Ricky an Argo
It is done, Ricky Williams has joined the Toronto Argonauts for the 2006 season while he serves his NFL mandated minimum one year suspension.
Williams signed a one-year deal for approximately $240,000.
As I have reported in this blog previously, the Dolphins are not thrilled with the idea but deferred to Ricky's desires. Here is Nick Saban's written statement reacting to the signing Sunday:
“We expressed to Ricky our concerns about playing in Toronto in 2006. We are relying on assurances made by Ricky, his agent, the Toronto Argonauts, and the commissioner of the Canadian Football League that Ricky will return to the Dolphins in 2007.
“Based on these assurances and despite our concerns for Ricky playing in the CFL in 2006, we will leave it up to him to decide whether or not he will negotiate a contract to play for the Argonauts this year.”
Do you see how lukewarm the Saban is about this? He really doesn't want one of his better players playing in another league, risking injury. What would you suggest the Dolphins should have done to prevent Williams from going to the other league?
Or do you not really care, as Dolphins fans, that this has happened? Are you cool with rooting for Ricky in another team's uniform even if your team isn't enthusiastic about the idea?
Final question: What the heck is an Argonaut?
Williams signed a one-year deal for approximately $240,000.
As I have reported in this blog previously, the Dolphins are not thrilled with the idea but deferred to Ricky's desires. Here is Nick Saban's written statement reacting to the signing Sunday:
“We expressed to Ricky our concerns about playing in Toronto in 2006. We are relying on assurances made by Ricky, his agent, the Toronto Argonauts, and the commissioner of the Canadian Football League that Ricky will return to the Dolphins in 2007.
“Based on these assurances and despite our concerns for Ricky playing in the CFL in 2006, we will leave it up to him to decide whether or not he will negotiate a contract to play for the Argonauts this year.”
Do you see how lukewarm the Saban is about this? He really doesn't want one of his better players playing in another league, risking injury. What would you suggest the Dolphins should have done to prevent Williams from going to the other league?
Or do you not really care, as Dolphins fans, that this has happened? Are you cool with rooting for Ricky in another team's uniform even if your team isn't enthusiastic about the idea?
Final question: What the heck is an Argonaut?
posted by Armando Salguero at 8:00 PM
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22 Comments:
The dolphins are not paying him this season, I think it is wrong for them to then not allow him to make money somewhere else.
The dolphins would be completely selfish if they did not let him play. Its not cool to screw with another persons living..
i think this was really done because Saban likes Ricky and wanted him to be able to make some money this year. I like that a lot. Sometimes helping someone out should overtake the harsh business end of things. At least that's how i see this thing.
I don't have a problem with him playing for the CFL, since he cannot play for the Dolphins anyway. I guess it will be good if he does not get hurt and stays clean. You asked what is an argonaut? Isn't that those warrior guys in the movie Jason and the Argonauts? These guys battle mythical creatutres in search of the golden fleece. It was a 1963 flick.
The argonauts were a band of heroes :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argonauts
I know that because i'm a player of the french Argonautes of Aix-en-Provence :-)
Hey Alex, I read you comment and re-read Saban's remarks and nowhere does it say he's "OK" with Ricky playing in the CFL as you mistakenly say.
Saban just said he'll leave it up to Ricky. The coach talks alot about being concerned in his statement. That tells me he's not loving this deal. So if Armando is saying it's lukewarm, I agree with him and thiink you missed the point.
And one more thing: I'm a Dolphins fans. I care about what is best for the Dolphins. I believe in loving the team not individual players. Once a player leaves the Dolphins, he is dead to me.
I think cubanculebra is dead-on with respect to the importance this could have on Ricky's psyche. Being from Toronto I'm biased, but I think he'll enjoy his time here, the city will embrace him (he was introduced during yesterday's Blue Jays game and he got a very warm and enthusiastic reception), and he'll maintain the interest in football that hopefully was rekindled in him last year.
Even more importantly, playing the season in the CFL should mean that he won't need 4 or 5 games to round into game shape, as he did this year coming out of his retirement.
Hey Alexaaaaamder,
One of the beautiful things about having my own blog is, I'm in control. So if you post something that adds nothing to the blog like your stupid sarcastic remarks of the past hour, I can delete it.
Voila. Gone.
How does it feel having zero power, booboo? But hey, thanks for visiting the blog so often.
Much better for Ricky to be in an organized program with solid coaching. He makes some money as well, which he needs. Yes, there is risk of injury. However, from the Dolphins perspective, anything they get from him hence forward is pure gain; they've already taken the hit for the bad trade.
RE: dolphintuna
Before Armondo deleted my response this is what I had to say in response to your post to me:
I did not put 'OK' in quotes , because it was a summation of the rest of the sentiment after 'despite our concerns' . In this case , 'despite' is used as a preposition that means 'in spite of', and that in turn means that they recognize their concerns were petty. Thus the highlighted part of the quote means they are ok with it:
“Based on these assurances and despite our concerns for Ricky playing in the CFL in 2006, we will leave it up to him to decide whether or not he will negotiate a contract to play for the Argonauts this year.”
An Argonaut, in the Toronto sense, is one who jumps on the bandwagon whenever the latest Ishmail, Avery, or Williams comes to down. Oh, how it pains me to know my beloved CFL has become nothing more than a refuge for miscreants like The Whizzinator and Ricky Williams. Didn't we learn with the Lawrence Phillips fiasco?
More thoughts on this here: http://www.menardcommunications.com/Sports/cflimage.htm
Alex, Alex, Alex. You are starting to get it, but you're not quite there yet.
Your response to DolphinTuna stays because it makes a point. Your response to me included a curse word so it is gone.
I don't care if you criticize me, but do it in the spirit of the blog because you are trying to take liberties you have no rights to. So don't use words you wouldn't use around your mother.
God bless America. Remember the vets and their sacrifices for you today, folks.
Alex, thanks for the response, but you're just plain wrong, bigboy. You are doing the thing you originally said Armando was doing -- trying to read Saban's thoughts.
Everyone knows Saban didn't want Ricky to play in the CFL. Read any Ricky story at MiamiHerald.com or ESPN.com and his quotes show even Ricky knew this.
Why are you the only one that doesn't know it and insist the Dolphins were cool with Ricky going to the CFL? You're just off-base here.
I'm out.
I still love Ricky and will root for him.
But why is everybody posting about this Alex foof? I would love to know what word he used that pissed off Salguero.
This is better than radio -- no commercials. Keep it going guys.
I think in the end this will work out because it will allow Brown to fully blossom into an the type of workload back he can end up being. Ricky being gone means more carries and I expect Brown to ground out at least 1200 yds in Mularkey's offense this year, especially with the QB questions early on. It will give him a chance to step up and be the man. As for Ricky, I wish him the best of luck. From a psychological standpoint I think I have some inclination as to where his mindstate is at being that I've been working with depression and anxiety since my late teens. If and when he comes back I believe he can still be a factor as a third down back to spell Ronnie for at least 2-3 more years with us. Good luck, Rick.
RE: dolphintuna
Well I understand the meanings and uses of words, and despite what you wish to think, the statement is clear if you know anything about the English language. I saw the video of Saban's statements on ESPN, and he was not being sarcastic, nor did he seem bothered in any way. Re-read my post on definitions if it helps. I'll just leave you with this bit of advice from someone who knew what he was talking about :
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
John Adams
RE:Armondo
Ok then. I don't like the fact that you totally erased my reply to you so I'll restate it without the 'curse word'. I'm now copying everything into word since you just deemed yourself God to wipe out everything :
Yeah great character on your part Armondo. Just eliminate thoughts that you asked for and that defeat your argument. Then you say those posts 'added nothing', when they were in direct response to an argument presented to me.
Now you make yourself look like the king, while not allowing others to see my well presented response. I'll bet you're one of those wacky flag wavers who keeps harping on about this 'freedom' thing we have in America, then denies it to others as you did in this case.
You just prove to me you are the kind of person I perceived you to be. Do you think I'm boo-hooing over this? I'm laughing man. Are you truly that petty? Apparently so.
We can go round and round if you like. I got the time.
Much better, Alex. Your new edited comments can stay and so can future comments as long as you continue to play nice.
Now all you have to do is learn to spell Armando.
RE: Armando
Touche' !
Well played.
You get em, Mando. School that boy on respect.
Your readers are correct, the Argonauts are named after the mythological heros who rowed the ship the "Argo" into fame with Jason. The Toronto club began over 130 years ago, first as a rowing club and soon after as a football team.
As a life long fan I am very proud of our team's glorious history. I am also hopeful that Ricky Williams will help us reclaim the Grey Cup.
Alex,
You don't get out much do you. Have you ever ledt South Florida? I am a Dolfan and have been since Moris, Czonka, Kick and the rest of the boys were playing. I live near Toronto now and am a CFL fan as well. Having Ricky here will be great for the game and he may even learn something. You think Ricky will run wild, remember there is only 3 downs in the CFL so Ricky will not carry as often, we actually run the ball back on a punt not like the NFL which makes our game faster and more exciting. We can also score a single on a punt if it clears the end zone or someone conciedes. As far as the talent being equal I do agree that the NFL probably has the better players, however, let them play in the CFL with our rules and yu'll see a difefernce in their play.
You should watch a few games of the CFL and you'll agree that it is faster and more exciting in some aspects than the NFL.
I can't wait to see Ricky run and I am not even a fan of the Argonauts ( Go ALS from Montreal).
Ask Warren Moon or any of the other players that played in the CFL, this is a great game.
RE:'anonymous'
You wrote:
"Alex you must not get out much. Have you ever ledt South Florida?"
First of all I'm not from SF, and I wouldn't know how to 'ledt' since that must be some word specific SF word. Or maybe it's Canadian.
I also have been a Phin fan since 1971. What does that or any of the rest of your post have anything to do with what I wrote?
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