Ray Ray to retire... (1 Viewer)

[unckeyherb]

Ray Lewis to Retire after this season...

Linky..

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis announced Wednesday that he will retire at the end of this season, closing one of the greatest careers in NFL history.

Lewis says "it is time for me to create a new legacy" after 17 NFL seasons.

He intends to play for the first time since tearing his triceps two months ago when the Ravens host the Colts in Sunday's wild-card game, saying "there is no reason for me to not play," according to The Baltimore Sun.

Sunday likely will be Lewis' final game in Baltimore even if the Ravens win because of their No. 4 seed entering the playoffs.

 

[flapgreen]

Legend

 

[Nucker101]

One of my favorites of all-time, love listening to his speeches!

 

[Acrobat7]

for a second i read the title as "Ray Rice to retire..."...

 

[Tecumseh]

Don't let the door stab hit you in the back.

 

[mquinnjr]

for a second i read the title as "Ray Rice to retire..."...

Me too. Me, too.

 

[ImTheScientist]

love listening to his speeches!

Great player, but his speeches are old and played out imo. He says the same thing and goes over the top speaking like a preacher. I will be just fine if I never hear "leave your legacy" ever again. Will be glad to see that part of his act go. Did enjoy watching him play.

 

[Jason Wood]

I'm not going to buy into the retirement until he's in a studio booth next September. Remember, he's emotional right now and this will fire up his teammates even more than usual. Let's see if he can still avoid the inevitable itch to give it another go come next preseason, particularly if they fall short of the Super Bowl this year.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I'm not going to buy into the retirement until he's in a studio booth next September. Remember, he's emotional right now and this will fire up his teammates even more than usual. Let's see if he can still avoid the inevitable itch to give it another go come next preseason, particularly if they fall short of the Super Bowl this year.

Yes, this is a no-lose for him & the team. If/when they fall short he can always come back for "one more ride".

 

[BigSteelThrill]

Two time Defensive MVP.

Joining 2 timers... Mean Joe Green - Reggie White - Mike Singletary - Bruce Smith

and 3 time winner... Lawrence Taylor.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

until he's in a studio booth next September.

Is it possible for him to not talk in "preacher mode"? I watched the NFL A Football Life and he is so over dramatic about everything, its crazy.

 

[Jason Wood]

until he's in a studio booth next September.

Is it possible for him to not talk in "preacher mode"? I watched the NFL A Football Life and he is so over dramatic about everything, its crazy.

I don't know, and to be clear I think Ray is being genuine in that RIGHT NOW he feels like this is it. But we've seen too many times guys re-think their plans once the reality of calling it quits really sets in.

 

[Hopeless Lions Fan]

Congrats to Ray!. Some people would kill for a career like his.

 

[unckeyherb]

for a second i read the title as "Ray Rice to retire..."...

Me too. Me, too.

Hah. Sorry bout that!

 

[Cookiemonster]

Ray Lewis is an annoying punk ###. But that's the Steeler side of me. Best linebacker I've ever seen (I only date back to Singletary, and those two are neck and neck for #1), and glad I was able to watch him play. Best of luck to him post football... but man, when you start smelling fresh-cut grass in April and May, it's hard to keep those fires quenched!

 

[ImTheScientist]

Ray Lewis is an annoying punk ###. But that's the Steeler side of me. Best linebacker I've ever seen (I only date back to Singletary, and those two are neck and neck for #1), and glad I was able to watch him play. Best of luck to him post football... but man, when you start smelling fresh-cut grass in April and May, it's hard to keep those fires quenched!

Most playing surfaces are artificial anymore.

 

[rizzler]

Easier to plan murder alibis when you're not watching gametape, they say.

 

[bostonfred]

His wikipedia entry includes sections on, in order, early life, career, nfl statistics, murder trial. Then a bunch of other stuff. Thats about right.

 

[fatness]

Great player, but his speeches are old and played out imo.

You can sometimes catch his teammates looking away or rolling their eyes during his pregame theatrics with the team huddled around him. It's done more for the camera now than for the team.Great LB though.

 

[Borat]

Great player, but his speeches are old and played out imo.

You can sometimes catch his teammates looking away or rolling their eyes during his pregame theatrics with the team huddled around him. It's done more for the camera now than for the team.Great LB though.

I've noticed the same thing, especially with the veteran players.

 

[Shutout]

until he's in a studio booth next September.

Is it possible for him to not talk in "preacher mode"? I watched the NFL A Football Life and he is so over dramatic about everything, its crazy.

What you might think is over dramatization (and I admit, the overplaying of the coverage of his speeches makes us a bit inured to them), is really just his passion for it. Very few people have a genuine passion for football like ray does and it is in part what makes him one of the greatest of all time. My opinion is we might be thinking its a little over played and tiresome now but we will recognize and miss it when it's gone. We have a tendency to take things for granted like that.

 

[Sabertooth]

love listening to his speeches!

Great player, but his speeches are old and played out imo. He says the same thing and goes over the top speaking like a preacher. I will be just fine if I never hear "leave your legacy" ever again. Will be glad to see that part of his act go. Did enjoy watching him play.

As opposed to Pete Carroll's speeches?

 

[BigSteelThrill]

until he's in a studio booth next September.

Is it possible for him to not talk in "preacher mode"? I watched the NFL A Football Life and he is so over dramatic about everything, its crazy.

What you might think is over dramatization (and I admit, the overplaying of the coverage of his speeches makes us a bit inured to them), is really just his passion for it. Very few people have a genuine passion for football like ray does and it is in part what makes him one of the greatest of all time. My opinion is we might be thinking its a little over played and tiresome now but we will recognize and miss it when it's gone. We have a tendency to take things for granted like that.

He did it even when he was talking to strangers and kids.I'm actually cool with his preacher mode for effect on the field and with teammates.

 

[ImTheScientist]

love listening to his speeches!

Great player, but his speeches are old and played out imo. He says the same thing and goes over the top speaking like a preacher. I will be just fine if I never hear "leave your legacy" ever again. Will be glad to see that part of his act go. Did enjoy watching him play.

As opposed to Pete Carroll's speeches?

Are you feeling a little insecure today? I expect more from you.

 

[msommer]

Don't let the door stab hit you in the back.

Indeed.

 

[Nucker101]

love listening to his speeches!

Great player, but his speeches are old and played out imo. He says the same thing and goes over the top speaking like a preacher. I will be just fine if I never hear "leave your legacy" ever again. Will be glad to see that part of his act go. Did enjoy watching him play.

Fair enough, you make a good point but he still gets me pumped up everytime . Same goes for some of Michael Irvin's speeches, he might be a horrible analyst but his HOF speech was amazing IMO, same with the speech he gave to the college football team(Miami, I think).

 

[Godsbrother]

Great player, ######## person.

 

[Coin Flip]

Totally Respect Ray......

 

[Sabertooth]

love listening to his speeches!

Great player, but his speeches are old and played out imo. He says the same thing and goes over the top speaking like a preacher. I will be just fine if I never hear "leave your legacy" ever again. Will be glad to see that part of his act go. Did enjoy watching him play.

As opposed to Pete Carroll's speeches?

Are you feeling a little insecure today? I expect more from you.

You really shouldn't. Carroll's speeches sound so derived and unnatural. Ray Ray actually believes his speeches. Carroll reminds me of Ned Flanders.

 

[The_Man]

Former Ravens front office guy Phil Savage was on the radio in Baltimore yesterday, said the Ravens would have taken Texas A&M LB Reggie Brown instead of Ray Lewis had Lions not grabbed him at #17.

Seems like the Ravens always get lucky with some player dropping to them - I remember when they weren't thrilled to get Ed Reed, after Napoleon Harris and Willie Green were taken off the board right before them. And the year Suggs dropped to them at #10 because of a slow 40 time after leading the NCAA in sacks. Billick had a quote like "As long as the other team doesn't line up their QB 40 yards behind center, he'll do fine."

 

[dickey moe]

Congrats to Ray!. Some people would kill for a career like his.

:golfclap:

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Former Ravens front office guy Phil Savage was on the radio in Baltimore yesterday, said the Ravens would have taken Texas A&M LB Reggie Brown instead of Ray Lewis had Lions not grabbed him at #17.Seems like the Ravens always get lucky with some player dropping to them - I remember when they weren't thrilled to get Ed Reed, after Napoleon Harris and Willie Green were taken off the board right before them. And the year Suggs dropped to them at #10 because of a slow 40 time after leading the NCAA in sacks. Billick had a quote like "As long as the other team doesn't line up their QB 40 yards behind center, he'll do fine."

And how about not taking Lawrence Phillips when everyone was screaming for them to do so. Took Jon Ogden instead.As for Lewis, I get the hate. It's sort of like Hines Ward - if you're a Steeler fan he's "hardnosed"; fan of another team, he's "dirty". That said, he's on the Mount Rushmore of Baltimore's most beloved sports figures along with Johnny U, Brooks, and Cal.

 

[SWC]

great player no doubt about it but brohans and i do not respect him and will never honor him for covering up a murder or being invovled in it i guess that is my position on that brohans

 

[eric rymer]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/03/report-ray-lewis-agrees-to-deal-to-join-espn/

Report: Ray Lewis agrees to deal to join ESPN

Posted by Darin Gantt on January 3, 2013, 10:59 AM EST

AP

It didn’t take long after Ray Lewis announced his retirement for him to line up his next gig.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch, the Ravens linebacker will join ESPN’s herd of former players as an analyst. Deitsch reports Lewis will sign a multi-year deal, with a significant role on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. An ESPN spokesman declined comment.

Lewis’ ability to captivate an audience (whether it’s a locker room or folks sitting in recliners) is legendary, and he had plenty of suitors.

His representatives met with “several of the NFL broadcast networks” during the season, and one of the things that drew him to ESPN was the flexibility to attend his son’s games at the University of Miami on fall Saturdays, rather than prepping for Sunday shows on other networks.

“Ray Lewis has an intensity about him and a way of communicating that is very infectious,” CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus told Deitsch. “He is a bigger-than-life personality, very articulate and [has] an incredible passion for the game. If Ray Lewis decided to take that same passion and put it into a broadcasting career, I think he would be a terrific studio analyst or I imagine game analyst, too.”

The biggest challenge might be figuring out who to crowbar aside to make room for Lewis, as ESPN often struggles to balance the contributions of the many already on hand. With a set full of Keyshawn Johnsons and Cris Carters, they only have room for so much bluster.

 

[money.never.sleeps]

Is it possible for him to not talk in "preacher mode"?

I watched the NFL A Football Life and he is so over dramatic about everything, its crazy.

old Fox Behind the Glory was much better

huge Lewis fan but yes, his over the top preacher speeches are played out. Great player and teammate though.. always worked hard.

 

[Ghost Rider]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/03/report-ray-lewis-agrees-to-deal-to-join-espn/

Report: Ray Lewis agrees to deal to join ESPNPosted by Darin Gantt on January 3, 2013, 10:59 AM ESTAPIt didn’t take long after Ray Lewis announced his retirement for him to line up his next gig.According to Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch, the Ravens linebacker will join ESPN’s herd of former players as an analyst. Deitsch reports Lewis will sign a multi-year deal, with a significant role on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. An ESPN spokesman declined comment.Lewis’ ability to captivate an audience (whether it’s a locker room or folks sitting in recliners) is legendary, and he had plenty of suitors.His representatives met with “several of the NFL broadcast networks” during the season, and one of the things that drew him to ESPN was the flexibility to attend his son’s games at the University of Miami on fall Saturdays, rather than prepping for Sunday shows on other networks.“Ray Lewis has an intensity about him and a way of communicating that is very infectious,” CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus told Deitsch. “He is a bigger-than-life personality, very articulate and [has] an incredible passion for the game. If Ray Lewis decided to take that same passion and put it into a broadcasting career, I think he would be a terrific studio analyst or I imagine game analyst, too.”The biggest challenge might be figuring out who to crowbar aside to make room for Lewis, as ESPN often struggles to balance the contributions of the many already on hand. With a set full of Keyshawn Johnsons and Cris Carters, they only have room for so much bluster.

Cris Carter should get the axe. Easy call.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/03/report-ray-lewis-agrees-to-deal-to-join-espn/

Report: Ray Lewis agrees to deal to join ESPNPosted by Darin Gantt on January 3, 2013, 10:59 AM ESTAPIt didn’t take long after Ray Lewis announced his retirement for him to line up his next gig.According to Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch, the Ravens linebacker will join ESPN’s herd of former players as an analyst. Deitsch reports Lewis will sign a multi-year deal, with a significant role on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. An ESPN spokesman declined comment.Lewis’ ability to captivate an audience (whether it’s a locker room or folks sitting in recliners) is legendary, and he had plenty of suitors.His representatives met with “several of the NFL broadcast networks” during the season, and one of the things that drew him to ESPN was the flexibility to attend his son’s games at the University of Miami on fall Saturdays, rather than prepping for Sunday shows on other networks.“Ray Lewis has an intensity about him and a way of communicating that is very infectious,” CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus told Deitsch. “He is a bigger-than-life personality, very articulate and [has] an incredible passion for the game. If Ray Lewis decided to take that same passion and put it into a broadcasting career, I think he would be a terrific studio analyst or I imagine game analyst, too.”The biggest challenge might be figuring out who to crowbar aside to make room for Lewis, as ESPN often struggles to balance the contributions of the many already on hand. With a set full of Keyshawn Johnsons and Cris Carters, they only have room for so much bluster.

Cris Carter should get the axe. Easy call.

I'm not a Keyshawn fan either but I find Carter's eyebrows are very annoying.