Mean Girls . . . Part Deux
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Ricky Williams came, saw, and went, all in the same night.
If anyone (on Armchair, maybe a few of you were ;-)) was watching the mucky mess that was Monday Night Football, then you, too, witnessed the return of Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins despite having tested positive several (ok, 4) times for marijuana.
Perhaps you also saw the second quarter when Pittsburgh Steelers' linebacker Lawrence Timmons stepped on Williams' shoulder as he was attempting to go after a fumble. Out went Williams, never to return again.
If you watch the replay (which I will post as soon as it becomes available), you can see Timmons' foot turns unnaturally out to the side and steps down on Williams' shoulder, even though the natural movement would have been to step with his foot facing straight ahead, thereby avoiding Williams' shoulder altogether. The official word is that he injured his pectoral muscle.
That was just cruel. Here's this guy who obviously has a problem - I say obviously because if the league and the teams thought he was just a weedhead, he would not be returning to the NFL - and you're just going to purposely try to injure him after the play is over? I don't say this often, maybe ever, but I really think the league should review this and fine him. It looked that blatant.
The Dolphins are bad enough as it is. On Monday night, they lose two more running backs to injury (Williams and Jesse Chatman), to add to their already depleted roster, and they just looked defeated. I really feel bad for them. It can't be fun to be in that locker room week after week.
The Steelers weren't doing much of anything themselves on that nasty field (the Steelers won the spectacular game 3-0), but no need to add insult to injury - literally.
Perhaps the NFL should also take some flak for letting the players play in such a mess and risk injury in the first place. Steelers' QB Ben Roethlisberger called it the worse conditions that he has ever played in, and I think he was telling the truth. I actually saw a punt land in the field. Didn't bounce, didn't roll. Just landed, like he'd kicked a javelin. It's too easy to get hurt just playing the game without having to worry about the playing surface.
(Cross-published at Pleats 'n Cleats)
