December 19, 2004

NEWS, NOTES & QUOTES FROM CBS SPORTS' "THE NFL TODAY" ON SUNDAY, DEC. 19

Excerpts from "60 Minutes'" Mike Wallace Interview with Former Miami Dolphins Running Back Ricky Williams Shown as Exclusive First Look on THE NFL TODAY

Greg Gumbel: Two years ago, Ricky Williams led the league in rushing. Today, he seems light years removed from the game he once dominated. And tonight Williams is the centerpiece of a "60 Minutes" story (7:00 PM, ET/PT). Here's an exclusive first look at the interview with Mike Wallace tracking down the former NFL star at an unlikely place.

Ricky Williams: (shown meditating) Oooohhhm. Mike Wallace: He's studying holistic medicine outside Sacramento where, surprisingly, he agreed to answer any questions we asked about how, at the peak of his earning power, he could just walk away. You would have made $5 million this year. Williams: Right.
Wallace: You said it's blood money as far as I'm concerned. The money is what made me miserable. I want to be free of that stress. And forgive me, but that's [Bleep (b.s.)]. Williams: It is [Bleep]. I agree. It is [Bleep]. Wallace: It is. The real reason he left, he told us, was to avoid the public humiliation over news that he had just failed a drug test, his third failed drug test. Williams: The thing I had the most trouble with was that after you fail your third test, it becomes public knowledge that you failed the test. And that's one thing that I couldn't deal with at the time, people knowing that I smoked marijuana. Wallace: The problem with failing your third NFL drug test was that it would be made public. Williams: That was my biggest fear of my whole entire life. I was scared to death of that. Wallace: Of it going public?
Williams: Uh-huh.
Wallace: So rather than face the music and the media about his failed drug test, he quit football and ran away, far, far way to Australia, where he lived in a tent community that cost him just $7 a day. His sudden departure just days before training camp doomed the Dolphins to their worst season in franchise history and infuriated his former fans and especially his teammates. Dolphins tackle Larry Chester says, Ricky owes lots of people an apology. Not just the fans, but a lot of guys in the locker room. You want to apologize to them right now? Williams: If I can find a reason to apologize, then I would love to apologize. And if they want me to apologize just to apologize then I'll apologize. But it doesn't mean anything unless I understand what I'm apologizing for. Wallace: You're apologizing for letting them down. The Dolphins thought with you and mainly with you that they had a chance at the Super Bowl. Williams: What if I disagreed. Do I still have to apologize? Wallace: If you disagree with?
Williams: That I cost them their season. Wallace: Oh, come on, Ricky.
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Williams: I played my butt off. I played as hard as I could whenever I put that uniform on, but I'm not doing that anymore, you know? I moved on. So when is it okay for me to leave? When would it have been okay for me to stop playing football? When my knees went out? When my shoulders went out? When I had too many concussions? When is it -- Wallace: Wait a minute.
Williams: I'm just curious, because I don't understand. When is it okay to not play football anymore? Wallace: Maybe if you'd given them a clue ahead of time. Williams: I didn't know ahead of time. Or I would have. Wallace: And the people who are angry at you because you deserted them? Betrayed them? That doesn't bother you? Williams: No, because I did.
Wallace: Deserted and betrayed?
Williams: To them, I did. Yes.
Wallace: Do you care about what people think? Williams: No.
Wallace: Right now?
Williams: No.
(clip of Bob Marley singing): Rasta man vibration Wallace: Bob Marley inspired Ricky to wear dreadlocks for years. And he and his hero have something else in common. Could you pass an NFL drug test today? Williams: No.
Wallace: So you still smoke marijuana? Williams: Uh-huh.
Wallace: Anything worse than that?
Williams: Worse? What do you mean by worse? Wallace: More addictive, more dangerous, conceivably? Williams: Sometimes I have sweets. Sugar. Wallace: Oh, yeah, I see.
Williams: Sometimes I'll have a glass of wine, but that's about it. Wallace: You think you'll ever play football again? Williams: I have no idea.
Wallace: Oh, come on.
Williams: I really have no idea. I can't even tell what you what's going to happen tomorrow. Wallace: You've said that you might like to play for the Oakland Raiders. Williams: I did say that.
Wallace: And that Raiders fans like weirdoes like you. Williams: I have a much easier time fitting in in Oakland.

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THE NFL TODAY Week 15 Notes...3

?REACTION TO RICKY
Gumbel: There appears to be this notion that he may come back. I'm not sure he has that choice. Who would take him back?

Shannon Sharpe: Hopefully nobody that I know of. Here is a guy who said he was afraid that people would find out that he was afraid. Then he says he doesn't care what people think. He stayed in a tent for seven bucks. I could have gotten you a tent for three. He's got some issues.

Boomer Esiason: Who cares. If he doesn't want to play, he doesn't want to play. Lots of players left early. Playing running back is not an easy thing even though other players are doing it at ages... I think that he will come back and play. The problem is you can't get back these years because the NFL is about youth, and right now he's just giving them away right now.

Dan Marino: First of all, the guy has a problem. He obviously has a problem with marijuana. If you're a coach or an owner, how do you trust him? You can't trust the guy. And I wouldn't have him on my football team. If you are a coach, they probably wouldn't have him. But there might be an owner out there, someone who...

Boomer: I can see Al Davis bringing him in here.

Marino: How do you trust him? He may leave again.

Boomer: You've got to give him a contract that's tied to incentives.

?NEWS

Gumbel: Let's update the Dolphins' head coaching situation. Nick Saban at LSU appears to be the leading candidate. We have learned that this week Saban's assistant head coach took the initiative to call Dolphins defensive assistant Bill Lewis to talk about some of Miami's personnel. That call and the awkward timing of it did not sit well with the Dolphins' staff. Meanwhile, former Raiders head coach Art Shell expressed his interest in the vacancy.

Sharpe: There's a situation in the NFL that they have hiring of minorities, but basically get guys that you're serious about hiring. Don't bring guys down as token gestures so you can appease the NFL. I have three guys in mind: Jerry Gray, Donnie Henderson and Romeo Crennel. All three guys, defensive coordinators for the Buffalo Bills, the Jets and the Patriots (respectively). These are guys that should be given a fair assessment, a long, hard look. Come in, we're going to look at you sincerely. We don't want tokens.

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THE NFL TODAY Week 15 Notes...4

?EXCERPTS FROM LESLEY VISSER FEATURE ON RESURGENCE OF BUFFALO BILLS

Drew Bledsoe: You know, when the guy who's signing the checks says he doesn't like what you're doing on the field, that's a wakeup call. Mike Mularkey: I felt his frustration because, you know, he wants to win probably as bad as anybody in this organization. And I want to win for him. These players want to win for him... Bledsoe: When you win, you're the best thing ever, and when you lose, you're not. And I know when that happens that everybody is going to have their idea how to fix it. A lot of it often involves changing the quarterback. But for me, being 0-4 and losing when you put all this time and energy and you have a good team and you feel like it should be better, that was the part that was really depressing for me. And the rest of it was really just kind of noise. Mularkey: He has persevered. You don't see him change as a person, as a player. His approach is the same. I mean, got to give him credit...

Troy Vincent: When everyone is against you and you're by yourself, you are the guy. Win, lose or draw, it all falls back on your shoulders. And him to keep taking a stand and to keep coming back and keep coming back, he is the best quarterback on this football team. He gives us the best chance to win.

?QUICK HITS (On Playoff Picture)

Boomer: I think both of them (Minnesota and Green Bay) are going to make the playoffs, but I think that Minnesota is going to win the division because of that game (Green Bay-Minnesota) being in Minnesota next week...

Gumbel: Will Seattle or St. Louis win? Boomer: Who really cares? I think it's going to be St. Louis simply because they feel like they have the easier way to go. They're going to play Philadelphia on Monday night. Philadelphia is not going to have anything to play for after they beat Dallas today. So I think St. Louis is going to -- [Buzzer] Sharpe: Both of them are playing so bad, how about you decline to go to the playoffs, whoever wins this division and let someone from the AFC go, say Buffalo or Baltimore or Denver if they don't make the playoffs...

Gumbel: If the Eagles were playing in the AFC, would they still have as dominant a record as they do? Boomer: Yes, they would. Terrell Owens bringing excitement, bringing confidence. Donovan McNabb having his best year ever. No question that they are a top team in the NFL.

Gumbel: In a potential AFC Championship showdown between New England and Pittsburgh, who wins? Boomer: I think New England does. Even though they lost to Pittsburgh the first time around, New England...

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