Loved this exchange from the Ray Lewis Boston conference call

I never read Thomas' original quotes regarding the Ravens, and never heard about Ray-Ray's response, so apparently my head has been in the sand a bit.

Having said that, after his initial statement on the conference call regarding Sean Taylor's death and the personal devastation it brought, wouldn't the obvious followup be something regarding Ray's past? With all the rhetoric last week about Taylor's purported lifestyle, ask Ray about any changes he made in his life since 2000, if any. The similarities are striking, at least to me, and you have a captive interviewee who already has opened the door to the subject. Is that something Ray shared with Sean Taylor, since he just told you he served as a mentor?

That story would be much more compelling than rehashing something that originated a month or so ago. Besides, any "game preview" probably should focus on the Patriots' pursuit of 16-0. Ex-teammates facing each other for the first time might work in any other scenario, but not this one.

 

I'm not sure he'd give you the quotes you need, but you're right ... that would be a helluva more interesting story than smack-talk with Adalius Thomas.

 

No, I admit I wouldn't.

I am not good enough -- or tough enough -- to be an NFL beat guy. Or any other pro or major college sport for that matter. Give me my high school wrestling tournaments and the local gearhead racetrack, and I will be fine.

I have no illusions.

And I know he wouldn't answer it anyway.

But I do have my opinions. We all do.

I think he should be in jail or banned from the league.

I think OJ should be in jail for murder.

I think Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson should be in the Hall of Fame.
I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve . . .

Ooops, sorry. Got carried away.

Seriously, I would not be capable of asking that, no.

 

Really? Every game preview should be about the pursuit of 16-0? That wouldn't get stale at all?

It's not just dredging something a month old for the sake of it. It's bringing it up because the two guys involved in it are now playing.

 

When an NFL team starts 10-0 ... then 11-0 ... then 12-0, yeah, you continue to write about it. Next week, you write about them trying to go 13-0. If they beat the Stillers, then you write about them trying to match the '72 Dolphins at 14-0.

The Patriots staying undefeated is not going to get stale. If they lose, write about something else. But 12-0 doesn't come along every year. Of course you write about it.