Ricky Williams Does “60 Minutes”
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—36— O’Shaughnessy’s • Spring 2005 “I have a much easier time fitting in in Oakland.” Ricky Williams Does “60 Minutes” Mike Wallace and his producer did MW: (as narrator): The real reason When we’re living in harmony with our is it okay to not play football? their best to ridicule and incite jealousy he left, he told us, was to avoid the pub- environment, our bodies naturally ex- MW: Maybe if you’d given them a towards Ricky Williams on “60 Minutes” lic humiliation over news that he had just press themselves in the form of health. clue ahead of time. during an interview that aired Dec. 20, failed a drug test —his third failed drug (Cut to a tight shot of Ricky’s back be- RW: I didn’t know ahead of time or I 2004 —but they could not bring him test. ing lathered and stroked by two beauti- would have given them a clue. It hap- down. RW: All right, here’s what happened, ful women. Long, sensual strokes guar- pened in the course of two days, boom MW: We’re about to tell you a very okay? The thing I had the most trouble anteed to inspire jealousy in some and/ boom boom boom. strange story about a football superstar with was, after you fail your third test, it or a desire to enroll ASAP in the MW: Since you quit... name of Ricky Williams. He won the becomes public knowledge that you Ayurvedic Institute.) RW (correcting him): Retired -I’m Heisman trophy in 1998 as the best foot- failed the test. And that’s one thing I MW (voice over): Receiving this mas- only kidding, I’m only kidding. ball player in the couldn’t deal with at sage is part of his training to become an MW: Well, have you retired or did country. (Cut to the time —people Ayurvedic masseur. you quit? footage of Will- knowing that I Halpern: The specific hand strokes RW: I retired from that lifestyle. iams running in smoked marijuana. in order to balance the various energies (Exterior shot of a cozy country cot- the open field — MW: So the prob- of the body And it’s very calming and tage.) misleading in that lem with failing your soothing and nourishing for the mind. MW: He’s renting a one-bedroom his job mainly in- third NFL drug test And he’s following the whisperings of house in Grass Valley, California, with volved slamming was that it would be his soul as opposed to the shouting of his no TV, no long-distance phone and no straight into the made public? own ego. It’s our ego that desires the regrets. Do you like yourself? line.) Then five RW: That was my fame and the fortune. It’s the whisper- RW: I love myself. years of glory in biggest fear of my ings of the soul that lead us towards the MW: You do? Why? the NFL. He car- whole entire life. I was scared to death pursuit of harmony, the pursuit of health RW: Because I’m all that I have and ried the ball more often over the last two of that. and well being. Including sometime fac- if I don’t love myself, no one else will. seasons than any other player in the MW (narrating): So rather than face ing the consequences of letting go of the MW: You don’t dislike anything in league! (Said as if it was some honor the the music and the media about his failed fame and fortune. yourself? ingrate didn’t appreciate instead of a drug test, he quit football and ran away, MW: Fact is, Williams has gone from RW: Whenever I feel myself starting speed-up that any self-respecting worker far far away, to Australia, where he lived fortune to deep debt. And from fame to to dislike something I tell myself, “This would have resisted.) And he made mil- in a tent community that cost him just infamy. The Dolphins claim he owes is who I am,” so what’s the point in dis- lions doing it for the Miami Dolphins as seven dollars a day. them more than 8 million dollars —much liking it? the team’s star player. RW (over shot of a tent): In my tent more money than he has— for leaving MW: You can’t pay that 8 million dol- But then, just before Dolphins train- I had about 30 books. Every morning I’d in the middle of his contract. His sudden lars that you’re supposed to pay. (Mock- ing camp this past July, he turned his back wake about five in the morning and I’d departure just days before training camp ing Williams’ high tenor) “Hey, I’m on all of it —the stardom, the fame, the take my flashlight and I’d read for a doomed the Dolphins to their worst sea- Ricky! I can just go through life the way salary of five million dollars a year. His couple of hours. son in franchise history and infuriated his I want to go.” sudden decision to quit stunned his team- MW: Books about what? former fans and especially his team- RW: Let’s look at the alternative, all mates, infuriated fans, and ruined the RW: Everything from nutrition to mates. (Undoubtedly some of Williams’s right? If every day I woke up and I said, Dolphins’ entire season. He never really Buddhism to Jesus. I was trying to fig- teammates and fans understood and re- “God, I’ve got all this money to pay back, explained why he quit (actually Williams ure out, “What am I? What am I?” I just spected his decision, but Wallace got got all these problems,” I wouldn’t be sit- did explain to Dave Le Batard of the Mi- kept reading and reading and couldn’t away with the overstatement.) ting here with you with a smile on my ami Herald, but why not claim the scoop figure out what I was but I learned a lot. Dolphins tackle Larry Chester says, face right now. for CBS?) and he has stayed out of pub- MW: It was there he learned about “Ricky owes lots of people an apology. MW: Why are you smiling? lic view for the past six months (except an ancient healing science from India Not just the fans, but a lot of guys in the RW: Because I’m happy. for the interview he gave Tom FitzGerald called Ajurveda. locker room.” Do you want to apologize MW: And the people who are angry of the San Francisco Chronicle). But wait RW: It’s using nature to heal your- to them right now? at you because you deserted them? Be- till you see what he’s doing now... self, to put yourself in balance. RW: If I can find a reason to apolo- trayed them. That doesn’t bother you? (An Om-like chant is heard. Wide shot MW: Are you in balance now? gize then I’d love to apologize. And if RW: No, because I did. of Ricky and fellow students seated on RW: I’m more in balance now than I they want me to apologize just to apolo- MW: Deserted and betrayed? mats.) He’s studying holistic medicine in was a couple of months ago, but it’s a gize, then I’ll apologize. But it doesn’t RW: To them I did, yeah. the California hills outside Sacramento journey that people spend their whole mean anything unless I understand what MW: Do you care about what people where, surprisingly, he agreed to answer lives on. I’m apologizing for. think who are looking in? any questions we asked about how, at the MW: What’s balance? MW (as if it’s all real simple): You’re RW: No. peak of his earning power, he could just RW: It’s easier to talk about what’s apologizing for letting them down. The MW: Right now. walk away. out of balance. Anytime you have any Dolphins thought with you, and mainly RW: No Ricky Williams: My whole thing in disease —meaning lack of ease, lack of with you, that they had a chance at the MW: This is from a Sporting News life is I just want freedom. I thought that flow— you’re out of balance, whether columnist: “Ricky has always been one money would give me that freedom. I it’s jealousy, anger, greed, anxiety, fear. Super Bowl. of the most selfish, unpredictable, pur- was wrong. MW: And you’ve had experience in RW: What if I posely bizarre and more than slightly off MW: Why were you wrong? all of the above. disagree, do I still kilter athletes. He doesn’t care how his RW: Because especially when you’re RW: I’ve had a little bit of all of it - have to apologize? behavior might affect anyone around 21 and you’re given as much money as I most people have. MW (momen- him. It has always been about Ricky.” Re- was given... MW: This fall he enrolled in an 18- tarily confused; he action? MW: How much were you given? month course at the California College is accustomed to RW: Half of it’s accurate. But how RW: At 21 I received my first check, of Ayurveda. Free from the structured asking the ques- can I expect him, if I don’t know any- it was 3.6. life of the NFL, he’s immersed now in thing about him, to really know anything MW: Million.