Various reports have Dolphins running back Ricky Williams violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy for the fourth time, necessitating a one-year ban from the league. I don’t know what the positive test was for, but I think marijuana is probably a pretty good guess. Anything else would be a pretty big upset.

It’s sad, and… kinda strange. I thought the guy had it together. He had a great year running the ball for the Dolphins, his teammates and coaches seemed to like him, and he was set to be a part of a very productive Miami Dolphin backfield next year. And now it looks like he’ll be out for the year.

It’s just hard to figure the guy. I know it probably makes me a sucker, but I’m truly surprised by this. I really thought whatever problems he had were behind him… and it seemed like he thought they were, too.

I guess if marijuana is more important to the guy than football, hey, have at it, Cheech. I’m not judging that. And if it’s just a matter of really not wanting to be in the NFL, that’s fine, too. Being good at football doesn’t mean he’s going to enjoy it, and it doesn’t mean he has to do it. But if he really wanted to play (and I thought he did), and he just can’t kick the habit… well, that’s sad, in a few different ways.

More on this later, I’m sure.