by Eric D. Graham
NORTH CAROLINA-(BASN)-In the history books, after 17 season in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens, 13 Pro Bowls, 10 Associated Press All-Pro selections, two NFL Defensive Players of Year Awards in 2000 and 2003, and a Super Bowl MVP award in 2000, the Minister of Motivation, The Pastor of Pain, Reverend of Rampage and the General of Gladitators, number 52, Ray Lewis, will go down as the greatest middle linebacker ever to put on a pair of shoulder pads.
“..it’s been an honor to serve under him.”said Terrell Suggs of his teammate Ray Lewis.
His greatness, however will not be measured by his intensity on the field, his aggression in between the trenches, or by his passion for the game. But it will be measured by the stats he accumlated in his outstanding career,where he launched his 6’1 240 pound frame in to his opponents, smashing them, and slamming them to the ground, in which he did 2,050 times, while sacking the quarterback 41.5 times, and intercepting 31 passes.
And despite a week of criticism, allegation of steroid usage, and a murder trial in 2000, in which he plead guilty to obstruction of justice in exchange for testimony against two other defendants, the wounded weekend warrior with the heart of a champion walked away in retirement like Michael Strahen, Jerome Bettis, and John Elway with his second Super Bowl ring in style and grace, even though his Baltimore Ravens’ defensive unit gave up 468 yards in the Super Bowl against the San Fransciso 49ers in a 34-31 victory.
After the game, sporting a black sleeveless tee shirt with Psalms 91 on the front of it, Lewis smiled and hugged teammates as confetti fell from the sky.
The verse from Psalms 91 of the Bible reads as follow:
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
