Brotherly love
Williams gets rousing reception as Philadelphia courts him
Posted: Tuesday February 23, 1999 10:22 PM
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Ricky Williams (center) and Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell (right) enter the Maxwell Football Club's annual banquet Tuesday. Williams won the college player of the year award. AP |
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams said Tuesday
night that he wants to play in a city that wants him. Philadelphia ought to
fit that requirement quite nicely.
Mayor Edward G. Rendell said interest in Williams has eclipsed all
other issues on the minds of the citizens he meets. He said people no
longer ask him about tax cuts, the upcoming election, or other issues
mayors usually face.
"The only question I've gotten from the people of the city of
Philadelphia for the last six weeks is, 'Are we going to draft Ricky
Williams?'" Rendell said during Tuesday night's banquet held by the Maxwell
Football Club.
That went along with what Williams said just minutes earlier.
"I want to go somewhere where they're excited to have me," Williams
said as he spoke briefly to reporters after signing autographs for children
before stepping into the banquet hall.
So how does Philadelphia's reaction compare to the reaction elsewhere?
Williams said he doesn't know. He hasn't been to similar events in
other cities.
The NCAA record-breaking running back from Texas could return to
Philadelphia in the near future, since the Eagles hold the No. 2 pick in
the upcoming NFL draft.
"He just wants to play football," said Sandy Williams, the player's
mother, accepting the Maxwell Award for college player of the year on his
behalf. "Ricky can adapt to any situation."
Earlier Tuesday, Randall
Cunningham spoke as the club honored him as pro football player of the
year, giving him the Bert Bell Award for the third time. He led the Minnesota Vikings to a
15-1 regular season while throwing 34 touchdown passes.
"In the past I didn't really appreciate when I received an award,"
Cunningham said during a midday press conference. "I was young and immature
and took it for granted. But this is a great honor. I've grown and now have
the maturity to accept it and know what it's all about."
Cunningham, 35, who previously won the Bert Bell in 1988 and 1990,
joined Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas as the only three-time
winners of the award. He said returning to Philadelphia, where he spent his
first 11 seasons, made it special.
Among the other award winners cited by the Maxwell Club were Texas A&M
linebacker Dat Nguyen, who won the Chuck Bednarik Award as defensive player
of the year; Tennessee's Phil Fulmer, who guided the Vols to a perfect
season and the national championship and was named George Munger college
coach of the year; and Dennis Green, named Greasy Neale professional coach
of the year after leading Cunningham and the Vikings to the NFL's best
record.
In addition, Lycoming coach Frank Girardi became the Maxwell's first
tri-state college coach of the year winner, Justin Sands of the Hill School
received the Jim Henry high school student athlete honors, and Pittsburgh Steelers
president Dan Rooney was named Reds Bagnell winner for contributions to
football.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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