Ricky Williams Plans to Retire from the NFL
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Baltimore Ravens Ricky Williams is expected to retire,
On the 2011 season Williams added 444 yards and two touchdowns while backing up Ray Rice in Baltimore. Williams rushed for 10,009 yards and 66 touchdowns, to go along with 342 yards receiving and eight touchdowns catches through the air.
In 2002 Ricky Williams led the league in rushing yards in 2002 with a monster 1,853 yards. In 2004 the former All Pro suddenly retired as a result of drug issues. However in 2009, he made his comeback and rushed for 1,121 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Dolphins.
Ricky Williams also set an NCAA record for career rushing yards with 6,279 and brought home a Heisman trophy in 1998.
HIT OF THE DAY: Ricky Williams gets seriously owned!
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
Quarterbacks…we have told you a thousand times stop hanging us receivers out to dry on these swing routes. Ricky Williams gets served up lovely on this one with a soda on the side!
ESPN’s 30 for 30:”Run Ricky Run”
By Gayle Saunders
Follow Him on Twitter
Last night I watched “Run Ricky Run” the latest of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, which is a up close and personal portrait of running back Ricky Williams life. The powerful documentary is a stripped down, no holds barred take on his story, which leaves you shocked and enlightened.
Over the course of 5 years, we the sports world have been fed images of Ricky Williams. The College Athlete, The Heisman Trophy Winner, The Electrifying NFL Star, The man who chose marijuana over his career, The soul-searching man who left football behind to once again return back to the game. Through the various sound bites and images, we have been left to try and understand Ricky Williams storied career.
The documentary looks at his flaws with a microscope, as told by his closest friends and family. The viewer also gets to see a raw and uncut version of the story, the side the Media did not know about, (being molested by his father, social anxiety disorders) which goes far deeper than you could ever imagined.
Not only do you get a chance to analyze Ricky Williams, but you a get a look into what Sports Journalism has become. The business that is Sports news and how it now feels a need to sensationalize and criticize everything to make themselves relevant.
The one thing that stands out in this documentary is the “human element” of Ricky Williams, not the athlete, but the person that is Ricky Williams. What’s important in Ricky Williams’ case, he’s moved forward and finally found a sense of normalcy and inner peace.
Hats off to Sean Pamphilon and Royce Toni for directing a well done documentary. Below you can watch the trailer for “Run Ricky Run”
Miami stays Wild in 09!
By Gayle Saunders
No one runs the Wildcat like Miami!
Whether or not you are wild about the Wildcat offense, the Miami Dolphins have had major success while using it last season and it’s made a perfect transition into 2009.
In 2008 in wake of a week 2 loss to the Cardinals the Miami Dolphins looked to change their offensive structure, they sat back and thought of different types of gameplans. They were open to a whole new approach and open to different formations and new ideas. Tony Sparano, Head coach of the Dolphins and quarterbacks coach David Lee began conversation regarding the offensive schemes Lee had run with running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, while he was offensive coordinator at Arkansas in 2007. The “Wild Hog” made its game changing debut versus the New England Patriots the following week. The Thrashing of the New England Patriots turned the “Wild Hog” into the “WildCat” as we know it today. The unproven one trick pony offense took the Dolphins from zero to hero, and inspired a league full of imitators.
If you look at the Wildcat you have to ask yourself…What is so intriguing about it, and why has it worked so well for Miami? The wildcat is an offspring of the old single-wing, and the player taking the ball from center in a shotgun set has various options. Below you will see Coach David Lee who is now with the Miami Dolphins explain the break down of the Wildcat Offense and show the three primary plays used in the system.
"Steeler"
“Steeler,” The running back moves from left side to right side after the snap and takes a handoff from the Wildcat Quarterback. The running back then blasts off to the right behind a pulling left guard, which is an unbalanced right offensive line, and an H-back either between and behind the two right tackles or just outside the right tackle to block. There is also a Steeler option where its a handoff to the quarterback from wide right . The Dolphins used this trick play on The Texan — where they had Pennington throw to the Haflback from the slot for a big play.
"Power"
“Power,” is where the fake to the running back in the “Steeler” formation leaves the quarterback to go through any one of four different holes to the right. The H-back will stay tight to block, and guard that is pulling guard is the key. (the red arrows show the secondary options for the ball carrier; dashed arrows show fakes or players running decoy routes.)
"Counter" (70 Weak)
“Counter” (70 Weak), is where the running back fake leaves the defense biting on “Power,” as the back runs left through a open cutback lane. The line uses slide protection instead of a pulling offensive guard. There is also a passing option out of the Counter, as Miami running back Ronnie Brown showed against the Pats when he hit tight end Tony Fasano for a touchdown in the video below. (fast forward to :34 )
“It could be the single wing, it could be the Delaware split buck business that they used to do,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. “The Wild Cat comes from all of that.
Either way you look at it, the Miami Dolphins have showed that they know the Wildcat system inside and out, and have groomed it as if it were their own personal pet. Various teams might try to mirror their success, but Miami has the personnel to make it pop. With Ricky Williams and most importantly Ronnie Brown running the ball, they offer two solid run options in the backfield. The addition of Pat White to the mix means they foresee a future with their wildcat package. The best may be yet to come. Lets thank the Dolphins coaching staff and Tony Sparano for their dedication to their craft and the bravery to think outside the box.
