Mike Preston: Ray Lewis needs to stop being so self-serving

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Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

So apparently objective analysis is not what Ravens fans have been wanting all this time.

Some are actually hoping for a Hoge clone, slobbering all over his former team, never saying anything remotely bad?

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It's not objective analysis that people have a problem with. It's being off base with said analysis.

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Originally Posted by NCRAVEN

It's not objective analysis that people have a problem with. It's being off base with said analysis.

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And how is he off base? Did you expect the players to say "Yeah, things are a mess right now"?

Ray was asked his opinion. He gave his opinion. Yes, that opinion may be off base. It may also be dead on. That's objective and what an analyst is suppose to say.

We may never know. But I'm going to give him some credence given his time on the team and the friends he still has in that locker room.

And he's not saying there's all kinds of issues going on. When players get themselves into distractions, it's a leadership issue on some level.

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Originally Posted by HKusp

This.

Mike Preston saying someone else is self serving is a big steaming pile of hypocrisy. Nothing more. He has always had it out for Ray Lewis. Always works that angle when talking about him.

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Preston's just mad that Ray is on ESPN and has a chance to speak to a national audience. meanwhile, back in Baltimore, preston is working for the sun papers.. LOL Preston now realizes that Ray is better then preston when it comes to saying things that upset people. Ray starting his new career, has accomplished all that he wanted in his football career, and now has an opportunity to win over football fans with what he knows. Good for Ray, tough shit for preston, all he will ever be is a hack writer who wants to tell people his views on how to play football.

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Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

When players get themselves into distractions, it's a leadership issue on some level.

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These guys are adults. What would've Ray done? How do we know this stuff didn't happen when Ray was here? This stuff could've been happening minus strippers hitting players with champagne bottles.

Hell just look at McKinnie's instagram from last year. He was always at the club.

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Originally Posted by Paintballguy

These guys are adults. What would've Ray done? How do we know this stuff didn't happen when Ray was here? This stuff could've been happening minus strippers hitting players with champagne bottles.

Hell just look at McKinnie's instagram from last year. He was always at the club.

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Agreed. So?

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Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Agreed. So?

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I guess my point is that Ray being here as a leader wouldn't have made a difference. I really doubt this is the first time that they've been out to the club with strippers. Also, I'm not against them going out. I just think the idea of the Ravens not having leaders is baseless. It's just my opinion. I'm fine with Ray saying whatever he wants, but not everyone will agree with him.

This is from McKinnie's bday last year. http://instagram.com/p/QIVmgKwhl3/

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Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

And how is he off base? Did you expect the players to say "Yeah, things are a mess right now"?

Ray was asked his opinion. He gave his opinion. Yes, that opinion may be off base. It may also be dead on. That's objective and what an analyst is suppose to say.

We may never know. But I'm going to give him some credence given his time on the team and the friends he still has in that locker room.

And he's not saying there's all kinds of issues going on. When players get themselves into distractions, it's a leadership issue on some level.

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Right, but there were so many off the field issues while Ray was here. Not once did he say there was an issue with leadership. Now all of a sudden he's gone and 1 off field incident makes him question leadership?

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Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

And how is he off base? Did you expect the players to say "Yeah, things are a mess right now"?

Ray was asked his opinion. He gave his opinion. Yes, that opinion may be off base. It may also be dead on. That's objective and what an analyst is suppose to say.

We may never know. But I'm going to give him some credence given his time on the team and the friends he still has in that locker room.

And he's not saying there's all kinds of issues going on. When players get themselves into distractions, it's a leadership issue on some level.

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I'm not basing it off the players responses. I'm basing it off he isn't here, so he doesn't know.

I think it's ridiculous to say what people do on their own time is "lack of leadership". If there was no champagne bottle, no one would even be talking about this.

I'd imagine this shit happened all the time when he was hear it just didn't get out of hand, does that mean it was a lack of leadership when he was here? Or just because we didn't hear about it all was fine and dandy?

His response may not have been self-serving (I think it was) and I don't expect Ray to be an advocate for all things Ravens. But to say guys acting like guys on a teammates birthday is because of lack of leadership is just silly.

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Originally Posted by TTRaven

Right, but there were so many off the field issues while Ray was here. Not once did he say there was an issue with leadership. Now all of a sudden he's gone and 1 off field incident makes him question leadership?

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Current players don't air dirty laundry publicly so to hold Ray to that standard is unfair.

Bettis once said on SNF football he'd never answer a question about what goes on behind the closed doors of the Steelers. This was when he left the team and was an analyst.

Two things happened after he said that. Fans from 31 other teams went ballistic and screamed bias. He also lost his gig.

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Originally Posted by Paintballguy

I guess my point is that Ray being here as a leader wouldn't have made a difference. I really doubt this is the first time that they've been out to the club with strippers. Also, I'm not against them going out. I just think the idea of the Ravens not having leaders is baseless. It's just my opinion. I'm fine with Ray saying whatever he wants, but not everyone will agree with him.

This is from McKinnie's bday last year. http://instagram.com/p/QIVmgKwhl3/

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Ray was never an off the field leader for other guys in the locker room. That whole "Bring troubled player X in and Ray will straighten him out" was never an accurate one and I'm thinking that's where people are now faulting Ray here.

I don't think its fair to hold Ray as the former moral police of the team. He never was any of that.

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Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Ray was never an off the field leader for other guys in the locker room. That whole "Bring troubled player X in and Ray will straighten him out" was never an accurate one and I'm thinking that's where people are now faulting Ray here.

I don't think its fair to hold Ray as the former moral police of the team. He never was any of that.

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Serious question. So why did he say it was the absence of him and Ed that created this void in leadership that caused players to act like this (paraphrasing)?

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Originally Posted by NCRAVEN

Serious question. So why did he say it was the absence of him and Ed that created this void in leadership that caused players to act like this (paraphrasing)?

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Because he believes it