Pubdate: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 Source: Dallas Morning News (TX) Copyright: 2004 The Dallas Morning News Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117 Author: Chip Brown, The Dallas Morning News Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) WILLIAMS' SISTER DEFENDS DECISION AUSTIN - The younger sister of Ricky Williams said she's certain news of a third failed NFL drug test by her brother will convince everyone that's the only reason he retired from football. But she said that couldn't be further from the truth. "He no longer wants to live in fear," said Nisey Williams, 24, who will attend graduate school in Miami this fall because her brother is paying for it. "So he is opening up about everything and not living a lie. "I'd rather him not be this honest and this candid. But it's his actions and his choice to speak out. Now people are going to have the total wrong idea about him and why he's retiring. After today, I don't even want to defend him anymore because people don't want to listen to the truth anymore. People think he's weird, so that will be the easy answer. They'll believe what they want to believe. But they don't know him and should quit judging him." Nisey Williams said people aren't interested in hearing how her brother recently sold his Ferrari and Hummer and donated the money to a local school in Miami in need of financial help. She said she worries that Thursday's revelation in the Miami Herald - that Ricky Williams learned of a third failed NFL drug test just days before announcing his retirement - will affect his dreams of becoming a teacher or coach one day. Judging her brother for using marijuana is hypocritical, she said, because the NFL is constantly handing out painkillers that players become addicted to. "What bothers me most is that there's nothing my brother's done that hasn't been done by other athletes before," she said. "Other players have retired early from their sport. Other players have smoked marijuana, and Dennis Rodman even wore a wedding dress, so there's nothing new here. "The good news is, Ricky doesn't care what people think anymore. He's happy with his decision, and that's one reason he's being so open about everything." - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D