Ray Lewis delivers speech to Indy team.

[jaege]

Yeah, the initial reaction is a bit of a sting but it isn't like we didn't know that he would lend words of support to lots of young players around the league when he was still an active Raven. Its who he is. He is just trying to get these guys thinking about their own potential and that of the team. I am sure, push comes to shove, he would rather see the Ravens get another ring.

[D_UP]

I have no issue. It's a speech. It would be different if the Ravens were playing the Colts this weekend.

[Inqui]

Honestly, meh. If he were talking about our defensive signals and how to audible the perfect counter play I'd be bothered. But honestly, meh.

[redrum52]

Colts can't win without Ray Lewis!

... or some other tired, untrue logic

Which is why I'm surprised people are upset about this. If he came to speak to us, that's all we would hear anyway. I'm happy we're keeping Reed and Lewis out of this to be honest, publicly at least.

[Tru11]

whats there to think about?

 

you cant do a friend a favor anymore?

 

ray was always willing to mentor any young player who reached out to him and he has a good relationship with pretty much any of his old coaches who all praise him.

 

if 1 reaches out and ask him to give a few words to his young team , I don't see why ray would decline and why people need to get salty over it.

[Rav'n Maniac]

TBH, at first I was WTH. After I thought about it, it really doesn't matter much. If it had been NE, I'd have been pissed though. I hope the Colts realize that if they go on and win the SB, they have to put a statue of Ray in front of the oil drum. 

[Guest]

yeah, something just didn't register with Ray...he should have exercised better judgment.

 

not gonna hold it against him, but he better make his next speech for us.

 

 

Yes, that might be the reason. 

 

I've NEVER held a grudge over Indy ... they are just a city of people that wanted an NFL franchise. The grudge is with the family Irsay and it will always be that. For quite some time, I've found the team themselves to be a likable group and coached by quality coaches. But as long as the man sitting behind the owner's box glass bears the name of Irsay, I will harbor for that franchise nothing but ill will. 

 

I agree - we were in some way blessed by their departure, because that diseased ownership left our city and was replaced by one of the finest front offices in the sport. But it will remain the case that they did run off with our precious history of Baltimore football. It belongs here, yet it still sits in their history books because of their retaining that logo. 

 

 

It's weird. Regardles of Pagano-Lewis connection, it smells kinda funky. Bad timing, bad choice of a team.

 

 

Be lying if I didn't say it made me a little mad and confused.

[cursona pirate]

Yeah I just thought it was a weird timing. I mean he is retired he can do whatever he wants. Just super weird and out of the blue.

[TDubbs]

If Harbaugh had called in Ray to give us a speech I'm sure he would've been there in a heartbeat. Truth is, imo, if you need outside motivation to win a Playoff game in the NFL you've already lost. 

[1/28/01]

I'm just as excited about this decision of his as I am about his new show on Spike.

[K-Dog]

I'm just as excited about this decision of his as I am about his new show on Spike.

????

Details?

[1/28/01]

????

Details?

Ugh...he is trying to teach "angry" coaches to be less angry or something stupid like that. He should have said "no thanks".

http://www.spike.com/press/2014/08/04/spike-tv-teams-up-with-ray-lewis-to-help-coaches-with-anger-issues-in-coaching-bad/

[The Mom Gene]

 Ray Lewis knows Chuck Pagano  so this could have been done to help a friend but at the same time i'm sure Ray Lewis got paid for his services as well and probably alot of money to. I really see nothing wrong with this at all

Don't care....  It's the COLTS, and it's IRSAY, man!

[MTRavensFan]

whats there to think about?

 

you cant do a friend a favor anymore?

 

ray was always willing to mentor any young player who reached out to him and he has a good relationship with pretty much any of his old coaches who all praise him.

 

if 1 reaches out and ask him to give a few words to his young team , I don't see why ray would decline and why people need to get salty over it.

 

I have to agree with you, Tru.

 

Let's not forget, along with Pagano, Ray's old teammates Cory Redding and Arthur Jones now play for that team. Those dudes were stand-up contributors when they played for us, and I wish them nothing but success in the future.

 

Ray in our locker room now would show a lack of confidence in our current leadership, and would be nothing but a distraction.

[The Mom Gene]

Someone asked me who I was rooting for this weekend....  Elway or Irsay....  That was a tough decision...  This makes it that much easier....

[The Mom Gene]

I have to agree with you, Tru.

 

Let's not forget, along with Pagano, Ray's old teammates Cory Redding and Arthur Jones now play for that team. Those dudes were stand-up contributors when they played for us, and I wish them nothing but success in the future.

 

Ray in our locker room now would show a lack of confidence in our current leadership, and would be nothing but a distraction.

That's true.....  but come on...  The Colts?  As long as an Irsay owns that team...  well, I don't think I need to go any further.

[MTRavensFan]

yeah, I know. How is that guy not in jail?

[Passepartout]

That has to make Ravens fans feel betrayed over what Ray did!

[TSizzle00]

Don't want him giving speeches to the Ravens before the Pats game. Cause if the Ravens win it'll be because of Ray Lewis and he'll get all the credit like he did in 2012.

[shawn ny]

Im offended.....

[cobrajet]

I am not allowed to post my thoughts on this.

 I will get banned.

Me too. Everyone knows how I feel about that team.

[Tru11]

The Mom Gene, on 10 Jan 2015 - 3:54 PM, said:

That's true.....  but come on...  The Colts?  As long as an Irsay owns that team...  well, I don't think I need to go any further.

 

did Irsay ask him to do it?

[JoeyFlex5]

All part of the plan to ensure Indy hosts the afccg

if thats the nfl's plan and they will follow through then i am all for it, that means we win today, as we are the only team that can advance to a road game in indy.

[ravensdfan]

did Irsay ask him to do it?

Doesn't matter who asked him to do it. It was a poor decision, not well thought out. Indy is Indy and that leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many many Ravens' fans.

Ray is well aware of that legacy as well since he was part of that rebirth of football and spent all those years here.

 

I'm sure no disrespect was intended - I don't think anyone has claimed otherwise - but it is Ray not thinking outside Ray, which he sometimes does.

[AsianRice]

Ray is no longer playing Ravens balls so he can do whatever. I am not offended and this team have plenty of leaders and the future of the Ravens dynasty.

I think Ray's plan is to jinx the Colts....

[ratedr]

Don't care about it. Say he gave us a speech last week. Once again, the win would be erroneously credited to him. I'm glad Harbaugh and the current regime is trying to separate from him.

[JoeyFlex5]

Add Indy to the list of teams that want to be the Ravens.

they hired our best dc since rex to be their HC and signed 2 of our stud defenders in the past 3 years, theyve been on that list for a while, along with the chargers and browns.

[The Mom Gene]

they hired our best dc since rex to be their HC and signed 2 of our stud defenders in the past 3 years, theyve been on that list for a while, along with the chargers and browns.

^---  Yup, That...  When Pagano left, he took many people with him... without regard for the Baltimore Ravens. (Caldwell did it too with Teryl Austin).  You know, I would think that you might at least have some sense of decorum about it.  Not saying I dislike Pagano, but hey, if that's what he needed to get his team ready, then I feel sorry for him.  He has players on that team that have played in playoff games before....  And those people should have been his motivation...  not a man from a competitor's team...

[JoeyFlex5]

Doesn't matter who asked him to do it. It was a poor decision, not well thought out. Indy is Indy and that leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many many Ravens' fans.

Ray is well aware of that legacy as well since he was part of that rebirth of football and spent all those years here.

 

I'm sure no disrespect was intended - I don't think anyone has claimed otherwise - but it is Ray not thinking outside Ray, which he sometimes does.

this wont hurt rays legacy at all, he isnt coming out and bashing the ravens organization or community, he isnt rooting directly against our team, he is doing a favor for an old coach of his who he is very fond of, a coach who was battling cancer just a year ago. when players retire, they are no longer dedicated to an organization, do you think minnesota fans think cris carter is tarnishing his legacy for giving his annual speech to rookies from all teams? do you think dallas fans think less of michael irvin when he tries to mentor the young boneheaded diva WR's in the league today? 

 

he is a storied part of the ravens organization, but the big picture is that he is a football icon, possibly THE biggest icon in football history and maybe in all of sports, the most motivational man that has ever buckled a chinstrap, he retired as a ravens lifer and is now part of the entire football world, if this leaves a bad taste in the mouths of ravens fans, then they need to open their eyes and realize that there are 32 football teams in this league and ray works for none of them, so when he does personal favors for old friends from his playing days, it shouldnt be seen as a slap in the face to the ravens. 

 

no bitter feelings at all here.

[JoeyFlex5]

^---  Yup, That...  When Pagano left, he took many people with him... without regard for the Baltimore Ravens. (Caldwell did it too with Teryl Austin).  You know, I would think that you might at least have some sense of decorum about it.  Not saying I dislike Pagano, but hey, if that's what he needed to get his team ready, then I feel sorry for him.  He has players on that team that have played in playoff games before....  And those people should have been his motivation...  not a man from another team...

i was just pointing out that they are one of the many teams that have a fire sale with our leftovers lol, i dont feel any kind of spite about it. pagano is a very high character guy, he is a guy you wanna root for regardless of who hes with, he got a HC job and he recruited who he thought he would succeed with, no harm in that imo, he has to look out for himself as a first time HC, he doesnt wanna fail at his new job and he needs the supporting cast, its all in the game, nearly all first time HC's find at least one person that they are familiar with to come with them to their new job.