So, I think I have a crush on Gus Johnson. Not a real crush. But a media crush. In my opinion, Gus Johnson is one of the best sports announcers out here. Why? Welll...... since you asked....
I like Johnson for a lot of reasons. He went to Howard University (shout out to the HBCUs), and although his major was political science, he's always been sports oriented. He was the QB for his high school football team in Detroit, and also played on the basketball team as well as the baseball team.
After he graduated from HU, he went on to be a play-by-play announcer for such teams like the Detroit Tigers, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Big East basketball conference. His accomplishments go on and on... because he's awesome!
But my main reason for liking Johnson is because he makes every play sound like the most exciting play you've ever seen... in your entire existence of LIFE. A defender can jump offsides in a football game and he would make the best out of it. I can hear him and his cartoon-ish voice now, "Whooooo and the linebacker was JUST called offsides!!!! Boy, that 5 yards could possibly hurt them in this game..."
Or imagine LeBron James traveling in a game that's a blowout. Johnson would make the best of it..
"OOOOOOOO.. and LeBRON JUST TRAVELED FOLKS!!! I can't BELIEVE he just did that!!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???!!!"
Johnson takes every sport you watch and liven it up about 100 notches. I know sometimes it's extremely annoying and he makes you want to say, "Okay Gus, we get it...... you're excited". But hell, I wish we had more Gus Johnsons on TV.
This is dedicated to my media crush, Gus Johnson!!!
The NFL owners meetings are still going on and they are adding changes on how to make our beloved sport a better one. But I'm starting to wonder how many changes do they need to make before it starts to look "soft"?
First there is the dubbed "Hines Ward" rule that doesn't allow players to throw blind-sided blocks to the head of a defender using his helmet, forearm or shoulder. Now, I'm not totally against this. I've seen some players get taken out by such vicious hits. Remember what Hines did to Keith Rivers?? Ouch!
But one can say that Ward was simply blocking for his teammate Matt Spaeth and it was a legal hit. No matter what we think, a 15 yard penalty will be enforced if such plays like Ward's hit happens.
While I understand they want to protect a defenseless player, where was this rule when Warren Sapp laid the wood on Packers OL Chad Clifton??? If we are gonna call Ward out, let's call the other guilty ones out. I remember that play like it was yesterday, and I thought it was far more vicious than most blocks Ward has thrown. Yet nearly 7 years after that incident, someone wants to make changes. Yeah, okay..... (note: Sorry for laughing BUT.......remember when Sapp told former Packers coach Mike Sherman to put a jersey on? The funniest 30 second dialogue in football.)
The owners also came up with what is dubbed as the "Tom Brady" Rule. This rule says that defenders who are knocked to the ground no longer can lunge into quarterbacks if the play is still going on. We all saw what Bernard Pollard did to Tom Brady.
But it was a legal hit and Pollard was playing until the whistlewas blown.
I can remember during the 2005 playoffs, Bengals QB Carson Palmer took a hit from Steelers NT Kimo von Oelhoffen that was deemed more controversial than Brady's hit. Funny.... I don't remember many owners coming to Palmers rescue.
(note: the comments in the clip are NOT those of the NFL Chick. But my guess is not many folks care about Palmer's injury so finding the clip was scarce)
While people questioned von Oelhoffen's hit (which, I didn't have too much of a problem with), I didn't hear much of a fuss regarding Brady's hit. Why all of a sudden, do folks want to take an extra effort to prevent this from happening?
I understand they want to keep "football safe", but how safe is football, really?! It's a contact sport, so injuries happen all of the time. Some illegal and intentional, others with no malice and by accident. What does changing these rules do?
I'll give you my opinion. Changing these rules does damage to the game of football because 1. it takes the physical aspect out of the sport and dilutes it. Players know the risk they take every time they step on the field. Fans love to see a good, clean hit. So when you start to eliminate such important parts of a game, it makes it look washed up.
The 2nd issue to changing the rules is, it's allows referees to have way too much control regarding to how games are called. We saw last year what happens when refs get too involved in games (Remember the Pittsburgh-Baltimore and San Diego-Denver games?????). They now have to worry about micro managing the game, which is not a great idea. The less the the zbras are involved, the better. I can't wait to see how this will work out in the upcoming season. Well... actually, I can wait.... and I'll be the first to tell you it will suck.
Is the NFL doing the right thing by creating these rules, or are they creating a softer league? Can you imagine what Jack Tatum, Dick Butkus and the Steel Curtain players are saying to these changes???
I'd love to know myself, but my guess is, they think it's becoming too cupcake for folks to stand.
I'm a blogger... blogging is what I love to do. I love to talk about my opinions on the hottest football topics, and other sports topics, just for fun. It's something I truly enjoy and hope to do for years come.
But once upon a time, not long ago, I wanted to be a sports broadcaster. In my opinion, there are a lot of attractive women out here who know sports in a way that many men do. We just don't get the recognition or respect because... well... we're females. That really sucks, because there are a LOT of us who know what we're talking about, and look halfway decent in the process.
Since this month is known as "Women's History Month", I decided to dedicate this blog to a few women currently in the sports media business who is currently paving the way for others, like myself, who would love to report the skinny on the sidelines or on the airwaves.
Reischea Candidate Candidate is multi faceted. In addition to being a sports reporter, this beautiful lady is a former athlete herself. A graduate of USC, Candidate was also on the Woman's Track Team. Candidate was known for working at Fox 5 in New York before going to Bristol to work at ESPN and ESPNEWS. Watching her makes me proud. She's gorgeous and knows exactly what she's talking about. You Go Girl!
Sage Steele
A graduate of Indiana University, Steele got her big break working at WSBT in North Bend, IN as a sports reporter. She then went to work at WFTS in Tampa, FL before coming to MD to work at Comcast SportsNet as the beat reporter for the Baltimore Ravens.
I've personally met Steele, and she is one of the nicest people and extremely knowledgeable about football. My favorite memory of her was an interview with former head coach Brian Billick. Billick could be very intimidating to some, but Steele held her own and continued to asks the hard questions, even though he tried to scare her off.
She finally left Comcast in 2007 to go to ESPN and is a regular fixture on ESPN's First Take, a daily morning show. Being as though I'm familiar with her, I'm a little biased. She was VERY good at her craft. No one has been able to fill her void since she left. It's good to see her at ESPN, where she belongs. Right On!
Rachel Nichols
This MD native graduated from Northwestern University, one of the most prestigious journalism schools in the country. Prior to her employment at ESPN, some have known Nichols as a writer for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and the Washington Post. Nichols is best known on ESPN for her NFL reporting , but her most recent notoriety has been her work on the magazine show "E-60" (which, by-the-way, is a very good show). Pictures do her no justice. I've seen her up close and personal, and she is a cutie pie. Nichols is doing the damn thing!
Suzy Kolber
I love Suzy. She's one of the most awesome ladies on TV. The Philly native was the only girl on her high school football team. Kolber got her degree from The UUUUUUU!!! In layman's terms, she graduated from the University of Miami. She's been on ESPN for as long as I can remember. She was a lead anchor of ESPN2's Sports Night and has been an anchor on SportsCenter. She has reported on NFL Countdown, and has hosted NFL Matchup in the past (which she really showed how good she was at analyzing football). Kolber has since been a fixture on the sidelines during Monday Night Football, since ESPN started broadcasting the games in 2006.
The best memory I have of Kolber, is when she was interviewing Joe Namath during a Sunday Night game, and he tried to play tonsil hockey with her. She handled it in an excellent manner. Suzy gets my utmost respect for that one.
Bonnie Bernstein
Bonnie is one of the most well rounded sports journalists out here. The University of MD grad has covered just about every event imaginable. She's covered such events as the Super Bowl, U.S. Open, NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship, all while reporting for College GameDay, NFL Today and Sunday Night Football.
I remember her best as a sideline reporter for CBS during the NFL season. The Howell, NJ native hasn't been on the scenes as much as she used to. But would always have her hands in just about any major event she could get a hold of. Work it honey!
Erin Andrews
This pretty lady is a product of my favorite college football team- The University of Florida (Go Gators!). Andrews started her career with FSN Florida as a freelance reporter, before going to become the Tampa Bay Lightening reporter for the Sunshine Network. She has also worked for Turner Sports and covered Atlanta based teams such as the Braves, Thrashers and Hawks. She went to ESPN in 2004 as a reporter for the NHL. But since no one really watches hockey anymore, her services were better used as a sideline reporter for the college football Saturday games. She is now a fixture on college football's Thursday Night games as well. I love college football and Andrews knows what's she doing.
Although she' s her best when reporting college football, she has also done sideline reporting for MLB games and also reports for Great Outdoors coverage.
I guess guys like her, too... she's been voted "America's Sexiest Sportscaster" by Playboy Magazine in 2007 and 2008. If ya got it, ya got it!!!
Pam Oliver
Pam started out as a news reporter before crossing over. She got her sports start at WTVT in Tampa. She then went to KHOU in Houston before getting her national reporting gig at ESPN. Oliver went to Fox Sports in 1995 as an NFL sideline reporter and has also worked for TNT during the NBA playoffs.
Pam is one of the most recognized female sports reporters to date. I enjoy her interviews with the players and her working knowledge of football. Pam, you better werk!
Robin Roberts
One of my favorite personalities to date, The Southeastern Louisiana University grad was also an athlete, playing basketball for the Lady Lions. She ended her career as the school's 3rd all time leading scorer.
Her sports journalism career began at WDAM in Hattiesburg, MS. She later got reporting gigs in Biloxi, MS, Nashville and Atlanta before joining ESPN in 1990 as an anchor for SportsCenter. Folks may recognize her with her cameo appearance in Love and Basketball (one of my all time favorite movies)
In 2007, Roberts was diagnosed with having breast cancer, but hasn't fallen to the deadly disease. Instead, Roberts continued to work during chemotherapy. During treatment, Roberts decided to shave her head, and at first wore a wig to disguise it. In April, 2008, she stopped wearing the wig. Her persistence to beat cancer and continue to work speaks volumes. Roberts is a beautiful reporter whose continued to do what she loves, against all odds. Although she no longer does sports reporting, she's still on the tube as an anchor on Good Morning America.
Honorable Mentions: Melissa Stark, Cindy Brunson, Michelle Tafoya, Andrea Kramer
It's that time again... March Madness has arrived... and I'm not as excited as I have been in the past.
See, I'm not dubbed as the "Sports Chick". My name is the NFL Chick for a reason. I'm a bad mutha...... when it comes to my knowledge of football. Yes, I'm tooting my own horn! I tend to focus mainly on football, whether it be college or pro. So I'd be lying if I told you that I am a die hard college b-ball fan.
The truth is, I like it, but I only follow it during.... you guessed it.... March Madness.
I do tend to get caught up in the "bracketology" just like most folks. This one job I worked at, you would've thought the cafeteria was a casino, with all the money being passed around and high fiving going on.
Everyone has the fever. You can see it on message boards, you hear about it on the radio... even talk about it amongst friends. Everyone is excited about March Madness. And I was too.... until I got my bracket.
You see, March Madness shows all of my friends and colleagues just how much I follow college basketball. Aside from the Top 25 you hear about on ESPN and Maryland (that's who I usually root for), I don't really follow it. That ignorance blares like a light in your face when someone puts that bracket on your desk/table. This is what I see when I get back to my desk from lunch during March Madness :
It's a nice clean bracket, with all of the teams and divisions listed. Easy right?! Not so. Once I get out of my Top 25, I really don't who the hell these other teams are. Radford....Who??? Steven F. Austin... Isn't that someone's name??? Siena.... Like Sienna Miller, the actress??
I start getting confused and frustrated. Ultimately my nice clean bracket turns into confusion and frustration, and ends up looking like this:
March Madness is here! Everyone's so excited. They all have the fever. I'm not there yet. I just have a cold.....
By now, I'm sure most of you are aware of the Jay Cutler situation in Denver. If you don't then let me give you a recap.
Cutler is upset because he had learned during the early ages of free agency that he was brought up in a possible trade with New England for QB Matt Cassel. While the trade didn't happen, the situation between new head coach Josh McDaniels and Cutler have gotten worse in every attempt to reconcile the situation.
Some folks think he is rightfully upset. Other folks thinks he's a big whiny brat. Which do you think best suits his handling of this. A look at both angles.
Why He Has Reason To Be Upset-
The 11th pick of the 2006 NFL Draft was drafted to be the future QB of the Denver Broncos. Mike Shanahan confirmed this when he replaced QB Jake Plummer with Cutler during the '06, when they still had a chance to make the playoffs. He had every reason to believe that his time to reign had started. Cutler's been pretty productive since taking over as the general for the team. He was in the Top 5 category in yards, and in TD passes, while being voted to the 2008 Pro Bowl. With WRs Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal as his weapons, he showed promise that he could possibly be a top quarterback in the league. All of this with a terrible defense that couldn't stop my son's Pop Warner's team if they tried.
Cutler felt betrayed by the rumors of the possible trade, and understandably so. If you are brought in to be the face of a franchise, only to learn that you are no longer looked at as such, then I think most people would react the same way that Cutler has. He has gone as far as accusing McDaniels of antagonizing him and basically admitting to intentions of bringing in Cassel because of their previous relationship. If this is true, then I can definitely understand the notion of Cutler not feeling wanted.
Shoot, we are in a recession... I guess NFL players are in the same boat........
Yeah right!! But folks want job security, and when you don't have it, you tend to panic. I can't say his feelings aren't justified. Furthermore, he's standing up for what he thinks is right. My mama always said if you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything. For that, Cutler gets a Right On! from me. Why He Sounds Like A Whiny Brat-
Although there was speculation, he ultimately wasn't traded. That should hold rank for something. It came down to being just talk, nothing more. While some people have criticized McDaniels for the handling of this situation, no report has confirmed that he initiated any trade talks. He allegedly was approached about a trade and he listened. There is no crime in that.
While I can understand Cutler's disappointment in finding this out, he's handled this in the utmost unprofessional way possible. When McDaniels made the attempt to set up a meeting do discuss what happened, it went from bad to worse. Instead of discussing their sides of the story and finding some mutual ground, Cutler had a temper tantrum and and has since put his house on the Denver market and requested a trade from Denver. Just curious, am I the only one that reads, "wah wah wah" when I read some of his quotes???
Another report has also come out that Cutler had allegedly asked to be traded once the Broncos fired offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates. While Cutler denies these reports, this is beyond petty to me. If this side of the story deems to be true, then Cutler seemed way too eager to jump ship from the beginning, starting when Shanahan was canned. While he has lost trust in McDaniels and the rest of the organization, one can also say the same for Cutler if this info is accurate. This makes him look very two faced and untrustworthy.
To make matters worse, Cutler has seemed to take it out on the community. He was invited to a fundraiser at Invesco Field, but was a no show at the event. While he did make a donation to the foundation that raises money for research and treatment for children with cancer, the fact that he allowed his personal business affect his community outreach speaks volumes about how he's handled this. This screams bitchassness to the 10th power to me......
I always believe that there are 3 sides of every story. One side, the other side and then the truth. Who knows how much of each account is true. Most could agree that both could have handled this situation much better and moved on for the better of the team. Unfortunately, it looks like this may be the end of Cutler in Denver.
Tune in to next week's episode of , "As The Broncos Squirm"..
One day not long ago, I was at home watching the NFL Network's Top Ten show. One episode that caught my eye was the "Top Ten Draft Classes"
So, I'm watching the show and on the Top 10 list was the 1983 draft class, which featured Hall-of-Famers such as Eric Dickerson, Bruce Matthews and Darrell Green.
But those weren't the players that stood out to me. I had forgotten that QB's John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino all were drafted in the 1st round of the 1983 draft. I was only 4 years old in 1983, but even today I know who Marino, Elway and Kelly are. They are looked at by many as NFL icons. Some call the 1983 draft one of the best QB drafts in the history of the league.
However, there's another draft class that has had QB's in the 1st round flourish in today's NFL. The 2004 NFL Draft.
Can you say... Manning, Rivers, and... oh yeah... Roethlisberger???
While they still are young QB's and have some years ahead of them ( if they stay healthy), this class of QB's are trying to give the 1983 boys a run for their money.
There's no question what the old schoolers have showed the youngins how it's done. They are all first ballot HOFs and with no argument.
But will the 2004 QB class surpass this class as far as excellence and accomplishment is concerned??? It depends on how you look at the overall body of work. But I'm gonna give you some things to look at while making this decision.
C'mon... It's Thursday, it's the off season and you don't have nothing else to do.
I've taken the time to review the QB's from both classes and combined their numbers in the important categories, while combining their Pro Bowl and Super Bowl appearances/wins. Now keep in mind that these numbers are based on the first 5 seasons of each player, some of which did not play each year in it's entirety. Rivers was on the bench for about 2 seasons, and Manning didn't play a full season during his rookie year.
Let's take a look, going by draft class: 1983 First Round Quarterback Class- Elway, Marino and Kelly
Combined win-loss record: 134-73-1 Avg completion %: 58.0 (note- Both Marino and Kelly were 60% or higher, but Elway's 53.6 brought this down) TD total: 358 (note: Dan Marino broke the TD record during this tenure) INT total: 229 Avg QB rating: 84.5 Avg passing yards: 3332 Total fumbles: 98 Total Pro Bowl Appearances: 8 Total Super Bowl Appearances: 4 Total Super Bowl wins: 0
2004 First Round Quarterback Class- Manning, Roethlisberger and Rivers
Combined win-loss record: 125-65 (Note- Big Ben has the most wins with 51) Avg completion %: 60.2 Total TD's: 277 Total INTs: 179 Avg QB rating: 86.1 Avg passing yards: 2686 yds Total fumbles: 101 Pro Bowl Appearances- 3 Super Bowl Appearances- 3 Super Bowl Wins- 3
As you can see, the total amount of fumbles and the win-loss records for both classes are pretty close in avg. Clearly the TD total in the 1983 class blows the 2004 class out of the water, as well as the total Pro Bowl appearances. But the best stat of all are the total amounts of SB appearances and wins. The 1983 class reached the SB 4 times within their 5 years spans, yet none got the Lombardi trophy in the end (as most of you know, Marino and Kelly retired without a SB ring. Elways did get his 2 rings at the end of his career)
The 2004 class has done what the 1983 class did not- Win Super Bowls within their first 5 years of playing, going 3-for-3 in each trip (honorable mention- QB Rivers play in the 2007 AFC Championship with a knee injury). In my opinion, that trumps just about anything else on the list. ****************TV TIME OUT**************
As a Ravens fan... it makes me want to puke just a little, to talk about Ben and his two Super Bowls. So what if I sound bitter, or more like a hater. This is my blog! (j/k... I actually like Ben)
****Now Back To Your Regularly Scheduled Program****
A lot of folks will point out that today's NFL has more complex defenses than the ones of the 80's. But the 2004 QB's have so far shown that they are on their way to elite status by complementing the stingy defenses they played with. In addition, their average completion % and QB ratings are higher than their predecessors.
We know how the careers of the '83 class ended. Marino went out holding the record for TD passes in a season (which has since been broken by Manning and Brady). Kelly had taken the Bills to 4 straight Super Bowls. And Elway rode into the sunset, with 2 late SB wins after 3 failed attempts. Much of these are why they are in Canton today. But the '04 class has thrived almost from the beginning of their careers in the NFL, and they are just getting started.
The'83 class has some SERIOUS competition. The 2004 class is ready to take the crown of "Best QB Draft"!
So which class is better in your eyes??? You be the judge.
The big NFL news over the weekend was none other than- Terrell Owens AKA T.O......AGAIN! On Saturday, Owens signed a 1 year contract with the Buffalo Bills, for $6.5 million.
Buffalo? Really?! Bills fans better get their popcorn ready, add salt and butter to taste.
This signing was one that I did not see coming, and I'm sure most would agree. Not that Owens was signed so fast, but the Bills was probably one of the last teams I expected him to sign to. That being said, based on the fact that it's a one year deal, this may not be a bad fit for either team.
I said "oh no" in my title of the blog, but that doesn't have to mean a bad thing. T.O. has a tendency to bring out the good, the bad and the ugly of each team. It all depends how much of the bad and ugly a team wants to deal with, in order to get the good.
So does this relationship work??? Let's review the good, the bad and the ugly of this recent signing.
The Good- T.O. is an extremely hard worker when it comes to football. His presence automatically makes his team better, because defenders have to game plan for him. In Buffalo, they also have a pretty good WR in Lee Evans. This makes Buffalo already a better team than last year, because they have a massive weapon of destruction....on the field that is.
The Bills are in a division that is up-and-coming to be a competitive one for some time. The Jets just hired for Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan as head coach and in the process, by stacking up their defense. The Dolphins did a complete 180, going from a 1-15 team in 2007 to a playoff contender in 2008. And the Pats..... are the Pats. They will be in the hunt every year, as long as Belichick is the coach. So where did that leave the Bills??? They started off HOT last year, going 5-1 before collapsing and finishing 7-9 and last in the AFC East.
The signing also would bring in more money by adding more fans in the stands, especially when the team plays in Toronto this upcoming season. Fans want to see the controversial player, whether they love him or hate him
I can see how this works out for all parties involved. The one year deal means T.O. will be on his best behavior.
The Bad-The last time I checked, the Bills had Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB. Neither are top tier at their position. Edwards wasn't the same once he suffered a concussion during last season. And Fitzpatrick did an okay job replacing Carson Palmer in Cincy, but he's a QB that runs under pressure. (sidenote: JP Losman is no longer with the Bills. He was on Kyle Boller status to me anyway. Waste of a 1st round pick). That brews trouble in T.O.'s World.
You see, T.O. loves the ball, like most WRs do. If Edwards and Fitzpatrick continue to struggle, expect T.O. to have B.O.
Excuse me, wrong saying... I mean, expect T.O. to be PO'd... as in, pissed off. We all have seen this before. Edwards is still a young QB, and having someone constantly in your ear asking for the ball could lead to bad things. Throwing balls in double and triple coverage, making poor decisions on the field, just to name a couple. This could possibly have a negative affect on the 3rd year QB's growth. Hopefully, Edwards won't have this issue. But if he does..... it'll be a long season
The Ugly- Man, where do I begin???? In San Francisco, he basically called QB Jeff Garcia gay.
In Philly, he turned on QB Donovan McNabb and got into a physical altercation with former Eagle Hugh Douglas.
In Dallas he disregarded Jason Garrett's game plan, accused Tony Romo of scheming plays behind his back, and almost got into a fight with TE Jason Witten, which eventually led to his departure
T.O. is clearly not a legal liability. But in the past, he has become a team liability. There are a good amount of folks that defend him. But his track record speaks for itself. Buffalo is his 4th team. His numbers say future hall-of-famer, but his team hopping says trouble maker. Most teams believes he cares about no one but himself and his numbers. Add that with the fact that, given his great ability to play WR he still hasn't won a Super Bowl, GMs tend to pass him over.
T.O. is 35 years old, he can still play at a high level. Although he was ranked in the Top 5 for dropped passes, he also averaged 10 TD's in each of his 3 seasons with Dallas. He has least 2 to 3 years left in the tank to play. It's quite possible that T.O. plays on yet another team next year, since he only received a 1 year deal with the Bills. So I expect him to get one more contract, possibly a 2 year deal, before he hangs up his cleats for good.
This may work out for everyone involved. T.O. gets to audition for real playoff contenders with this upcoming season, while the Bills could drastically get better on offense (they ranked 25th in overall offense last season). And in the meantime, they can make sweet, beautiful TD's together.
So I'm sure you have heard by now that Ray Lewis has come back to the Ravens, signing a 3 year deal to more-than-likely retire a Raven.
This make the Ravens and a lot of their fans happy. But let's be honest, this contract didn't happen without a little bit of drama.
On Friday, NFL Network's Adam Schefter reported that Lewis allegedly said he would rather retire than come back to the Ravens. This infuriated a lot of fans (myself included) once word got out. Why bite the hand that fed you? At that point, he didn't receive any other offer from other teams, as he expected. Eventually, he picked his face up from the ground and said he never said such things, and that he would consider coming back (pretty convenient once he realized he wasn't as hot a commodity as he thought).
For the most part, all is forgotten now that Ray is back. But I got the exclusive on what really went down between Ray and the organization. To entertain you better, I've added some extras to liven up what happened
3/27, 12:00am Ray- WHAT TIME IS IT?!
Agent- PAY TIME!!!
Ray- I'm free! I'm FREE!!!!! I'm so blessed, God has freed me! Finally!
Agent- Man, you are about to get paid!!!!! You're gonna make it rain!! It's gonna be
You're freakin' Ray Lewis, who wouldn't want you on their team?!
Ray-
12:30am
Agent- Don't worry, we have so much time. They'll be calling soon. I guarantee it. You're freakin' Ray Lewis
Ray- Oh I know, I'm the best MLB ever! I'm inhuman!
I can changes teams. Who wouldn't want me??
8:30am Ray- Hey, did JJ call yet?? Anybody??
Agent- Nope, but give it some time, you're freakin' Ray Lewis!!
12:30pm
Ray- What the hell is going on??? Why isn't your phone ringing?? Albert just got a stupid amount of money. Hell, so did DeAngelo and he can't ball like me. And how did old a&% Brian Dawkins get picked up before me?? I swear, I'll retire before I go back to B-More. $17 mil guaranteed? For what I did for this team?? Who do they think I am? I WANT MY MONEEEEYYYYYY!!!
Agent- JJ must be sleeping, give it some time, you're freakin' Ray Lewis, for crying out loud!!
4:30pm
Agent- Okay, time to do damage control. We need to issue statement to say you never said you didn't think of returning, and that you never said those things to DeMarcus
Ray- So, you want me to lie and deny????
Agent- Basically... yes I do.
Ray-
2/28, afternoon time
Agent- Look..... I think it's time to throw in th.....
Ray- I'm not throwing in anything. I'm Ray Lewis. You best believe someone is gonna call me. Tell you what, if we don't get a decent offer before Monday, I'll go back to the Ravens. But it won't happen. I'm Ray Lewis
3/2, sometime during the day
Agent- Ray, it's Monday and you said.....
Ray- I know what I said. I'm Ray Lewis!!! Ray remembers everything he said! Gimme til Tuesday. The dust has settled from the first days of free agency. You'll see, they'll be calling!
3/3, 8:59pm
Agent- Hello... Ozzie?? Ray wants to make sure that offer still stands....uh huh.............. uh huh................ okay... yeah, Ray always wanted to be a Raven anyway. You understand, right?! It's just a business, that's all....okay...... thanks again, for everything
Ray- *sigh* I don't understand.... I'm Ray Lewis. No one wanted me? No one?!! Now I have to go back and kiss Ozzie's a&$ and tell everyone I'm happy to retire a Raven. I shouldn't be looking for Ozzie, Ozzie is supposed to be looking for me... I'm Ray Lewis... Now I have to eat my words... The fans hate me right now.... this sucks!!!!
3/4, 6:07pm
Ray- From beginning to end as a Raven … Wow! My heart is with the Ravens. My heart is with Baltimore and the great fans........
There you have it, the scoop on what REALLY went down with Ray Lewis and his decision to re-sign to Baltimore. But don't tell them you heard it from me!!!
Disclaimer: Don't be mad, it's just COMEDY! Although I was disappointed in the way Ray handles this situation, I'm glad he's back to Baltimore, where he BELONGS!
