Heeeeeeere's RICKY!

He's Baaaaaaaack........

Two days ago I reported exclusively that Ricky would not only play, but might very well start against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Well, he is scheduled to start Monday night.

Amazing.

Only in Miami does the following happen: A guy fails a drug test five times, quits the team once, changes his mind and returns only to be suspended. Then he is forced to stay away for nearly two years, and when he comes back to a new coach that doesn't embrace what he stands for, none of it matters.

None of it.

The new coach -- Cam Cameron -- is so desperate for a healthy, viable running back, that the guy he originally didn't want back on the team comes back to practice on Monday and by the following Monday is starting again. On national cable television.

That is the case with Ricky Williams today.

Williams is starting because Jesse Chatman's injured right ankle is, well, still injured. All the wishing and rehabilitation in the world wasn't going to overcome that noticeable limp Chatman maintained throughout the past week.

So Ricky will run for the Dolphins again. And it should be interesting to see how he does given his time away from the game, the fact he is 30 years old now, and his relative lack of practice time.

One thing working in Ricky's favor is that this offensive line is perhaps the best and most effective he has run behind since he's been with the Dolphins. Yes, I realize he gained 1,853 behind Tim Ruddy, Jamie Nails, Mark Dixon, Todd Perry and Todd Wade in 2002.

But within 18 months of helping Ricky establish that team-record individual rushing season, all of the players on that line were either off the roster or out of the league altogether. This Miami line helped turn Ronnie Brown from an also-ran to a likely Pro Bowl performer had he remained healthy.

It will be interesting to see what that line does for Ricky.

Hell, I've swallowed the O-fer kool-aid meself. If he helps us get a win, let him play sez I.

FU TONY KORNHEISER UPDATE: Liveblogging the Steelers game tonight. Ricky fumbles in the 2nd Q and hobbles off the field shaken up. Everybody in the booth was so eager to pile on, did anybody notice that one of the Steelers jammed his cleat into Ricky's back when he was on the ground? Sheesh.

0-11 UPDATE: Yeah, they lost again. But they gutted it out and it was damned close until the end. I'm not ashamed.