Why does Ray Lewis get a free pass?

[DCsportsfan53]

But what I most don't like about the guy, is how he preaches all the time in his interviews. Funny, Tebow gets destroyed for doing the same thing, yet it's perfectly fine when Ray Ray does it? Nah. That **** don't fly with me. If it's not ok for one guy to do it, it's not ok for anyone.

I think there's a difference between the two in this regard. The whole virgin thing, missionary upbringing, doesn't curse, ect give Tebow an aura of someone who is or thinks he is somehow better than the average person, as a person. Much of that is likely the public's own insecurity, we don't like to believe people can really be that pure, we're cynical. Ray wears his flaws on his sleeve and doesn't come off that way. The way he talks about religion it feels more like it's a superstition, and it's usually related to fortunes on the football field. It's just a completely different feel, at least for me. Also, there's more to his public persona and personality whereas with Tebow, his religion is what defines him publicly. I don't see it as an apples to apples comparison in terms of the flack they do or don't get for that because I think it's presented to us very differently for each.

[Tarpon75]

I think there's a difference between the two in this regard. The whole virgin thing, missionary upbringing, doesn't curse, ect give Tebow an aura of someone who is or thinks he is somehow better than the average person, as a person. Much of that is likely the public's own insecurity, we don't like to believe people can really be that pure, we're cynical. Ray wears his flaws on his sleeve and doesn't come off that way. The way he talks about religion it feels more like it's a superstition, and it's usually related to fortunes on the football field. It's just a completely different feel, at least for me. Also, there's more to his public persona and personality whereas with Tebow, his religion is what defines him publicly. I don't see it as an apples to apples comparison in terms of the flack they do or don't get for that because I think it's presented to us very differently for each.

That's your opinion on Tebow,there are obviously millions of people who admire and like Tebow for the person that he is.I have never seen or heard Tebow coming off or acting as if he is better than anyone.Personally,I am glad there is someone like Tebow that stands up for what he believes.Be cynical if you like but Tebow lives under a microscope and holds up very well.Ray Lewis is (was) a very good football player not sure about all the other stuff.I prefer an mlb like Fletcher,that has comprable numbers to Lewis but performs in a manner that doesn't say look at me all the time.Really tired of the Ray Lewis dance.

[authentic]

I agree Ray Lewis' (Pastor Ray is what i call him) is what makes this man practically unbearable to me.

[terpskins10]

I agree Ray Lewis' (Pastor Ray is what i call him) is what makes this man practically unbearable to me.

One of my buddies put it in a really good way - Ray has just become a caricature of himself. He used to be this great player and leader and now the emotional leader stuff is so overblown to the point where half the **** he says doesn't even make sense.

[thesubmittedone]

Well, today's USA Today has an article on the dead person's families.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...-2000/1566198/

Wow, I think this article really puts a lot of things in this thread in perspective. I didn't have a strong opinion of what happened before since I didn't know much about it, but I have to say that after reading that article I'll never look at Ray again without thinking of that family he was involved in destroying.

[Bubble Screen]

That's your opinion on Tebow,there are obviously millions of people who admire and like Tebow for the person that he is.I have never seen or heard Tebow coming off or acting as if he is better than anyone.Personally,I am glad there is someone like Tebow that stands up for what he believes.Be cynical if you like but Tebow lives under a microscope and holds up very well.Ray Lewis is (was) a very good football player not sure about all the other stuff.I prefer an mlb like Fletcher,that has comprable numbers to Lewis but performs in a manner that doesn't say look at me all the time.Really tired of the Ray Lewis dance.

Yeah, I don't get the "Tebow acts like he's better than anyone" thing. In fact, I find comments like that absurd. You can knock him for constantly being religious, but he's never acted like he was better than anyone else.

Ray Lewis hasn't been that good for several years. I'm glad he's retiring. The dance is definitely old. And so are his pregame speeches. I mean, they were great when his defense was actually good.

[TD Riggo]

I still don't really know about RayRay's guilt/innocence in the whole murder case. It always seemed that he may have had some involvement if not directly, to me. But he was let go after a plea agreement. The other two, friends of Ray's, were found innocent in trial by means of self defense. I also know that he has turned his life around. Most reasonable people (not directed at you) want to see redemption. People change. Some change for the worst. When people change for the better, it is something to be admired.

---------- Post added January-20th-2013 at 09:47 PM ----------

Yeah, I don't get the "Tebow acts like he's better than anyone" thing. In fact, I find comments like that absurd. You can knock him for constantly being religious, but he's never acted like he was better than anyone else.

Ray Lewis hasn't been that good for several years. I'm glad he's retiring. The dance is definitely old. And so are his pregame speeches. I mean, they were great when his defense was actually good.

I agree with the dance .. it's gotten annoying (actually, it always was annoying.)

As to Tebow .. it isn't him that makes a "big deal" about his faith. It is his detractors that make a big deal about it.

---------- Post added January-20th-2013 at 09:48 PM ----------

Yeah, I don't get the "Tebow acts like he's better than anyone" thing. In fact, I find comments like that absurd. You can knock him for constantly being religious, but he's never acted like he was better than anyone else.

Ray Lewis hasn't been that good for several years. I'm glad he's retiring. The dance is definitely old. And so are his pregame speeches. I mean, they were great when his defense was actually good.

I agree with the dance .. it's gotten annoying (actually, it always was annoying.)

As to Tebow .. it isn't him that makes a "big deal" about his faith. It is his detractors that make a big deal about it.

[skinzwiz]

First of all, this is why people like the OP annoy me and piss me off. Ray Lewis did not murder anyone. He witnessed a murder. You comparing him to OJ makes no sense. Only a misinformed person would draw that conclusion.

This is how conflict in every aspect of life starts...because of people that think they know what's going on, but don't have a **** clue. Look at how Ray has lived his life since the incident and OJ has. Again, not remotely comparable.

I'm tired of sour-pusses that always want to rain on someone's parade like they are so **** perfect themselves. The guy has been a model citizen the past decade, what have you been? Have you been reaching out to homeless people? Do you have a youth program? Do you volunteer to help.the hungry and needy for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Think about these things before you start a thread to talk crap about someone.

End of discussion.

[skinfan2k]

He also has 6 children with 4 women.

[2cents]

Two people are dead. Sorry if reminding people of that fact is such a downer. I seriously hope no one semi-famous kills members of your family and gets away with it or conspires to get his friends off....you would probably be thinking differently about it. It amazes me the number of people who act like it is an annoyance to remind people that Ray Lewis was involved in a double murder. Its not like a traffic ticket...two people are dead and no one is paying for it because of Ray.

---------- Post added January-20th-2013 at 10:18 PM ----------

First of all, this is why people like the OP annoy me and piss me off. Ray Lewis did not murder anyone. He witnessed a murder. You comparing him to OJ makes no sense. Only a misinformed person would draw that conclusion.

This is how conflict in every aspect of life starts...because of people that think they know what's going on, but don't have a **** clue. Look at how Ray has lived his life since the incident and OJ has. Again, not remotely comparable.

I'm tired of sour-pusses that always want to rain on someone's parade like they are so **** perfect themselves. The guy has been a model citizen the past decade, what have you been? Have you been reaching out to homeless people? Do you have a youth program? Do you volunteer to help.the hungry and needy for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Think about these things before you start a thread to talk crap about someone.

End of discussion.

You have some seriously warped values.

[Rufus T Firefly]

You have some seriously warped values.

I'm sorry, but that is, at absolute best, a really bizarre response to what you quoted.

[SAli457180]

Although that incident will be revisited during the two weeks leading up to the SB, it obviously won't garner as much negativity as Burris or Vick because of the positive impact Lewis has had on the lives of players and people he come into contact with. Believe me, I don't like the "preacher" like nature he gives off. Last week after they beat the Broncos, he was going off with something like "One weapon...." to the BSPN reporter as if he just slayed a dragon or if he was a war hero. I thought he had just lost his mind. It's just a given that he'll never be looked at as negatively as he probably should.

[2cents]

I'm sorry, but that is, at absolute best, a really bizarre response to what you quoted.

I think saying it is OK that he didn't murder anyone, just saw it (and made sure his friends got off) and basically say that is OK is pretty warped. And saying people who bring it up are just raining on his parade? Really? Two people are dead, and I'm supposed to worry about poor Ray's feelings because it is going to upset his time at the Super Bowl? Please don't insult my intelligence.

[Bubble Screen]

I think saying it is OK that he didn't murder anyone, just saw it (and made sure his friends got off) and basically say that is OK is pretty warped.

I concur.

[Rufus T Firefly]

I think saying it is OK that he didn't murder anyone, just saw it (and made sure his friends got off) and basically say that is OK is pretty warped. And saying people who bring it up are just raining on his parade? Really? Two people are dead, and I'm supposed to worry about poor Ray's feelings because it is going to upset his time at the Super Bowl? Please don't insult my intelligence.

It's not OK to witness a murder? You're automatically a bad person if you do?

You want to debate exactly what happened, go ahead. But when you're talking "values" the guy you quoted said Lewis witnessed a murder and has lived a good life since then and that people shouldn't be attacking him when they don't have the facts and you called that "warped values". That's fairly indefensible.