Ray Lewis: This will be my last ride

Greatest of All Time.

BEAST!

Hats off to you, Mr. Lewis.

Eh, hard to overlook his involvement in getting murderers off the hook by obstructing justice.

Now the inevitable "where does he fit in the pantheon of HOF middle linebackers". If I had a choice of any of the players in that discussion, when they were in their prime, I vote for Butkus 1st and a tie for second between Lewis and Singletary.

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 09:28 AM ET  01.03 by Schad - Notorious Deadbeat

Eh, hard to overlook his involvement in getting murderers off the hook by obstructing justice.

C'mon. Lighten up. Wasn't like it was a mass murder. Just a bar fight.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 09:33 AM ET  01.03 by Jakester

Now the inevitable "where does he fit in the pantheon of HOF middle linebackers". If I had a choice of any of the players in that discussion, when they were in their prime, I vote for Butkus 1st and a tie for second between Lewis and Singletary.

Here's a more sensible list of top LB's... Lawrence Taylor 1st, Ray Lewis 2nd, and Butkus 3rd. After that it's a crap shoot..

Enjoy yourself man, go out there and have some fun!!!

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 09:51 AM ET  01.03 by Swauny Jones

Here's a more sensible list of top LB's... Lawrence Taylor 1st, Ray Lewis 2nd, and Butkus 3rd. After that it's a crap shoot..

I was thinking only of middle linebackers. As far as outside linebackers, LT is clear #1.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 09:33 AM ET  01.03 by Jakester

Now the inevitable "where does he fit in the pantheon of HOF middle linebackers". If I had a choice of any of the players in that discussion, when they were in their prime, I vote for Butkus 1st and a tie for second between Lewis and Singletary.

Butkus gets my vote over Lewis for a simple reason. Butkus dominated while playing on a defense of journeymen players. The only quality teammate that Butkus had was RB Gale Sayers whose HOF career was cut short by injury. Otherwise, the Bears were a joke. Lewis has been supported by All-Pro's like Reed, Ngata, Woodson, Suggs, Boulware, McCrary, McCallister and others. To me, Butkus was clearly better.

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 09:28 AM ET  01.03 by Schad - Notorious Deadbeat

Eh, hard to overlook his involvement in getting murderers off the hook by obstructing justice.

Those goons thought they could gang up on him 3 on 1 and they lost.

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 02:15 PM ET  01.03 by pwings

Butkus gets my vote over Lewis for a simple reason. Butkus dominated while playing on a defense of journeymen players. The only quality teammate that Butkus had was RB Gale Sayers whose HOF career was cut short by injury. Otherwise, the Bears were a joke. Lewis has been supported by All-Pro's like Reed, Ngata, Woodson, Suggs, Boulware, McCrary, McCallister and others. To me, Butkus was clearly better.

Are you calling the Bears D a joke? Singletary along with Richard Dent, Wilbur Marshall, Steve McMichael and Dave Duerson jokes?

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 02:44 PM ET  01.03 by slysty

Are you calling the Bears D a joke? Singletary along with Richard Dent, Wilbur Marshall, Steve McMichael and Dave Duerson jokes?

The players you mentioned were all great but none of them were ever Butkus' teammate. They were all on the 1985 Bears Super Bowl winning team. Butkus retired in 1973 from knee injuries. I agree that Butkus would have been unbelievable if he had them as teammates or even some of the Bears defenders from their '63 World Championship. But his career spanned from 1965 to 73 and the Bears in those years sucked except for Butkus and Sayers. Please re-read my original post.

Mr. Lewis, you were always a worthy opponent, and you will be missed.

--3riverbabe, lifelong Steelers fan

Ray Lewis. Murderer.