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.