortly.

 

[phunwin]

Williams will be accepted by the fan base if he comes back and produces. He will never be loved again, however. I think Dolfans LOVED Ricky before he quit the team. Now, we'll view him as a mercenary: (hopefully) good at his job, but not someone to get attached to. Case in point: I steadfastly refuse to call him just "Ricky", like I used to, and like most people still do. "Ricky" is a familiar name. That's what I'd call a friend, or someone I think fondly of or cheer for. "Williams" is just another player, which is precisely what he's become.

I already donated my jersey to the Salvation Army, and I don't regret it. I wouldn't have worn it again even if he came out of retirement and ran for 1500 yards.

In any event, what about Williams' role on the team? Assuming he's in game shape, I think he gets 10-12 carries per game, mostly in the second and third quarters and almost entirely on 1st and 2nd down, to wear down the defense, and Ronnie (see, I'm already a Ronnie Brown fan) gets another 15-20 carries and 5 catches or so. This keeps Ronnie fresh, controls the clock and grinds down the defense.

 

[ckparrothead]

You don't have to like a runningback to appreciate what he does for your team. The easiest way to prevent fan booing from being a real problem during games would be to spin the whole retirement as a product of Wannstedt's failed regime. Everyone already hates Wannstedt, thinks he made bad decisions at every corner, and it wouldn't surprise me if even the most heated fans can forgive Ricky just a little if they are convinced that Ricky leaving was Wannstedt's fault.

It sort of was his fault though. Ricky left for a variety of reasons, but on Wanny's watch Ricky was allowed to grow into a HUGE weed habit without reprisal or punishment, and I'm sure someone along the way ignored the signs of it. I know Ricky is his own man and owns up to his own decisions to smoke weed but that doesn't mean the coach couldn't have done anything. Also, Ricky wouldn't have considered retirement so much if it didn't appear so likely that he'd be getting pounded for 400 carries a year, right into the center of the line, without good OL help. Let's not forget as well, that when Ricky called Dave to tell him of the retirement, Dave's reaction sealed it for Ricky. Dave never understood Ricky or more importantly understood how to handle him. A smart coach, knowing Ricky just tested positive twice recently and would end up getting game suspensions, would know that knowing Ricky, the #1 issue on his mind would be having to face the fans and media over his drug abuse.

 

[KB21]

I must be the only person that looks at this from a player's point of view. If he were a teammate of mine and did this, I'd have a very hard time accepting him back in the locker room. It doesn't matter to me what he does on the field, because I'm always going to have the thought of him quitting again in the back of my mind. It will create an atmosphere where players try to distance themselves from him, and that will create a team that has 52 + 1 players. That's never a good thing.

 

[Den54]

I must be the only person that looks at this from a player's point of view. If he were a teammate of mine and did this, I'd have a very hard time accepting him back in the locker room. It doesn't matter to me what he does on the field, because I'm always going to have the thought of him quitting again in the back of my mind. It will create an atmosphere where players try to distance themselves from him, and that will create a team that has 52 + 1 players. That's never a good thing.

I don't think the players really care anymore.
If comes back great, if not who cares.

 

[Wildbill3]

well, ricky has now become a david boston for this team, low risk and high reward, I'd take him back for the same reasons I'd take david back, that is: when he wants to play and his heart is into it, can completely dominate the game.

 

[phunwin]

I must be the only person that looks at this from a player's point of view. If he were a teammate of mine and did this, I'd have a very hard time accepting him back in the locker room. It doesn't matter to me what he does on the field, because I'm always going to have the thought of him quitting again in the back of my mind. It will create an atmosphere where players try to distance themselves from him, and that will create a team that has 52 + 1 players. That's never a good thing.

The problem is this: I don't know that we CAN look at it from a players' POV. We're not players, after all. My thought is that Nick Saban wouldn't be interested in bringing Williams back if he didn't think the team would be okay with it. Thus, I have to look at it from the point of view of Philip Unwin, couch potato and Dolphins fan.

 

[DrAstroZoom]

I'm just having a really hard time believeing this comeback is even feasible, so I refuse to have opinion on something I doubt will ever happen.

 

[Jeep]

Some could see this as an ex girlfriend that dumped you to run off with someone else and then decided to come back.. others could look at it like Ricky had insight and was the first rat to jump from the sinking ship..

Regardless.. you must look at the Ricky situation from a business point of view.. Right now Ricky's ability is unknown.. you could hold a try out to see if he still has what it takes to play in the NFL or you could assist him with the comeback and then put him on the trading block hoping some team is willing to trade with you before his skills or lack there of is demonstrated...

Personally speaking, I have great reservations about his ability and durability because of the one year missed. With that said, I think I would talk him into coming out of retirement, initiate a settlement on the $8 mill he owes to the team and then trade him for what ever I could receive.. A pennies on the dollar agreement and a 7th round draft pick is better than nothing...