Why does Ray Lewis get a free pass?

[FletchLives]

This was touched on in the retirement thread, but i didnt want to take over that thread.

I am just curious why Ray gets so much support from fans. Other players like Vick and Burris have pretty much ruined their reputations, but Ray comes out a hero. And not only is he a hero, but non-worshippers are attacked for even mentioning his criminal past?

Ok, he wasnt found guilty of murder, but neither was OJ. Yet I don't hear all the Lewis groupies defending Mr. Simpson.

[doghouse4x4]

I don't think Lewis gets a pass. Everyone knows his history, and he is extremely candid about it, which is rare. Ray made some mistakes, and hasn't hid from it. I think he is making a positive contribution to everything these days, and anyone who knows or played with him will tell you the same.

FWIW, I think most people think Plax got shafted. He basically went to jail for being dumb. The fact he got that much time while Vick got half is ludicrous. Plax doesn't help himself with his attitude obviously, but as far as criminality, it was pretty overblown.

[KDawg]

I don't think Lewis gets a pass. Everyone knows his history, and he is extremely candid about it, which is rare. Ray made some mistakes, and hasn't hid from it. I think he is making a positive contribution to everything these days, and anyone who knows or played with him will tell you the same.

FWIW, I think most people think Plax got shafted. He basically went to jail for being dumb. The fact he got that much time while Vick got half is ludicrous. Plax doesn't help himself with his attitude obviously, but as far as criminality, it was pretty overblown.

Plax is used as more of a punchline than as the poster child for a bad human being.

Talk about shooting yourself in the leg

[DM72]

I don't think he gets a pass. I think he was a young man that made a mistake and from what I can tell, he has owned up to that mistake.

[doghouse4x4]

Plax is used as more of a punchline than as the poster child for a bad human being.

Talk about shooting yourself in the leg

Burn.... lol.

[BigMike21]

He doesn't get a pass. And I've always considered Ray Lewis overrated in certain aspects. On the other hand I do believe in contrition and forgiveness.

[No_Pressure]

Ray wasn't accused of murdering anyone. He witnessed a murder and lied about it to the police. He didn't actively participate. He still did the wrong thing of course, and I think a lot of people want to forget about that in the same way that almost all Redskins fans wanted to forget about Sean Taylor wielding a gun and getting into trouble over some ATVs prior to his tragic murder. If he was still alive today we wouldn't be talking about his ATV problem in the past, we would be talking about what an incredible player he has been, and when people would bring up his mistake years ago we would get annoyed. That's what happens with Ray Lewis. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, compounded a mistake by lying about it, and didn't come clean until much later. Most people just want to forget about it, and whether anyone agrees with that or not, witnessing a murder and lying about it is much different from literally shooting yourself in a nightclub or running a canine auschwitz. Ray was wrong place, wrong, time, bad friends, very stupid mistake. Vick and Plaxico weren't just in the wrong place at the wrong time, they committed the crimes in question. Big difference.

[Btubes18]

Probably not the right forum for this...but I tend to agree a little with the OP. I believe if it wasn't for his play ability, Ray Lewis's life would be drastically different. I don't think he is getting a free pass, but feel people tend to give him more of a break because of his character now and ability he has as a player.

[terpfan]

As much as I like to rag on Ray Lewis, the OJ comparison isnt really fair. I don't think anyone actually thinks he killed anybody.

[DM72]

He still did the wrong thing of course, and I think a lot of people want to forget about that in the same way that almost all Redskins fans wanted to forget about Sean Taylor wielding a gun and getting into trouble over some ATVs prior to his tragic murder. If he was still alive today we wouldn't be talking about his ATV problem in the past, we would be talking about what an incredible player he has been, and when people would bring up his mistake years ago we would get annoyed.

That's a very good point.

[Skinz4Life12]

Ray "Killed a man" Lewis doesn't get a pass

[StJoe4Life]

Everyone knows his history, and he is extremely candid about it, which is rare

No he's not. I have never heard him once address it directly. Has he ever talked about that night?

I absolutely cannot stand RayRay, and I got raked over the coals yesterday on facebook for saying as much. He has the most holier-than-thou attitude I have ever seen. I had Ravens fans being absolutely as nasty as could be, "OH YEAH, YOU'VE NEVER MADE A MISTAKE?" Um, yeah, but not to that magnitude, and I sure as hell own up to it.

I just think that they're so desperate to have some sort of organizational history that they make him out to be some deity, whereas I just think he's a self-important, smug player who happens to be phenomenally talented. Kissing Suzy Kolber had an article yesterday that nailed it on the head.

[The Bounty Hunter #21]

Everyone makes mistakes in life. I believe that a person's true character reflects on how they handle themselves in the long run after a mistake. I'm not the biggest Ray Lewis fan but he has carried himself in such a way where it's hard to truly hate or dislike the guy. Mistakes happen, that's life but Ray has carried himself the right way and by doing that, his true character was shown. I wish him the best and he's one of the best this game has ever seen.

[doghouse4x4]

No he's not. I have never heard him once address it.

I absolutely cannot stand RayRay, and I got raked over the coals yesterday on facebook for saying as much. He has the most holier-than-thou attitude I have ever seen. I had Ravens fans being absolutely as nasty as could be, "OH YEAH, YOU'VE NEVER MADE A MISTAKE?" Um, yeah, but not to that magnitude, and I sure as hell own up to it.

I just think that they're so desperate to have some sort of organizational history that they make him out to be some deity, whereas I just think he's a self-important, smug player who happens to be phenomenally talented. Kissing Suzy Kolber had an article yesterday that nailed it on the head.

You should try Google. He is very upfront with his past.

[Soup's Uncle]

I don't give him a pass. I think he was guilty based on the evidence and lack of finding the white suit he was wearing the night (never found, covered in blood) of those stabbings. Weird.

I can't stand him. Just oversaturation. I'm glad he's going to ESPN and not NFLN cus I don't watch ESPN.

[StJoe4Life]

You should try Google. He is very upfront with his past.

Where? I'm being serious. Can't find anything not from 2000 with him talking about his role in it DIRECTLY. I'm not talking about dancing around it.

Aside from that, I find him to be extremely smug and self-important. Just listen to his press conference yesterday. He made this game Sunday about him, not the team.

[Soup's Uncle]

^He said in "A Football Life" last night that he was 'wrongly accused'. He claims he was walking out of a club, and a fight broke out and his limo was sprayed with bullets.

That's all I've ever heard him say about it.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Probably because he appears to be one of the few guys that has actually made a 180. Rey Lewis was involved in something wild one night in Atlanta but he got a second chance and made the most of it.

[StJoe4Life]

^He said in "A Football Life" last night that he was 'wrongly accused'. He claims he was walking out of a club' date=' and a fight broke out and his limo was sprayed with bullets.

That's all I've ever heard him say about it.[/quote']

Yep, that's my point. He has never once owned up to his role in it. Instead, he preaches to everyone else.

[doghouse4x4]

Where? I'm being serious. Can't find anything not from 2000 with him talking about his role in it DIRECTLY. I'm not talking about dancing around it.

Aside from that, I find him to be extremely smug and self-important. Just listen to his press conference yesterday. He made this game Sunday about him, not the team.

He spends a LOT of time going around the country talking to at risk kids about what he has seen and done. Not because of probation, or court ordered anything, but because he feels like he should. There is more to life for these guys than NFL press conferences and interviews. The info is out there, I am not doing the research for you, and really, it's totally your call how to feel about him, I totally respect that. It's just wrong to say he hides from it, when he is very vocal about it in truth.

[DM72]

Probably because he appears to be one of the few guys that has actually made a 180. Rey Lewis was involved in something wild one night in Atlanta but he got a second chance and made the most of it.

And for some strange reason people just don't want to let it go. The man a mistake "YEARS" ago.

[Rocky21]

Despite being named Super Bowl MVP, controversial linebacker Ray Lewis was rejected by both Disney and Wheaties for their post-Super Bowl ad company's endorsements. However, Lewis did get an endorsement with Double Murder Brand Peanut Butter

[StJoe4Life]

He spends a LOT of time going around the country talking to at risk kids about what he has seen and done. Not because of probation, or court ordered anything, but because he feels like he should. There is more to life for these guys than NFL press conferences and interviews. The info is out there, I am not doing the research for you, and really, it's totally your call how to feel about him, I totally respect that. It's just wrong to say he hides from it, when he is very vocal about it in truth.

Fair enough. I have never seen it, but I will take your word for it. Like I said, it's not the mistake he made, because we do all make them. It's the fact that he chooses to carry himself like a moral authority FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, up there on his high horse about what a great person he is, but his history (child support issues, kids all over the place, etc) don't seem to jive with it. Once again, my opinion only. It just really irritates me that as a louder voice he is really revered. He's had an AMAZING career, but quieter guys like LF don't get half the press because he chooses to make it about the people around him.

[BleedBNG]

edit: ....n/m

[thebluefood]

Three factors:

1.) The guy is an excellent football player. Actually, excellent is an insult. He is one of the all time greats. Whether we like it or not, he's going to be in same conversation as Butkis, Nitschke and Singletary.

2.) He's a leader. It's one thing to be a good ball player, which Vick is (or was, in some people's opinion). It's quite another to be an inspirational force like he has. QBs and head coaches have come through Bal'mer, but Ray Lewis has been steady as a rock

3.) (and the most importantly) Ray Lewis is, or at least seems, genuinely repentant. He hasn't tried to sweep it under the rug, he hasn't gone on bull****, PR speaking tours. This is a guy that seems to understand that he was a complete idiot and that he had to turn a new leaf. It's one thing to halfheartedly mutter a few words of regret. It's another to own up to it and turn your life around. Ray Lewis did that.

I mentioned this in the other thread, but you guys really need to see his episode of "A Football Life." Don't tell me that's a man that hasn't seen the error of his ways and genuinely tried to do some good in this world.

Man, if you guys ever royally screw up in your lives (and yes, something like what happened to Ray Lewis can happen to anyone) I hope society at large is more forgiving than some of you guys seem to be.