Is anybody else a bit uneasy with all of the positive attention Ray Lewis is getting?

[Warner2BruceTD]

Complicit in the murder of two people. White suit he was wearing the night of the murders was never recovered. Paid hush money to victims families to make it all go away and avoid civil trials. Testified against his buddies to beat the murder rap. Very well may have killed one or both of those men. At the very least, he was involved enough to be covered in blood. Admitted to lying in his initial police statements.

Over the years, the first thing I think of when I see Lewis or watch him play is "he was involved in killing two people". Amazing to me this has not come up as 'news' outlets like ESPN reflect on his career this week. Not a single word as NFL experts opine and reflect on his career. 'What a leader', they all say. 'Players and fans look up to Ray Lewis', I heard one ex-player/analyst say.

If he played in the NBA, I tend to think the murders would be an unavoidable part of his "highlight reel". Another example of ESPN & FOX & CBS scared to tug on Goodell's cape. How these 'journalists' continue to discuss his career without bringing that issue up is pretty pathetic.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Make no mistake, no one would ever discredit the unparalleled leadership, football intellect, spiritual and emotional lift and sheer presence that Lewis brings to any locker room, any huddle, any field of play. But, again, nothing is forever, particularly in this sport, and at some point there will come a time when the Ravens open a season without Lewis on the roster to serve as that sensei.

These are quandaries no franchise covets. There is a degree of deference and respect for the man -- and what he gave to the team and the city and the impeccable on-field service for all those years; but there is also a balance in that this is a business that requires uncompromising honesty at times as teams change and evolve.

We tend to think "leadership" in the locker room is overrated in the NFL. What you do on the field is what matters. Lewis transcends such skepticism. Watch the great episode of Lewis on "A Football Life," and you begin to understand a little. He's a force of personality that simply can't be replicated. There aren't other players around the league like him.

But Lewis' leadership will be missed. He has the ears and eyes of the young players. They admire him for his work ethic. Whenever the Ravens have struggled, Lewis has always been the force and face of this organization, bigger than former owner Art Modell and larger than head coaches Ted Marchibroda, Brian Billick and John Harbaugh.

Yuck. Writers falling over themselves to gush about this great leader, and none of them care to balance things with the other side of the coin, all choose to ignore the plea bargain & conviction.

I understand the TV goofs like the clowns on ESPN not daring to whisper a bad word about an NFL star, but none of these writers have the guts to challenge the legacy of this man?

 

[BigBucs]

Can the man live? Its over a decade later, the man had his day in court and has put what happened behind him being a model citizen every since. You werent there, no telling what went down that night and you certainly wasnt in his shoes when he was facing life in prison.

 

[Senser81]

Can the man live?

I'm guessing the two guys who were murdered can't.

Could be wrong, though.

 

[ralaw]

Can the man live? Its over a decade later, the man had his day in court and has put what happened behind him being a model citizen every since. You werent there, no telling what went down that night and you certainly wasnt in his shoes when he was facing life in prison.

Agreed. I think it's okay to bring up the murders with Lewis, but in doing so people should realize that he went through the court process and was charged with obstruction and that is it. We don't and never will know what happened on that night, so bringing it up in a way to bash him is pretty fruitless. As you said since that time he hasn't gotten into any trouble and has been a great football player and more importantly a great leader to most NFL players. I think people should just let it go; however, we all know that won't happen. In the end the situation is and will be a part of his legacy and I think Lewis accepts that.

 

[Goober]

Agreed. I think it's okay to bring up the murders with Lewis, but in doing so people should realize that he went through the court process and was charged with obstruction and that is it. We don't and never will know what happened on that night, so bringing it up in a way to bash him is pretty fruitless. As you said since that time he hasn't gotten into any trouble and has been a great football player and more importantly a great leader to most NFL players. I think people should just let it go; however, we all know that won't happen. In the end it is and will be a part of his legacy and I think Lewis accepts that.

Lets tell this to the families of the people killed. "Just let it go bro, Rey Lewis had a bunch of tackles for the Ravens who cares?"

 

[Senser81]

Agreed. I think it's okay to bring up the murders with Lewis, but in doing so people should realize that he went through the court process and was charged with obstruction and that is it. We don't and never will know what happened on that night, so bringing it up in a way to bash him is pretty fruitless. As you said since that time he hasn't gotten into any trouble and has been a great football player and more importantly a great leader to most NFL players. I think people should just let it go; however, we all know that won't happen. In the end the situation is and will be a part of his legacy and I think Lewis accepts that.

I've moved past this Ray Lewis issue...I've accepted Lewis as a great player, and nothing more. I realize that a lot of these NFL guys have shady stuff and violent histories, its kind of the nature of the beast. My problem with Ray Lewis is how the NFL proactively made Lewis a figurehead for the league a few years ago....thats ridiculous. Mike Vick served his time, came back to the NFL, but at least he is no longer pushed by the NFL as a shining star. For some reason, Lewis is seen as a respectable figure in the NFL, which is wrong, IMO.

 

[ralaw]

Lets tell this to the families of the people killed. "Just let it go bro, Rey Lewis had a bunch of tackles for the Ravens who cares?"

Do you really care about the victim's families? My comments are not meant for the victim's families, as they believe they have a reason to hate Lewis, even if their hate is probably misguided. Should Ray Lewis' name forever be shamed because two people died in an incident where he was? It is not as if Lewis' involvement was alleged......he went through the court process and the only thing that came from it was an obstruction of justice charge. I'm not going to pretend that Lewis knew nothing of what happened that night, but I'm also not going to drag his name through the mud either.....it is the court's responsibility to figure out what happened and nothing came of it.

 

[ralaw]

I've moved past this Ray Lewis issue...I've accepted Lewis as a great player, and nothing more. I realize that a lot of these NFL guys have shady stuff and violent histories, its kind of the nature of the beast. My problem with Ray Lewis is how the NFL proactively made Lewis a figurehead for the league a few years ago....thats ridiculous. Mike Vick served his time, came back to the NFL, but at least he is no longer pushed by the NFL as a shining star. For some reason, Lewis is seen as a respectable figure in the NFL, which is wrong, IMO.

I actually agree with you. Given the nature of what happened I am sort of surprised by it as well, but Lewis hasn't and never had been associated with any sort of trouble, so I guess they give him the benefit of the doubt....it also helps that it happened in 2000, which was a different time and he's had more than long enough time to redeem himself. Lewis is beloved by fans, players and media people because of his "leadership" and his greatness, so I guess as time has gone people have just let that incident go.

Vick will never be beloved again, most importantly because he isn't great and to a lesser extent because he tormented dogs. Lewis is similar to Kobe with the rape trial.....he is a great player and it happened fairly early in his career, so he has had time to reform his legacy.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Yes, but obstruction of justice in this case could mean the fact that the families don't have closure into what happened to people who were close to them. That gives them plenty of reason to hate Ray Lewis.

I was hoping to have my own opinion put on the front page (might happen at some point today) but I'll always look at Ray Lewis with two different color lenses. One, he was a great NFL player and leader on the field, who is likely going to be a good coach in the NFL someday. The second, a person who could have put two families at ease with providing closure, but instead chose to protect himself and/or his homies.

 

[bucky]

Agreed. I think it's okay to bring up the murders with Lewis, but in doing so people should realize that he went through the court process and was charged with obstruction and that is it. We don't and never will know what happened on that night, so bringing it up in a way to bash him is pretty fruitless. As you said since that time he hasn't gotten into any trouble and has been a great football player and more importantly a great leader to most NFL players. I think people should just let it go; however, we all know that won't happen. In the end the situation is and will be a part of his legacy and I think Lewis accepts that.

It shouldn't be let go, it is part of his legacy. Either he was involved in the murders, or he was involved in the cover up. The first is inexcusable. The second, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Either is not a good thing to be part of. Should be brought up, even all these years later, but it should be kept in perspective. Their is no evidence that we know of that implicates him in being involved in (performing) the actual murders.

 

[Maynard]

those comments w2b posted are annoying as fuck because i hate lewis....but unfortunately they are true. he is a great player and leader.

the media doesnt care about balancing the story or even care about reporting the truth or facts. They only care about reporting the story that matters...in 2000 the story that mattered was a double murder that they used to brand lewis without facts or a trial. and today the story that matters is lewis may never play again.

am i uneasy about it? not one bit. i hate lewis and his asshole player intro dance moves while coming on the field. he uses a browns chant to fire up his teammates and it makes me sick seeing it. fuck him and his hurt pussy...i hope we never hear from his old tired fuckwade ass again

 

[Senser81]

I was hoping to have my own opinion put on the front page (might happen at some point today)

Is there room?

 

[FedEx227]

Warner, what league does he play for?

That's all you really need to think about when you wonder why people turn their head to it.

 

[Saluki]

It's funny though that the media never mentions he because Ray does, he doesn't gloss over it whenever he tells his life story

Sent from my HTC myTouch 4g using Tapatalk 2

 

[ralaw]

It shouldn't be let go, it is part of his legacy. Either he was involved in the murders, or he was involved in the cover up. The first is inexcusable. The second, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Either is not a good thing to be part of. Should be brought up, even all these years later, but it should be kept in perspective. Their is no evidence that we know of that implicates him in being involved in (performing) the actual murders.

As I've mentioned Lewis accepts that the incident is part of his legacy as it should be. However, I do get annoyed by the fact that every time Lewis' name is brought up someone has to come in and mention it. Typically these people are on messageboards, so I have to consider the setting.

Poster1: "Ray Lewis saves a kitten"
Poster2: "Yes, but he murdered someone too"

 

[EmpireWF]

Not uneasy.

Now, the media is reflecting on his playing days and what he meant to the franchise.

Should they mention the legal case, him pleading guilty to obstruction, the wrongful death settlements this week? I'm not agitated they didn't, but when he retires, it's definitely part of the story everyone should include.

 

[bucky]

As I've mentioned Lewis accepts that the incident is part of his legacy as it should be. However, I do get annoyed by the fact that every time Lewis' name is brought up someone has to come in and mention it. Typically these people are on messageboards, so I have to consider the setting.

Poster1: "Ray Lewis saves a kitten"
Poster2: "Yes, but he murdered someone too"

I can see why you would get annoyed as a Ravens fan. And I don't go around saying he actually committed the murders. But whenever I see Ray Ray, I think about him being somehow involved in murders. And I have no problem with that being mentioned all the time. These are murders, not an accident. Murders are intentional. That's unforgivable. The ones who actually committed the murders are unforgivable. Don't know if that was Ray Ray or not. But he was involved in some way. That's why I say keep it in perspective. I don't in any way see him as a role model/leader of the community. The media has been making him out to be one. The murders should be mentioned. You're message board buddy's may be going overboard, but it should be mentioned and kept in perspective to what his involvement may or may not have been.

I don't necessarily think of him as an actual murderer. But I in no way think of him as a positive community leader. Good for him if he cleaned things up and has been stellar since. But that doesn't erase being in any way involved in intentional murders.

Just my opinion.

 

[Senser81]

Poster1: "Ray Lewis murdered someone"
Poster2: "Yes, but he saved a kitten too"

 

[mgoblue2290]

Had this happened when social media was more prevalent, he'd be regarded differently. The jump from 2000 to when Vick went to prison to now has been incredible. I'd bet quite a few people don't even realize or remember Lewis' trial.

I think its hilarious when writers or even just fans try to make these guys more than they are.