Ray Lewis to become ESPN TV analyst

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Ray Lewis, the animated, outspoken, Super Bowl-winning former Baltimore Raven, has signed up to become an ESPN broadcaster.

Lewis will join the ranks of the NFL Sunday and Monday Countdown teams as a studio analyst in addition to appearing on Sportcenter and contributing to annual Super Bowl coverage, reports ESPN’s Bill Hofheimer. Lewis is slated to begin work for ESPN in August, less than two months after notching his second Super Bowl title.

Lewis’ career has been a constant point of intrigue for media and fans alike. His outlandish and often times contradictory behavior on and off the field have made him an enigmatic figure in the world of professional sports.

Lewis narrowly escaped murder charges in 2000, and instead plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice in connection with the crime. The stabbing on the night of 31 January, outside of an Atlanta nightclub saw the deaths of two men who were allegedly in Lewis’ entourage, but also marked a turning point in the young linebacker’s life. In an interview with Yahoo last January, Lewis said “what I went through actually saved my life.”

Since those dark days, Lewis accrued a resounding number of accolades, cementing his place as a shoe-in at the NFL hall of fame and as the spiritual leader of the Ravens – his only team throughout a 17-year career.

ESPN chronicled Lewis’ turbulent past and rise to preeminence in a 2012 episode of E:60, which portrays him as a changed man who grappled bouts of depression throughout a chaotic and poverty-stricken adolescence. And ESPN doesn’t seem to be wary of the stigma Lewis still carries from his conviction in 2000. But the public hasn’t forgotten, as Twitter has been abuzz with mentions of Lewis’ controversial past:

Good to see Ray Lewis on Sportscenter. He cleans up well. Didn’t even see any bloodstains on his shirt.
— Shawn Courchesne (@ShawnCourchesne) March 13, 2013

John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president of production boasted Lewis’ accomplishments: “One of the most accomplished players in NFL history, fans will be drawn to his knowledge, experience and, of course, the passion he always exudes for the game.”

Lewis added: “I’m ready to bring the same level of passion to this next phase of my life as I brought to the field during my years as a player.”

What hiring Ray Lewis will do for ESPN

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What hiring Ray Lewis will do for ESPN

n a move that had been expected ever since Ray Lewis announced his retirement, ESPN formally hired the star linebacker on Wednesday to serve as an on-air NFL analyst.

Lewis was one of the NFL’s most bombastic, polarizing figures over the past decade, with his murder trial and pre-game theatricals serving as a counterweight to his on-field dominance and two Super Bowl championships. While Lewis unquestionably excelled at the game itself, it’s uncertain whether he’ll have a successful — or even passable — career on air.

ESPN, obviously, thinks he’ll be great, and is treating the hire as a major coup. In making the announcement, ESPN said it was betting that Lewis’ long career — he played 17 seasons in the pros, an unusually long run for an NFL player — meant he was uniquely qualified to provide insightful analysis.

“One of the most accomplished players in NFL history, fans will be drawn to his knowledge, experience, and, of course, the passion he always exudes for the game,” John Wildhack, an ESPN executive vice president, said of the move.

The Baltimore Sun’s Kevin Cowherd is similarly optimistic that Lewis’ intensity would translate well to his new role.

“He’ll be taught how to make his points directly, how to interact with the others on the set, when to talk, when to shut up completely,” says Cowherd. “If the network consultants are smart, they’ll let Ray’s passion for the game and his amiability shine through and not be stifled by a lot of show prep.”

Lewis’ passion extended beyond the field to his training regimen and rigorous game preparation, which is why he was able to remain relevant in the game for so long even as he grew older. If Lewis brings that same work ethic to ESPN, some believe he’s bound to do well.

“That type of drive to succeed is why he will probably have plenty of success in his new career as well,” writes Bleacher Report’s Tim Daniels. “While it will probably take some time for him to adapt to breaking down what happened on Sunday instead of taking part in it, he should eventually find a comfort zone.”

Lewis’ baggage, however, is nothing less than gargantuan. He’s loathed by many who think he’s a self-centered blowhard, an impression that has been bolstered by frequent religious preaching.

And Lewis will always be linked to the murder trial. He pled guilty to obstruction of justice charges for misleading investigators about his role in a fatal stabbing in 2000. Some believe he may even have been the murderer himself, and let members of his entourage take the fall.

ESPN reportedly weighed whether that alone would make Lewis too controversial for TV.

Lewis, who played his entire career for Baltimore, could also struggle to remain objective in his assessments and coverage. Accusations of bias are frequently tossed at broadcasters — think Joe Buck with baseball — and Lewis may find it hard to keep his love of the Ravens in check.

“Ray Lewis Bias Opinion Hits ESPN Airwaves,” proclaimed a headline from SportsTalk Florida.

Lewis, with his boundless charisma and passion, will undoubtedly be a major presence on the air. Yet it remains to be seen whether that presence will add anything to the coverage, or merely give detractors yet another reason to keep hating on Lewis for years to come.

Baltimore Ravens reach three-year deal—Chris Canty

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Baltimore Ravens reach three-year deal—Chris Canty

The Baltimore Ravens now have something that qualifies as good news to take out of the first day of NFL free agency.

The Ravens fortified their defensive line Tuesday by signing free-agent defensive tackle Chris Canty, who posted a picture of his signed contract from his Instagram account.

NFL.com’s Albert Breer reported that Canty’s contract is worth $8 million over three years, with $2.8 million guaranteed. The Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs all were interested in Canty’s services. Interestingly, Breer reported that Packers doctors wouldn’t sign off on Canty after his physical.

Canty comes to Baltimore after spending the last four seasons with the New York Giants. He appeared in nine games last season, finishing with 26 tackles and three sacks. He adds much-needed depth to a Ravens defensive line that lacked depth behind Haloti Ngata. They got by with Ma’ake Kemoeatu and Terrence Cody last season.

Canty isn’t a star, but he represents an upgrade.

The play of the defensive line will need to improve as the Ravens rebuild a linebacker unit that now has lost Ray Lewis and Dannell Ellerbe, who agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins earlier Tuesday. Paul Kruger also is history after agreeing to a big deal with the Cleveland Browns.

Ravens Dannell Ellerbe, Miami Dolphins strike $35M contract

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Dannell Ellerbe, Miami Dolphins strike $35M contract

The escape from Baltimore continues, as Ravens linebacker Dannell Ellerbe on Tuesday agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins, according to NFL.com’s Albert Breer.

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport cited a source in reporting Tuesday that Ellerbe’s contract is worth $35 million over five years.

Not long after Ellerbe’s agreement with the Dolphins, NFL.com’s Jeff Darlington reported that Karlos Dansby will be released, according to a team source. The South Florida Sun Sentinel, citing a team source, said Dansby was asked to restructure the five-year, $42.5 million contract he signed three years ago as a free agent. Dansby declined.

Losing Ellerbe to the Dolphins is a huge blow for the Ravens. They traded Anquan Boldin in large part because they wanted to lock up younger guys like Ellerbe. Breer reported Ellerbe was the team’s top priority. The sides negotiated all morning, but the Ravens clearly couldn’t match the Dolphins’ cash — and salary-cap space. Paul Kruger also left Baltimore for the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns on Tuesday.

The Dolphins spent huge money on Day 1 of free agency with Mike Wallace and Ellerbe, but at least they spent that huge money on young players. Wallace was the top deep receiver available. Ellerbe was our top inside linebacker available. He adds youth and versatility to an aging Miami linebacker group.

Ellerbe can do a little bit of everything. He can rush the passer, stop the run and cover receivers. He’s the type of player you want to invest in. Now the Ravens just have another big hole to fill on their defense.

Joe Flacco said: Ray Lewis’ speeches to Ravens were funny

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Joe Flacco: Ray Lewis’ speeches to Ravens were funny

Even the most die-hard Baltimore Ravens fan has to admit Ray Lewis’ speeches were a little, um, overboard at times. Not questioning his intent, but there were some comical times amongst Lewis’ screams, shouts, dances and muttering to himself.

Even Joe Flacco thought so.

“Oh, it’s funny,” the Ravens quarterback told USA Today on Saturday. “His speeches come from the heart, but there’s definitely times where I’m sitting there kind of chuckling to myself. It’s all good. There’s nobody that’s more passionate about what he does than that guy.

“So you just sit back and take it all in, but there’s times where he says some stuff and you’re like, ‘Man I don’t know what that meant, but I like how he said it.’ ”

There were times when Lewis started to preach and you wanted to suit up yourself. But admit it, there were times it was all a bit much …

(By the way, is it just me or has Flacco been a lot more outspoken since signing his $120.6 million contract? Someone might be feeling the comfort of a Super Bowl win and financial security.)

Ray Lewis’ Speeches Were Actually Hilarious According to Ravens’ Joe Flacco

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Ray Lewis’ Speeches Were Actually Hilarious According to Ravens’ Joe Flacco

Ray Lewis’ famed speeches were inspirational and legendary. According to Joe Flacco, they were also damn funny.

Per a USA Today report, Flacco was not unlike a high school kid chuckling to himself at the back of the class at times this season.

Those emotional speeches delivered by Ray Lewis sometimes delved into the bizarre, giving the Super Bowl MVP a bad case of the giggles.

“Oh, it’s funny,” Ravens quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco told USA TODAY Sports at a charity event Saturday. “His speeches come from the heart, but there’s definitely times where I’m sitting there kind of chuckling to myself. It’s all good. There’s nobody that’s more passionate about what he does than that guy.

“So you just sit back and take it all in, but there’s times where he says some stuff and you’re like, ‘Man I don’t know what that meant, but I like how he said it.’”

For those needing extra motivation to get through the rest of the work week, or perhaps added incentive to lift an entire car, here are a couple of Lewis’ more popular speeches.

Here he is talking to the Stanford basketball team, who then left the locker room by busting through walls.

Here is the speech that greets players when booting up EA’s Madden 13. That way, you get amped for life before wasting 14 hours indoors playing a video game.

So you see, his speeches are indeed motivational steroids. However, you could see how a season of listening to them may serve to have each one lose its luster.

Flacco is now the leader of the team, enjoying a nice pay raise after winning the Super Bowl—he recently signed a new contract of $120.6 million over six years. Though, he is content with his own brand of leadership.

“I don’t do what Ray does, but I’m the leader of the football team,” he said. “I do it in my way. There are people that do it different ways and obviously we’re able to do it pretty well.”

So don’t expect Flacco to get up in front of the players before each game and deliver a speech that is so over the top that some might fall over laughing.

From now on, the Ravens may have to corral around someone’s laptop and just watch Lewis’ speeches on YouTube, because they continue to be just as effective.

Ray Lewis, Matt Birk placed on reserve-retired list Ravens save $6.4 million against the salary cap

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The Ravens have officially placed inside linebacker Ray Lewis and center Matt Birk on the reserve-retired list.

With Lewis, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Birk, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, retiring, the Ravens have realized a total savings of $6.4 million against the salary cap for the 2013 fiscal year.

Lewis’ retirement gives the Ravens back $4.35 million in cap savings while Birk’s retirement gives the Ravens back $2.05 million against the salary cap. Lewis had a scheduled $5.4 million base salary, and Birk was due $2.75 million.

With 49 contract commitments for 2013, including $1.8 million in dead money for former Pro Bowl kicker Billy Cundiff and cap figures of $13.02 million for outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and $11.05 million for defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, the Ravens’ new salary-cap total is $105.919 million with Lewis and Birk going off the books. -

With the NFL Players Association informing agents via a letter obtained by The Baltimore Sun that the salary-cap limit is set at approximately $123 million with over $200 million carried over from last yesar, then the Ravens currently have $18.2633 million in cap room to spend. That figure includes $1.182 million carried over from 2012, but it doesn’t reflect any re-signings yet of the Ravens’ unrestricted free agents or tenders assigned to restricted free agents.

Lewis and Birk retired following the Ravens’ Super Bowl championship victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Lewis announced that he would retire prior to the start of the postseason. And Birk made his announcement last Friday during an appearance at Battle Grove Elementary in Baltimore.

Six Pack of Pop: Ray Lewis

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Ray Lewis, the recently-retired two-time Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens, waved the green flag as the honorary starter to begin the 2013 Daytona 500. The certain NFL Hall of Famer spoke to the media before the event at Daytona International Speedway.

Q: Ready to be the official starter?
Lewis: “I’m a little nervous. I actually had Brad (Keselowski) ? he texted me on the way in. He said the one rule is, don’t drop the flag. So I guess I can’t drop the flag. But I’m excited.”

Q: You’re here at the Daytona 500, as are rappers 50 Cent and T.I. What does that say about the NASCAR fan base?
Lewis: “The things that we actually indulge in are just overwhelming at times. We’re just real art fans. It’s not just football, just music. We like everything — basketball, lacrosse, hockey, anything. Anything that really challenges a person’s athletic side and mental capacity. So being here today is an awesome experience I think for all of us, because we get to see a totally different world than our world. Our world is different. You see these race cars, and it’s like  — wow. To be able to control machinery like that — I actually drive my car fast, but not as fast as they drive here.”

Q: How did your relationship with Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski begin?
Lewis: “Honestly, with me and Brad, he got in contact with me a few months ago, and he’s following my last ride. He came to a couple of my games, and I caught a glimpse of how he’s always watching my videos and really inspired him in different things. So that’s when me and him really started to have a conversation with each other. From there it just turned into a friendship.”

Q: Do you and Keselowski stay in touch?
Lewis: “We texted each other with motivational things and I kind of send him a heads-up about what I’m doing, and he’s kind of followed my ride all the way through. That’s kind of the way the relationship has gone. On my way in, I was just telling him, ‘Do what you do. Stay calm and have fun doing what you do.’ So we just have conversations like that.”

Q: Your son recently committed to play football at your alma mater, the University of Miami. Ready to enjoy being a dad in your retirement?
Lewis: “I’m retired and ready to enjoy life, and ready to tailgate and do all those things. So it’s probably one of the most exciting things. Winning a Super Bowl was awesome, don’t ever get me wrong. But watching my son walk into college in another month or so will probably be the most amazing thing I’ve probably ever done.”

Q: You’re used to being in the spotlight in the NFL. How does that compare to being at the Daytona 500?
Lewis: “In my world, I’m very comfortable because I kind of know my world. But raising the flag, I might be a little nervous. I don’t really know. I might be a little nervous, so I will squeeze it very hard when I’m holding it. But honestly, it’s going to be good time. I’m really here just to get these guys going and just really watch the respect of what they’re going to do, and getting out there to everything they can to be crowned champion. Just to be a part of it, just to be around it, is an awesome experience.”

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Ray Lewis ‘agitated’ banned-substance accusation

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Ray Lewis ‘agitated’ banned-substance accusation

Ray Lewis continued to deny the validity of a Sports Illustrated story accusing him of attempting to purchase a banned substance.

At his Super Bowl XLVII news conference Wednesday, Lewis’ denial was even more forceful than it had been on Tuesday. The story linked Lewis to deer antler spray to aid his recovery from a torn triceps. Lewis said he was “agitated” about the report and blamed the story on “cowards.”

“I think this is probably one of the most embarrassing things that we can do, on this type of stage,” Lewis said. “When you let cowards come in and do things like that, to try to stir something. It’s just sad that someone can have this much attention on a stage this big. I don’t need it, my teammates don’t need it, the 49ers don’t need it, nobody needs it. It’s very foolish.”

Lewis insisted the accusation would not distract the Ravens from their preparations for the Super Bowl.

“It’s not (a distraction), it’s a joke if you know me,” Lewis said. “I’ve been in this game 17 years. I have too much respect for the business and my body to ever violate (it) like that. To entertain foolishness like that, from cowards who come from the outside to try to destroy what we’ve built? It’s sad to even entertain it on this type of stage.’’

Ravens coach John Harbaugh strongly backed Lewis and expected him to remain focused on Sunday’s game.

“Ray is a singularly focused individual,” Harbaugh said Wednesday. “He also knows there’s nothing to it. That’s something he’s never, ever been involved with. It’s kind of too bad that someone was given an opportunity to get some free publicity out there, undeserved and unearned.’’

Harabugh said he spoke to Lewis about the situation and came away unconcerned.

“As a football team, it’s not a factor for us,” Harbaugh said. “He kind of laughed about it and he told me there’s nothing to it. Ray’s honest. Ray’s straightforward. He’s told us in the past, he’s told us now that he’s never taken any of that stuff — ever. I believe Ray, I trust Ray completely. We have a relationship. I know this man, I know what he’s all about. It’s just too bad that it has to be something that gets so much play.”

The comprehensive report says that shortly after suffering the injury, Lewis placed a call to the co-owner of a company called S.W.A.T.S., “Sports With Alternatives to Steroids.” Its website claims to “provide athletes with healthy alternatives to sports performance enhancers.”

Mitch Ross, reportedly a former male stripper and admitted former steroid dealer, taped the conversation with Lewis, SI.com said.

A slew of products allegedly were “prescribed” by Ross to Lewis. Among the items, holographic stickers, powders and beam-ray light with specific frequencies. Deer antler pills and sprays also were part of the package.

The SI.com report says Lewis was advised to use the spray every two hours under his tongue. Lewis then told Ross to “just pile me up and just send me everything you got, because I got to get back on this this week.”

There is no proof Lewis received or ingested any of the substances named.

The Ravens’ star vehemently denied the report when asked to respond at Super Bowl Media Day on Tuesday.

“That was a two-year-old story that you want me to address,” Lewis said. “I wouldn’t give him the credit, to even mention his name, or his antics. I can’t do it. I won’t even speak about it because I’ve been in this business 17 years. And nobody has ever got up with me every morning and trained with me. Every test I’ve ever taken in the NFL, there’s never been a question if I’ve ever thought about using anything. So to even entertain stupidity like that? Tell him to go and try get his story on somebody else.”

Where it gets murky is whether or not the substances even work. Experts in chemistry and electrical engineering are cited in the report questioning S.W.A.T.S. products—”No such thing as negatively charged water,” one official said.

Lewis isn’t the only athlete named in the report, but he’s arguably the highest-profile participating in Super Bowl XLVII.

Ray Lewis has said he never took the supplements offered by Sports With Alternatives to Steroids

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Hue Jackson apologizes to Ray Lewis and entire Ravens organization for introducing them to S.W.A.T.S owner

Ray Lewis has said he never took the supplements offered by Sports With Alternatives to Steroids, but it’s hard to deny he didn’t know the co-owner of the controversial supplement company after Hue Jackson has apologized for introducing Lewis and other Baltimore Ravens to him.

In a phone interview with the Baltimore Sun, former Ravens assistant Jackson said he was sorry for the distraction the controversy has caused. He told the paper he met S.W.A.T.S. co-owner Mitch Ross at the 2008 scouting combine. Yahoo! Sports online magazine ThePostGame.com reported in 2011 that the NFL told Jackson, then the Raiders coach, to cut ties with the company because it produced a deer-antler extract spray that contained the banned substance IGF-1. Ross said he gave supplements to Lewis after the linebacker tore his triceps in October.

“First of all, I’m disappointed for the Ravens,” Jackson told The Sun in a telephone interview Wednesday night. “You hate to ever put an organization in that kind of situation. I never knew the young man [Ross] could be that way. I apologize for the whole organization. It should be about the Super Bowl.”

Lewis has denied taking supplements from S.W.A.T.S. As Yahoo! Sports’ Dan Wetzel wrote, Lewis said he “never ever took what he said,” and called Ross “a coward.”

Jackson, who is now on the Cincinnati Bengals’ staff, told the Sun he believes Lewis is clean and has never used banned substances.

“Ray is one of the greatest football players to ever play the game,” Jackson said, according to the Sun. “This kind of thing should never happen to him. He doesn’t deserve it. It’s not fair. This is not about talking about a relationship that he met a guy a few years back. It should be about him trying to win the most important game of all this season. Ray means the world to me. Ray has spoken his peace and I stand behind him 100 percent.”

After Sports Illustrated brought the issue to light early this week, Ross has continued to stick by his story and defend his company, saying he did set Lewis up with a recovery program but Lewis didn’t do anything wrong.

“It’s a shame that Ray is denying taking it,” Ross told the Sun. “The NFL is uneducated. This is not a steroid. It’s not illegal. Ray is not a cheater. He did it the right way. Ray is a good man. He did the work. He rehabbed his arm and did the workouts. This isn’t a shortcut. It’s just natural science.”