Ray Lewis

[buickbeast]

Widely considered to be one of the greatest players to ever play the game. His motivational videos are now legendary. Personally, I believe that most NFL players play the game for $$$
Money talks.
I don't blame players, because their paychecks are massive, and rightfully so because fans are willing to pay insane amounts to see their teams.
I stopped watching NFL games after the 2K era. I like the old NFL, where u can talk smack, where a game isn't interrupted by a tv timeout ( there's never a beer guy around during these times haha) where guys can celebrate at home without fear of penalty ( I'm shocked that the Lambeau Leap hasn't been ruled illegal)
Is there any reason to watch NFL games?
Other than Ed Reed, and save a few others. (I only catch NFL on Sportscenter) who else has the brings the passion that can translate from your TV to you? I'm not hating on the NFL, it's a business. For most NFL players, the game = $$$
For Ray Lewis, the game = Love and passion.
It is so sad that Ray Lewis might never step on the field as a player again.

[Candyman5]

The Ravens will be better off no offense. Part of the defensive Woes were because of him being slow and old. It is his time to retire and the Ravens need to remember him in the old days and move on for the future.

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by Candyman5

The Ravens will be better off no offense. Part of the defensive Woes were because of him being slow and old. It is his time to retire and the Ravens need to remember him in the old days and move on for the future.

Couldn't be farther from the truth.

[Sidion]

Quote: Originally Posted by Candyman5

The Ravens will be better off no offense. Part of the defensive Woes were because of him being slow and old. It is his time to retire and the Ravens need to remember him in the old days and move on for the future.

He wasn't hurting us. People love to see the drop off from who he was to what he is now. They never realize that he is the emotional leader on the team. He's arguably the reason the team stepped up on goal line situations.

That being said clearing up his salary will help the team a great amount, but is it worth losing the best Raven in our teams short history? Nope.

I'm hoping someone else steps up soon. After Reed and Lewis depart our defense is gonna need someone else to take up the mantle of leader for the D.

[wwharton]

I didn't think it was worth going down a detailed list in response to what was clearly an uninformed comment, but I'll add to what Sidion said. Ray Lewis is a coach on the field, and he reads plays on that side of the ball on par with what Peyton Manning does presnap. There's a reason all of these LBs leave the Ravens for a big pay check but do nothing on their new teams. There is also a reason so many defensive coaches have left Baltimore to become head coaches with moderate success. The constant on the Ravens D being good over all the years is Ray. Ray puts players in the proper position presnap. That added to the emotional leadership on the field that pushes guys to give 100% in a way that can't be done from the sideline.

Slow and old is also a reach, if we are going to go into actual production on the field. Ray lost a ton of weight to be faster. That makes it harder for him to get off a block, and the DTs in front of him aren't doing a great job at keeping him clean. It's not like he's missing tackles. The huge holes that are being created have little to do with Ray, it's the job of the guys in front of him to prevent that. The broken tackles are by other defenders who most people can't even name... besides Reed who has been tackling like Deion Sanders ever since he got the pinched never in his neck a few years ago. Pollard is a great hitter and Webb was (out for the year now) a good tackler... nobody else worth even mentioning. Teams just needed to get a big lineman on Ray and force someone else to make the play.

Most of us Ravens fans are saying Webb is the bigger loss because the team is just garbage stopping the run on a whole right now. But go check Ray's comments about the DTs the year before drafting Ngata. THAT Ray wouldn't be able to do much more to stop the run than this year's Ray has done. Too many holes in the trenches.

[ImTellinTim]

Some people seem to underestimate exactly how much stuff is going on pre-snap that the defensive "QB" calls and organizes. That includes the base play and pre-snap reads/audibles.

The Bears are sending Urlacher out on the field even though he's basically on one leg and has no lateral speed. They certainly have someone who can go out there right now who is more physically fit to play MLB. But his understanding of the defense and ability to recognize what the offense is trying to do far outweighs his current physical limitations.

If someone thinks the Ravens are just going to "replace" Ray Lewis, they are sadly mistaken.

[Hooe]

Easily my favorite player who never played for the Cowboys. If this is it for Ray Lewis, I will miss watching him play, as I'm sure will many people.

If I'm John Harbaugh or Ozzie Newsome (or whomever it is that would make this call), if I have any inkling that Ray might be interested in coaching, I do my damnedest to convince him to stay on as a linebackers coach effective immediately. Not only does Lewis have the experience and intelligence that comes with his near two-decades worth of on-field battle stories, but he is still the preeminent motivator of men in all of sports, in my opinion.

[The_Wise_One]

He is Kevin Garnett playing football. Just leads and inspires everyone. Not many teams have such a valuable player. Big loss for the Ravens but they still make the playoffs.