Ray Lewis is retiring

[ivanvamp]

Good, this probably means Reed would consider signing with another team (the Pats ).

I know this has been discussed in another thread, but I think Reed on a 3-year deal would be amazing for this team. Odds are not good that it would happen, but he still has some great football left in him.

 

[letekro]

Guess this is the biggest surprise that everyone knew was coming. Can't blame him for trying to time it to rally his team for the post-season. Can't say I buy into the "well we don't want to play the Ravens now that they have this inspiration" Im hearing on the radio. (I'm more worried about how Rah Rah Caldwell's offense scored big in their win over the Giants when the G-Men had a lot to play for. Was that a noteworthy change? Or just a fired up team?)

Anyway, as much as the Ray lewis show thing always bothers me, this was a good speech after Cunniff's exit stage left kick last year:

Ray Lewis' postgame speech - NFL Videos

Great speech and just as an aside, I don't understand the hate for Ray Ray. As far as I can tell, the worst things anyone can point to are lying to the police and bad dancing before the Ravens SB. Both of those events happened about 15 years ago and he has been a model citizen since.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

(I'm more worried about how Rah Rah Caldwell's offense scored big in their win over the Giants when the G-Men had a lot to play for. Was that a noteworthy change? Or just a fired up team?)

I think the Gnats just came out flat, possibly expecting the Ravens to play like they had, losing to a third string and two rookie QBs their previous two games.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Let's hope that "the end of the season" comes quickly.

 

[ALP]

as a person no comment

but as an NFL great, the man was a monster, you dont play LB that long in the NFL without being extremely good, in more than one facet of the game, not many ppl can do something like that, he had a peculiar way of doing it, but you cannot argue against the success of that way, so more power to him i guess

 

[BennyBledsoe]

15 years passing has nothing to do with the fact that two people are dead today while their killers go free because of Ray Lewis.

 

[thenepatsrule]

You guys think he will take a 'stab' at a TV job ?

 

[Ivan]

Great speech and just as an aside, I don't understand the hate for Ray Ray. As far as I can tell, the worst things anyone can point to are lying to the police and bad dancing before the Ravens SB. Both of those events happened about 15 years ago and he has been a model citizen since.

I agree he has been a model citizen and an unreal football player since the murder in Atlanta, however his lies to police impeded a murder investigation and that really is a despicable crime. He's not " a murderer," as many tend to tag him, but what he did really shouldn't be underplayed either. unfortunately extreme prosecutorial overreach put him in a position where his lawyer probably advised him not to volunteer anything given the desire of the prosecutor to nail him for the murder.

 

[Wax Frog]

While I certainly don't care for Lewis as a person, I do respect him as a football player.

My hatred for Lewis isn't even close to what it is for some of the other players such as Cromartie, Suggs, (maybe even Sherman) and about 1/2 the Pittsburgh Steelers entire team.

You left out Pollard

 

[signbabybrady]

Since most seem to be bashing Ray Ray let me be one to say that he will be missed as a perenial foe and someone who gave his all on the field and played the game right. He liked to beat his own chest as often as he could but he was a team guy through and through.

And I also think he should be commended for rehabing and giving himself one more chance at the playoffs. He has a ring and has been here many times it would have been pretty easy for him knowing he was retirning and knowing he was paid for the season already to just call it a retirement the second he went on IR.

 

[everlong]

The only question now is who will place the highest bid to have him on their network. My money is on ESPN but if CBS forked over the coin and pushed out Shannon call the nation guard Sharpe I'd be happy enough. At least you can understand Lewis where as Sharpe sounds like MushMouth from Fat Albert and makes about as much sense as another Denver winner Woody Paige.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

You guys think he will take a 'stab' at a TV job ?

Damnit tnpr, I was coming in here to do a stab joke!

Ray Lewis: Amazing football player, better leader. I can't say I'm going to miss him though. It be great if he goes out with just one super bowl due to a ridiculous collection of defensive talent that season. Since then in 12 seasons, 2 AFCC's and that's about it.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Two people dead. Anybody pay? No. Who to thank? Ray.

He could live the rest of his life like a monk and nothing will change that until he owns up to his involvement.

 

[mcsully]

Great player for so many years who could uplift an entire defense..

 

[BananaRepublican]

Good, this probably means Reed would consider signing with another team (the Pats ).

Geez, I go back and forth on that guy due to his age.

Since both he and McCourty seem to play the same position I do wonder they do with McCourty. At his age I don't see him as necessarily being an upgrade over McCourty. He's good in run support but nagged by the shoulder, getting older, and his main attribute is coverage. So where does he fit in?

 

[Uncle Rico]

Speaking of showmen ...

DeionSanders ‏@DeionSanders
Why do you think Ray Lewis may retire?A)He's tired of his body letting down.B)Tired of the Team Letting him down.C)Its time 2 focus on kids.

 

[goheels22002]

I don't know why this surprised me when I saw the initial post. Ray Lewis is iconic and changed the face of the Cleveland Browns, er Baltimore Ravens, when they selected Lewis #26 in the first round using a pick that Bill Belichick received in return for the #10 overall selection to the 49ers in the 1996 draft.

http://www.cantonrep.com/browns/x19...-Bill-Belichick-helped-the-Ravens-get-started

It's interesting how Bill Belichick's fingerprints are on so many key moments in the NFL of the past 30 years.

Bye, Ray. Here's wishing that your final NFL memory is getting steamrolled in Foxboro in a couple of weeks.

 

[Marqui]

Geez, I go back and forth on that guy due to his age.

Since both he and McCourty seem to play the same position I do wonder they do with McCourty. At his age I don't see him as necessarily being an upgrade over McCourty. He's good in run support but nagged by the shoulder, getting older, and his main attribute is coverage. So where does he fit in?

As on upgrade over Gregory. It seems that Belichick wants to play 2 free safeties and let the front 7 handle the run alone.

Since they got Talib, Belichick has been calling a lot of trap-type coverages were, at the snap, one safety will drop deep and the other will come up and try to jump a route. All of Gregory's picks have come from this and he's had other opportunities where he just wasn't able to hold on to the ball. I think Reed would get 10 picks over a whole season playing in this defense.

 

[Kontradiction]

As on upgrade over Gregory. It seems that Belichick wants to play 2 free safeties and let the front 7 handle the run alone.

Since they got Talib, Belichick has been calling a lot of trap-type coverages were, at the snap, one safety will drop deep and the other will come up and try to jump a route. All of Gregory's picks have come from this and he's had other opportunities where he just wasn't able to hold on to the ball. I think Reed would get 10 picks over a whole season playing in this defense.

And I would love to see Reed do just that.

 

[dannydyn]

After thinking about this a bit more…. Anyone else find the eerie similarity between Ray Lewis’ retirement announcement and that of Jerome Bettis?? Anyone here remembers Superbowl XL (Seahawks vs. Steelers)??? The questionable officiating that gave the game to the Steelers? Almost as if to give ‘The Bus’ his last chance at a ring??? I smell Ravens at the Superbowl…