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

[MrBill]

I won't ever forget that Lewis likely got away with murder but most of the young fans out there today have no idea of his checkered past. To his credit, he has been straighter than straight since narrowly escaping with his life and I have to give him credit for making the most of the second chance he received to live in a more positive manner.

It is a little shocking to see the NFL uplift him as the face of the league, or the EA guys having him doing the intro video for Madden '13, or the non-stop barrage of positive coverage on ESPN and NFLN on his career but then I remind myself it is all about the Benjamin's. Lewis has had an incredible career and plays the game with the passion of guys from generations gone by, which is very refreshing. Not saying any of that offsets what he did as a younger man in Atlanta but it gives people that love football the desire to want to get past it.

Like him for the man that he's become and not the man that he was.

 

[ram29jackson]

I won't ever forget that Lewis likely got away with murder but most of the young fans out there today have no idea of his checkered past. To his credit, he has been straighter than straight since narrowly escaping with his life and I have to give him credit for making the most of the second chance he received to live in a more positive manner.

It is a little shocking to see the NFL uplift him as the face of the league, or the EA guys having him doing the intro video for Madden '13, or the non-stop barrage of positive coverage on ESPN and NFLN on his career but then I remind myself it is all about the Benjamin's. Lewis has had an incredible career and plays the game with the passion of guys from generations gone by, which is very refreshing. Not saying any of that offsets what he did as a younger man in Atlanta but it gives people that love football the desire to want to get past it.

Like him for the man that he's become and not the man that he was.

um..he was on the Madden cover in 2005 already..that was 6 years after the incident. Its been a decade people, he aint no leon Little for crying out loud. If he were ungenuine it would have been known by now...but he still talks too much LOL

 

[MrBill]

um..he was on the Madden cover in 2005 already..that was 6 years after the incident. Its been a decade people, he aint no leon Little for crying out loud. If he were ungenuine it would have been known by now...but he still talks too much LOL

I knew he was already the cover for Madden, I was just agreeing with W2B that the current coverage seems almost over the top. After Obama, Ray Lewis the second most popular man in the media....lol

 

[ram29jackson]

I knew he was already the cover for Madden, I was just agreeing with W2B that the current coverage seems almost over the top. After Obama, Ray Lewis the second most popular man in the media....lol

well, at least Ray Lewis is really a black man...

 

[steeljake]

I won't ever forget that Lewis likely got away with murder but most of the young fans out there today have no idea of his checkered past. To his credit, he has been straighter than straight since narrowly escaping with his life and I have to give him credit for making the most of the second chance he received to live in a more positive manner.

It is a little shocking to see the NFL uplift him as the face of the league, or the EA guys having him doing the intro video for Madden '13, or the non-stop barrage of positive coverage on ESPN and NFLN on his career but then I remind myself it is all about the Benjamin's. Lewis has had an incredible career and plays the game with the passion of guys from generations gone by, which is very refreshing. Not saying any of that offsets what he did as a younger man in Atlanta but it gives people that love football the desire to want to get past it.

Like him for the man that he's become and not the man that he was.

You had me right till that last line. How about, respect his abilities as a player but know he did some shady shit that likely got two people killed.

I have no issue with people celebrating his career, much like the real LT, but no one should be making either one of these guys someone you should model your personal life after.

 

[Tailback U]

I dont understand why you want the media to bring it up. It was in the last and it was covered at the time. The topic was beaten to death when it occurred.

Plus, it would be pointless and turn te discussion from football to politics with a means to no end. Lewis has been very open and public about his life and everyone that knows him has nothing but good things to say about the guy. Why keep bringing up something that everyone moved on from? There really is no point in bringing it up, it would just make for an awkward and dramatic set.

Personally, I don't even care if he did murder those people in cold blood because the law was laid and it's not my job or problem to worry about that shit. I love the guy for the way he plays football and I'd rather the media not bring up shit in the past that has long been over with.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Remember the guy at the ESPYs or whatever E-60 did a thing on him. He was a boxer who got wrongly convicted of murder and spent like 25 years in jail on a murder he didn't commit. Then they found evidence that he didn't do it, and he got another chance to box and be free and all that stuff. And it was a feel good story and Obama called him and De La Hoya got behind him. But he was a criminal before that. Nobody wanted to talk about that part, because he turned it all around. It's the nature of news to speak in the present.

At what point is bringing up Lewis and then the murder overkill to you? Honestly.

If the conversation is strictly football, there is no need to bring it up. But if these media heads and the NFL are going to gush about what a great person he is and push him as a role model and leader, while blatantly ignoring what he did, to me thats unacceptable and irresponsible.

There is only so many ways I can say the same thing, we obviously dont agree. I've found ESPN & others this week pretty deplorable this week in how they've framed this mans legacy. Not balanced at all, and clearly agenda driven.

I dont understand why you want the media to bring it up. It was in the last and it was covered at the time. The topic was beaten to death when it occurred.

Plus, it would be pointless and turn te discussion from football to politics with a means to no end. Lewis has been very open and public about his life and everyone that knows him has nothing but good things to say about the guy. Why keep bringing up something that everyone moved on from? There really is no point in bringing it up, it would just make for an awkward and dramatic set.

Personally, I don't even care if he did murder those people in cold blood because the law was laid and it's not my job or problem to worry about that shit. I love the guy for the way he plays football and I'd rather the media not bring up shit in the past that has long been over with.

Believe me, im not shocked at all that you don't understand the point i've made a half dozen times already.

I'm insulted how far ESPN has gone to tell me how great of a guy Lewis is. I guess you dont agree because he makes a lot of tackles. Fine.

 

[shag773]

I'm not uneasy with it at all. You realize his two buddies were actually acquitted of the murder charge on the grounds of self defense, right? I don't blame him for pleading out or paying off civil suits, what other choice did he have? He served his sentence. As far as his responsibility for the deaths, there are accounts of him actually trying to break up the fights. And if he did kill anyone, wouldn't those other two guys starting pointing fingers at him once he pleaded out and testified against them? He used poor judgement, but that's not enough for me to put those deaths on him.

 

[Cornelius]

Where's Sethmode? He knows how I feel about this. I've never liked Ray Lewis solely for this reason. He watched his friends murder people, obstructed justice, and walked away scott free. I remember watching Court TV the day he admitted what happened and walked away with no conviction. They asked one of the attorneys doing commentary if he'd ever heard of such a thing. His reply,"No, I've never heard of anyone walking away from something like this and it has everything to do with him being an NFL player. Obstructing justice is illegal, especially in a double murder." The next year, fire lit under Ray's free ass, he wins a Superbowl.

I remember watching Hard Knocks a couple years ago and Ray Lewis was being interviewed. He was saying how humble he was before God. He stepped into his SUV and there on his dash was something that said 'Ray Lewis Superbowl MVP". What a douche.

 

[NAHSTE]

I remember watching Hard Knocks a couple years ago and Ray Lewis was being interviewed. He was saying how humble he was before God. He stepped into his SUV and there on his dash was something that said 'Ray Lewis Superbowl MVP". What a douche.

C'mon bro. We all know you have "Madden4Life 2003 Soapie Award Winner" embroidered on yer dashboard.

 

[Tailback U]

If the conversation is strictly football, there is no need to bring it up. But if these media heads and the NFL are going to gush about what a great person he is and push him as a role model and leader, while blatantly ignoring what he did, to me thats unacceptable and irresponsible.

There is only so many ways I can say the same thing, we obviously dont agree. I've found ESPN & others this week pretty deplorable this week in how they've framed this mans legacy. Not balanced at all, and clearly agenda driven.



Believe me, im not shocked at all that you don't understand the point i've made a half dozen times already.

I'm insulted how far ESPN has gone to tell me how great of a guy Lewis is. I guess you dont agree because he makes a lot of tackles. Fine.

Why do you care so much to let it bother you?

I don't care about ray Lewis or any athlete for that matter. When they aren't on tv playing sports I don't spend a single second of my day thinkin about them. I don't know them, they don't know me, I don't care if they are assholes or great people. Their personal lives don't matter to me. I'm not a little kid or a girl who formulate opinions of these guys based on their personalities. I couldn't care less about these people.

 

[Cornelius]

C'mon bro. We all know you have "Madden4Life 2003 Soapie Award Winner" embroidered on yer dashboard.

I was humbled by God and watched my friends murder people too....................holy shit, I'm RAY LEWIS!!!!!!!!!!

blacknyellowblacknyellowblacknyellowblacknyellow

 

[Senser81]

I know there were people murdered and we should sympathize with the family of the victims but again, you nor I was there.

This idiotic comment reminded me of a Law & Order episode where Sam Waterston is irate when a judge tells him he has no case because there are no eyewitnesses to the murder, to which Waterston says "There are no eyewitnesses because he (the accused) killed them all!"

I get what you are trying to say and Ill keep saying the same shit. Let him live.

I've known you to be an idiot for many years now, but somehow, instead of improving your postings as you get older and become an adult, you've gotten more retarded. I can't count how many times you've used the term "let this shit DIE" in regards to Lewis' role in a double murder. And you keep saying "let Lewis live", as if we are stopping him from living, while at the same time two people are still dead without any justice being served thanks to Lewis.

Brain! Get one! Soon!

 

[Senser81]

What I don't get is you comparing it to OJ commercials fret he got acquitted. It's been over a decade, and it's moral police the NFL we're talking about here. The NFL doesn't give 2/3rds of half a shit what Lewis did if he can make them a buck.

Are you to say that the public perceives Tyson in the Hangover the same way they perceived Tyson at rape trial? No, shit changes. That was my point, but LOL at that. You're right, I don't get that. Oh well.

Oh, so OJ Simpson is back promoting rental cars? I must have missed those commercials. Surprised he hasn't appeared in more Naked Gun movies, either.

 

[Senser81]

I'm not uneasy with it at all. You realize his two buddies were actually acquitted of the murder charge on the grounds of self defense, right?

Does anyone here understand the legal system? Seriously, this thread is infuriating with the retardation being spewed, as well as the snarky tone (right?).

You realize that Lewis was found guilty of obstructing justice, and his unwillingness to testify as to what he actually saw (which, in almost all likelihood was the actual murders...otherwise why the tight lip?) was the main reason his two buddies were acquitted of the double murder. Had Lewis testified, the case would have been much different.

 

[FedEx227]

Why do you care so much to let it bother you?

I don't care about ray Lewis or any athlete for that matter. When they aren't on tv playing sports I don't spend a single second of my day thinkin about them. I don't know them, they don't know me, I don't care if they are assholes or great people. Their personal lives don't matter to me. I'm not a little kid or a girl who formulate opinions of these guys based on their personalities. I couldn't care less about these people.

That's not the point Warner is talking about.

He's saying why are the studio heads falling over each other to tell everyone what a great person Lewis is.

This thread isn't about personal opinion or what you think or what any of us think about Lewis the player.

 

[shag773]

Does anyone here understand the legal system? Seriously, this thread is infuriating with the retardation being spewed, as well as the snarky tone (right?).

You realize that Lewis was found guilty of obstructing justice, and his unwillingness to testify as to what he actually saw (which, in almost all likelihood was the actual murders...otherwise why the tight lip?) was the main reason his two buddies were acquitted of the double murder. Had Lewis testified, the case would have been much different.

He testified that the defendants bought two knives at a sporting goods store while he was signing autographs there. Than he testified that one of the defendants after the fight, said something to the affect of "I just kept swinging" while making a punching motion while holding the knife. If you think he's hiding more, than I can understand why your uncomfortable with his accolades.

If you think its retarded to base an opinion on what we know vs rumors, than I guess im retarded. As you were....

Oh, and lol at being called out for snarky comments by you. That was good...

 

[Senser81]

If you think its retarded to base an opinion on what we know vs rumors, than I guess im retarded.

What do we "know"? Again, isn't that the whole point? Lewis wasn't forthcoming with what he "knew"?

How can YOU say that you "know" what happened? Ridiculous.

 

[ralaw]

That's not the point Warner is talking about.

He's saying why are the studio heads falling over each other to tell everyone what a great person Lewis is.

This thread isn't about personal opinion or what you think or what any of us think about Lewis the player.

I'd suspect the majority of the media doesn't mention it because it happened 12 years ago. Lewis was charged with an obstruction charge (which while being bad certainly isn't at the level of the initial thought of him being charged with murder), since then he has done a great job of repairing his image and most importantly his play on the field goes beyond just being a HOFer, but instead an iconic/legend on the level of the games absolute greatest players. I think people in the media want to like Lewis for the good that he has done since the incident, so it is often overlooked. I don't think the incident needs to be brought up every time there is a career retrospective of Lewis' football career.

 

[Senser81]

I don't think the incident needs to be brought up every time there is a career retrospective of Lewis' football career.

But I do think the incident needs to be brought up when the conversation strays from "football career" to "man of character and substance".

Its like Bill Clinton...nice president, shady character.