BY JEFF DARLINGTON
On the surface, a recent potential scenario had all the makings of yet another dramatic saga in the soap opera that has followed Dolphins running back Ricky Williams throughout his NFL career.
During a recent visit to his home state of Texas, Williams said he was invited to join Bears running back Cedric Benson for a day of boating -- an afternoon that would lead to Benson being charged with boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest.
But Williams wasn't there. He didn't make the trip.
So might this be a sign that Williams, based on his own actions, could be changing the course of his life as a result? Might it be further proof that his commitment to football and his commitment to Dolphins boss Bill Parcells is for real? Well, that depends on how you look at it.
As Williams has seemingly turned the page on a past marred by controversy, meanwhile developing a solid relationship with Parcells in his newfound maturity, he isn't so sure he couldn't have helped in the Benson situation.
''I think if I had come down, things might have worked out a little bit differently,'' Williams told The Austin American-Statesman at a recent celebrity golf tournament in Texas. ``I find I have a calming influence on people I'm around.
``As a high-level athlete, it's just something that's ingrained in me. I always think that if I'm there, things would be different. I can't say how.''
Either way, Benson likely would have been better off.
If Benson's claims are true that officers mistreated him when they pepper-sprayed him during the arrest (he also has said he was not drunk), Williams' presence would have provided another witness at the scene.
And if the arresting officer's claims are true that Benson ''presented himself as a threat,'' Williams' calming presence might have indeed helped defuse Benson.
But Williams wasn't there. And as a result, nobody can argue that his absence -- whether regrettable to him or not -- allowed him to keep himself out of headlines for the wrong reasons. Instead, it appears he might be worthy of more praise than not.
AGE IS NO BARRIER
Throughout the past five months, several Dolphins employees have observed a unique relationship building between Williams and Parcells, the Dolphins' vice president of football operations. The new boss likes Williams' diligent work ethic, taking note of his desire to build his body back into elite form during the offseason.
According to one team employee, Parcells also has reminded Williams, who turns 31 next week, that he isn't too old to make an impact in this league, pointing to former Giants and University of Miami running back Ottis Anderson as motivation.
In 1989, under Parcells, Anderson was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV. At the time, Anderson was 32.
Although Williams has declined all local interview requests, including three made by The Miami Herald, he told The Austin American-Statesman that he has been surprised by the relationship that has formed between him and Parcells.
EARLY DOUBTS
''[Parcells] was describing the kind of player he wanted,'' Williams told the paper, recounting Parcells' first meeting with the team. ``Honestly, I had doubts if I was going to be that type of player.''
But Parcells then called Williams into his office, where he told Williams he would share time with starter Ronnie Brown.
''I was expecting him not to talk to me at all,'' Williams said. ``I was expecting to get a letter in the mail saying I was going to be a free agent.
``I like [Parcells] more than I thought I would. He's really different than I expected. It seems to me his greatest joy is developing true friendships with his players, being a mentor and trying to help people, not just in football but in life.''
Will Williams' NFL legacy be morphed into something more this season? It's too early to tell. But for now, it appears he's staying on track to at least give himself a chance.
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