Ray Lewis' Value To Ravens
by Bruce Raffel on Jan 26, 2012 4:00 PM EST
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Baltimore Ravens LB Ray Lewis will be heading into his 17th NFL season, virtually unheard of in the league, much less for playing such a violent position. No one is denying that he has lost a step or three, but no one also keeps themselves in the shape that he does, by training like a maniac 12 months a year, eating right and watching videotape of the team's upcoming opponents.
So many free agents have joined the Ravens and reportedly said they had never watched tape the way Ray, Ed and the others broke it down. What Ray has lost in speed he makes up in strategy, positioning and pre-play placement of his defensive teammates. His value as a coach on the field and his presence on the sidelines and locker room is priceless, not only to his defensive teammates, but to the entire team, including the coaches.
Ray is the face of the franchise and deserves to be respected as such. He should be the last player out of the tunnel at every home game, regardless of which side of the ball is introduced. His inspirational speeches motivate the players and his recent one on BaltimoreRavens.com after the AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots is one for the ages and should make everyone excited already for the 2012 season.
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If Pees becomes DC, should Ray consider taking the LBs Coaching position???
I’ve been thinking about this since I heard Chuck Pagano might be leaving. Now that it’s a certainty, I think this would be a great way to keep Ray, his passion, his knowledge, his coaching ability here with us and allow him to continue to mentor the young guys who all stepped up and played admirably during his absence. On a completely practical level, it would free up cap room. He could be paid as a coach and it wouldn’t count against the cap, right? How much do position coaches make? I’m sure not as much as he makes now . . .
Michael Oher is so fast off the ball that he only appears to be off-sides.
Um, what? He wants to play, not coach.
Flacco has to trust his receivers to make catches, but shouldn’t throw towards coverage. He needs to attack deep more often, but shouldn’t hold onto the ball so long. He needs to show more awareness in the pocket and move to extend plays, but nothing good comes of him leaving the pocket. He should run with the ball if nobody’s open, but he definitely can’t run with the ball.
Flacco should have the awareness of Roethlisberger, the elusiveness of Vick, the control of the offense of Manning, the leadership of Brady, the accuracy of Brees, and the arm strength of … Flacco? - Ampallang
Player/coach
Sounds like a plan. Why not? He can do it and besides, ya thunk the LB coach is REALLY coaching him!?
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jan 26, 2012 8:33 PM EST up reply actions
He is already doing the job so why not keep hm right there doing it. Cap room this is Ray lewis he is worth two of anyone elseewis
He gets everybody on the team to put in 120 percent and leads them to be some of the most accountable for their mistakes. Ray Lewis keeps this team at a high level despite who is our DC. He is more important now than ever.
Hmm,..wondering...
if we can pay Ray veteran minimum, make him a player-coach and pay him more as a coach that doesn’t count against the salary cap?
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jan 27, 2012 10:01 AM EST up reply actions
Maybe it's not about the money . . .
I hope his connection to the Ravens and motivation for whatever he decides to do with his life beyond playing the game are stronger and built on something bigger or more important than that. Though, he does have some children to support . . .
"Filmstudy" for OC
the General
If Ray is the General & leader of the Ravens, is that leadership responsible for years of bitter losses to your most hated rivals & the character flaw that shows up year after year? Which is the ability to self destruct & choke when it matters the most?
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 27, 2012 5:30 AM EST reply actions
So it's Ray's fault...
…that Billy Cundiff missed that kick and Lee Evans had his TD swiped away?
…that Q dropped the go-ahead TD against Pitt last year, or that Housh dropped that 4th down catch?
Indeed!
Everyone has seen the swagger that has become the trademark for Ray & his team. It is a part of his leadership style & his generalship of this team. They see the aggressive " I’m a missile, I don’t care about the officials" attitude ( his words btw ) that make them one of the most feared defenses ever.
Whatever the win & loss record over Rays career since the SB win, his legacy will be a team who has yet to reach that goal again & has indeed, choked over & over.
I say it’s Ray’s role as leader that has led to this particular Raven trait that rears it’s head year after year. In fact, Ray Lewis is a thug, who plays football well enough to beat most teams. But run him & his team up against a smarter, better opponent & Ray can usually be found in the 4th quarter, hiding his face while planning who to blame for this loss.
Ray & the Ravens have their share of wins, but when it was game on for the big one, if he is their leader, he led them into defeat these last 10 years.
Ray & the Ravens are the sorest winners & losers in sports. That attitude is one of wannabe’s. It leads to a team as fielded by the Ravens. A coach unprepared. A team confused. A team who could not handle the pressure, just like their leader.
My humble opinion that I have stood by this last decade & have yet to see it proven wrong.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 27, 2012 11:46 AM EST up reply actions
we do seem to fold up like a tent at the worst times. i cant even list the number of times we became heartless after a late game punch by the opponent. we have had second opportunities after late game mistakes and failed again. after flacco fumbled against pitt we got the ball back and flopped, after joes int against pitt we got the ball back and failed, after brady’s late game TD years ago we got the ball back but couldn’t overcome bart scotts 15 yard PF penalty, claytons drop, mcnaires int, evans drop followed by confusion and a missed fg,……
everytime we get deeper into the playoffs and the screws tighten cam and harbs make a less than dynamic duo. they are officially chokers. too many instances of meltdown. take a chance and blow this coaching duo up. the road to the SB won’t get any easier than it was this year- a rookie texan qb, the 30th ranked NE D…and we fail.
Ray & the Ravens are the sorest winners & losers in sports.
is that fact our your opinion?
A coach unprepared. A team confused. A team who could not handle the pressure, just like their leader.My humble opinion that I have stood by this last decade & have yet to see it proven wrong.
Lets be real here Ray Lewis may be the leader of the ravens but most of his leadership goes towards the defense. Just because a certain players mess up doesnt mean there is complete flaws in the leadership that is proved. To say Ray Lewis cant handle pressure is stupid this is a guy that has been in the league for 16 years and has seen it all there is no pressure he hasn’t experienced all ready
fact or opinion, it's the popular belief among many
I’m not gonna go into Baltimore sports history for you but there is a reason the conspiracy theories abound here & it starts with #52. His list of excuses & whining & running from the media after tough losses are becoming legendary & making him a clown outside of Baltimore. See tough losses to both Pittsburgh, Bengals, & Colts to see Ray at his best ;-)
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 27, 2012 2:05 PM EST up reply actions
I’m not gonna go into Baltimore sports history for you but there is a reason the conspiracy theories abound here & it starts with #52. His list of excuses & whining & running from the media after tough losses are becoming legendary & making him a clown outside of Baltimor
i have no idea what you talking about because after the game Ray Lewis stood up and talk to the media in a professional matter and show no signs of whining or what ever you mention
See tough losses to both Pittsburgh, Bengals, & Colts to see Ray at his best ;-)
Smh
I love it when that head goes down ;-)
You know what I’m talking about, the Steeler game last year
nope no i dont know what you talking about please dont tell me either
fact or opinion, it’s the popular belief among many
I’m not gonna go into Baltimore sports history for you but there is a reason the conspiracy theories abound here & it starts with #52.
All this is your opinion it definately is not fact but hey thats just my opinion but you can keep on believing that
How was that?
Where are the true leaders on the Ravens who are going to take them to the next level? It’s not #52.
Smh but ok Im starting to see the light/truth and i come to the conclusion that you…… dont know what you talking about :) have a good day
I guess you could also then say
you have not been proven wrong by about 24 other teams who have not won the SB lately and find someone to blame it on. Wow, what a great football mind! Ray Lewis is as humble after a loss and accepting of the result as any and has NEVER thrown his offense or teammates under the bus and god knows, he’s had ample opportunities over the years. If anything, he IS the common denominator why this team has been competitive for the most part over the past decade. Any other players can say that other than a few other superstars in the NFL?
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jan 28, 2012 1:15 PM EST up reply actions
not 24 other teams Bruce
we’re talking about the Ravens. Who have enough talent & the star players to dominate most teams & compete against the best. This year they did you good service going in to 4 games with their swagger, assured they would beat a lesser opponent & decided to take those games off. Very professional. Outcome was the 4 losses.
Still, as they assumed they made the playoffs. You cannot debate the history. You can’t overlook games against the Pats, Colts & Steelers. You cannot overlook games that had won & the… The Raven Way strikes. The game gets close. The team looks for a leader. As the opposing team drives down the field for a score or the offense goes 3 & out, Ray knows it’s coming & the fans know it’s coming. The Ravens know it’s coming. It’s happened too many times before. Baltimore is going to blow it again. Does Ray fire his team up to win. It hasn’t happened in the big game yet. The shot of Ray with his head down in defeat is classic. I wonder how that effects tyne team???
BTW Bruce, I predicted it, I put my money where my mouth is, doubled down in the last quarter & made quite a tidy addition to the lunch fund account on the Pats game.
I had no doubt the choke was coming.
Thanks Ray.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 29, 2012 4:45 AM EST up reply actions
I love it when that head goes down ;-)
You know what I’m talking about, the Steeler game last year. The famous shots of Ray with his head down in defeat, even before the end of the game. He knew it was coming, the team knew it was coming & we knew it was coming. How was that?
Where are the true leaders on the Ravens who are going to take them to the next level? It’s not #52.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 27, 2012 2:09 PM EST up reply actions
Unitas won one Super Bowl and that was as a backup
plus two Championship Games in the late 50’s. However, the Colts lost a lot and are you going to blame Johnny U like you love to bash Ray?
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jan 28, 2012 1:16 PM EST up reply actions
more later, gotta run
but can you imagine Johnny U doing the chicken dance??
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 29, 2012 5:30 AM EST up reply actions
When the Ravens find Lewis's replacement,
Lewis should play on special teams and be the long snapper. He would be one of the sirst players down the field and we could possibly see nasty collisions. lol. Anyway, its gonna be awkward and weird not seeing 52 out there when he actually leaves.
by E-ROC on Jan 27, 2012 9:33 AM EST via Android app reply actions
Hey Jazz20
You start your reply with the statement that you ‘have no idea’. I agree. Life through your purple tinted lenses have left you unable to even consider my viewpoint.
What’s your explanation for the string of chokes & bitter play off defeats the Ravens have given you?
Why the Ravens every year???
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 27, 2012 6:19 PM EST reply actions
Hey Jazz20
You start your reply with the statement that you ‘have no idea’. I agree. Life through your purple tinted lenses have left you unable to even consider my viewpoint.
First let me say I dont have a purple tinted lenses and the reason why I dont consider your view point because it doesn’t make sense to me. Overall thats just my opinion on your view point im sure some body will agree with them but I definately dont.
What’s your explanation for the string of chokes & bitter play off defeats the Ravens have given you?
Why the Ravens every year???
To me its just that players are not executing like they should especially on offense. It happens and im definately not going to waste my time thinking about it because its over. The players mess up but im excited to see how they move forward and get better.
we all screw up in life same goes with a sport team and it may take more than 4 screw ups to finally get it right but we learn and grow from theses mistakes. I see the ravens getting better and more focus next season .
Agreed
Even a casual football fan would know it’s certainly not Ray why this team has failed to reach that pinnacle.
Puh-lease. We might proudly wear purple-tinted glasses, but let go of the Baltimore Colts or nothing attitude, dude. It’s old and irrelevant now and I’m most likely even older than you, from that “era” and let it go long time ago!
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jan 28, 2012 1:18 PM EST up reply actions
Obviously it would have more to do offensively than defensively. This year it was dropped passes and missed field goals, last year it was 3 straight turnovers, the year before was the inability to even move the ball offensively, so how does that go on Ray? While Ray is arguably the greatest MLB to ever play the game he can’t go out there and play on offense.
On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu
What jersey did you buy when the Colts left town?
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Jan 28, 2012 1:31 PM EST up reply actions
Go Steelers
became a Steeler fan after moving to New York. Best move I ever made ;-) Thanks for asking ;-)
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 28, 2012 9:31 PM EST up reply actions
And it all makes sense.
Why are you here?
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Jan 29, 2012 1:10 PM EST up reply actions
giving my opinion
Bruce & I go back aways. I leave this board alone usually. But trying to repaint the last play off loss as something it wasn’t is too good to pass up.
Joe played better than Brady. Who won the game & beat that vaunted Raven D & what some are calling Joe’s best game.
Ravens shut down Brady. Bruce invented a new definition of shut down. He actually admitted it in his opinion post. Great way to rep the Ravens. Invent things to crow about when you have nothing.
& digging deeper, Ray is the greatest. Well, he’s a thug, a criminal & a phony in my book & an embarrassment to my home town.
Why are you here?
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 29, 2012 7:28 PM EST up reply actions
Solely to listen to what people like you have to say.
Sometimes I feel too smart for my own good, so I listen to the drivel you spew, which help quite a bit.
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Jan 29, 2012 8:51 PM EST up reply actions
drivel indeed
thug- am I wrong
criminal – am I wrong
a phony – a posse, fur coats & nights in bars before Atlanta & a very good lawyer & marketing team & a new found love of God after Atlanta. I got a bridge you can buy if you like.
an embarrassment – too many to mention, but I like the lock out talk about evil. Seeing his staunchest supporters just beg him to “Shut up Ray!” was too funny.
Drivel OC52, but backed up with facts & history. It’s his legacy outside of Baltimore. You should get out more.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 30, 2012 5:59 AM EST up reply actions
I don't even live in Baltimore.
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Jan 30, 2012 1:45 PM EST up reply actions
who is the smarter one??
too smart for your own good?? Wow, does that arm ever hurt from slapping your self on your own back.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 30, 2012 8:36 AM EST up reply actions
Nope.
It only gets sore from slapping my leg with enthusiasm whilst laughing at the hilarity that comes from the mouth (and fingers) of trolls.
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Jan 30, 2012 1:43 PM EST up reply actions
ray lewis
ray lewis is the best linebacker in ravens history!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by roger schoolcraft on Jan 27, 2012 9:23 PM EST reply actions
Ravens history?
NFL history, and as I’ve stated here many a time, I put him at the top of any player in football history for what has done for so many years that NO ONE else in history has come close to doing!
aka 'Rexx'
by Bruce Raffel on Jan 28, 2012 1:19 PM EST up reply actions
No one ever before or after him!!
does that include the largest fine ever handed down by the NFL?
Does that include being caught endorsing & using illegal HGH. You know that’s why he wore down this year, don’t you.? Goodell is after him for his HGH use.
But anyway, You have your sports hero’s & I have mine. Ray does do a great chicken dance tho’
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 28, 2012 9:37 PM EST up reply actions
Squirrel dance.*
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Jan 29, 2012 1:10 PM EST up reply actions
any new info anyone?
Bruce, what’s the latest news on Rays HGH issues with Goodell? They got through the year with out testing. I know congress is now involved, but season came & went. Looks like players union will never budge. Too bad for the players who play clean.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 30, 2012 6:06 AM EST up reply actions
so quick to give credit but unable to see any negative
btw, Ray HAS CERTAINLY thrown his teammates under the bus. Need the quotes from the last Steeler play off win?? btw Bruce, you forgot, I’m a Steeler fan. Colts are old news.. But here’s another thing for Baltimore to be ashamed of.
The new Gino’s on Joppa Rd has 2, count em, 2 pieces of Colt football memorabilia. I asked the girl behind the counter where the pictures of Gino in action were. She said “Oh, we can’t show them. The Raven fans won’t come in then.”
The Raven Way!!!
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 28, 2012 9:29 PM EST reply actions
Certainly
you should listen to the girl working behind the counter at a fast food chain who, although making minimum wage and doing all the grunt work, is invited to all the important meetings where they decide how to ‘get Ravens’ fans to come in.’
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Jan 29, 2012 1:14 PM EST up reply actions
So Let Me See If I Can Follow
This: you are some how correlating the idiot actions of a nimrod fast food manager to the Ravens organization?
"A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring."
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."
"God's whiskers! Your face is as hideous as the demon's in my storybook!"
"I never expected to see the day when girls would get sunburned in the places they do today."
"It's big for a reason."
For Pittsburgh fans, that's Pope, Twain, Rostand, Rogers and Megamind
no deal
Not gonna get pulled into defending your interpretation of my words.
I’ll defend what I say, but I’m not gonna get into word games with you. :-( Sorry
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 30, 2012 10:56 AM EST up reply actions
HAHA! i.e. I made a dumbass remark and I can’t own up to it.
And your old enough to love Jonny U! #ThatsEmbarrassing
daytime commentator. night time ninja.
thanks for being a good example of a Raven fan who practices AGE discrimination ;-)
btw, I’ll own up to what I write & say, not some other person twisting it. That’s a board game only the stupid fall into. You wouldn’t want me to twist your words would you? But, the previous poster was trying to do that to me. Is that fair? Shouldn’t I have to defend my own words only & not what some downtown Goober says he thinks they could or might have been intended to mean?
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 31, 2012 4:35 AM EST up reply actions
right from the source
true, the message came right from a young Baltimore kid who got her opinion from where? Growing up right here in Baltimore, where else?
If you’re denying A lot of Raven fans don’t HATE the Colts, past & present. You must be from out of town.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 29, 2012 7:21 PM EST reply actions
Define past.
Does the past stop in 1984?
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Jan 29, 2012 8:52 PM EST up reply actions
Now I know
You are just trolling as 99% of Ravens fans adored the Colts. My grandparents and parents ran Colt Corrals. Parents loved the Colts and love the Ravens. Bert Jones was my favorite Baltimore Colt and I just as big a Raven fan now as I was a Baltimore Colt fan back then.
Not from out of town, either.
Give it a rest.
"A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring."
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."
"God's whiskers! Your face is as hideous as the demon's in my storybook!"
"I never expected to see the day when girls would get sunburned in the places they do today."
"It's big for a reason."
For Pittsburgh fans, that's Pope, Twain, Rostand, Rogers and Megamind
adored??
even you say adored & bolded it. I’m talking about todays crowd.
Anyway, debating someone who will deny the feelings the current locals have toward the Colts is is useless. I guess we all live in our own little world.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 30, 2012 11:00 AM EST reply actions
anyone ever covered the HGH issue?
just curious Bruce? Seems I can’t get a response on this. Is this a taboo topic here because Ray might be in trouble & it taints his legacy? Or is this just being ignored like his other troubles??
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Jan 31, 2012 4:40 AM EST reply actions
Ray has no defenders??
strangely quiet on the HGH issue. Is no one here informed??
No one to rep Ray??
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Feb 1, 2012 3:53 AM EST reply actions
Your bait doesn't look very tasty.
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Feb 1, 2012 1:32 PM EST up reply actions
keep your fingers crossed ;-)
with the NFL, Goodell & now the US Congress launching an official investigation, someone cares about the rampant HGH abuse & cheating in football. But, you can always ignore the real world.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Feb 4, 2012 6:39 AM EST up reply actions
Look, the point is
that as you say HGH abuse is rampant, and I’ve yet to see anything specifically linking Ray to it. Would you like to share a link that suspects Ray, or is this just your opinion?
You come at the king, you best not miss.
by organizedchaos52 on Feb 7, 2012 4:10 PM EST up reply actions
no opinion, here's the facts
http://www.thepostgame.com/node/319
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story//id/7335989/nfl-seeks-congressional-support-hgh-testing
Glad to see someone isn’t just hiding their head in the sand. Here is a utube video mentioned where Jackson brags about how after using, the Ravens as a team performed at a higher level.
blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQTYo8BsGQ4
Remember, what they are selling is banned hgh performance enhancer. Performance Enhancing is the word he was looking for. Ray cheats, here is the proof. ;-)
Any comment Bruce?
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Feb 8, 2012 7:59 AM EST reply actions
Just a quick question for Bruce
Is anyone who has used the banned HGH a cheater?
If not, what about those who chose to not use the HGH? to play within the rules? Is it fair for Ray or any other NFL player to use a PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUG?
It’s that simple. Ray not only purchased & used thus stuff, he endorsed it until the NFL made him stop. Where is the Baltimore Sun on this?
Why is Baltimore Beatdown not doing it’s job? Or is the job here to merely cheer lead? & not discuss important football issues??
Bruce??
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Feb 9, 2012 4:11 AM EST reply actions
Ravens organization not concerned
it’s why they’re fighting the blood test
http://www.csnbaltimore.com/pages/landing?blockID=394926&tagID=476
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Feb 9, 2012 4:26 AM EST reply actions
No one is denying that he has lost a step or three, but no one also keeps themselves in the shape that he does, by training like a maniac 12 months a year
I think if you look at the facts we agree Bruce. Ray trains hard, like a maniac! He is so obsessed with being the best he will go to ANY ends to achieve his goal. Including taking a banned substance that Hugh Jackson gave him & told him cannot be detected with a blood test. HE WAS A PAID ENDORSER!! he thought it was safe, but Goodell is too smart for this & so the blood test is being implemented.
& still no discussion here..
too busy cheerleading??
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Feb 10, 2012 4:01 AM EST reply actions
Beuller??
Beuller?? anyone??
as I said earlier.
So quick to praise, but faced with FACTS!!! all of you hide your head in the sand!! or rather up #52’s a**
Now, I remember why this board sucks. No one interested in FOOTBALL issues, just cheerleading.
by WhereHaveYouGoneJohnnyU on Feb 10, 2012 4:06 AM EST reply actions
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