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

**MickieB-OM** · 09-25-2013, 12:00 AM

Ray Lewis can say whatever he wants to. It was his opinion and he gets paid to say them on air. We may or may not agree with it --so be it-- that is what makes the world go around. We all have opinions about the Ravens and we get to express them on this forum . They may be stupid, insightful, humorous, hysterical, and profound ( all through the eye of the beholder) but we get to sign on and type them out for all to see. From what I read I don't have an issue with Ray Lewis. I just don't. Frankly, I was more disturbed by the Jacoby champagne bottle incident. Now THAT is the current issue not what Ray Lewis said on TV. Just My humble opinion....:-)

ETA: When did any top athlete check his ego at the door? All of them have a pretty healthy one and Ray is no exception. So, in his mind he is still the general--eh-- who cares that is on him. All I care about is how many wins will the Ravens have this season to get back to the big dance--the rest is fluff.

**arnie_uk** · 09-25-2013, 03:24 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Observable results. Cmac certainly didn't benefit from him. There are other example too. It's a myth that Ray could fix troubled players.

No clue. But he was and he's paid to answer those questions now. And I am glad he's not like Hoge who still licks the taint of his former team.

well if it's a myth he could fixed troubled players why is he claiming if he was here with his leadership this incident wouldn't have happened?

**arnie_uk** · 09-25-2013, 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by B-more Ravor

So, how would what has happened be different if Ray and Ed - and their leadership abilities - were still on the team?

Exactly this. Houston has been saying ray didn't fix players etc etc then the next line was standing up for what he said. That's totally contradictory, either his leadership held the Team together and there was zero of field incidents (incorrect) and thus this incident would not have happened here if he was still around, or he couldn't control players of the field (correct) and this incident word have happened regardless whether he was still on the team or not.

**Ravenblue** · 09-25-2013, 04:18 AM

I'm assuming Flacco, Ray Rice, Suggs and Ngata are loving Ray's comments...

I love the guy and don't want him to become a Hoge, but I find it difficult to believe that someone who has direct access to every single person in the Ravens locker room wouldn't go directly to them if he thought there was an issue as opposed to airing them on national TV, likely at his new bosses behest. I know Ray doesn't have any responsibility to the current Ravens team, but no one's convincing me that a guy who took pride in supporting any player regardless of them being Ravens or not, would suddenly cease contact with our current roster.

I guess to me it does seem a little self serving, making out how important his leadership was, despite various incidents happening on his watch. If this happened in the locker room and there was a violent incident, then yes, it could be a problem, but out of hours in a private setting? Nothing to see here.

**sailorsam** · 09-25-2013, 09:23 AM

obviously not every Raven has had a flawless personal life / career (CMac, Gaithers, Kindle) but this team certainly doesn't deserve the thug reputation it has had in some quarters.
I'm thinking of Ray in terms of all the UDFAs that have come to Baltimore and succeeded, especially on D (Demps, Scott, Jameel McClain, Ellerbe) and the others who maybe overacheived. and over these years how often has a Ravens team been flat or listless? or been physically overwhelmed? Even in bad times (2007) the team always seemed to show up and battle with the rare fiasco (the Motown Meltdown, the franchise's low point imho).
I think Ray has been a great leater in the locker room and on the field. no once can micromanage other's personal life.
I look forward to today's Ravens continuing the tradition.
One day I guess we'll look at M&T and see a weak bunch of losers get manhandled 27-6 and hear them moan and sulk and we'll think 'that stuff never happened when Ray-Ray was here'.

**RavensNTerps** · 09-25-2013, 09:47 AM

Ray just needs to get the fuck off his pedastal.

No one gives a crap that he's providing objective analysis - what a dumb comment to make. If he was saying things like "I think the Ravens have struggled on offense because Ray Rice just hasn't been himself" or like "Joe Flacco struggles with his pocket awareness" no one would care (well some would, probably, but they're dumb).

These particular comments are disengenous and stupid and he just needs to shut up. There is literally nothing about this situation that demonstrates a lack of leadership.

**wickedsolo** · 09-25-2013, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by RavensNTerps

Ray just needs to get the fuck off his pedastal.

No one gives a crap that he's providing objective analysis - what a dumb comment to make. If he was saying things like "I think the Ravens have struggled on offense because Ray Rice just hasn't been himself" or like "Joe Flacco struggles with his pocket awareness" no one would care (well some would, probably, but they're dumb).

These particular comments are disengenous and stupid and he just needs to shut up. There is literally nothing about this situation that demonstrates a lack of leadership.

Pretty sure you're the only person who thinks that his pocket awareness is an issue.

**Paintballguy** · 09-25-2013, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Pretty sure you're the only person who thinks that his pocket awareness is an issue.

Flacco's pocket awareness starting in the playoffs last season into this season has been really good.

**Bigfish** · 09-25-2013, 10:10 AM

Eh, Ray's on Nat'l tv and they want him to save something insightful and even provocative when they turn the camera on him. Plus, he's a rookie at it, everyone needs to back off of him(fat chance). He was here 17 years, I don't think he's suddenly a different person.

I'm being redundant, but the 2 grown men in question own this issue, no one else.

**Real Fan Dan** · 09-25-2013, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Paintballguy

Flacco's pocket awareness starting in the playoffs last season into this season has been really good.

ESPN is paying Ray Lewis a million bucks so he would stir the pot. It wouldn't surprise me if the Bostonian bastids made Ray promise he would throw mud at the 'hated' small market Ravens as a condition of his employment lol. I just hope he doesn't turn into Jameison Hensley who sometimes seems to go out of his way to slam Baltimore.

Mike Preston is this weeks blind squirrel. He's right this time of course but who really gives a shit. He's spent too many years stirring the pot over bs that i could care less when he's right.

Ray Lewis has always been full of himself. He's helped a lot of folks and not helped some others. He's been all for the team and sometimes just for himself. It is what it is. He's the GOAT and he's got an ego. IMO he's done a whole lot more good than bad, but yeah sometimes he's over the top. This particular incident doesn't bother me that much, but I certainly hope he doesn't turn into a total asshole or even worse a shameless large market ballwasher like most of the rest of those clowns.

**Ngata Da Vida** · 09-25-2013, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by Losac

I remember listening to Cal Ripken call the playoff series between the O's and Yankees last year on TBS and it was almost like he was going out of his way to be super-critical of the O's so as to not sound like a homer. I wonder if the same phenomenon is happening here with Ray. Or he really thinks he was such an irreplacable leader that the team is going to fall apart without his Bible-thumping. Only 52 knows for sure.

I think there is a good chance it is the former, and if that is the case, too big a deal is being made out of it. ESPN didn't hire Ray to be a Ravens cheerleader, and perhaps hs is just going out of his way to prove he can be objective. Hell, for all we know, ESPN didn't care much for Ray cheering Doss on as he ran back an 82 yard kick and let him know it, so he overcompensated the following day.

**Rxdoxx** · 09-25-2013, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Real Fan Dan

Mike Preston is this weeks blind squirrel. He's right this time of course but who really gives a shit. He's spent too many years stirring the pot over bs that i could care less when he's right.

Of course he is right!
We have a saying "it takes one to know one"
And he is the greatest self serving expert that I am aware of.

He has done it again, found a way to get an almost 100 post thread he by going after a splinter in Ray Lewis' eye.