1 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: I said to Ray, what do you have any goals 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: as a player? Yeah, and he goes, well, I'd like 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: to be the greatest ever. And I said, you mean 4 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: like the greatest linebacker ever. He goes, no, no, I 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: want to be the greatest player ever. There was a 6 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: time where they were saying, hey, that the dance is 7 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: a little old, the intro, you know, is it getting stale? 8 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: Can we do without it? And he was like sure whatever. 9 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: They broached it with the team and they're like, oh no, no, no, 10 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:26,599 Speaker 1: we need that, you know, we need that. We love that. 11 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: And I looked at Ray and I said, Ray, I 12 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: understand what those these people are telling you, But what 13 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: do you want your teammates to know? What do you 14 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,279 Speaker 1: want your coaches? What do you want Baltimore? You know, 15 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: welcome into the lounge. We have hit the road. We 16 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: are in well right, but we're gonna go to can 17 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: We can just say Northeast. We're in Northeast, so Hi, 18 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: beautiful Northeast Ohio. But we're getting ready for the Hall 19 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: of Fame game. And we want to talk about Ray Lewis. 20 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: Obviously he's the star of the show, the bill of 21 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: the ball this weekend. You're gonna throw out anymore analogies? 22 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: Do you have any more? I'm all out? Okay, So 23 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: we're ringing in two people who know Ray extremely well, 24 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: two of the people that have been closest to him 25 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: through in our organization. And the first one here is 26 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: Chad Steele, who's really I would say, raise guy, right. 27 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: I put that it's not like an official title, but 28 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: I think that's the unofficial title for eachev. I kind 29 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: of say, raise my guy. That's all I like to 30 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: say it. But we'll go with that for the podcast. So, Chad, 31 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: we just want to talk about really get from you 32 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: kind of how Ray is away from the field. You 33 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: know what the fans not see because you've had like 34 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: barbecues with him and all that stuff. You just hang out, right, 35 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: So we'll start at the beginning. Can you tell us 36 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: about the first time that you met Ray or something? 37 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: I met Ray? I was an intern. I'm not gonna 38 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: say the year I do, but but everybody probably know 39 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: because it was he dislocated his elbow in a game 40 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: and he was out for three weeks um and I 41 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: was sitting out on the practice field watching practice with media, 42 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: and he came out to watch, and you know, I'd 43 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: been there for probably a month, came up and he said, hey, 44 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: you know what's going on? We started chatting and he goes, hey, 45 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: so what do you do? You know, like a Friday night? 46 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: And I said, oh, you know, we'll go to a 47 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: restaurant to hang out whatever. He's like, would you mind 48 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: if I went with you? And I was like, yeah, sure, 49 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: ray Lewis, go ahead and give me a call and uh, 50 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: and you know, we've changed numbers and that Friday called, 51 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: a bunch of us went and hung out and just 52 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: chatted and they kind of grew from there. That has 53 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: never happened a yeah, usually we'll go to this on 54 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: for us is where are you guys go on Friday? Okay, 55 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: that's where I'm not going to be. It was, it 56 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 1: was it was a friend day in time. And let's 57 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: say that where did you go? Do you remember? It's 58 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: someplace that I lived downtown? Uh, some place downtown. That's cool. 59 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: So I'm curious from there, at what point do you 60 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: sort of become like his guy? You know, obviously you're 61 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: sort of friends in that sense, so you get to 62 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: know him from that standpoint, but you're an intern, you know, 63 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 1: obviously they're not like, Okay, we're gonna put the intern 64 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: sort of a charge of Ray Lewis, you know. And 65 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: I wasn't and and I helped out a little bit, 66 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: but it wasn't until I came back, so I left 67 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: my first full time job with It was with the 68 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: San Francisco forty Niners. So I was out there for 69 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: three years. And during that time, my sister had moved 70 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: up to the D C area and worked for Comcast 71 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: and she was covering the team and he called me 72 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: one day. I remember, I was I was on an 73 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: advanced trip in Denver and I get a call from 74 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: Ray and I'm like, what's going on? And he said, Hey, 75 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:48,839 Speaker 1: I just want to let you know I just met 76 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: your sister. She interviewed me. I'm gonna take care of her. 77 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: And I was like, wow, okay, you know that's that's 78 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: pretty cool. And then a couple of years later I 79 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: came back to to work for the Ravens and it 80 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: was it was probably then that that it was like, Okay, 81 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: this is this is your guy. You go ahead, right, 82 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: that's awesome kind of to what we were talking about before. 83 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: What what is Ray like or what was he like, Um, 84 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: you know when you guys were just hanging out at 85 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: a barbecue or whatever. You know, what is he just 86 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: like everybody else? Does he come in doing his dance? 87 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: I can honestly say he's never done the dance. When 88 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 1: we found out outside of the episode is um. But 89 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: you know, he's he's a he's still super intense. UM, 90 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: but he's he's he's a normal guy. You know. I 91 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: can remember, Um, two thousand twelve, my family was in town. 92 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 1: It was Christmas time. My parents were in town. Um, 93 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: my sister and family came in town, and uh, Ray 94 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 1: was didn't have a bunch going on. It was around Christmas. 95 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: So said, hey, why don't you come over. We're gonna eat, 96 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 1: We're gonna play some cards and just kind of hang out. 97 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: And Ray came over, and he's my parents. He has 98 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: a great lastship with my parents. My kids call him 99 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: Uncle Ray. Ray. He's just you know, he's in grain 100 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: and our family. And he was sitting there and he 101 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: was still weeks away from coming back from the torn 102 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: tricep and um. There were I think there were three 103 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: teams that we could possibly play in the playoffs, and 104 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 1: so we're sitting there, we eat and we're playing cards 105 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: and he's got an iPad on his lap and he's 106 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: going through plays looking at the teams that that we're 107 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 1: gonna play. And so that was that was his mentality 108 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: all the time. But just you know, kind of hanging out. 109 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: He's just he's a regular guy. He was. He was 110 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: a lot of fun um when he relaxed. I mean, 111 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: he's still super intense, but when he relaxes, you can 112 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: really see it in him because it's he's around the 113 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: people that he trusts and he can just kind of 114 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: let his guard down. But he's he's funny. He is 115 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: he is actually, well at least he thinks he's funny. 116 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:39,840 Speaker 1: You know, he's got a little bit of humor to him, 117 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: but he is. He's he's he's a lot of fun 118 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: to be around. What would you say is a misconception? 119 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: You know that I think everybody has their sort of 120 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: expectations of what he would be and uh, you know, 121 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: whether there's the dancing or the theatrics and all that. 122 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: What do you think is a misconception. I think that 123 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: that everybody thinks that all of that stuff is for 124 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: him and it's really not. You know, there was there 125 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 1: was a time where they were saying, hey, the dance 126 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: is a little old, the intro, you know, is it 127 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: getting stale? Can we do without it? And he was 128 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 1: like sure whatever, and um he says, I'll do whatever's 129 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: best for the team. And then they broached it with 130 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: the team and they're like, oh, no, no, no, we 131 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: need that, you know, we need that. We love that. 132 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: So I think that's the thing he's He's very giving, 133 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: you know. And there were times after games that you know, 134 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 1: some people now I think some people do, but after 135 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,799 Speaker 1: games would go out to eat and then he would 136 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: go into places in downtown Baltimore and go find Rough 137 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: Street corners and and try to talk to you know, 138 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: if it's if it's a gang banger, if it's a 139 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: homeless person of somebody that needs help, people to reach 140 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: out to them. So you're thinking about after a game, 141 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:45,159 Speaker 1: Ray lewis, you know, kind of undercover going out there. 142 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: But so a lot of what he does is for 143 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: other people, it's not for him. I remember hearing them 144 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: about that when I was a kid. I feel like 145 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: I was in like middle school or high school and 146 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: heard about Ray doing that. I was like, really when 147 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 1: he first told me, I was like, I didn't believe. 148 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, no, why legends, how do you do that? 149 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: But he has his guy Larry, who's who was on 150 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: the Baltimore Police Force, and he's been with him for 151 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: years and years, and Larry would go out with him, 152 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: you know, make sure he's safe. But those those are 153 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: the types of things that that he wandered. He wanted 154 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: to help other people. Yeah, can you talk a little 155 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: bit about that relationship between he and Baltimore. I mean 156 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: it just not every player seems to have that kind 157 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: of relationship with the city they played in. And then 158 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: of course part of that is because they don't play 159 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: in one city for some years. But it was a 160 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: special connection between Ray and Baltimore. Yeah, I think I 161 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: think it's it's number one because of how he is 162 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: and how he came up. You know, he wasn't um 163 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: was a football royalty. His dad didn't play, his older 164 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: brothers didn't play. Uh. He came from from a lower 165 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: class family and had to work for everything he had. 166 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: And he wasn't the number one pick. He didn't get 167 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: seventy million guaranteed right off the bat. He was you know, 168 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: he was down in the twenties, so uh, and and 169 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: he earned everything he got and and I think people, 170 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: as we always talk about in Baltimore's a blue collegetown people, well, 171 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: everyone in there works for what they have and I 172 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: think they identify with that. But it doesn't hurt that 173 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: you play in the same place for seventeen years and 174 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: you're the you're the you're the centerpiece of an organization 175 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: from the beginning. So I want to go to two 176 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: thousand twelve when he announces that he's going to retire. 177 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: Obviously we all remember that in the Last Ride and 178 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: all that stuff, But before he makes that announcement, I 179 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: know that you knew that the announcement was coming, and um, 180 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: I'm just curious what was going on behind the scenes 181 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: during that time, your conversations with him leading up to 182 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: the day that he announced the decision. Was he struggling 183 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: with announcing it before? Was it? Uh, just take us 184 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: kind of behind the scenes of what was going on 185 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: before that week against the Colts. Yeah, he was struggling 186 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: with it. I mean, he knew he was going to 187 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 1: do it for a while. He knew he was he 188 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: was retiring. He just didn't know how to do it. 189 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: Does does does he wait until the end you know, 190 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: do do you give your teammates and uh and and 191 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: and the city an opportunity And that's what you know, 192 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: that's what we talked about, is you know, hey, if 193 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: you're gonna do this, UM, first of all, you don't 194 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: want it to be seen the like a selfish thing, 195 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: you know, but to give the city who he's given 196 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: so much to him, they've given so much to him, 197 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: and give them an opportunity, uh, to salute him, you know, 198 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: as as he goes out in his teammates, his teammates 199 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: deserve to know UM. And so he grappled with it 200 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: for a while and and and made the decision. And 201 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: I remember I was I was sitting outside of the 202 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: team meeting room and he talked to the team and 203 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: it was it was emotional, UM. And then you know, 204 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: prepping to go talk to the media afterwards, because of 205 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: course you have to let your your teammates know first, 206 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: and then prepping to go the media afterwards, he was 207 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,079 Speaker 1: he was a little emotional as as we were going 208 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: out there, going out there to walk because it's uh 209 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: as as we know, you know what, whenever we we 210 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: hang out, it's going to be something that you've done 211 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: for years and years and years, and he had been 212 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,439 Speaker 1: playing football since he was, you know, seven years old, 213 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:54,959 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden you kind of see the 214 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: finality of it. You see, you see the end of it. 215 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: Um But the energy that it brought to him and 216 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: the energy that it brought to the team and and 217 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: the city was just absolutely amazing. I mean, you guys 218 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: remember how electric that stadium was. The coach that that 219 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: Colts playoff game, it was like, I still remember almost 220 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: every minute of that of that day. You get chills 221 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: when you think about it. So to be able to 222 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: do that with the city, have the city be a 223 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: part of it, and then ride it all the way 224 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: to the Super Bowls just it's it's it's amazing. And 225 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,079 Speaker 1: he had talked about I remember for so many years 226 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,960 Speaker 1: he would talk to players and you know, just seeing 227 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: that confetti, seeing that come down, you know that and 228 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: and players and Sizzle in particular, when I was, oh, man, 229 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: I want I want that. I want that feeling to 230 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: be able to do that. And then I remember that 231 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: day when the confetti was coming down and just kind 232 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: of looking up and I was like, wow, he was 233 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: he was from This is really really cool. So to 234 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: be able to, Uh, it was cool for him to 235 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 1: be able to take all of us along along that 236 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: journey with ye aboard that train. Yeah, yeah, Well, one 237 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 1: thing I remember from that Colts game is Ray running 238 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: around the stadium, and that means your image is also 239 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: have I been in a fewer images with them. It 240 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: was as raised doing just to set the seed, you know, 241 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: rais like it wasn't really high. He was waving to 242 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: everybody as he went around and you were kind of 243 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: running security right next to him. Is that how much 244 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: does that still stick into your head? That that lab? 245 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: You know, that lab was really cool. And I remember 246 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 1: Kevin Burne and I were talking and He's getting ready 247 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: to do this, and there were I mean, there were 248 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 1: so many media members that were going and trying to 249 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: get a piece of Kevin's like just you know, just 250 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: make sure you kind of keeping clean them do that. 251 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,199 Speaker 1: So it was just funny the looks I was getting 252 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: from people as they were running up and putting the 253 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: microphone in his face and I'd have to push it 254 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 1: down and everybody, you know, it's such a jerk, um, 255 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: But it was cool. It was cool to see the 256 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 1: reaction of the people, you know, it was actually cool 257 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 1: because there were surprisingly some Colts fans left in the 258 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: stands there, and the reaction from the Colts fans was 259 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: actually really cool too. They were geting and his respect. 260 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: You know what' funny about that. I remember when he 261 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: did his dance, and obviously that was among the most 262 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 1: electric I've ever heard the stadium. But when you talked 263 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: about Colts fans, I remember Colts players coming over to 264 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,319 Speaker 1: watch it, like right before, right before the game. They 265 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,200 Speaker 1: were kind of sneaking over and keeping it keeping an 266 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: eye on that dance. I was like, this game is over. Yeah, 267 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: I mean they're watching him like this game is over. 268 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: And that's when you hear about guys like Chuck Pagano 269 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: and Rex Ryan and those guys when they would come 270 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: into play when they were head coaches and other teams, 271 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: they were like, do not look at it. It's kind 272 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: of like Medusa, you know, don't look at it when 273 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,199 Speaker 1: it because it is, but but it envelops you. And 274 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: there were so many times where you would see they wouldn't. 275 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 1: I remember the Colts players were kind of leaking on, 276 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 1: coming over watching and usually the team would stay over 277 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: on their sideline, but they would all go over and look, 278 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: and it was you know, it was something that I 279 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: think sometimes we might have taken a little bit for 280 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: granted because you know, you you we saw it a 281 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: hundred times, but every time, you know, there might have 282 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: been a player or a fan and that that hadn't 283 00:12:57,920 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: seen it before, and you're like, man, this is this 284 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:01,839 Speaker 1: is really They're really cool. Even for me though, even 285 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 1: like every time he did the dance, I know what 286 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: you're saying, like you kind of be like, I've seen 287 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: a million times, but every time you just laugh at 288 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,960 Speaker 1: the end of it because it was just so hilarious. 289 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: I mean, the whole thing, well, it's it's theatrical and 290 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: and and he made it work. But you see, I 291 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 1: remember Steve Smith's last game and he wanted to he 292 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: wanted to do the dancing. He's like, so it called 293 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 1: Ray and you know, got permission. He's like yeah. And 294 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: seeing Steve Doott, who was one of the most intense 295 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:32,559 Speaker 1: players ever to play in the NFL, it just didn't 296 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: look right like other people kind of look ridiculous doing 297 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: on the only guy that probably could have pulled that off. 298 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: For sure. For sure, I was asked to do the radiance, 299 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,199 Speaker 1: you know, weddings, you know, whenever like you're grousing, you know, 300 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:46,959 Speaker 1: you do the entrance into the reception hall, you know, 301 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: and you come in, you know, with the girl on 302 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 1: your arms. That every time I've been in a group 303 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: from there, like come in and do the radiance. You know, 304 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: you have to do script dance. I'm like, dude, guys, 305 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,119 Speaker 1: this is gonna be bad, Like you gotta do. It 306 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: just looks terrible. Ever it does, it looks it looks 307 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: no matter who doesn't. It just always looks terrible. I'm 308 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: curious how has Ray handled retirement, because you've still been 309 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: in touch with him post retirement. For him, you know, 310 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: he's he keeps himself busy. He's got his hands and 311 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: a lot of things, you know, not only in the media. 312 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: He's got he's got businesses and companies that he's dealing with. 313 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 1: So he he doesn't slow down. You know, he technically 314 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 1: still lives in Baltimore, but every time you talk to him, 315 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: he's in Florida, he's in l A, He's he's in 316 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: New York now. He did say after this, after Canton, 317 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: he's got he's he's going to spend a week with 318 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: his with his family down to Florida and then he'll 319 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: be in Baltimore quite a bit more because a couple 320 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: of his companies are based there. But he hasn't slowed down. 321 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: He's probably even even busier now than then he was 322 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 1: back then. But you know what, guys like him, you 323 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: just you can't slow down, you know. Um, it's just's 324 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 1: he's his motor just goes. And it's not just football, 325 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: it's everything he does. So he's he's still pretty busy, 326 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: but um he he I talked to him, you've got 327 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 1: to miss it, You've got it, and he said, you know, 328 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: I don't miss the games because on Monday afterwards, your 329 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: you're sore and you're hurting. And he doesn't miss practices, 330 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: although he loved a practice, But what he says he 331 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: really misses as the locker room. He really misses that camaraderie. 332 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: He really misses those Wednesdays and Thursdays and Fridays just 333 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: sitting in there after practice, after games, just just really 334 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: hanging with it with the guys, and that's what he 335 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: misses most. So before we let you go, do you 336 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: have a favorite Ray Lewis story? I feel like everyone's 337 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: got a story. You know that that kind of sticks 338 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: out to them. Do you have one that sticks out 339 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: to you? Oh, my goodness, Yeah, that's that's. You know, 340 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: you're talking now twenty years you know of of race stories. 341 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: But you know, I think my favorite race story stories 342 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: involve things outside of football and the things he did. Um, 343 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: whenever I would get an email or a all about 344 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: a kid or or adult somebody that's going through a 345 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: hard time, and that's that's that's sick or going through 346 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: a hard time at work or at school. Any time 347 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: that we got anything like that, if he had time, 348 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: he would make sure to to go visit that person, 349 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: to call him on the phone, to have them come 350 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: out to the facilities. And and every single person that 351 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: he spent time with, he made them feel like they 352 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: were the most important person in the world. And I 353 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: think that's that's probably the lasting impression. And um, and 354 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: what of course selfishly with me when he's over we're 355 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: over there and he's with my kids and they're jumping 356 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: on wrestling with him, and and you know, him singing 357 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: to him. He's got an awful singing. But just just 358 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 1: those times where, like I said, he makes my kids 359 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: feel like they're the only person in the world. He 360 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: makes my parents when they come visit, or you know, 361 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: my wife or me, or or anybody that's talking to her, 362 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: especially these young people that struggle to make them feel 363 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: like they're the only person in the world at that time. 364 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: I think are probably my favorite memories of him. The 365 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: Super Bowl ring that I have does not hurt either. 366 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:11,719 Speaker 1: That's that's that Those those times, you know, running around 367 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: on the field, um after after the Colts game, being 368 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 1: there and kind of trying to ushering him through and 369 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,680 Speaker 1: having that confetti fall and doing those things in Super Bowl, 370 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: those are all really cool and those are memories that 371 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 1: that I'll cherish as as you know, a work Chad, 372 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: but just from Chad the person and Ray the person, 373 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:33,120 Speaker 1: those are probably the times that I'll that I'll remember 374 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 1: the most. That's cool. We'll enjoy this weekend, Chad. Thank 375 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: you for shedding some weight on on the legend. Appreciate 376 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: you having me. Now we're joined by Kevin Byrne, who 377 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: has known Ray longer than Chad. Yeah right, and Kevin, 378 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: we just you know you you have known Ray for 379 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: so long as we really want to get that perspective 380 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: on what his his journey has been like with the Ravens. 381 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: So we'll start at the very beginning and ask you 382 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 1: what was the first time that you ever met Ray Lewis. Well, 383 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 1: his flight was delayed and coming into Baltimore and we 384 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: were going to have a little press meet the first rounder. 385 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:14,199 Speaker 1: So Jonathan was there on time. Ray was late, and 386 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: so I was waiting for Ray at the front of 387 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: the old building on Owings Mills Boulevard and he came in. 388 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: He had remember, he had a big chain on, and uh. 389 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: I said, hey, we're running a little bit later here, 390 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: but before I get you with the football people, you know, 391 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: I want you to do a couple interviews here and 392 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: he said yeah, yeah. So we're walking down. He was 393 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 1: gonna interview with Scott Carson, who was doing sports on 394 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: MBR television, And I said to Ray, uh, what do 395 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: you have any goals as a player? Yeah, and he goes, well, 396 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: I'd like to be the greatest ever. And I said, 397 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: you mean like the greatest linebacker ever. He goes, no, No, 398 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 1: I want to be the greatest player ever. And I'm going, well, 399 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,360 Speaker 1: that's interesting for a young twenty year old and undersized 400 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: linebacker walking into the NFL building for the first time 401 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 1: as a Raven So um, he didn't come too far 402 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: from that, by the way. I mean, you could argue 403 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,120 Speaker 1: that he is, as Ozzie said, he among the elite. 404 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 1: He's elite for sure. So what was he like the 405 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: first few years? I mean, I I you joined the 406 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: Ravens in two thousand and eleven, and by that point, 407 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: certainly his legacy was already well established. Um, But I'm 408 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: curious what he was like before he was super VP 409 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 1: and all that. He was frustrated. We were awful on defense. 410 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: I mean, at the beginning of the if IF fans recall, 411 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 1: and some will our first couple of years. We were 412 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: good offensive offensively with any test of Verdi, and we 413 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:40,199 Speaker 1: had good receivers, we had good running backs, we had 414 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 1: a terrific offensive line with that new left tackle and Ogden, 415 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: But we were a seven on defense and and Ray 416 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: was literally making every tackle, and so he I would 417 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: say his early years he was angry because we were 418 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,199 Speaker 1: giving up yards and he was beat up because he 419 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 1: was making every tackle. And you could just see the 420 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: passion and the pleading to his teammates, you know, stick 421 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: your head in there and fight this. We can be better. 422 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: But we were just we didn't have very good athletes 423 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: on defense at that time, so so it was Ray 424 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 1: the one that went up and knocked on Ozzie Newsom's door, 425 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: was like, can you please give me Rod Woods, Michael 426 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 1: all those guys that got a several how much of 427 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: a driving force was raised frustration and that can you 428 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 1: get some big tackles? Sam Adams in front of me 429 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 1: and uh and let me roam free. So you could see. 430 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: But what you could see early is that you couldn't 431 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: run away from Ray. Offenses literally couldn't run away from 432 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: because he played in the middle of the field. You know, 433 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,159 Speaker 1: the great players you can argue Lawrence Taylor is the 434 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,920 Speaker 1: greatest defensive player, or Reggie White's the greatest defensive player, 435 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: they played on one side of the field. Ray lewis 436 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: who I would argue and and others would like Mike Nolan, 437 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: who was our defensive coordinator here and the former head 438 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: coach of the forty Niners, argue that Ray is the 439 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: greatest defensive player ever be because he played in the 440 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: middle of the field and you couldn't run away from him. 441 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: And it became a point football wise were eventually teams 442 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 1: wouldn't run screenplays against us and and the screen was 443 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: a common play in most offenses, but he sniffed it 444 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: out so quickly and he'd be there almost waiting for 445 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: the past. So they just stopped running screenplays for years 446 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 1: against I mean that is interesting when you talk about 447 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: you know, you're saying the greatest player of all time. 448 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 1: You know, it's hard to compete with the quarterbacks because 449 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,159 Speaker 1: it's such a premier position and all that goes into it. 450 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: But when you do narrow it down to is Ray 451 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 1: the best defensive player of all time? I mean yeah, 452 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,400 Speaker 1: I mean it's you would have a strong case for that. 453 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 1: We have Mike Singletary, who was could be in that circle, 454 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:48,439 Speaker 1: so to speak, dick buckets. But Mike Singletary said that 455 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 1: Ray is so much better than I was, you know, 456 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: and and we asked him to do so much more. 457 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: And then you add his leadership, his dedication, his coaching 458 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: other players. You know, come to my house. You know, 459 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: I'll feed you and guess what we're gonna do. Guys, 460 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: we're gonna watch film. And so you'd have this parade 461 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 1: coming to his house on usually Thursday nights, sometimes Wednesday night, 462 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: where they'd be doing extra work to prepare for that 463 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: week's game. I'm curious, at what point in his career 464 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 1: did you look to him and he said, this guy 465 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: is gonna be All of Famer. Well, I don't know 466 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: if you ever do that. I mean, clearly because of 467 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: his longevity and and the continuous Pro Bowls and all that. 468 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 1: You knew, but you knew early. You knew in training 469 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: camp is first year you'd hear this pop and you 470 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 1: turn around and some poor back is sitting there in 471 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: a one on one drill and took on Ray and 472 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: Ray just ran them over to get to the quarterback. 473 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: And well, that guy is special, you know. He there's 474 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 1: a there's there's explosive players, and there are a few 475 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,440 Speaker 1: players that I would call have the six inch pop. 476 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 1: You know that they could be six inches away from 477 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 1: you and hit you and you you're startled backwards. They 478 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 1: just have that explosiveness that is rare even among great athletes, 479 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: and Ray had that. Can you talk a little bit 480 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 1: about that two thousand season. I mean, when you think 481 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: about Ray Lewis at his peak, I mean two three 482 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 1: is really really good. He was a really good a 483 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:25,399 Speaker 1: lot of years, but two thousand obviously stands out just 484 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: how dominant was he that season? Well, we were the 485 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: single greatest defense, uh, single season in the history of 486 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: the NFL. You know, it was astounding, and and they 487 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:44,679 Speaker 1: were so good that Ray would basically go to the 488 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: offense and say, hey, don't screw this up. You know, 489 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 1: get six points, get nine, three field goals is fine, 490 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 1: just don't turn it over. Don't give them easy ones 491 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 1: and uh, because they were so dominant and and Ray 492 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 1: was the heart of that. But he was surrounded by 493 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: really good players on that defense. But he despite being 494 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 1: still a young young player. Remember he was twenty years 495 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 1: old when he came to us in so what is 496 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 1: he twenty four at the time. He's in charge, and 497 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: he got them early to believe why not be the 498 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:25,120 Speaker 1: greatest defensive all time? And he helped sell that throughout 499 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: the year. And you know, with Marvin Lewis was the 500 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: coordinator and Rex Ryan was defensive line coach. It was 501 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 1: a good coaching staffs too. But it was one of 502 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:36,400 Speaker 1: those things where with all those great players, you would 503 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:39,199 Speaker 1: just look up, you know, and and you and you 504 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: you almost have media going, no, he didn't have nineteen tackles. 505 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: I No, go back and look at the film he did. 506 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean, just take initial contacts, you know, 507 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: he probably had five on some games, you know, on 508 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 1: thirty where he was the first guy there, and then 509 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: you really you realize that it was more than just 510 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:04,719 Speaker 1: he is his great athleticism. He was just anticipating. His 511 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 1: study had graduated by that time where he just knew 512 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 1: what offenses were going to do. And it was a 513 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: joy to watch. It's just a complete joy. And he 514 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 1: played with such a bandon and such I don't want 515 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: to say recklessness, but maybe a bandon is the right word. 516 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: He would just fly and fly to the ball. It was, 517 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: it was. It was fun to watch. And the only 518 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: way teams were ever beating us is if they had 519 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: a quarterback who could run around. But we're playing Cordell 520 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: Stewart twice a year, we're playing Steve mcnairth twice a year. 521 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,400 Speaker 1: And he would get so angry when those quarterbacks would 522 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,160 Speaker 1: run against him, you know, and he'd be throw the ball, 523 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 1: run your office. You know, your offense can't run against us. 524 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:43,040 Speaker 1: Don't use this baby, you know, and he'd be you know, 525 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: so it was fun to watch. He was like, you know, 526 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 1: it's fun. It's funny. You say the nineteen tackles and 527 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: media complaining about that. Drill Suck swears there's a game 528 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:56,399 Speaker 1: that real Lewis is credited with a tackle where he 529 00:25:56,440 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: didn't play. That would be sizzle, he says, he sissle 530 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 1: looking up to the press box. You know, when a 531 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: safety gets a sack, goes that's my sack, which Ray 532 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: Lewis stays out to you more the two thousand one 533 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: that we just talked about two twelve at the end, well, 534 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 1: two thousand twelve I think stands out more to me 535 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:20,640 Speaker 1: because I didn't think he'd be back. You know, I 536 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: was told by the doctor that he can't play. He's done. 537 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: It's what a sad way if this is his last, 538 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: you know year. And then uh, and then I was 539 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: talking with Ozzy one day soon after Ray hurt his elbow, 540 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: and Ozzy said, Race says they didn't want to be 541 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 1: an injury reserve, and he says, I'm not going to 542 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: do that, you know, and because you gotta believe him. 543 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:46,959 Speaker 1: If he thinks he's gonna play, maybe he'll play. And 544 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: then he began a rehab that was painful and long 545 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:54,159 Speaker 1: and hard, and all of a sudden he's at the 546 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: end of December, He's saying, I'm gonna go. You know. 547 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: He was like Steve often Austin and the Biannics. He 548 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:05,919 Speaker 1: had that that that sleeve of of plastic and steel 549 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 1: on his arm, you know that. Uh and and he 550 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,640 Speaker 1: did it and and and the one thing I remember 551 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 1: is we're having a uh a conversation. And I said 552 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: to him, so, I said, what do you think, you know, 553 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: are you gonna be able to play? And he goes, yeah, 554 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna play. And I think that's gonna be my 555 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:29,119 Speaker 1: last ride. And I go, what do you mean? And 556 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: he goes, you know, my last ride. I think this 557 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 1: is gonna be it. And uh. In fact, I think 558 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell my teammates tomorrow. And I go, ho, geez, 559 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 1: that's significant, you know, um. And you at that time, 560 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 1: you don't know you're gonna be a super Bowl team, 561 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,640 Speaker 1: you know, and you see the litany of quarterbacks we'd 562 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 1: have to go through to get there. And so while 563 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: I you know, um, I went to the team meeting 564 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: the next day and he told the team. You know, 565 00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: he talked about the importance of playing hard and all that, 566 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: and how we're going to beat the Colts and then 567 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:04,440 Speaker 1: he goes, and this is gonna be my last ride, 568 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: you know. And then then you know, because information like 569 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: that is not going to last very long. I went 570 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: to rest, we need to get the media together, and 571 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: you need to you need to tell them because somehow 572 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: one of your teammates are going to tell him that. 573 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:22,919 Speaker 1: And then that began the journey through Andrew Luck and 574 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:26,439 Speaker 1: Tom Brady and Peyton Manny and Colin Kaepernick to the 575 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: Super Bowl. I still remember that press coverence being so 576 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:34,439 Speaker 1: weird because even the media like couldn't understand what was 577 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: happening when he said the last ride. Just like my reaction, Ryan, 578 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: I agree with you, when he goes, this will be 579 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: my last ride, You're just like, wait what you literally yeah, 580 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 1: he's not saying I'm retiring, you know this is my 581 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 1: last ride? Then yeah, this is my last ride. Oh 582 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: I got it. Which is just funny because like it 583 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: almost shows how all of us I thought, even though 584 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 1: he was in the seventeenth year and you should see 585 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: the writing on the wall, all of us thought like 586 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: he was instructible, Like you couldn't imagine the Ravens without 587 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: Ray Lewis at that time, Like it was just crazy 588 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: I used to joke with him. I said, Ray, you're 589 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 1: gonna play when you're forty. I'll be hanging around you 590 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: when you're forty and you'll be making tackle. He goes, 591 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: I don't know about forty. Can you talk a little 592 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 1: bit about what you know kind of to that point, 593 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: what Ray meant to the Ravens organization as a whole, 594 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: you know, our brands, all that kind of stuff, to 595 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,959 Speaker 1: our relationship with the city, all of that kind of 596 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:36,040 Speaker 1: big picture stuff. Well, I think, um, there's a little 597 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 1: bit of a racial tone to it, you know, because 598 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 1: of the accusations, the false accusation in Atlanta. I think, 599 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 1: first of all, there are there are a lot of 600 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 1: minorities in Baltimore and and uh, and we've seen now 601 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:54,080 Speaker 1: through the years that many minorities have been treated unfairly 602 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: by the government or police forces. And so I think 603 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: the black community embraced Ray early because of that. And 604 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: then the Super Bowl twelve months later, everybody embraced him. 605 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 1: And so there's there's two ways there. His image in 606 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 1: Baltimore and Maryland is different than national and national it's 607 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 1: it's uh, the unsophisticated, rather than call him stupid. Uh, 608 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: the uneducated look at him like, well, he got away 609 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: with something, which is so untrue because I sat through 610 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 1: every moment of the trial and it was awful what 611 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: they were trying to do to him, and um, and 612 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 1: if he didn't have a good lawyer, I saw, how boy, 613 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 1: if you're a minority in America, you you better have 614 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: a lawyer, a really good lawyer, or they're going to 615 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 1: put you in prison. And uh in certain situations. So 616 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:52,400 Speaker 1: so um uh. But where the country I think embraced 617 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 1: Ray is the passion he brought to the game. It 618 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: was fun to watch the Ravens, and we got a 619 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: lot of national television games, and usually it's quarterback and 620 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:03,480 Speaker 1: the running back and the receiver's bringing that audience. But 621 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 1: Ray brought an audience. People wanted to see him play, 622 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: and we want to see our defense play, And so 623 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 1: our identity became a little rough and gruff because defense 624 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: isn't pretty, you know. But Peyton Manning Aby likes Peyton, 625 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: and he drops back, plants that foot and throws that pass. 626 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 1: But defense is destruction. Defense is knocking people down. Defense 627 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 1: is collision. So our image became one of being rough, gruff. 628 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 1: But I think where they saw with Ray, rough, gruff 629 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 1: and fair because Ray's a very clean was a very 630 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: clean player, and uh was very respectful to opponents. You know, 631 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: remember that great Tennessee victory in the two thousand run 632 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: to the playoffs where he nails Eddie George where Eddie 633 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: has some trouble coming back, he steals the pass out 634 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 1: of Eddie George's arms. And yet uh, Eddie felt so 635 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 1: respected by Ray that after of the game, here's Eddie 636 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:05,680 Speaker 1: George in our locker room in his suit, just congratulating Ray, saying, man, 637 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 1: I love to compete against you, and I have the 638 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: utmost respect. And you know, and so like the Tennessee 639 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: fans who hated Ray also well that he likes him. 640 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: We gotta like him. But Ray earned his respect by 641 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 1: the way he played across the country and gave us 642 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: a certain image you kind of alluded to, you know, 643 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:25,720 Speaker 1: what happened in Atlanta. And I'm curious how did Ray 644 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: grow as a person out of that? Well, I think 645 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 1: he and he has said it. He realized that you 646 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: can't be young dumb in terms of who you're with, 647 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:41,479 Speaker 1: who you're hanging with, and what time of day it is, 648 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: you know. So Ray went from being a young single 649 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 1: guy having some fun late at night to telling teammates 650 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 1: know who you're with and be home at midnight. So 651 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 1: so there there. I don't mean to make light of 652 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: the situation because the two people died, but Ray didn't 653 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: have anything to do with that. And but I think 654 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: there was a mature e that came. They put him 655 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: in an orange jumpsuit and his kids saw that, and 656 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: you can go online and still see that, and that 657 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 1: bothered him a lot, and I think it it made 658 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:22,400 Speaker 1: him realized that everything I do around the clock, it's 659 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: gonna be witnessed by my children and also the general public. 660 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: I'm sure you obviously during that time had some some 661 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:32,480 Speaker 1: you know, powerful individual moments with him. I'm curious and 662 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: maybe it is that time or maybe it's not, But 663 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 1: is there a behind the scenes, powerful moment conversation that 664 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: you had with him that really sticks out over the 665 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: course of his career. Well, remember they dropped the charges. 666 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,840 Speaker 1: You know, the trial was carried on national television by 667 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: two networks, Court TV and ESPN, so the whole world 668 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 1: could watch what a travesty it was. And they had nothing. 669 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 1: They had they had him in a limousine, they had 670 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: him at the back of Alma as he and saying 671 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: get back in the car. That's the only only eyewitnesses 672 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: they had for Ray and so um when they dropped 673 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 1: the charges, his attorney call on a Sunday morning, said, 674 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 1: I've just been out to the prosecutor's home. They invited 675 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 1: me out. They're dropping the charges. They realized that what 676 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 1: a farce this is, and so um. So Ray had 677 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 1: a lot of people around him and they were angry 678 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:27,880 Speaker 1: because of the false accusations. So and there was basically 679 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 1: a tent village outside the courtroom of media as massive 680 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 1: because of the live television and all the other networks 681 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:37,000 Speaker 1: covering it, all the other news programs, all the Baltimore 682 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:42,120 Speaker 1: stations TV stations were down there. So when the charges 683 00:34:42,160 --> 00:34:47,440 Speaker 1: are dropping, its announcing court and Rays finished. Now Um 684 00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 1: He's basically got a pastor from his hometown who's been 685 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 1: with him. Um, members of his family, his agent all 686 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: saying screw them all. Ray, you owe people nothing. Let's 687 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,919 Speaker 1: go downstairs, get in the car and drive off into 688 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 1: the sunset. And you don't you don't explanation anything. The 689 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,720 Speaker 1: court spoke. They've treated they've treated you unfair. The media 690 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 1: has and I looked at Ray and I said, Ray, 691 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: I understand what those these people are telling you, But 692 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 1: what do you want your teammates to know? What do 693 00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:29,040 Speaker 1: you want your coaches? What do you want Baltimore to know? 694 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: You you're innocent? It's proven. You said at the beginning, 695 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:37,520 Speaker 1: I'll get my due process and they'll they'll declare my innocence. 696 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 1: And you ought to go out there and proclaim you're 697 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 1: innocent and uh, and he smiled and says that's exactly 698 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:48,040 Speaker 1: what I'm gonna do. And and his lawyer, who was 699 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:50,799 Speaker 1: recommending that he not do it, had already gone out 700 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:54,239 Speaker 1: and told the media that raised leaving the building, he's 701 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:56,760 Speaker 1: very happy. He's going to go be with his family. 702 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 1: So he walked out, Well, I guess he is here, 703 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:07,400 Speaker 1: you know, said what are you doing over here? And 704 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:10,000 Speaker 1: so I thought, well, that's that's a man's man right there. 705 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:12,239 Speaker 1: You know, that's Ray Lewis going out there. And then 706 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:14,000 Speaker 1: he went out there and he said, you know, he 707 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 1: didn't show any bitterness. He just said, look, you know, 708 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:19,000 Speaker 1: I knew I was gonna be found innocent. I'm pleased 709 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 1: they dropped the charges. There are still two people who 710 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:24,880 Speaker 1: are dead and they have to find out who did this. 711 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:27,319 Speaker 1: But it's time for me to move on. I'm going 712 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 1: back to my team, I'm going back to my city. 713 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:33,719 Speaker 1: I'm going back to my family. And uh, I appreciate 714 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:38,400 Speaker 1: you guys covering this trial. Turned around and walked away, 715 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 1: and I go, yeah, I think it's incredible kind of 716 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:44,840 Speaker 1: how he also, we were talking about this on the 717 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: plane yesterday, how he kind of elevated and played at 718 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: a plane field above all that stuff. Because I mean, 719 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:54,000 Speaker 1: even today, you still see vitriol from fans across the 720 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:56,160 Speaker 1: not in Baltimore, like you said, but people who don't 721 00:36:56,200 --> 00:37:00,800 Speaker 1: understand and and trying to almost tarnish him in his image. 722 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:03,719 Speaker 1: And he's he never got like I'm sure he was 723 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 1: angry then, but he never got angry to the point 724 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:07,359 Speaker 1: where he didn't talk to the media, where he didn't 725 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 1: relate to fame. He always played above that, which I 726 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:15,240 Speaker 1: think what he realizes that I just need to continue 727 00:37:15,239 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 1: to be myself rather than crawl into a hole. Just 728 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:20,879 Speaker 1: play my football. Let my football speak for itself. I'm 729 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:23,279 Speaker 1: a leader and uh. And so he went out and 730 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:26,759 Speaker 1: faced the music regularly. But there's unfairness, you know, and 731 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:30,000 Speaker 1: I'll I'll throw out the Baltimore Sun. Right now, Baltimore 732 00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:31,839 Speaker 1: Sun had a reporter a couple of weeks or last 733 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 1: week or less Sunday or something, has a story going 734 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:39,360 Speaker 1: to the family members if somebody was killed, and what 735 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:41,040 Speaker 1: do you think about Ray going to the Hall of Fame? 736 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:44,920 Speaker 1: Now that's you can see why presidents get angry and 737 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:47,600 Speaker 1: at the media. Why would you do that? I mean 738 00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:51,160 Speaker 1: he had he had addressed that for years after the trial. 739 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 1: You know that that that is just cheap, that is 740 00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:59,120 Speaker 1: that is that's ugly. That that it's journalism at its worst, 741 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: I believe you know. And the and the reporter wanted 742 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:04,080 Speaker 1: to talk to Ray about it. You know, we said, well, 743 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: he's addressed that years and years ago, because you want 744 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:11,040 Speaker 1: to address it again. No, No, that's unfair. It was 745 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: really unfair. But so he's going to have to deal 746 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 1: with that, uh and probably again in his lifetime. But 747 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: right now we're celebrating the great Ray Lewis, the great 748 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:24,719 Speaker 1: leader and the great football player. So in the vein 749 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:28,279 Speaker 1: of that celebration, what's uh one story. I'm sure when 750 00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:31,279 Speaker 1: you go to parties or whatever, people say, what's your 751 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:34,440 Speaker 1: best Rays? I got that all the time too. Every know, 752 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 1: everyone does want to know, like lewis a story, what's 753 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:41,920 Speaker 1: the what's the story that you tell people? Kevin Well, 754 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:47,800 Speaker 1: the one of him is the loss, you know, the 755 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:53,960 Speaker 1: the h in New England in the a f C 756 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:56,040 Speaker 1: Championship the year before the game, we should have won, 757 00:38:56,360 --> 00:38:59,239 Speaker 1: you know, with we thought we won. I thought the 758 00:38:59,239 --> 00:39:02,720 Speaker 1: receiver caught the ball, you know, and uh, we thought 759 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:05,600 Speaker 1: Billy kind of thought it was third down and all 760 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 1: because that was up on the board, by the way, 761 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: it was sit third down and uh and then we 762 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:12,880 Speaker 1: go in there and it's just so devastating. It's so 763 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:14,560 Speaker 1: hard to get there. That's what we know. And Ray 764 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:17,560 Speaker 1: knows better than most. So the player in my mind 765 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:20,120 Speaker 1: is going to be the most devastated by this is 766 00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:24,279 Speaker 1: going to be Ray. And and so John speaks to 767 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:26,760 Speaker 1: the team John Harball after the loss. I thought John 768 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:31,640 Speaker 1: was great, and then um, raceid I want to say something, 769 00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:35,279 Speaker 1: and I'm going, oh boy, you know, and then he 770 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:39,960 Speaker 1: talks about, you know, God makes no mistakes. Um, we 771 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 1: gotta find a way to get back, you know, and 772 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:46,600 Speaker 1: and uh, in that moment when he hurts so much 773 00:39:46,719 --> 00:39:50,960 Speaker 1: from not making it, and he knows that distance from 774 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:55,080 Speaker 1: two thousand one, we did to get this close and 775 00:39:55,480 --> 00:40:03,280 Speaker 1: to have it not happened. I could see about thousand players. 776 00:40:04,040 --> 00:40:06,799 Speaker 1: Give me a day, give me a moment, because I've 777 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 1: had moments with Ray after tough losses. Well, Ray's looked 778 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,399 Speaker 1: at me saying, I can't deal with it right now, 779 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 1: I'll say the wrong things. Let me get these guys 780 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:19,359 Speaker 1: tomorrow or Wednesday, you know. And so but in that 781 00:40:19,719 --> 00:40:25,560 Speaker 1: harshest most difficult time football wise, uh, he rallied. He 782 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:27,920 Speaker 1: rallied himself, and he rallied the team. And of course 783 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:32,880 Speaker 1: wila the last ride. What was the next super Bowl? 784 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:40,200 Speaker 1: It's like a movie. Yes, it couldn't write it. YEA. Well, 785 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:42,839 Speaker 1: thank you so much, Kevin. Really appreciate the insight. And uh, 786 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:44,839 Speaker 1: you know, enjoy the rest of the weekend. Thank you. 787 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:47,920 Speaker 1: It's gonna be fun, all right. So thanks to chat 788 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:50,719 Speaker 1: into Kevin. Just really good stories obviously from them about 789 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:52,759 Speaker 1: Ray Lewis. This is a guy that you know when 790 00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:54,719 Speaker 1: you write the history of the Baltimar Ravens. He's in 791 00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:58,680 Speaker 1: the first paragraph. So what's your quickly your favorite race story? 792 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:00,880 Speaker 1: My favorite race story is is I was on the 793 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:02,960 Speaker 1: field ten feet away from him when he did the 794 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:05,520 Speaker 1: last dance. So that to me is the one that 795 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 1: stands out. I'll always remember that when I think of him. 796 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:12,000 Speaker 1: That's that comes first to mind. That's cool mine is 797 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:14,840 Speaker 1: after the Super Bowl. I was one of the first 798 00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:18,000 Speaker 1: reporters in the locker room afterwards, Like I had like 799 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:22,040 Speaker 1: duped security into thinking I was part of some players family. 800 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:24,480 Speaker 1: So that's how I got on the field and was, 801 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:27,480 Speaker 1: you know, down there and celebrating and all that. And 802 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:30,319 Speaker 1: then I came off and Ray was I think one 803 00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:32,200 Speaker 1: of the first players off too to go back to 804 00:41:32,239 --> 00:41:34,000 Speaker 1: the locker room. And I went in there and it 805 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 1: was like him and like three or four of the guys, 806 00:41:37,040 --> 00:41:39,680 Speaker 1: and he had his family, like I think it was 807 00:41:39,719 --> 00:41:43,480 Speaker 1: his daughter's or something there with him, um and just 808 00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:44,960 Speaker 1: in his locker room and he was just like so 809 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:48,040 Speaker 1: emotional and like I'm like right there, he's like taking 810 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:50,400 Speaker 1: off all of his gears, super gear and it was 811 00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 1: really really cool, really special. That's cool. Did you get 812 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:54,759 Speaker 1: a piece of that gear any close? I didn't pull 813 00:41:54,840 --> 00:42:00,120 Speaker 1: what's that guy took up? Didn't pull that move. You know. 814 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:02,640 Speaker 1: As I was just telling this story, I was like, damn, 815 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:09,359 Speaker 1: I've bed if some of those even the tape, I'll 816 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:12,360 Speaker 1: take that I do remember the locker room and you know, 817 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:14,720 Speaker 1: all the guys ripping all of the Super Bowl stuff. 818 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:16,960 Speaker 1: Like there's like batters that are like taped in the 819 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:19,840 Speaker 1: locker room there. Everybody's like ripping that stuff down. I 820 00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:23,280 Speaker 1: remember I remember raised locker locker in at the facility 821 00:42:23,480 --> 00:42:26,760 Speaker 1: because after they got basically all the all the players 822 00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:30,480 Speaker 1: went and took you know, T shirts and practice jerseys 823 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:34,439 Speaker 1: and like young players taking all of the stuff going 824 00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:39,120 Speaker 1: there on age is empty. The yeah, um, but yeah, 825 00:42:39,160 --> 00:42:42,240 Speaker 1: this weekend's gonna be really fun looking forward to everything 826 00:42:42,239 --> 00:42:44,200 Speaker 1: that's going to happen, and it's it's been fun to 827 00:42:44,200 --> 00:42:46,359 Speaker 1: look back through his career this week. For sure. We'll 828 00:42:46,360 --> 00:42:48,520 Speaker 1: be back with you next week as we get back 829 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:50,640 Speaker 1: in the training camp mode. It will be the Rams 830 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:52,479 Speaker 1: are coming to town as soon as you get back 831 00:42:52,520 --> 00:42:54,920 Speaker 1: from Canton for a couple of days of practices and 832 00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:57,160 Speaker 1: then game Thursday. So we'll be back with you next 833 00:42:57,160 --> 00:43:01,160 Speaker 1: week with hopefully a new guest um and and a 834 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:03,400 Speaker 1: lot of talk about those Randoms practices. So thanks for 835 00:43:03,440 --> 00:43:04,799 Speaker 1: tuning in. We'll talk to you later.