Ray Lewis: NFL Entertainer of the Decade

by Bruce Raffel on Feb 16, 2010 10:05 AM EST

According to the NFL, Ray Lewis leads the pack of players who were the top "entertainers" of the decade in the NFL. Ray, along with Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, took the self-promotion opportunities that the league afforded them through video and sound bites and made themselves stars both on and off the field. Whether you are a fan of any of them, you have to admit they made the game more entertaining, and sometimes made people either like them or loathe them.

Here in Baltimore, we see Ray Lewis every week of the season and have since the beginning of the franchise. For the rest of the league, it's a treat when they get a chance to see him on occasion, although the fans of the Steelers, Bengals and Browns might say otherwise.

Click here to see the NFL.com video, and thanks to Daniel, a reader of The Beatdown for sending this to me.

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The NFL should show Rays entrance in its entirety on TV. They miss the boat there. It would be better than Dan Fouts and the CBS music drowning out the best part of the intro’s. The NFL should actually show all the star players being introduced in total at their home games. How cool would that be. I have yet to see Ray and his music being shown completely on TV. I feel the fans are being cheated a cool experience.

With most games having just 1-2 big hits, the NFL recognizes that the hype and trash talk is a huge selling point. Most games don’t live up to the hype. But, the smack keeps you glued.

The MLB is stuck by it’s poker face players. The old-school ways of MLB will continue to haunt them as other sports show more individuality. Every now and then a MLB player steps outsides the lines and it seems they are marked for being a loose cannon. Sometimes getting beaned for their antics. Baseballs players take themselves too serious. Why do you think fans love guys like Sosa, Millar, Dontrel Willis. They are fun. The NFL gets it.

by raven on Feb 16, 2010 11:43 AM EST reply actions

Ray-Ray is, has been, and always will be my favorite athlete to watch

No one plays with so much passion, studies so much game film, and is respected by so many of his peers as Ray Lewis. It truly will be a sad day in Baltimore when he decides to retire.

"I kill myself in small amounts"

by StuckInUtah on Feb 16, 2010 12:01 PM EST via mobile reply actions

So that's what will happen in 2012?

The night is darkest right before the dawn

by Zachary Beard on Feb 16, 2010 10:18 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

If not earlier

While his contract was officially for something like six years, he’ll probably only play three, which means he could retire after the 2011 season. That is, IF they actually settle this labor thing and play in 2011!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Feb 17, 2010 9:44 AM EST up reply actions

Defensive player of the decade IMO.

He not only played lights out he also made the rest of the D better. He is a unique one of a kind talent. His only fault IMO is that he took his aggressiveness over the line and hurt the team a few times, but his pluses far ought weigh his minuses.

" My enemy said "Love your enemy". I obeyed and loved myself." Gibran

by JUNGLEJOHN on Feb 16, 2010 12:37 PM EST reply actions

I remember when Takeo Spikes was on the Bengals and he stated publicly that he was a better MLB than Ray Lewis. This was when Ray was in his prime to. Then we went and beat the Bengals like 31-7 and Ray had an interception.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 17, 2010 9:31 AM EST up reply actions

And remember Edgerton Hartwell

who wanted the big bucks elsewhere and went to Atlanta and rarely played due to injury. He always complained that Ray got credit for his tackles. Gee, really Ed?

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Feb 17, 2010 9:45 AM EST up reply actions

Spikes couldn't carry Lewis' jock

Hey, I am a Bengals fan big time but it is just stupidity not to keep it real. Ray is the single biggest reason for the Raven’s winning ways.

" My enemy said "Love your enemy". I obeyed and loved myself." Gibran

by JUNGLEJOHN on Feb 17, 2010 9:06 PM EST up reply actions

You are crazy. Frank Walker is who we should thank for our success. Get it right bungle john.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 17, 2010 10:08 PM EST up reply actions

MaLor, I agree with you. Who is Frank Walker?

" My enemy said "Love your enemy". I obeyed and loved myself." Gibran

by JUNGLEJOHN on Feb 18, 2010 8:49 AM EST up reply actions

He is the only player over 28 years old with braces in the NFL.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 18, 2010 5:21 PM EST up reply actions

LOL

The night is darkest right before the dawn

by Zachary Beard on Feb 18, 2010 5:53 PM EST up reply actions

I agree

All that trouble he got in with the law back in the day was entertaining.

"When my time on earth is gone, and my activities here are passed, I want them to bury me upside down, so that my critics can kiss my a**!"
-Bobby Knight

by John Stephens on Feb 16, 2010 12:58 PM EST reply actions

He didn't do it.....

The night is darkest right before the dawn

by Zachary Beard on Feb 16, 2010 6:07 PM EST up reply actions

The crap the Steelers are doing today is even more fun. I don’t think Rufflesburger did it either. I think he just passed out on top of her and she thought it was rape because it was hard to get the 320 pound Ben and Jerrys off of her.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 17, 2010 9:33 AM EST up reply actions

Its amazing how similar that is to my theroy of whats really going on in lst

The night is darkest right before the dawn

by Zachary Beard on Feb 17, 2010 10:11 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

At M&T Bank Stadium,

on game day, they sometimes introduce the offense instead of Ray and the defense. I’ve said for years that regardles of what side of the ball is introduced, Ray should ALWAYS be the final player out anddo his “stuff” for EVERY home game. You just have to be there, it never gets old and makes the hairs on your arms stand up as you want to run out there for Suicide Squad duty yourself!

Didn’t Northwestern University used to always have one fan picked to do kickoff duty each game as a cool thing?

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Feb 16, 2010 4:32 PM EST reply actions

I think this should be the picture

The night is darkest right before the dawn

by Zachary Beard on Feb 16, 2010 6:07 PM EST reply actions

I wonder what our record is when ray does the dance and when the offense sheepishly takes the field in his place?

by raven on Feb 16, 2010 8:30 PM EST reply actions

Remember in ‘98 at Memorial Stadium when they would play the rap/pop song Cross Roads while the players warmed up. I’ll always remember that.

by raven on Feb 16, 2010 8:32 PM EST reply actions

why?

The night is darkest right before the dawn

by Zachary Beard on Feb 16, 2010 8:39 PM EST up reply actions

Umm ya…….why?

"I kill myself in small amounts"

by StuckInUtah on Feb 16, 2010 8:42 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Why not? Brings back the great memories of the Horseshoe.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 16, 2010 8:46 PM EST up reply actions

Oh

The night is darkest right before the dawn

by Zachary Beard on Feb 16, 2010 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

I always remember the players

walking out of the dugouts onto the filed and the corners of the end zone inside the horseshoe being part of the baseball “Warning Track” and the players slipping on the gravel and slamming into the stands right there!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Feb 17, 2010 9:46 AM EST up reply actions

..because you were 4 at the time and we wanted to fill you in.

by raven on Feb 17, 2010 11:53 AM EST up reply actions

Bone Thugs and Harmony

I remember them playing that as well. Every home game they played that song about 20-30 minutes before the game started. It was great.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 16, 2010 8:45 PM EST up reply actions

Starting a Bruce nickname session... NOW

1. Bruce almighty.
2. Bruce “I swear I’m not on steroids” Raffel
3. Bruce the Moose
4.Bruce-asaorous-rex
5 Bruce Clues
6. Scooby Bruce
7 Bruce “The Shirt” Raffel
Any others?

The night is darkest right before the dawn

by Zachary Beard on Feb 16, 2010 10:00 PM EST reply actions