Williams’ Off-Field Antics Exposed
February 21st, 2014
Wild parties were reported at a home formerly rented by Mike Williams.
It seems the behavior of Bucs wide receiver Mike Williams away from the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway and One Buc Palace is a bit more concerning than previously known.
That’s what Joe can read from a detailed report of Greg Auman and Rick Stroud in today’s Tampa Bay Times. The duo dug through police records, talked to Williams’ neighbors and collected information that made the movie “Animal House” come to real life at Williams’ furnished Tampa rental.
Among the lowlights from the report:
* Stripper pole in the living room.
* Five known 911 calls between June and September 2013, highlighted by a kitchen fire.
* Property damage that eventually cost Williams more than $52,000.
* A massive no-holds barred party on the Friday before a road game at Dallas in 2012, a 16-10 Bucs loss, a throw-down he advertised on his Facebook page. There he claimed he sprang for the costs of flights and accommodations to bring revelers into town.
* Foot traffic at all hours of the night and day, replete with stretch limos.
* Mattresses left on the front lawn.
Joe saw Lovie Smith’s face and tone of voice turn stern yesterday like a disappointed parent when he spoke of the lackluster play of the offensive line and of Williams’ off-field behavior. Of Williams’ general troubles, Lovie flatly stated “We’re just not going to put up with it.”
It’s not to say the Bucs are going to cut Williams tomorrow. But Lovie and general manager Jason Licht have made their feelings known: Their patience will be short with further incidents.
“He has to prove that he shouldn’t make headlines off the field,” Licht said.
Let’s face it. Lovie and Licht did not draft Williams. They did not re-sign Williams. They don’t and, more importantly, won’t tolerate this nonsense much longer.
Given the fact that Licht told Joe Thursday the draft is so deep at wide receiver that guys normally who would be drafted in the first two days of the draft may not go until the third day this spring, well, it may be time for Williams to turn the corner on his hard-partying ways.
Williams lives in the posh gated community of Avila now and, thus far, there are no known hassles with neighbors or cops.
Yet.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:24 am
ruh-roh elroy
February 21st, 2014 at 7:28 am
Party on Garth…
February 21st, 2014 at 7:28 am
Was it over when the Germans invaded Pearl Harbor?
No!
I put this in the who cares category. He can have a stripper pole in every room if he catches the ball on 3rd down.
Nobodies business.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:31 am
Toga!
February 21st, 2014 at 7:33 am
@Eric
Its the fans business when this is going on 2 days before game day and you see the kind of year Williams had.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:34 am
26 years old with millions of dollars, atta boy!
Williams can’t be like Freeman, and let the off field sheeeit RUIN their talent/production. Freeman seems like a nice guy, but I hate to see how he squandered his talent and wasted our time, as a Bucs QB.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:34 am
Who cares…..
February 21st, 2014 at 7:36 am
I love when people say nobodies business. When the police, who are funded by taxpayers, are called to a home multiple times, it becomes the public’s business.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:37 am
So he’s an inconsiderate a hole. Sounds like the qb some are pushing for. The only thing that concerns me are the criminal things.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:40 am
He really sounds focused on his career. Just not as a wide receiver.
I trust Lovie. If they cut him eventually, all good by me.
Remember all the questions about him coming out before he was drafted? Yeah, me too.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:41 am
NFL players are all sitting at home drinking milk and eating cookies on Friday nights?
I doubt that.
Leave the man alone. Nothing illegal or wrong with any of the above stated activities.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:49 am
great extension dom!!!
this is a big deal because alcohol RUINS your body.
I dont care if players smoke medicinal herb in their downtime, like the Seahawks or Ricky Williams.
I agree with Coach Carroll.
Legalize it!
Vote YES in November FLORIDA!!
February 21st, 2014 at 7:53 am
I blame evil rap music!
Next stop for MW is the Target parking lot.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:59 am
Why don’t you guys mind your own business and improve your own lives rather than worrying about what Mike Williams is doing during his free time.
Plenty there to keep you busy I’m sure.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:07 am
Sorry if I want real professionals on the team I support. I want guys who live, eat, and breathe football.
Football isn’t a 9-5 40 year type career. It’s a small window of one’s life. How you approach it off the field actually matters.
And, I’m not expecting a choir boy, but, that’s exactly the type of guy I do not want representing the team in the community.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:12 am
HAHA. He’s going to be broke BEFORE he leaves football.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:24 am
Since when are football players representing the community.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:26 am
Since when AREN’T they?
February 21st, 2014 at 8:36 am
I went to that game in Dallas. It was one of the most pathetic offensive performances I have seen.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:37 am
Only if you choose them to somehow be your representative. That’s on you, not him.
Lots of other folks around you can look up to if u want.
Of course it’s a free country. If u want to get wigged out over a stripper pole go ahead and knock yourself out.
I could care less. Don’t grasp why anyone else does.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:37 am
Let’s ask Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith if they think Mike Williams, and football players as a whole, represents the community.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:40 am
So long Mike ! Unfortunately off the field stupidity is a direct related to on the field. No self discipline.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:43 am
@Paul – that’s the way they want it to be. If a player is frugal with their money then they have more power. Look at Carson Palmer. He wanted out of Cincinnati and told them that he had well more than he needed to retire comfortably so they needed to either allow him to go or he walked. Imagine if other players were that smart with their money. As it stands, they spend all their money on nothing of value and are beholden to the teams so they can continue to live that lifestyle. They’ll take lesser contracts or go to teams they don’t want to play for because they need the money. It works for the agents and it works for the teams.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:45 am
@ Eric. Hope your not raising kids with that douche bag approach
February 21st, 2014 at 8:50 am
Living the dream.
All I’d worry about is cleanup, but I’m sure he can afford that.
My question is about the stripper pole… Professional install? When we did that at a friend’s house we used an aluminum pole from a pool brush. That didn’t turn out well.
February 21st, 2014 at 8:56 am
Now wait… All this going on with the soft spoken and mild mannered Mike Williams? Where’s this all been? Us, the Joe Smoes, the anonymous football fan, have been kept uninformed of this behavior until recently. And now that I have learned about this, I’m a little bit let down. We the Joe Smoes, the fans, form opinions based on a players talents and behavior on and off the field. Of course Mike had many red flags coming out of college, but in that regard, I was led to believe that Mike had turned the corner.
Now, seeing how those red flags continue to follow so many current players into their professional lives, is it really hard to fathom Johnny Manziel not continuing on his party ways. Is this what we have to accept because so many are enamored by his talent? Are we willing to ignore his college behavior or is it a red flag? Whats to keep JF from acting the same way in the pros, even more so now after the money. Kind of funny, we public scorned and virtually condemned Josh Freeman for allegedly doing the same thing
February 21st, 2014 at 9:05 am
Eric Says:
“Why don’t you guys mind your own business and improve your own lives rather than worrying about what Mike Williams is doing during his free time.”
No problem if he plays hard. Like to see him come back this year. I will be disappointed if he blows it.
February 21st, 2014 at 9:05 am
I guess this means he’s now on Double Secret Probation.
February 21st, 2014 at 9:07 am
The question is, If they try to trade Williams, what is his value? do you take a 2nd rounder???
February 21st, 2014 at 9:23 am
Some people can’t handle money before the big payday no problems and productive cashed the then cashed out wtf…
February 21st, 2014 at 9:24 am
Normally I’d say as long as it is not affecting his play on the field, who gives a damn? But his stat line for the Dallas game: 2 rec, 33 yds. And i remember this game. This was where Clayborn went down with the ACL and Free was playing as if he were working off his own alcohol withdrawals.
February 21st, 2014 at 9:27 am
@Eric
Germans invaded pearl harbour???
He is supposed to be an example and a model to follow for children.
and i am pretty sure u dont want ur children to behave like he does
February 21st, 2014 at 9:27 am
@bubashep
Great line!
February 21st, 2014 at 9:39 am
If I had a stripper pole and could lure a half decent looking woman over to use it, I’d consider it an achievement.
Go Mike Williams!
February 21st, 2014 at 9:42 am
Void his contract if you can,another rotten apple.To bad Schiano didn’t dump him before he got fired.
February 21st, 2014 at 9:47 am
@Eric
Since your are such a fan of what happen you can set your kitchen on fire twice as well, I mean if you wanted to emulate your hero.
February 21st, 2014 at 9:53 am
@Eric –
Dude, you cant be serious, are you just trying to get attention?
You cannot tell me you don’t see a problem with this report he is getting killed on the field, dropping balls, and not getting open? Not to mention, the Bucs were in a tailspin – you response is this?
No wonder we were losing. Football teams don’t just win championships, it’s the front office and the entire organization that win. I will take it a step further. I do not want or think everyone should be choir boys but don’t be stupid either.
Let’s not forget that we just placed to HOF’s in the football heaven and one of the two was no angel but this foolishness publicly was a non-issue.
He is not all that good to be that patient with and he is a dime a dozen player – as far as judging him; I don’t care about him personally and he’s never inspired me to buy a jersey so You are right on that – WHO CARES…
If he is cut tomorrow or today – I could careless and matters to me known.
Next story…
He’s Trash on and off the field, IMO. So that kills your story.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:00 am
Hey if the dude ain’t cutting it on the field by all means replace him with a better player.
But this stuff has nothing to do with that.
And no one would care if he was a pro bowler. That’s my point.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:01 am
Lol @Eric, just livin the dream!
Trade this underachieving wanna-be gangsta to the niners for a slew of late round picks
February 21st, 2014 at 10:01 am
Eric,
If you are going to take others to task, at least know fundamental history. Germans never invaded Pearl Harbor. It was the Japanese who bombed Perl Harbor. The Germans never never even set foot on US soil.
We as fans have the right to care about any and everything that we think will affect the play on the field. We pay lots of money on tickets, food and gear related to the Bucs. I’m not saying we should be in their personal lives but if it affects on field play then it matters.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:01 am
@Eric
The reality is that your opinion matters as much as mine does. Zilch.
What matters is Lovie’s opinion, and it sounds like he doesn’t share yours, fortunately.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:24 am
The funny part is I hear cut and trade. Who will trade for him? The best we can get for a player coming from an injury who had an bad season would be a 7th. Plus no team will take his contract on top of that. Cutting him I pretty sure he will has some guaranteed money left which we will still have to pay so that would be dead cap space. You can’t void a contract unless there is a clause in it, which more often are drug related like Eric Wright.
Honestly I am not stressing what he did last year. I want to see what he does this year. He got a little extra money and went crazy, and now he has a (real) head coach who will set him straight or ship him out.
Kind of crazy that all this was happening and now we are hearing about it.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:32 am
FYI – The Germans bombing Pearl Harbor is a reference to the line in the movie Animal House that is being mentioned in this article.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:36 am
Obviously Luther and anotherbucsfan never have seen Animal House.
Great Animal House lines Eric and bubashep. But Eric, it was “Did we give up when the German’s ‘bombed’ Pearl Harbor?”……”Hell no!”
February 21st, 2014 at 10:36 am
@Luther – I think the Germans comment was shtick. My wife and I went to a Bucs/Saints game back in 09 and there was a guy sitting a couple rows ahead of us that was saying the exact same quote. Either it was Eric himself or it’s a “thing” that people like to say to get a reaction. My wife still likes to talk about the yahoos that we were sitting around that game. Apart from that comment there were quite a few things being said around us that were just baffling
February 21st, 2014 at 10:41 am
As for Mike Williams off field antics, it is unfortunate and here is a more fitting Animal House quote……
Boon(insert M Williams): I gotta work on my game.
Otter(insert Kellan ‘rub one out’ Winslow Jr): No, no, no, don’t think of it as work. The whole point is just to enjoy yourself.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:44 am
@Joe,
This conversation alone is one of the microcosm of the little things that got the Rock Star canned.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:44 am
Eric
I think, the point they’re trying to make is like that ole saying “the writing is on the wall”.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:54 am
Anybody remember that Dallas game? I do. Our offense was terrible… Starting to make sense why.
February 21st, 2014 at 10:57 am
Seriously? Do you all not know the “Pearl Harbor” comment is from Belushi in the Animal House movie?
February 21st, 2014 at 11:24 am
These Puritans probably never saw the movie. It was rated R and had female nudity if I recall.
February 21st, 2014 at 11:44 am
The movie came out in 1978. I rarely saw movies when I was a kid. I was playing sports and going to school. Not my kind of movie anyway.
February 21st, 2014 at 12:16 pm
teacherman Says:
this is a big deal because alcohol RUINS your body.
I dont care if players smoke medicinal herb in their downtime, like the Seahawks or Ricky Williams.
I agree with Coach Carroll.
Legalize it!
Vote YES in November FLORIDA!!
++++++++++++++++++
Spoken like a true pot head. Yes, alcohol can ruin a body, but so too can weed. Anytime a person changed the chemical make-up of a substance (aka lighting it on fire) and then ingests it, there can’t be ANY good effects. Besides the well-known lethargy, depression, and like any habit, using it as their crutch, marijuana has plenty of terrible effects on people.
February 21st, 2014 at 12:18 pm
Luther Says:
The movie came out in 1978. I rarely saw movies when I was a kid. I was playing sports and going to school. Not my kind of movie anyway.
+++++++++++++++++++
Yeah? Me too…only I didn’t live in a cave and ended up watching it anyway…I mean, have an excuse, but who plays sports or goes to school at 10 pm on the weekend?
How would you know if it’s not your kind of movie…if you’ve never seen it. It’s a solid movie.
February 21st, 2014 at 1:44 pm
So does Joe admit that Pewter Report was right after being very critical before?
February 21st, 2014 at 2:58 pm
LAME
February 21st, 2014 at 6:09 pm
I’m with Eric, leave the guy alone. Christ, he’s 25 years old. He is a damn good receiver and we need him big time.
February 21st, 2014 at 7:03 pm
Is there anything in the world you hate worse than that horse?
Just blanks, right?