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02-07-2012, 03:02 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008  Location: Summer: Chattanooga; School year: St. Louis
Posts: 27,537
Likes: 814
| Ricky Williams announces retirement
Ricky Williams of Baltimore Ravens planning to retire after 11 seasons - ESPN Quote:
Baltimore Ravens running back Ricky Williams has decided to retire from the NFL after 11 seasons, he announced Tuesday.
"The NFL has been an amazing page in this chapter of my life," Williams said in a statement released by the University of Texas. "I pray that all successive adventures offer me the same potential for growth, success and most importantly fun. I want to thank all my fans, teammates, coaches and supporters for the strength they've given me to overcome so much."
Williams briefly retired once before, missing the 2004 season. He was facing a four-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy before he shockingly announced he was leaving the game. He returned in 2005, then left to spend the 2006 season with Toronto of the Canadian Football League.
On his Twitter account, Williams wrote: "Thank you all, but this ain't it, I'm gonna do something really special. 'Be you and change the world,' "
Since winning the Heisman Trophy at Texas and joining the New Orleans Saints in 1999, Williams has rushed for 10,009 yards and scored 74 touchdowns.
He is one of only 26 NFL running backs to rush for more than 10,000 yards in a career.
Then-Saints coach Mike Ditka traded all of his draft picks in 1999 and New Orleans' first- and third-round picks in 2000 to pick Williams fifth overall.
He has had five 1,000-yard seasons and served as a workhorse for both the Saints and Miami Dolphins.
Williams led the NFL in 2002 with 1,853 yards rushing for the Miami Dolphins and received his lone Pro Bowl invitation that season. He backed that up with 1,372 yards in 2003, giving him what remains the two most productive rushing seasons in Dolphins history.
Now 34, Williams assumed a backup role with the Ravens last season. Playing behind Ray Rice, Williams gained 444 yards on 108 attempts and scored two touchdowns.
"I have to thank Coach (John) Harbaugh and the Ravens organization for the opportunity they gave me this year," Williams said in the statement. "I had so much fun and really appreciated the chance to finish on such a great note."
Williams fit in well with the Ravens and made a lasting impression on Rice, who led the NFL this season with 2,068 yards from scrimmage.
"I was a big fan of Ricky before we were teammates, but being around him this year is the best thing that happened to me in my NFL career," Rice said. "As a young player, you need to be around a guy who knows what he is doing, and Ricky was tremendous to learn from. The way he took care of his body and the way he prepared, he always showed that he is a true professional. This past season with him is a year I will never forget.
"I had the best year with him beside me, and that was no accident. I believe that Ricky Williams is a Hall of Famer. All that he has done in his career, he deserves that."
Harbaugh said during his time in Baltimore, Williams "made a valuable and lasting contribution. I especially enjoyed getting to know him as a person, and I have the utmost respect for him.
"He was great to be around and to work with every single day."
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02-07-2012, 03:04 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Offense of Line
Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 33,352
Likes: 2,629
| Glad to see that he finished his career on a positive (not drug test) | 
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02-07-2012, 03:11 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Short Sided
Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: AZ
Posts: 16,204
Likes: 897
| I saw Ricky in person (January 4, 1999 @ Fiesta Bowl) and I'll never forget his physique. It was imposing from 10 rows up and 20 yards away. Dude was an amazing athlete.
The league would be better off if they didn't ban pot. Fans might feign outrage, but we'd still watch.
Last edited by n_huffhines; 02-07-2012 at 03:13 PM..
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02-07-2012, 03:12 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Vol in "The Ville"
Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 394
| Worst move Ditka ever made. Dude is a weirdo. | |
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02-07-2012, 04:58 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Full Butch
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Moore, Oklahoma
Posts: 3,951
Likes: 97
| And somewhere Ricky takes a bong hit...best of luck | |
| VN Likes: 2 | |
02-07-2012, 05:36 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Take it sleazy.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,514
Likes: 2,129
| Can you imagine what Ricky could've been if Dave Wannstedt didn't run him into the ground?
Even with the drug "problem" he still could've been one of the best RB's of all time. | |
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02-08-2012, 07:25 AM
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#7 (permalink)
| | #natitude
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: NC
Posts: 20,329
Likes: 2,315
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingston Vol  Can you imagine what Ricky could've been if Dave Wannstedt didn't run him into the ground?
Even with the drug "problem" he still could've been one of the best RB's of all time. | No kidding. Worn down and missed seasons... he could be HOF bound Posted via VolNation Mobile | |
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02-08-2012, 09:01 AM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Repeat Offender
Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Fulton, TN
Posts: 4,361
Likes: 44
| Will be broke in 2 years.
__________________
I will not go back. | |
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02-08-2012, 09:08 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Short Sided
Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: AZ
Posts: 16,204
Likes: 897
| Quote:
Originally Posted by superdave1984 Will be broke in 2 years. | I don't think he'd be retiring if that were likely. I think he's smarter than that. He came back to the NFL after blowing millions and probably realized he needed a nest egg. | |
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02-08-2012, 09:16 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Not Guilty
Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Diego, CA (Nashville 8/13)
Posts: 17,200
Likes: 5,864
| My wife went to high school with him. Said he was a very shy kid but extremely nice. I am glad he turned it around. Could've turned out much worse. | |
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02-08-2012, 12:06 PM
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#11 (permalink)
| | This We'll Defend
Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 47,259
Likes: 5,000
| One of only 26 RBs ever with 10,000 plus yards. Imagine if he hadn't missed some seasons | |
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02-08-2012, 10:58 PM
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#12 (permalink)
| | 313 Hockey
Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Great City of Friendsville, TN
Posts: 27,569
Likes: 4,244
| Admire Ricky. Fought through some tough stuff.
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by TBrown Swing hard in case you hit it. Applicable in baseball, and other facets of life.
Amirite | Quote:
Originally Posted by GAVol It's ok. Just a bout with premature emoderation. It happens to everybody. | | |
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02-09-2012, 08:33 PM
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#13 (permalink)
| | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 7,670
Likes: 1,200
| And he even retires with a whisper. | |
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