• Ray Lewis Is Cheating His Teammates

    by
    Andy Freeland
    Published on 01-02-2013 03:45 PM
    19 Comments Comments

    As has been widely reported today, Ray Lewis has told his teammates that he will retire after this season. By talking about retirement before the season is over he's cheating everything he did in the offseason and cheating every one of his teammates.
    Seem a little harsh? It does to me too. Those aren't my words, they're his. Reading about his retirement today I flashed back to our meeting with him before the week 3 game between the Ravens and Patriots. His exact quote (or as close as I got from my notes at the time):

    "If I ever talk about retirement during the season, I cheat everything I did in the offseason. I cheat every one of my teammates." -Ray Lewis

    I guess 'during the season' doesn't include the playoffs. I'm just having a little fun with Ray. We all know what he's doing, he's giving the 'let's win one for the Gipper' speech in the first person.

    Ray Lewis is the heart of the Ravens, maybe more than any player ever has been for any team. He was a Raven before they ever played a game and has played in every one of their 17 seasons. No player inspires loyalty quite like Ray Lewis, the team will be fired up. The stadium, already playing the scorned lover to the team that jilted them, will be crazy. I can't wait to watch it, assuming of course that I don't die of frostbite in Wisconsin.

    Comments 19 Comments
    1. wxwax's Avatar
      It's interesting that what happened in Atlanta hasn't really besmirched Lewis' name. Vick will always be vilified for what he did. Worth noting that no human beings died on his watch, unlike Ray Lewis'.
      Reply
    1. Rich Gapinski's Avatar
      Would it be fitting if Urlacher and Lewis retire during the same off-season and enter the HOF in the same year?
      Reply
    1. Pruitt's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by wxwax View Post
      It's interesting that what happened in Atlanta hasn't really besmirched Lewis' name. Vick will always be vilified for what he did. Worth noting that no human beings died on his watch, unlike Ray Lewis'.
      You know, I like to think of myself as being smarter than the average fan, but honestly, this never occurred to me.

      On the field, Ray Lewis is a first ballot hall of famer. One of the all time greats. But seriously, in light of the fact that he has had his image rehabilitated to the point that he's one of the faces of the NFL - he must have the best agent ever.
      Reply
    1. FrzzerBwler's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by wxwax View Post
      It's interesting that what happened in Atlanta hasn't really besmirched Lewis' name. Vick will always be vilified for what he did. Worth noting that no human beings died on his watch, unlike Ray Lewis'.
      Let's be honest wax, Vick killing dogs is beyond a shadow of a doubt. Ray Lewis pled guilty to obstruction of justice.
      Show us where Ray Lewis is responsible for human beings dying; beyond a shadow of a doubt, not hearsay.
      Reply
    1. FrzzerBwler's Avatar
      I can't wait to watch it, assuming of course that I don't die of frostbite in Wisconsin.

      Andy in honor of your pain I'll throw a couple extra logs on the fire Sat night. You can take warm solace in the fact my Duke bill will be lower because of you.
      Reply
    1. wxwax's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by FrzzerBwler View Post
      Let's be honest wax, Vick killing dogs is beyond a shadow of a doubt. Ray Lewis pled guilty to obstruction of justice.
      Show us where Ray Lewis is responsible for human beings dying; beyond a shadow of a doubt, not hearsay.
      I think perhaps you misunderstand the definition of hearsay. If you mean to say there's no evidence that Ray Lewis committed murder, I agree.

      If your point is that he didn't surround himself with people armed with knives, that he did not get involved in a brawl, that his posse did not commit murder, and that he didn't help in a cover-up of a double homicide -- then, you'd be wrong. Because each of those is a fact.
      Reply
    1. iwatt's Avatar
      Isn't Vick rehabilitated already?

      And Lewis has done and said all the right things since then. It's not his agent, it's him who has worked on this, a lot.

      I prefer to live in a world were we allow people to learn from their mistakes and improve, and not judge.
      Reply
    1. Amy's Avatar
      As a Pats fan, I always want us to win the Super Bowl. But, with Ray's annoucement, I really hope my Ravens pick for Super Bowl winner comes true - I'd like to see Ray get Ring #2, and I'd like to see Ed Reed get one as well.
      Reply
    1. Pruitt's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Amy View Post
      As a Pats fan, I always want us to win the Super Bowl. But, with Ray's annoucement, I really hope my Ravens pick for Super Bowl winner comes true - I'd like to see Ray get Ring #2, and I'd like to see Ed Reed get one as well.
      Surely you can't be serious?
      Reply
    1. vancemeek's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Amy View Post
      As a Pats fan, I always want us to win the Super Bowl. But, with Ray's annoucement, I really hope my Ravens pick for Super Bowl winner comes true - I'd like to see Ray get Ring #2, and I'd like to see Ed Reed get one as well.
      I agree that Ray is an alltime great, but I never, ever want to see the Ravens win a Super Bowl, with or without Ray, and I hope I'm not reading that you're rooting for the Ravens over your own team.
      Reply
    1. wxwax's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by iwatt View Post
      Isn't Vick rehabilitated already?

      And Lewis has done and said all the right things since then. It's not his agent, it's him who has worked on this, a lot.

      I prefer to live in a world were we allow people to learn from their mistakes and improve, and not judge.
      I think there's a fairly large segment of the population will never forgive Mike Vick. Technically he is rehabilitated and a full member of society, except for losing his right to vote. Practically, he's a pariah to a lot of people.

      Interesting story on NPR. NPR says no media outlet is mentioning the double homicide or his conviction for obstruction of justice. The whitewash is complete.
      Reply
    1. FrzzerBwler's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Amy View Post
      As a Pats fan, I always want us to win the Super Bowl. But, with Ray's annoucement, I really hope my Ravens pick for Super Bowl winner comes true - I'd like to see Ray get Ring #2, and I'd like to see Ed Reed get one as well.
      I agree w/ Amy, if the Bengals are not going to hoist the Lombardi, which is highly doubtful this year, I'd like to see Ray Lewis do it.
      Reply
    1. FrzzerBwler's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by wxwax View Post

      Interesting story on NPR. NPR says no media outlet is mentioning the double homicide or his conviction for obstruction of justice. The whitewash is complete.
      wax I would say many do not consider it a whitewash, there are jsut too many unknown facts about what really happened.
      I for one, and evidently many others, will not pass judgement when we have nothing to base it on.
      Here is what we appear to know for sure. 2 men died of stab wounds. Ray Lewis and some of his friends were in the vicinity. Ray Lewis pled guilty to a misdemeanor of obstruction of justice for giving police a false statement.
      You say 2 men died under his watch, that is a leap of faith most people do not seem ready to make.
      Reply
    1. Curtis's Avatar
      Pope Wax is casting moral judgments again...thankfully my keyboard has an Escape key.
      Reply
    1. wxwax's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by FrzzerBwler View Post
      wax I would say many do not consider it a whitewash, there are jsut too many unknown facts about what really happened.
      I for one, and evidently many others, will not pass judgement when we have nothing to base it on.
      Here is what we appear to know for sure. 2 men died of stab wounds. Ray Lewis and some of his friends were in the vicinity. Ray Lewis pled guilty to a misdemeanor of obstruction of justice for giving police a false statement.
      You say 2 men died under his watch, that is a leap of faith most people do not seem ready to make.
      He got into the car after the stabbing deaths and said to his posse: "This never happened."

      His white suit from that night mysteriously disappeared. I suppose it's possible he throws away his clothes instead of washing them. More likely, they had blood on them and he didn't want to be connected to a double homicide.

      His crew, his party, his words, his clothes.

      His watch.
      Reply
    1. tubbs1518's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by wxwax View Post
      He got into the car after the stabbing deaths and said to his posse: "This never happened."

      His white suit from that night mysteriously disappeared. I suppose it's possible he throws away his clothes instead of washing them. More likely, they had blood on them and he didn't want to be connected to a double homicide.

      His crew, his party, his words, his clothes.

      His watch.
      I have to agree. Do I hold it against the way I feel about him? Not at all, just as I don't Vick.
      Reply
    1. Amy's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by FrzzerBwler View Post
      I agree w/ Amy, if the Bengals are not going to hoist the Lombardi, which is highly doubtful this year, I'd like to see Ray Lewis do it.
      This is what I meant. I'm, of course, rooting for the Pats, but I picked the Ravens preseason, and if that pick turns out correct, I'd be happy now, for Ed, for Ray, for the rest of the Ravens.
      Reply
    1. Bengals1181's Avatar
      I think my fans, I think my city, they deserve it. They deserve that whenever this road stops, for me not just to walk away and be like, ‘I’m done.’ I think we all get to enjoy what Sunday will feel like knowing that this will be the last time 52 plays in a uniform in Ravens’ stadium.”

      for some reason this part rubs me the wrong way. "The fans deserve one more chance to celebrate me."
      Reply
    1. wxwax's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Bengals1181 View Post
      for some reason this part rubs me the wrong way. "The fans deserve one more chance to celebrate me."
      And that's exactly what his ridiculous, self-indulgent entrance to that game looked like. All about him.

      I was glad to see a major media outlet finally cover the double homicide he was involved in. The one he never apologizes for. The one over which he apparently has no remorse.

      Said Lewis: "You want to talk to me about something that happened 13 years ago right now?"

      "His attitude during the deposition and everything wasn't that great," Katheryn Smith says of Lewis. "He disappointed me in the things he said. But I decided I wasn't the one (to judge). You have to leave that up to God, you know? He was there when it happened. I think they all got off fairly easy, but I don't have any hard feelings. I think he had a bad choice of friends."
      Reply