Ruing a Raven

Let me get my Super Bowl pick out of the way.

49ers -3.5/Under 47.5

And now, the rest of this post...

So, this is a story about religion, the media and the assumption of fairness in competition. If you know me, and don't read this carefully, you might think it is about murder, cheating, and paternity and civil suits. Funny how sports can get us here, right?

Look, sports is filled with athletes we love, athletes we despise, and athletes we could care less about. And there are many reasons for why each of these is true. I point to such things as style of play, attitude during competition, or off the field topics. The athletes that I currently love include Kevin Durant, Bryce Harper, Ed Reed, Julio Jones and Derek Jeter. Athletes that I currently despise include Alex Rodriguez, Jay Cutler, Dwight Howard and Darrelle Revis. I could explain why, but it isn't important to this story.

This story is about Ray Lewis. I despise him.

I should make sure that you understand that I believe Ray Lewis is the Greatest inside linebacker that I have seen play in my lifetime. A first ballot Hall Of Famer and the poster for inside linebacker play if you are teaching. Seventeen years of brilliance at the position. And yet, I still don't care for him.

Why? The answer is simple. I don't think that he is all that great a human being and, for me, that means something. Consider the following:

1. Is Ray Lewis a murderer? Of course not. Or, at least I don't belIeve so. But his conviction for obstruction of justice can only lead one to believe that we don't know the full story of what happened in Atlanta, and that he does know significantly more than he testified to. The facts in that case are frightening given the actual punishment handed out. Don't believe me, or remember the case? Read this. Don't forget, he also settled two civil suits out of court with confidentiality agreements.

2. Is Ray Lewis a bad father? Probably not, but I don't really know. What I do know is that he has 6 children by 4 women. That's not good in any culture or religion. In 2000, while partying in Atlanta, he wasn't with his pregnant fiancé, he was escorting another woman around all week. Is that what a role model and a self professed man of God looks like to you?

3. Is Ray Lewis using PEDs? Not sure. But does this pass the smell test? At 37 years old, Ray Lewis recovered from a torn bicep muscle in approximately 2 months. In ALL of athletics, the standard for this type of injury is 6-8 months! By the way, that 37 year old man is currently the leading tackler in the playoffs. I don't care how much you believe in God, do you REALLY believe this? We now know that there are accusations, and we will likely never know what is true, but this just doesn't feel good.

None of this moves me from my position that he is a phenomenal football player. What truly bothers me with this is the self proclaimed prophet status that Lewis has bestowed on himself, and the irrational love affair people seem to have? with this "great" man. And this last ride is horrifying!

Really?

Does Ray Lewis always dance...in front of a camera?
And always mug...in front a camera?
And always caress his owner...in front of a camera?
And always manipulate scripture...in front of a camera?

The media fascination is ridiculous right now, and it is reminiscent of the coverage of Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin. Of course, as far as we know, neither of them had to hastily dispose of all the clothes they were wearing after a night on the town.

I get that Lewis is a story in this, his last season. I despise him and I always have because I don't think he is real with fans. He is absolutely a leader of men and an athlete that others seek out for leadership. What he is not, is a good and honest person to those fans who look up to him and that should matter a little.