Posted on 01/02/2013 12:13:35 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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.
"I talked to my team today," Lewis said Wednesday. "I talked to them about life in general. And everything that starts has an end. For me, today, I told my team that this will be my last ride."
He returned to practice on Dec. 5, and for him to be eligible for the playoffs, the Ravens added him to the active roster later in the month.
Colts coach Chuck Pagano, who served as Lewis' defensive coordinator last year, said, "I thought, shoot, the guy could play forever and would play forever. Great person, great man, great player, just an unbelievable human being -- what he's done for that organization, that city and for that matter, so many people. He's obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer and will be sorely missed."
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.go.com ...
Going to miss seeing Ray-Ray play. IMHO... he is an amazing player.
Hopefully he doesn’t turn into a physical wreck like Wilber Marshall
Hands down, one of the best of all time.
I really enjoyed following his murder trial. It was nearly as good as OJ’s!
The transformation of his life has been amazing.
based on the headline, I expected to see this in post 1 or 2. You only made it to 5.
Since he didn’t commit murder, it wasn’t his murder trial.
Not guilty, and unlike the OJ trial, they had no evidence on Lewis. In fact, his testimony corroborated the other witness testimony.
Squeelers fans eh?
lol
HINES WARD... is that you?!!! /s
I have no doubt Ray-Ray was a murder accomplice after the fact-fact.
Lewis has never offered an apology or any explanation for his involvement in the double homicide - whatever it was. And the media has NEVER questioned him about it -- not even the cute little girl in the NFL faux press conference commercial. It turns my stomach everytime I see Ray Lewis featured on any NFL commercial (although the one with Ray's mom & Tom Brady is rather funny).
It is only a small solace to see Paul Rudd continue kicking Ray-Ray's butt-butt in NFL Madden.
fwiw, I'm a Packers fan.
Not just an amazing athlete, but a great team leader. Always working to get guys fired up and ready. I really don’t know whether he was involved in that homicide and I never will. I do know Ray Lewis has been a great football player.
Good! One less plea-dealt-from-capital-murder-to-obstruction-of-justice-convicted felon in the NFL.
...so to speak.
(1) I *should* loathe you 'Packers fan'. But in regards to that mutt Ray Lewis, no way my fellow FReeper.
Plus I really, REALLY, HATE the Lions. That hate goes back a looooong time -- they invented cheap-shots & dirty football.
Used to hate him, especially with the involvement in murder. I do believe he has changed a significant amount over his years, and I have gradually gained a great amount of respect for Lewis on the field and off. It sounds like he has become a positive mentor for many players all around the league.
Not bad for a guy who was able to extricate himsaelf from a murder rap. Wonder how he would have made out had he not been a big named player........probably still in the can.
Ray Lewis...OJ...not much difference in my eyes.Off the field,that is.One had better lawyers than the other.
Ray Lewis the murderer?
Gee... I bet you claim to be a christian too ( non-capital intentional.)
Christians are under no obligation to forgive capital criminals (murderers and rapists). God never intended us to be idiots. The Death Penalty for capital criminals should be the Christian way.
I don't know the facts of the Ray Lewis case, if he is a murderer, BTW. Just sayin it's stupid for non-Christians to always hold up the "you must forgive" card. No we don't, not in certain circumstances.
Several of those “christians” on here that just “know” he “really” did it. lol
Don’t forget that even on FR, it is cool to be jealous of those who succeed and reach the heights of excellence.
And just to be clear, yes, I'm laughing AT YOU not with you.
Ah,yes...another Ravens fan chimes in.Pssst...I've got news for ya:OJ was **guilty**...as was Robert Blake...and Kobe Bryant...and William Kennedy Smith.And for the record:**yes**,if there was strong evidence in a double murder case against Tom Brady I'd believe that *he* was guilty too,regardless of what the courts said.
***
While my post was meant as a humorous commentary on a bad character who is wrongly lionized by the (heathen) media, Black America and sports fans unaware of the incident, I will respond to your unrelated and unwarranted swipe at my religious faith.
What does being a Christian (or christian, as you prefer) have to do with being logically convinced of Lewis' guilt on being an accomplice after the fact to a double homicide based upon evidence presented in a court of law and contemoraneous news accounts?
What does being a Christian (or christian, as you prefer) have to do with being unhappy that Ray-Ray - an alleged Christian (or christian, as you prefer) - has been publicly unrepentant or even communicative about whatever his involvement was in the vicious stabbing deaths of 2 human beings?
As a Christian (or christian, as you prefer), I can't forgive him as God commands if Ray Lewis doesn't ask for forgiveness.
btw, where is your Christian charity in your crude, rude and simplistic (and wrong) doctrinal faith analysis of my disdain for the media and for a likely (but not proven in a court of law) capital criminal and the racist jury that decided the case?
Did I say I hate Ray Lewis? Did I wish him dead? No.
I wrote that his hype as an icon makes me sick to my stomach, that the commercial with his mom & Tom Brady was funny and joked that I enjoyed seeing him lose his fictional NFL Madden videogame matchup with an actor in another commercial.
Gee, I'm gonna burn in hell for that.
Get a life...and a better grip on what being a Christian really means!
johnd201, Maryland resident (and Ravens fan?)
What a surprise.
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