Posted on 02/28/2005 5:51:35 PM PST by SmithL
Oakland -- Former Raiders linebacker Bill Romanowski ended Marcus Williams' NFL career two years ago when he ripped off his teammate's helmet and punched the second-year tight end in the face during a practice drill.
Romanowski's long history of bad behavior on the field has ended in a courtroom, where Williams is suing the linebacker for damages.
Williams is seeking damages of $3.8 million for alleged battery, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The blow he took Aug. 24, 2003, broke a bone around his left eye and also injured his brain. His football career ended at age 27.
Romanowski, known for fanatical behavior during his 16 NFL seasons, apologized publicly several days after the altercation.
"I hold myself accountable," Romanowski said afterward. "It was a classless move by me."
Williams wasn't satisfied and filed the civil lawsuit. The case, which could last several weeks, will focus on the consequences of Romanowksi's actions on Williams' career.
Potential witnesses include Romanowski's former teammates, Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott, former Raiders coach Bill Callahan, and Williams' agent, Lee Kolligian.
Cases in which professional sports teammates sue each other are rare.
"I did not find a situation where one teammate has injured another teammate during a practice in this way," said Williams' attorney, James Brosnahan, after the original complaint was filed. "And for good reason. Teammates have to treat each other with respect."
The Raiders have long been known as the bad boys of the NFL, and they seemed to start spinning out of control following the fight between Romanowski and Williams.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
By the time this trial is over and more of Romanowski's screwed-up antics are made public, I suspect we'll start looking upon Jose Canseco as a model citizen and perfect example of class and sportsmanship in an athlete.
However, 3.8 million may be overestimating this player's NFL value.
And they just added Randy Moss.
Over a lifetime?
What surprises me is that most of the steroid hysteria has surrounded baseball, while Romanowski was also connected with the BALCO case.
Yet, you haven't much, if anything, about that. I suspect that the Williams' lawyers will make sure it comes up a few times at the trial.
Why couln't Moss have been traded two years ago so that Romo could have kicked the crap out of him.
Yes. Consider the following:
He was rated very low as a wide receiver in the 2001 draft (44-50 best in USA).
He was a non roster player at the camp at the time.
He earned $185,000 for the 2002 season ($225,000 base). (The median income for that position was $680,000). The $3.8 million assumes he would have made the team and would have had a fairly lengthy career (5-7 years).
Although he deserves something for Romanowski's action 3.8 million seems a bit high.
How much would you want for someone to break a bone around your eye and injure your brain, causing permanent disability?
And consider that this is WITH "pain and suffering" rolled in.
From the article:
Williams wasn't satisfied and filed the civil lawsuit. The case, which could last several weeks, will focus on the consequences of Romanowksi's actions on Williams' career.
Since Williams Attorney's are focusing on the effect of the injury on his career, I would argue that the guy, an undrafted special teams player, did not have much of a career to begin with.
I would also wonder why no criminal charges were filed?
There are also two issues: Actual Damages and punitive damages. I believe you can only file for actual damages, though I am not certain on that.
"The Raiders should also be brought into this lawsuit."
Yes, agreed. Presumably they also had a duty to the injured player, to keep him safe from undue harm.
'Just win baby' - Al Davis
On a different note, a family friend played football at USC when Al Davis coached there, he says that Al Davis is a much misunderstood man and that the 'perceptions' of him differ drastically from the real Al Davis.
Actual damages include pain and suffering. Punitive damages are also appropriate because it was an intentional tort.
The Jury is in:
Why can't criminal court accomplish this?
If I walked up to somebody at work and punched them in the head, not only would I lose my job but I would be arrested, charged, tried, convicted and jailed. A civil suit would be the least of my worries.
So why is it that football players are treated differently?
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