12 replies to this topic

[DMH_in_WA]

Here's something I have been wondering for the last month or so. Does anyone here think that Ray went "larger than life" during this playoff run to become the lightning rod that kept the playoffs media craziness away from other guys, especially the young guys?

What I mean is, he basically pulled almost every ounce of scrutiny and negative press to himself and off the other guys (with the exception of one Flacco comment). And once we hit the biggest stage, the last game ... he was back normal. Do you guys think it was a conscious thing that he did?

Think about it, besides going after Ray, what else came out during this run? That Flacco and Pitta went to have a hamburger with some coaches? For the 49ers, even though they were the media darlings, you still have reporters digging on the Crabtree accusation, 49ers in stripclubs, Culliver and his comments, etc.

[BALTIMOREFLACCO]

No. Concerning his retirement, I truly think he was genuine about wanting to let the fans know before it happened so they could say their good-byes. I know the media ridiculed that whole thing, but I think 95% of us Baltimore fans understand it.

As far as the Deer Antler thing and the resurgence of questions about that night in Atlanta in 2000, I think it was just the media trying to come up with a story since those topics produce the "best" headlines.

Edited by BALTIMOREFLACCO, 07 February 2013 - 07:30 PM.

[theFRANCHISE]

I don't doubt that Ray was genuine -- but he's a smart man. He knew what he was doing.

And frankly, the team was better for it. Ray knew he'd be polarizing, so he allowed that to happen. Better that people simultaneously love and hate him than scrutinize the rest of the team.

Remember Flacco's slip of the tongue? No one cared because: 1) He quickly apologized; 2) he was genuine about it (he works extensively with Special Olympics); and 3) everyone else wanted to talk about Ray. Any other athlete and it would've been a long, drawn-out process of dissecting Flacco's character, how the team will respond, etc.

[SecretAgentMan]

I don't doubt that Ray was genuine -- but he's a smart man. He knew what he was doing.

And frankly, the team was better for it. Ray knew he'd be polarizing, so he allowed that to happen. Better that people simultaneously love and hate him than scrutinize the rest of the team.

Remember Flacco's slip of the tongue? No one cared because: 1) He quickly apologized; 2) he was genuine about it (he works extensively with Special Olympics); and 3) everyone else wanted to talk about Ray. Any other athlete and it would've been a long, drawn-out process of dissecting Flacco's character, how the team will respond, etc.

Plus, ESPN did not even care about Flacco. They cared about the almighty Kap

[DMH_in_WA]

No. Concerning his retirement, I truly think he was genuine about wanting to let the fans know before it happened so they could say their good-byes. I know the media ridiculed that whole thing, but I think 95% of us Baltimore fans understand it.

As far as the Deer Antler thing and the resurgence of questions about that night in Atlanta in 2000, I think it was just the media trying to come up with a story since those topics produce the "best" headlines.

I'm sorry, I might not have been clear. I'm not talking about the announcement of his retirement. I meant some of the things he did before and after games. What a bunch in the sports media world labeled as "antics" (not a word I would use). Ray has always been larger than life, be he was more so during this run.

I just found it interesting that the majority of media went straight at trying to dig up stuff on Ray and pretty much left the other guys alone looking for that "juicy" story. May just be the consequence of being Ray Lewis, but I just found it intersting how he became more of the Ray we saw for 17 years after we hit the SB and there was nothing else to worry about but the final game.

[DMH_in_WA]

Remember Flacco's slip of the tongue? No one cared because: 1) He quickly apologized; 2) he was genuine about it (he works extensively with Special Olympics); and 3) everyone else wanted to talk about Ray. Any other athlete and it would've been a long, drawn-out process of dissecting Flacco's character, how the team will respond, etc.

That's what I was thinking. I just get the feeling that Ray took any possible heat he could off the team and let them concentrate on what they had to do. I guess we'll never know, but I can't help but think that's what he did.

[beasy2487]

That's what I was thinking. I just get the feeling that Ray took any possible heat he could off the team and let them concentrate on what they had to do. I guess we'll never know, but I can't help but think that's what he did.

It wasn't pretty, it wasn't perfect, but it was us.

[Militant X 1]

I don't doubt that Ray was genuine -- but he's a smart man. He knew what he was doing.

And frankly, the team was better for it. Ray knew he'd be polarizing, so he allowed that to happen. Better that people simultaneously love and hate him than scrutinize the rest of the team.

i agree!!!!!

~Mili

[Tiz]

I don't doubt that Ray was genuine -- but he's a smart man. He knew what he was doing.

And frankly, the team was better for it. Ray knew he'd be polarizing, so he allowed that to happen. Better that people simultaneously love and hate him than scrutinize the rest of the team.

Remember Flacco's slip of the tongue? No one cared because: 1) He quickly apologized; 2) he was genuine about it (he works extensively with Special Olympics); and 3) everyone else wanted to talk about Ray. Any other athlete and it would've been a long, drawn-out process of dissecting Flacco's character, how the team will respond, etc.

Good post and quite possibly true.
Can easily say he layed down on the media knife so that no other player could be viewed as a distraction and could easily concentrate on playing vs back tracking over homophobic comments.

But the truth is, I don't think ray intended for the media and all attention good and bad to be on him. I think there are so many guys in that locker that say what they feel then can go out and play and I don't think any guy, especially our talkers, would care if the media likes it or not.

[flynismo]

Well, considering that most of the attention was thrust upon him (see: murder case dug back up, the deer antler spray questions -- which were quickly dismissed) I would say no.

[JohnnyBoy8102]

All the websites just wanted to garner web hits and the easiest way to do so is by putting "Ray Lewis" in any negative headline.

Doing that will immediately bring in tons of people to comment and since most are functionally dumb they won't bother to look anything up.

I think Ray truly is one of those people that doesn't care if people outside of his team/home fans don't like him. He just rolls with it.

The irony is all these writers didn't write or ask any questions about the Atlanta incident in over 10 years but suddenly cared so much a few days before the SB.

Edited by JohnnyBoy8102, 07 February 2013 - 11:35 PM.

[Bltravens]

I got pretty pissed over the last week and a half how it's been the cool thing to find any angle on Lewis and spin it negatively. Lewis has lost a step, Lewis is a cartoon, Lewis needs to come clean, some crackpot gave Lewis deer antler it must be true he's using PEDs. National media is just a bunch of absolute whiney babies desperate to find some way to put a damper on the dreaded Ravens winning a championship that they shouldn't have been able to win.

Hell Florio just wrote a piece on Lewis having a statue and compared it to idolatry. Then spun around and said he liked Kaepernick's new tattoos. Like what in the ****? Idolatry? Does he write that all other statues over famous athletes are essentially idolatry as well? No. But because it's Lewis all of a sudden we've begun planning to put up the golden calf.

Edited by Bltravens, 08 February 2013 - 12:48 AM.

[frozen joe flacco fan]

I believe Ray timed the announcement of his last ride to exhort his teammates. The announcement gave the team something else to play for and they rode the crest of an emotional wave thruout the playoffs. If he acted as a lightning rod during SB week, I would not be surprised. The Earl of Baltimore used that technique to perfection when he frequently incurred the wrath of the umpires to allow his ball players to focus on playing the game rather than arguing calls. Ray Lewis was a master of psychology and his motivational skill and leadership ability will be sorely missed. Who will step in and try to fill that void? I suspect it will have to be shared by several players.