Is Ray Lewis a fraud?
This article happened to catch my eye this morning. It's from the Dr. Z archive from SI.com
"Baltimore Ravens (6-3) OK, I'm gonna say something Ravens fans aren't going to like, but I ask them to please search their hearts to see if there's any truth to it. Ray Lewis is one of the great frauds of 2004. I've seen him six times now. Pretty decent against Cleveland the week before last. Got buried by the Chiefs. Against the Jets last weekend he was a zero when it got down to crunch time. On New York's last drive in regulation, that controversial field goal thing, Curtis Martin had crucial inside runs of 21 and five yards, and then, of course, there was Quincy Carter's nine-yard quarterback draw. Where was Ray? Running around blocks, playing the edges, taking on nobody, falling on the pile and then jumping up and waving his fist and yelling, as if he had made the play. Miked for sound? Of course. You bet. Never made a play in either of the Jets' overtime drives, either, unless you count the noise factor".
Sports Illustrated Online
I can't agree with this guy more. I am a Ravens fan but I never quite understood the fascination that Ravens fans have with this guy. I have seen him have some awesome hits, but this year I don't think that he's been all that (as they say in Brooklyn). It is fun the first few times to see Ray Ray do his dance when he comes into the Stadium but after a while it gets stale. I don't blame Terell Owens for this rants against Ray. Someone has to speak up for the rest of us! So the question is "Is Ray Lewis a Fraud"? Quite possibly.
"Baltimore Ravens (6-3) OK, I'm gonna say something Ravens fans aren't going to like, but I ask them to please search their hearts to see if there's any truth to it. Ray Lewis is one of the great frauds of 2004. I've seen him six times now. Pretty decent against Cleveland the week before last. Got buried by the Chiefs. Against the Jets last weekend he was a zero when it got down to crunch time. On New York's last drive in regulation, that controversial field goal thing, Curtis Martin had crucial inside runs of 21 and five yards, and then, of course, there was Quincy Carter's nine-yard quarterback draw. Where was Ray? Running around blocks, playing the edges, taking on nobody, falling on the pile and then jumping up and waving his fist and yelling, as if he had made the play. Miked for sound? Of course. You bet. Never made a play in either of the Jets' overtime drives, either, unless you count the noise factor".
Sports Illustrated Online
I can't agree with this guy more. I am a Ravens fan but I never quite understood the fascination that Ravens fans have with this guy. I have seen him have some awesome hits, but this year I don't think that he's been all that (as they say in Brooklyn). It is fun the first few times to see Ray Ray do his dance when he comes into the Stadium but after a while it gets stale. I don't blame Terell Owens for this rants against Ray. Someone has to speak up for the rest of us! So the question is "Is Ray Lewis a Fraud"? Quite possibly.
