Is Ray Lewis the best MLB of all time?

[Tailback U]

Simple question, and moreso directed towards the older guys who have been watching football for the last 20-30 years.

Is Ray Lewis the best linebacker of all time? More specifically, the best MLB of all time?

I didn't have the pleasure of watching guys Butkus, Lambert, Nitschke, Singletary, Lanier, etc., but I can't imagine there's been a middle linebacker who has had a better career than Ray Lewis.

Obviously, it's difficult to compare OLB's and MLB's as the two positions are entirely different. Comparing LT to Ray Lewis isn't really fair, considering the two have entirely different responsibilities.

He's playing the best football I've ever seen him play right now, and he's in his 15th year and 35 years old.

 

[Leftwich]

In my opinion he is the best defensive player I have ever seen. The guy still plays at the same intensity and skill for 60 minutes a week his entire career. He has never lost a step and is the heart and soul of that defense. Without him they are not the same and no superbowl ring.

 

[DJ Rhude]

I didn't see the other guys play because it was before my time, but I did see Singletary play......I can safely say Lewis cannot hold a candle to Singletary....even more remarkable is Mike started 172 games in his 12 year career...that is insane considering the position he played

And you know I saw LT play, but you don't want to go there with me :smug:

 

[FirstTimer]

No doubt he's in the conversation. IMO it's between him and Butkus.

 

[Maynard]

its hard to argue against him. All the players you mentioned had great players around them on defense. All except Dick Butkus. I never saw him play.

I would probably argue for Jack Lambert. 4 SB's and an absolute menace to offenses. Intimidating presence. The guy was just a beast

 

[Houston]

Probably, but of course the old guys have to give the title away to the "legends" just because they came first. It's like that with Peyton Manning also, the guys who've been sucking Montana's cock for nearly 20 years before Manning entered the league will never give his title away.

If Ray is the best, then other plays history will stop him from being percieved as that.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

One of my favorite NFL Films clips ever


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxR9qYSHt8U[/ame]

The Most Feared Tackler Of All Time

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBumQdwc-tE&feature=related[/ame]

 

[jeffx]

Is Ray Lewis the best linebacker of all time? More specifically, the best MLB of all time?

No and no. For me, it's Butkus and LT.

 

[DJ Rhude]

Singletary's eyes used to get camera time......fucking offense would be peeing in their pants

 

[jeffx]

I would probably argue for Jack Lambert. 4 SB's and an absolute menace to offenses. Intimidating presence. The guy was just a beast

One of the nastiest mfers I EVER saw on a football field. Dude ripped off the helmet of a teammate for helping an opponent up. I miss that shit today.

 

[Maynard]

those butkus vids are great. you put him on a defense with talent and they would have won some super bowls.

you look at guys like Lewis, Lambert, Singletary...or LT even though he isnt a MLB. All those guys had great talent surrounding them on defense. Butkus didnt have terrible players, but none of the guys he played with are HOF players at all. He was like a 1 man wrecking crew

 

[Maynard]

One of the nastiest mfers I EVER saw on a football field. Dude ripped off the helmet of a teammate for helping an opponent up. I miss that shit today.

me too. todays game doesnt come close to the mystique of past players. the rules ended those days

 

[MrBill]

This is just like the discussion for best all-time QB. I don't know that you can make the argument for Ray Lewis as the GOAT at his position, but you can easily put him in that top 5 group and make a case for him. The guy amazes me with his work ethic and ability to bring 110% on every down.

 

[Tailback U]

This is just like the discussion for best all-time QB. I don't know that you can make the argument for Ray Lewis as the GOAT at his position, but you can easily put him in that top 5 group and make a case for him. The guy amazes me with his work ethic and ability to bring 110% on every down.

The only way you can truly compare them is if you have watched them all play.

You can see the intensity that Ray Lewis brings. I don't think any MLB in the history of football comes close to matching Lewis' intensity over the course of 15 years.

And think about today's game compared to yesteryear's. It is geared towards the pass, which probably means the MLB position has more responsibility now than before.

I'm sure all of the guys named were amazing, but it's really surprising to hear someone say "Ray Lewis couldn't hold a candle to Singletary." I wish I could have seen Singletary, because I can't even fathom a LB more dominating than Lewis.

I am also one of those guys that thinks the game and players have evolved over the last 30-40 years and the breed of athletes in the NFL today are nothing like we've ever seen before.

 

[ralaw]

I don't know its tough. I'm a Ravens fan, and Lewis is the reason why, so I'd be inclinded to say him; however, I never saw Butkus, Lambert and Nitschke play and I remeber Singletary, but he was well past his prime. As with most of these debates I think older guys are either overlooked or given too much credit, so it's hard to measure versus today's guys; however, I would think Lewis would have to be in the team picture. Him being the single most dominant force on arguably the greatest defense ever, while winning a superbowl simply adds to his legacy.

 

[DJ Rhude]

I'm sure all of the guys named were amazing, but it's really surprising to hear someone say "Ray Lewis couldn't hold a candle to Singletary." I wish I could have seen Singletary, because I can't even fathom a LB more dominating than Lewis.

You had to see this guy play to understand where I'm coming from.....As good as Ray is, Singletary was better......that's no knock on Ray, more of a statement about how fucking good Singletary was...one thing I feel bad for Lewis is, the NFL has become so pussified compared to the Singletary days that he's playing handcuffed.....they let the men be men and play football.....now you breathe on someone wrong, it's a damn flag

 

[Senser81]

And think about today's game compared to yesteryear's. It is geared towards the pass, which probably means the MLB position has more responsibility now than before.

I think this is where you are wrong. I would say the MLB position has much less responsibility now than it used to. The heyday of the MLB was the 1960's and 1970's. Before situation-substitution, before teams put their best athletes at OLB instead of MLB, when teams actually ran traps and sweeps, the MLB was the premier position of the defense. I think after Lawrence Taylor came along and teams started using the 3-4, the MLB position lost much of its luster. MLB's are no longer the de facto leader of the defense...it could be anyone.

That said, Ray Lewis is definitely in the picture. A few years ago, I had Ray Lewis ranked as the 6th best MLB of all-time, behind guys like Butkus, Lambert, Joe Schmidt, etc. Lewis isn't as good as he used to be, but he's still the best MLB in the game, FWIW.

I think Lewis is better than Singletary.

 

[JeremyHight]

Singletary will always been #1 in my book. The guy would scout offenses so well and know their traits that he would be calling out the play they were running before they even snapped it. Shit, here is a random story about the guy. It is my personal favorites...

ANYONE WHO EVER DOUBTED middle linebacker Mike Singletary on a football field paid for that mistake. In 1983, offensive lineman Dave Huffman paid in gold.

Shortly before Christmas that year, Singletary's Chicago Bears took their 6-8 record to Minnesota, where they had won just once against the Vikings in the past 11 seasons. With his team trailing by 10 points, Singletary lost the tip of the middle finger on his left hand and was forced to the sidelines. An injury that would have kept more timid men on the bench--and one that once gave San Francisco 49ers safety Ronnie Loft notoriety--only was of concern to Singletary that afternoon because it meant time away from the action.

"The doctor said, 'Well, you're playing hard but you're done,'" says Singletary, "I told him, 'No, I'm not done. You need to tape my hand up because I'm going back out there. I need to finish this game.

With that, the doctor wadded up Singletary's hand into something that resembled a boxing glove. The determined middle linebacker was back out on the field, his Bears unit facing the grim task of defending its endzone against first down and goal-to-go for Minnesota. For whatever reason, instead of joining his teammates, Singletary first walked into Minnesota's huddle.

"I told [Huffman], 'You will not score.' He looked at me and asked what I was doing in their huddle, and again I told him, 'You will not score,'" says Singletary.

Huffman, gave it right back to Singletary. "He said," remembers Singletary, "'I'll tell you what, let's make a bet on it.'" No particular prize was chosen, just pride. Sure enough, four downs, four stops, no points for the Vikings.

Sometime later, Singletary received in the mall a package from Huffman. In it was a gold quarter.

"Overcoming that obstacle and winning a game we were pretty much out of," says Singletary, "that was one of the great games of my career."

The guy ran MLB in a 46 defense, which means he was basically QB of a very tough defense to run. He was the one making adjustments, he was calling out audibles, and basically, he ran the show. As such, I think a lot of the credit for the 46's success should go to the guy.

In my mind, I cannot think of another MLB who combined amazing on the field production with endless scouting, leadership and enthusiasm on the field (he was the Ray Lewis in terms of pre-game speeches for the Bears), and overall commitment to the team.

 

[mgoblue2290]

I can't imagine how the NFL would respond if a player walked into another team's huddle nowadays.

 

[DJ Rhude]

That's it in a nutshell.....

And although the Bears ate the Patriots for lunch in the 85 superbowl, Singletary was the driving force behind that defensive effort that game....there were so many other great moments in his career, too many to point out

You can't base your opinion on ESPN highlight clips, you had to see this man play.....and I would bet Lewis would say he patterned his game after Singletary if you asked him