Get your popcorn ready...

[52decleetzu]

Just a reminder,Ray Lewis press conference tomorrow at 4pm on MASN.

Make sure you manually set the DVR to avoid the post presser lovefest a certain gossip repor...I mean sports talk host will be leading telling us about how wrong we are all about her boy from the U.

[RavenScallywag]

Tomorrow is RAY LEWIS day in Baltimore....woooo!

Also, I just realized, my son was born 5/2 of last year. Yeah 52 day!

I'm just happy to see this thing tomorrow. It's time to heal and move on. Tomorrow, Ray will be all smiles and exuberating his love for Baltimore. forget the ugliness of this free agency experiment, just enjoy our first big football icon since Johnny U (ok, and Jon Ogden, but Ray and him count on the same year, so it's about equal)

[ravenjoer]

Tommorow is #52 day in Baltimore and it's time to heal and move on because like it or not Ray Lewis is a legend in this town along with Johnny U and Cal Ripken. I am glad we get to watch this and this will be a warm up for Canton Ohio (hall of fame) As Ravens fans this is great!!! What a great off-season we are having as well!!! the quality of people/players means there is now morals and standards set by the organization and Head Coach!!!

[ravenmaniac]

I'm betting Ray plays 3 yrs here and then signs a 1 yr deal in Miami or Tampa for a paycheck.

[ravenjoe]

I'm betting Ray plays 3 yrs here and then signs a 1 yr deal in Miami or Tampa for a paycheck.

My understanding is that Ray is under contract for 7 yrs, or am I mistaken; in any case, you're wrong!

[flraven]

ravenjoe,
Ray's contract is a 7-year deal, but after three it becomes cap-friendly to release him if the Ravens decide to part ways then. Which is probably what ravenmaniac was getting at.

I'm thinking that Ray will retire a Raven and like JO, be one of the few players to play their entire careers on one team.

[RAVENOUS52]

I can't believe that people compare Ogden to Ray Lewis. Don't get me wrong, JO was the best at what he did for more than a decade, but no way was he the dynamic force of nature that #52 has been over that period.

Very few people think of Ogden when you bring up the Ravens. The face, the heart and the soul of this team has always been Ray Ray.

That's why so many of you were falling apart when you thought he was leaving.

[52decleetzu]

That's why so many of you were falling apart when you thought he was leaving.

Not me,and most were saying by the end of the whole charade if he leaves oh well it wasnt the end of the world.Life would still go on,the sun would still rise and the Ravens would still be playing football.

As far as falling apart,when Ogden retired I remember more than few fans saying how bad our Oline was gonna be.Matter of fact it was being talked about during training camp and early on until Gaither showed what he could do.

[StingerNLG]

Very few people think of Ogden when you bring up the Ravens.

You couldn't be more wrong.

[RAVENOUS52]

Not me,and most were saying by the end of the whole charade if he leaves oh well it wasnt the end of the world.Life would still go on,the sun would still rise and the Ravens would still be playing football.

As far as falling apart,when Ogden retired I remember more than few fans saying how bad our Oline was gonna be.Matter of fact it was being talked about during training camp and early on until Gaither showed what he could do.

Our O-line has had troubles with and without Ogden's presence and I think we all saw the handwriting on the wall when guys like Freeney started taking him to school. Then the toe injury, which is especially painful for a behemoth like JO, in addition to the yearly ineffective offenses pissing him off, really accelerated his departure from football.

Not saying he isn't an all-time great, but he never symbolized the Ravens, even though he was our first ever draft pick. Hell, on gameday there are more Boulware and McCrary jerseys in the crowd than Ogden unis and they haven't played here for years.

[52decleetzu]

Highlights...

He didnt go to visit any other teams or facilities because he knew he wanted to play in "his city".(or noone else invited him,either way)

Rob Long asked him if there were a lot of invitations,and he talked about "flirting" and generally didnt answer the question.

Stan the fan asked him abou the "I dont play less" comment,and ray laughed it of saying it was nothing blah blah blah.

Drew asked him you never said you wanted to come back when asked,said he had to trust God and this was his life and he has kids and he didnt have to answer that question to nobody.

Jets rumors,he says everything that was out there "rumors" but then admits there wasnt much out there and if it was he would have been taking trips.

Of course blames all the statements on "rumors" and that people were "speaking for him".

Stupid broad asks about the loss of Rex.Ray lets her know that this defense doesnt slow down,and life goes on. DID YOU HEAR THAT MANITA.Now shut up about how Ray was gonna follow Rex like a little puppy dog around the NFL.

Stan the Fan asks him about the glimpse of a successful offense last year,says everything just kind of fell in place.Not about offense or defense its about the team.

Burgundy asks him about the "dont let the door hit you in the ass" segment of fans.He says he doesnt worry about that,people dont know about his life.Says its selfish to speak about someones life they know nothing about.He prays for them.

Steele asked him if there was a concern that he woudlnt be back,Ray says Ozzie was the only one who he had to answer to and it "took care of itself"

Keeps going back to the "flirting" term.(Sounds like ray was the only one who was "flirting"

Will the city fully embrace you in September?He says if he is on the field they will.Talked about his dying grandmotther,what he was going through when all the "talk" was going on.Said before you judge them pray for them like he does.

Drew asks about Demarcus Ware comments,siad it was all rumor and noone talked to him.Says that he had a conversation but it was nothing like Ware said,he like the Cowboys and 49ers growing up but thats it.

Bisciotti downplaying whole situation.No big deal.

Bisciotti says no anomosity,Ozzie though he had a value and he was right.We arent paying him for the past,we are paying him because he is agood football player.

Ozzie asked by Long about even if he is 33 were you scared the money might be out there coming off a pro bowl season.He says he was comfortable with the deal they had on the table,but if someone wanted to over pay there wa snothing they could do about it.

[RavenScallywag]

Ogden might not have been the face of the franchise, but he deserves just as much respect as Ray. He wasn't an outspoken guy, he was a blue collar guy who did the work, never complained, and gave it his all. He's likely a first ballot HOF'er, he's already in our RoH, and he'll be remembered well here the rest of his lifetime.

[RAVENOUS52]

Jon Ogden never complained?

Were you a Ravens fan during the Tony Banks, Chris Redman or Elvis Grbac eras?

[Jeremiah W]

Jon Ogden never complained?

Were you a Ravens fan during the Tony Banks, Chris Redman or Elvis Grbac eras?

I would say he much more than Ray got Billick fired, if he has any of the leaders in the locker room to blame for bad gameplans. When he stopped pounding the ball against the Colts in the playoffs, he lost the confidence of guys like J.O..

J.O. is every bit as valuable a franchise player as Ray has been. Where would our offense have been if the off tackle left play did not work? It would have been just like the Bungles with all O and no D in reverse if J.O. and the big uglies were not grinding out yardage vs 9 man fronts. We were always in contention when J.O. was healthy, no matter who was at Qb, WR, or the rest of the line.

[RAVENOUS52]

Again, no denying that Ogden is an alltime NFL great.

But he was never the face of the Ravens like Ray Lewis.

Maybe being overlooked popularity-wise is just a symptom of being an O-lineman on a team known for legendary defense.

[52decleetzu]

Ray coming up on NFLTA...

[bmorebirds_24]

What was ray on there for? I didn't see it I missed it. Was God there too?