OT: Should Ray Lewis be inducted into the Hall of Fame

Submitted by gutnedawg on
Does Ray Lewis deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Certainly his on field performance would warrant it but do his off field problems keep him from it? I just can't get over his past but it seems like the majority of the media has, or at least they have ignored it because his retirement coupled with the Ravens playoff run provides for a great story.

Jehu the Damaja

January 23rd, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^

Without a doubt. I know he has an iffy past, but he is the true leader of that team and he works so hard and gets his team motivated because all he wants to do is win. I know some people won't agree with me, but when he becomes a coach somewhere, I would want my kid to play for him in a heartbeat.

cm2010

January 23rd, 2013 at 12:53 PM ^

None of us know what he did, so I'm not going to act like I do. The criminal justice system did what they thought was right with him, and he paid his price. What I do know is that he has been an active and positive influence in his community ever since. I believe that people can rehabilitate themselves, and that he's a positive example of that. I think his legacy is one of reform, not that famous people might get away with murder.

Jehu the Damaja

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:45 PM ^

Exactly this. He was involved in one incident 13 years ago and was cleared of charges. Since then there has not been one negative incident involving Ray Lewis. He is a big part of the Baltimore community and does a hell of a lot for them. People can change and he seems like he's definitely done that and more. I bet all of his teammates would back him up if anyone said something negative about him.

littlebrownjug

January 23rd, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^

Without a doubt he is in on the first ballot. He dominated from day one, and he will retire when he is still playing at a really high level. Ray is one of the greatest ever to play LB or defense for that matter, and it will be interesting to see what happens to Baltmore if Ed Reed joins him in retirement post super bowl. Ed is another all time great, but it is remarkable how Ozzie Newsome has built up the offense so well.

hail2mich

January 23rd, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^

It amazes me how his great personality and leadership skills have made it almost taboo for anyone to even talk about his past. There are a lot of missing pieces in that case, and Ray Lewis is a big chunk of the missing story. You cannot deny that, no matter how you feel about him.

Anyways he'll get in. He's one of the greatest players of all time and he deserves it. I don't have a problem with that. But I do have a problem with how the media has put him on a pedestal as some great humanitarian and role model. That, he is not.

stmccoy

January 23rd, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^

No question, first ballot HOF.  Guy has played linebacker at a high level for 17 years.  You can't keep him out for pleading to obstruction of justice.  Ask someone in Baltimore about all the philanthropy the guy does. 

Ron Utah

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:05 PM ^

Obviously good-doing doesn't erase or undo the past, but Ray Lewis--by all appearances--has reformed himself and become a great team player, community member, and maybe even a role model.

The HOF is not (nor should it be) a referendum on a man's past.  If Ray Lewis had committed murder on the football field, done steroids, or some other "evil" that gave him an advantage or compromised the integrity of the game, I'd say his admission to the HOF might be questionable.  But off-the-field issues from more than a decade-and-a-half ago shouldn't keep someone out of the Hall, even if he did some really bad stuff.

But no matter what we think, he will be inducted, and almost certainly as a first ballot member.  He's one of the best LBs of all-time.

Bluemandew

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:21 PM ^

So your argument is as long as a athlete is great at what he does and there is no douubt that Lewis is great. That the athlete can do whatever they want and as long as they do enough good deads later it wont matter.

It just frustrates me at times. Watching through my schooling and work normal non famous people dealing with the consiquences of there mistakes for the rest of there lives no matter how reformed they are and some people because they can tackle or throw a ball or act whatever just seem to get a pass.

I know I know lifes not fair nor will it ever be

Ron Utah

January 23rd, 2013 at 4:14 PM ^

No, that's not my argument.  My argument is that a player's misdeeds that are unrelated to his football career should not keep him out of the HOF.  If Michael Vick had come back to the NFL, played at or near MVP level for 10 years and won three superbowls, he would deserve consideration for the Hall.

FACT: Ray Lewis is a HOF football player, and his football career is deserving of HOF recognition.

FACT: Ray Lewis has done some terrible things in his life.

I'm not saying Ray Lewis should get a free pass.  I'm not saying the guy is innocent or that he deserves your respect or admiration.  I'm not saying I would trust him, or that I want him as my friend.  I'm saying he's a Hall of Fame football player, and that's what the Hall of Fame is all about.  It's not an award for off-the-field character, nor should it be.  And if you look at some of the other guys that have gotten into the HOF, they are not exactly model citizens.

firrman

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^

He plead Guilty to a lesser charge , but in the same right why did he pay off two families if he was not guilty of the two men being stabbed to death ... his two friends were both aquitted.

Besides all that I believe Ray Lewis is a First Ballott Hall of Famer .

firrman

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^

He plead Guilty to a lesser charge , but in the same right why did he pay off two families if he was not guilty of the two men being stabbed to death ... his two friends were both aquitted.

Besides all that I believe Ray Lewis is a First Ballott Hall of Famer .

Real Tackles Wear 77

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:03 PM ^

Im sorry but this is one of the stupidest questions I've ever seen asked on here--Ray Lewis will be (and should be) a nearly unanimous 1st ballot Hall of Famer. He is in the conversation for best linebacker ever.

Blue in Yarmouth

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:14 PM ^

Maybe it is being debated because some people think there should be more to whether someone gets into the ahll of fame than just their stats. I'm not saying I agree or disagree because honestly, I couldn't care less who gets into hall of fames, but I can certainly see why some people would expect the criteria to be more than just a great player for getting in. There are lots of great players who never get into hall of fames for one reason or another and I would say being linked to the murder of two people would be as good a place to draw a line as any.

Again, I could not care less about the pro football hall of fame or who gets in it, but I can certainly see why some people would be a little apprehensive about throwing Ray Lewis in simply based on his play. I can see why some people would want hall of famers to be a little more than just that.

bronxblue

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:17 PM ^

He gets in because of his on-the-field performance, no questions asked.  If we spent any time looking into the HOF for major sports, we'd all realize that a large number of these guys have skeletons in their closets or marks on their record that, taken in a vaccuum, would seemingly preclude them from being invited over for dinner.  But the HOF isn't for nice guys; it is for great players.  And Lewis is one of them.  That said, if everyone could cut back a bit on "Ray Lewis is a great guy because he amps people up and talks about God all the time", that would be super.  He's a great MLB, but he's also a pretty big hypocrite.

phork

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:22 PM ^

The Football Hall of Fame is based on performance on the field.  And from that perspective he is one of the all time greats and a first ballot guarateed..  The Morality Hall of Fame deals with off field and and as a whole how this person is morally.  He might not make the cut here.

Hank Hill

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:32 PM ^

What past? Black high-profile athlete? Our culture has shaped black males as hyper-sexualized and uber-violent. That is everyone's problem with Ray Lewis. They think he is a murderer with 6 kids from 4 different women. The man is loved and respected by his teammates, coaches, ownership, and rival players. He plays his ass off as the best player at his position in his generation and probably the generation before that as well. The two men charged with the murder were acquitted. Ray Lewis pled down to obstruction in a risk-aversion maneuver. He does have multiple children with multiple women, but it is not as if he is neglecting those kids. Some people say that many children is irresponsible. He has a job that more than allows him to provide for his children. I don't see people bagging on the Duggars for building an "Army of Soldiers for God". Probably would if they were black though. Get over your racist views of Ray Lewis. See him as a man and not the demon he can be portrayed as. Might serve you well.

Hank Hill

January 24th, 2013 at 12:18 AM ^

To be "that guy" and goad me into an argument. Racism is alive and well in our society and I was only stating my opinion that most of the hatred towards Ray Lewis stems from deep seeded, often sub-conscious racism. I do not find racism in everything, I just call 'em like I see 'em, and I fully believe that a majority of Ray Lewis hate stems from racism.

Bluemandew

January 23rd, 2013 at 1:57 PM ^

As far as I have scene you are the only person to bring up race or his kids. I have no problem whith his race. What I have a problem with is the idolizing of a man who was at the very least involved with covering up a murder.

 

 

*This was a reply to Hank Hill not sure why it didn'y post under his.*

denards40time

January 23rd, 2013 at 2:07 PM ^

But I don't see why this is even a matter of discussion. I have no idea what happened that night. Whether it was him who stabbed them, or his friends, or anyone else or if they stabbed them out of self defense. There are too many questions and nothing close to enough evidence for me to jump to any conclusions of who did what. I agree with the people saying we are too quick to throw out the (possible) bad but by the same token many of those same people are quick to dismiss the good that he's done for numerous people and at least that we are certain on what he's done. I don't know how you begin to try and weigh those scales and determine if someone is good enough of a person to qualify for the Hall of Fame. As far as I'm aware it is based upon your on the field performance, and that metric alone. When people compare MLBs he is the bar that they are measured against. That is Hall of Fame in my mind.

ken725

January 23rd, 2013 at 3:15 PM ^

I don't really care if he makes it into the hall of fame.  I just know that his induction speech will be how he always is when he is in front of a camera.