'Run Ricky Run' Worth Seeing

[Lugnuts]

by the way, at the Q & A, did he get specific about his 'medical school' plans? my impression was that when he was playing doctor at the end of the film and talked about 'med school' he was referring to being an acupuncturist or new age quack or something, not a real m.d.

Believe it or not, I think he meant real medical school.

My impression was that when he got to Boston, he probably went through some serious, truly legit psychotherapy with some folks who knew what they were doing. He made the comment that the Boston people convinced him he needed "real credentials" if he wanted to get into medicine.

During the Q & A, someone raised his hand and said, "Doctor, my back's been giving me trouble. What's your recommendation?" And I think everyone in the room expected Ricky to say, "Acupuncture and herbs" or some such. But Ricky deadpanned, "Take 2 Advil and call me in the morning." It drew a laugh, but I kind of took that to mean maybe he's moving away from this new age quackery a bit??

Of course, once he understands that it will take him a good year+ to even prep for the MCAT, he may change his mind....

But no, I think he was actually talking about real med school.

 

[fishwrapper]

I watched this four days ago and I still haven't come to a conclusion about who I think Ricky Williams is. I suppose maybe that's how it's supposed to be. As I watched I alternately thought he was a genius and a lunatic. I guess I'm convinced he's one of the most thoughtful and intelligent athletes of his generation. But I also am convinced he's bi-polar.

I had a similar feeling. But, then I realized, not all good stories need a conclusion. He's still living, breathing, playing, excelling...all in the present tense.

 

[Mediator]

I watched this four days ago and I still haven't come to a conclusion about who I think Ricky Williams is. I suppose maybe that's how it's supposed to be. As I watched I alternately thought he was a genius and a lunatic. I guess I'm convinced he's one of the most thoughtful and intelligent athletes of his generation. But I also am convinced he's bi-polar.

I had a similar feeling. But, then I realized, not all good stories need a conclusion. He's still living, breathing, playing, excelling...all in the present tense.

I agree about brilliant and possibly bipolar. But I will read and watch everything about him going forward. I really respected the fact that he didn't stay on the treadmill but wanted to live an examined life, albeit troubled and self-medicating.

I never bought the dope fiend narrative. I'm sure it's simpler to just dismiss him that way.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I know a ton of athletes who smoke pot. I don't know a ton of athletes who walk away from millions of dollars to work as a "healer"

 

[YGBFKM]

Finally saw this yesterday. I give Ricky all the credit in the world for traveling his own path. That takes guts. On the other hand, I found the most telling quote from Ricky was that during his Boston rehab, he was diagnosed with "narcissistic personality and avoidance." That hit the nail on the head because as I watched, I got the impression that his journey was based in large part on him being a self-absorbed asshole. When you answer on camera, "Not really" to the question "Did you think about your kids during (the time you were trying to find yourself)," it's clear you leave a lot to be desired in the grown-up department. Ultimately, as my SO pointed out, it was great to see that by the end, it appeared all his searching had resulted in him becoming a better man. But we both agreed he's going to backslide at some point; it's just his mercurial nature.

 

[Mediator]

YG that is an excellent point about the comment that he didn't think about his kids. I'm a parent and I can't think of a single instance where that separation wouldn't kill me.

To me, that illustrated his depressed period, but then at the end there was a line about him still struggling to be a present father. It's hard to justify that, and I thought it was very honest to keep it in. But yes, makes him very unsympathetic.

 

[leo1]

by the way, at the Q & A, did he get specific about his 'medical school' plans? my impression was that when he was playing doctor at the end of the film and talked about 'med school' he was referring to being an acupuncturist or new age quack or something, not a real m.d.

Believe it or not, I think he meant real medical school.

My impression was that when he got to Boston, he probably went through some serious, truly legit psychotherapy with some folks who knew what they were doing. He made the comment that the Boston people convinced him he needed "real credentials" if he wanted to get into medicine.

During the Q & A, someone raised his hand and said, "Doctor, my back's been giving me trouble. What's your recommendation?" And I think everyone in the room expected Ricky to say, "Acupuncture and herbs" or some such. But Ricky deadpanned, "Take 2 Advil and call me in the morning." It drew a laugh, but I kind of took that to mean maybe he's moving away from this new age quackery a bit??

Of course, once he understands that it will take him a good year+ to even prep for the MCAT, he may change his mind....

But no, I think he was actually talking about real med school.

interesting. thanks for clarifying, lugnuts. i agree that once he recognizes the serious studying necessary just to take the mcat, not to mention the work involved during actual med school, he may back off. but i guess he's surprised us before.

 

[FootballScribe]

YG that is an excellent point about the comment that he didn't think about his kids. I'm a parent and I can't think of a single instance where that separation wouldn't kill me.

To me, that illustrated his depressed period, but then at the end there was a line about him still struggling to be a present father. It's hard to justify that, and I thought it was very honest to keep it in. But yes, makes him very unsympathetic.

Of all the things he said during the film, this was by far the thing that stuck out most to me. Although, he did say he only misses them "when I thinks about them." I'm not really sure what that even means.

Without question, though, he's one of the most fascinating athletes, hell he's one of the most fascinating people, on the planet. I almost envy Le Batard for getting to cover the trials and tribulations. I know it would have been painstaking more often than not but I feel like it would have ultimately been worth it because he would have made you see the world from a different angle.

 

[Mediator]

Other thing that disturbed me was that LeBatard etc. were identified as "journalist/friend."

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Other thing that disturbed me was that LeBatard etc. were identified as "journalist/friend."

So was Mike Silver.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Watching the Paul Westhead one... Just awesome... There's one part when they're talking about Hank Gathers that gave me insane chills.

I was listening to Carolla's podcast this morning and he's interviewing the director of the new Jack Abrahamoff documentary that comes out and he said he's doing a 30 for 30 on Buckner and Steve Bartman that comes out this fall.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I guess this is the unofficial 30 for 30 thread and I watched Ice Cube's Straight Outta LA one about the Raiders, and while it wasn't bad, it certainly wasn't at the level of the other ones.

 

[BigRed]

I guess this is the unofficial 30 for 30 thread and I watched Ice Cube's Straight Outta LA one about the Raiders, and while it wasn't bad, it certainly wasn't at the level of the other ones.

I thought it was pretty interesting. Al Davis in HD was freaking frightening, though. Those yellow teeth - hideous! Brush your teeth, man! He looked like the cryptkeeper.
Also, did anyone else notice that when Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg were throwing the football around on the Coliseum floor, talking about their Raiders memories, it was lined up - for soccer?
Wonder if that was planned or just perfect imagery...

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I guess this is the unofficial 30 for 30 thread and I watched Ice Cube's Straight Outta LA one about the Raiders, and while it wasn't bad, it certainly wasn't at the level of the other ones.

I thought it was pretty interesting. Al Davis in HD was freaking frightening, though. Those yellow teeth - hideous! Brush your teeth, man! He looked like the cryptkeeper.
Also, did anyone else notice that when Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg were throwing the football around on the Coliseum floor, talking about their Raiders memories, it was lined up - for soccer?
Wonder if that was planned or just perfect imagery...

I doubt it was planned.

I also wonder how much help Ice Cube had doing that. I doubt he was the one interviewing Plaschke. ;D

 

[Drip]

Got a chance to watch this. Ricky Williams is a pretty ****ed up guy who likes smoking dope but doesn't because it will prevent him from playing in the NFL. I pray for him.

 

[Killick]

From that first link:

There are a lot of revelations in the documentary, but the most explosive is that when he was 6 years old, in 1983, Williams told his mother that his father was forcing him to take nude photographs of his dad with a Polaroid camera. Williams' father, Errick Williams Sr., was arrested and charged with sexually annoying a child.

WTF is that?! Never heard it put that way before...

 

[britwrit]

A guy who doesn't think much about his kids = Every other American father pre-1965

Why are you attacking someone for his old-fashioned values?

 

[Drip]

A guy who doesn't think much about his kids = Every other American father pre-1965

Why are you attacking someone for his old-fashioned values?

WTF?

 

[britwrit]

(...Sorry. It was a pathetic stab at being ironically humourous. I.E. Ricky being like the cliched 1950s Dad who left 99.9% of the child-rearing to Mom, was distant and didn't think much about the kids when they weren't in direct sight.... I will slink off now....)

 

[SportsDude]

Just caught "The Guru of Go" about Westhead and Loyal Marymount - fabulous.