Ricky Deserves Praise, Not Criticism

Ricky Williams has single-handedly ruined the Miami Dolphins' season. Yeah, I'm pretty sure they're going to stink. But any criticism laid Ricky's way is a sad reflection of the importance we place on sports.

If people were as emotionally involved and informed about how multi-national corporations are employing children to make their clothes at insanely low wages, more people would be tipping their hats to Williams. Ricky bought his freedom; instead of being up in arms, we should cheer him for his courage to do it.

I understand -- I love football, too, more than I like to admit. These guys are my winter. They give me a chance to see things done I could never (but more importantly, wish I could) do with my body. So I know what this means to die-hard Dolphins fans. It is important for fans to understand Williams must live the life he wants to, not what we wanted.

This has nothing to do with the fan, and it shouldn't. If you want to get mad at someone for giving your life an unfair kick in the ass, then look into the practices of Wal-Mart.

Williams never had a problem showing up to camp, he even lost a few pound this offseason. Obviously, Ricky was not taking his team for granted. Ricky Williams is not a coward or a quitter, either. Quitters and cowards are afraid to stop doing things they don't want to and Ricky simply didn't want to play football anymore.

Who are we to begrudge him that? Perhaps some are a little jealous, I know I am. What a life this guy has now, a little grass and a world to travel without money worries. He can still walk, too, that's always a bonus in life.

For once, it isn't about money, either. Not only did Williams walk out on three-plus million this year, but there is still a chance the Dolphins will sue him. If they succeed, the Dolphins would get over three million for the next three years.

Because of the high-profile of an NFL star, people expect him to be loyal and consider everyone that relies on him. What loyalty? There's loyalty in the NFL? If you are that worried about loyalty, interview the common man who just lost his job after five years of service and has a pregnant wife, two sons, three cats, and house and car payments. Oh, by the way, this man's family doesn't have any health insurance, either.

Consider this, how many of us wish we could save enough money to pursue other undisciplined interests we never tried before? We would be considered gutsy, lucky, and brave to have made such a radical change. It took me three weeks to decide to order cable TV and still, after shuffling long distance carriers and only expanding my monthly budget by $13, I feel like there is some impeding doom about to pounce on me and add getting cable to a list of dumb things I have done in my life.

Athletes always say that if your heart is not in it, you need to get out. Would Dolphin fans rather have Ricky in camp doing a half-hearted job? Wouldn't that be letting his and fans down? Let's remember that it is just a sport and our lives haven't really changed.