Ravens' Ray Lewis to Retire at Postseason's End

Pat Foster January 2, 2013 at 10:47 pm

He should be given a job in some capacity with the Ravens. He is the heart of the team!

RW Willy January 2, 2013 at 11:12 pm

Bitter much?
All that matters is the fact he is one of the best to ever play the game. But it is football, not medicine or world politics. Take it for what its worth. If you don't like him fine. As for the character element, he was found guilty of obstruction. So he and Martha Stewert have alot in common.

sef January 2, 2013 at 11:34 pm

Love him no matter what the haters say! I will miss him and hope he always remains true to the purple and black!!

Evets January 2, 2013 at 11:45 pm

I am a die-hard," bleed Black and Gold" Steelers fan and I always will be. That said, I am tired of seeing these "He got away with murder" posts every time there is an article online about Ray Lewis. There is not and never has been any evidence that he had any participation in a murder. Does he perhaps have information that he has never. shared with law enforcement? Who knows. He pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and that ended the legal process. In the 12 years since, there has not been even a hint of him getting in any trouble. I think his brush with the law in 2000 woke him up to the fact that he needed to change his ways, and he certainly did, and now other players seek his counsel when they are troubled. He made a mistake and learned from it.
As for greatest player ever, no. Greatest linebacker ever? Hard to compare players who played in different eras. In my Black and Gold tinted world, Jack Lambert was the best. As a football watcher for close to 50 years, I'l agree that Lambert and Lewis are certainly 2 of the top 5 MLBs ever. Hope he enjoys his new life. He deserves it.

Johanna January 3, 2013 at 01:42 am

So sad to see him go, he will always be a part of the Ravens I believe in some way or another. It's saddens me that there are people who would critique his character. Ray is a devoted father, wonderful mentor and above all a greatly respected Christian man. I guess some people feel it is their right to judge ones character as if they never made mistakes or have done no wrong. God is the judge of all, and is forgiving of all things. Love you Ray! Job well done! :)

amark January 3, 2013 at 01:52 am

What a man of great integrity. He did get away with at least participating in a double murder but hey he's a great football player so who cares right? Also he has fathered 6 children by 4 different women, none of whom he has ever married. What a great role model.

K L B January 3, 2013 at 02:08 am

Sad to see Ray go, I hope the Ravens realize what a motivater he is and keeps him on in some capacity. He is a good man and has done alot for this team. So he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Has any one out here not done something they regret. Don't take away from Ray Lewis what a great football player and team mate he has been, he will be truly missed.

K L B January 3, 2013 at 02:13 am

Terry, you don't know what your talking about !!!

Sean Tully January 3, 2013 at 04:22 am

To be fair, I'd say the greatest Baltimore Sports icons are Johnny U. and Cal Ripkin. Brooks, Frank, Ray, and even Earl Monroe, are right up there, but any list that doesn't put Cal at or near the top is incomplete.

Sean Tully January 3, 2013 at 04:28 am

Actually Ray didn't get away with murder. He was not charged with murder. In fact, the two men charged with murder were acquitted of all charges. So your statement is not factual. Now, was Ray involved in some nasty business that night in Atlanta? Sure he was. But the justice system dealt with Ray and, the way it works, once he paid his dues, he is a free American once again. Ray paid all his dues.

Sean Tully January 3, 2013 at 04:30 am

The one thing I won't miss about Ray is that silly dance. But Ray was young, rich, and very pumped up, so I give him some latitude. When I was young, not rich, and pumped up, I did some silly dancing myself.

Sean Tully January 3, 2013 at 04:33 am

I didn't know Ray was a saint. How many respectable men don't support their children they had when married to one woman? I bet Ray supported those kids as good or better than most.

Sean Tully January 3, 2013 at 04:34 am

I agree. He needs to be on the coaching staff perhaps.

K L B January 3, 2013 at 04:38 am

I love that dance !!!

Sean Tully January 3, 2013 at 05:51 am

K L B, see, that's why God didn't put me in charge of what you like. Ray is a motivator and the dance contributes to that. I am not completely blind to reason.

moe green January 3, 2013 at 10:56 am

he can continue to have children with women not his wife.
some role model

Eastsider January 3, 2013 at 12:05 pm

Moe,
What’s your point? If he continues to do so and can afford it so what…. Unlike thousands of other children out there that doesn’t have a clue who their daddy that you and I pay for daily.

Alex W January 3, 2013 at 12:17 pm

He's retiring to see his son play at Miami. He won't be coaching anytime soon. I really don't think he will be coaching at all. Television is going to be his route.

PosterD January 3, 2013 at 02:30 pm

@sean tully Vick paid his dues too yet no one cares about him. I don't condone what he did, however, it seems people care more about those who murder dogs, than those associated with murdering humans. I don't get it.

Tim January 3, 2013 at 02:37 pm

Four channels will be begging to sign him when he's ready to 'work' again.

Tim January 3, 2013 at 02:41 pm

Terry, although I am not a Ray Lewis fan AT ALL - he did not 'get away with murder'. He probably gotaway with being 'an accessory' to a murder....two of his 'boys' may have actually committed the murders....but at the end of the day no one was tried, no one was convincted unfortunately. He since cleaned up his act and it seemed to have been a turning point in his life. Good for him, although I'll never be a fan of him.
The difference between Lewis and Vick is obvious - Vick ACTUALLY did and was convicted of his crimes. I hate Vick far, far more. I'm revulsed at the fact the guy still collects a paycheck in the NFL, and it only (as a Giants fan) made me hate the Eagles even more when he signed there.

Tim January 3, 2013 at 02:42 pm

I can't stand Martha Stewart either. So yeah, there's commonality there.

Tim January 3, 2013 at 02:44 pm

here's something we'll agree on!

amark January 3, 2013 at 05:17 pm

I think now maybe Ray can take a "stab" at a career in broadcasting. And Sean he was charged initially with murder then turned state's evidence to testify against his friends and they dropped the murder charge for him to do that. If it were your family or friends who we're killed I doubt you'd be so forgiving.

FIFA January 3, 2013 at 05:37 pm

And you left out the fact his two friends were found innocent. Small detail.

kl January 3, 2013 at 07:59 pm

As a "victim" of crime, when I was there face to face with the criminal, worked with him, knew his name and address, oh yeah, got part of his crimes on video tape, .... I can tell you, if they charge a person, they've got a lot of evidence and very strong reason to believe they are guilty. However because the person "gets off" sure doesn't mean they were not guilty !!!!

Otto Schmidlap January 4, 2013 at 05:15 am

What about that G. H. Ruth fellow?

Evets January 5, 2013 at 12:05 am

Actually found not guilty, or more accurately, "not proven guilty." Small detail, big difference.
Still stand by my post above.

FIFA January 5, 2013 at 12:18 am

I disagree with you Evets, "innocent until proven guilty" is the standard. Not proven guilty, means innocent in my book.

Evets January 5, 2013 at 12:56 am

You are free to disagree. However, follow this scenario: FIFA kills a man. There is not much evidence, but enough for a grand jury to bring an indictment. FIFA goes to trial. The state presents its case (rather weakly), and FIFA's dedicated defense attorney puts lots of holes in the evidence. The jury deliberates, comes back, and declares FIFA "Not Guilty." Is FIFA innocent? Certainly not in the accepted meaning of that word. He has simply not been proven guilty beyond the common law standard of reasonable doubt. That is the standard, after all. And in our system, even people who we presume are obviously guilty are treated, legally, as though they are innocent until the state proves otherwise.
By the way, the commonly uttered "innocent until proven guilty" is nowhere codified in the Constitution nor the Declaration of Independence. The term comes to us from English jurisprudence (also known as common law) and is implied in the provisions of the 5th and 6th Amendments. Interesting that in posts for another article here on Patch ("Postponed Hearing Could Delay Accused Perry Hall Student Shooter's Trial") there is very little of this "presumption of innocence" for Mr. Gladden. Most people seem to have little doubt that this boy should be immediately locked away for life, or at least for a long time. There is no doubt that the boy is guilty, but the burden is still on the state to prove this. If they fail to do so, is Mr Gladden innocent? Hardly.