By Michael Kelley ’14 & Mick Kowaleski ’14
The Baltimore Raven’s legendary linebacker Ray Lewis tore his righttricep muscle in a Week Six matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, probably ending his season. The Mike’d UP guys discuss the impact of Lewis’ injury for the Ravens.
Kowaleski: This isn’t the end of the world for the Ravens. Ray Lewis, while the spiritual leader and the embodiment of the Baltimore franchise, isn’t the player he once was. He’s showing the signs of age at 37 years, and his run defense has suffered because of it. He has played below average if not all-around poor against the rush, slowed by age and the constant battering his body has sustained over a remarkable 17-year career.
Who the Ravens will miss, however, is cornerback Lardarious Webb. Undoubtedly the team’s best cornerback, the Ravens are already suffering on the defensive side of the ball for the first time in a decade. It’s strange for me to see them struggle like this, as defense has been Baltimore´s pride since they won the Super Bowl in 2000. Between them and your Steelers, Mike, I don’t know what’s going on with the AFC North’s defenses.
Kelley: Ah, so glad we finally get to talk about the Ravens, a team I hold dear to my heart…not. But seriously, the absence of Ray Lewis is so much more influential to the Ravens than that of Lardarious Webb. While no one is questioning Webb’s skills, Ray Lewis embodies so much more for this team. He fuels and inspires the players around. His will to win is unparalleled. He is the unquestioned leader of the locker room and an extra coach on the field.
And it’s not just his leadership that will be missed. Lewis leads the Ravens with 57 tackles and ranks fourth in the NFL in the category. Sure, his play has diminished with age. After all, he is arguably the greatest linebacker to ever play the game and his prime years have long since disappeared. But to say that the Ravens will miss Webb more is outlandish. Come on now, Mick.
I, too, am baffled by the poor defense from the AFC North. The Ravens and Steelers pride themselves on their defenses. Maybe I’m crossing a boundary here, but perhaps this year’s matchups will become shootouts? Now that would be crazy.
New York Yankee shortstop Alex Rodriguez, always a lightning rod for criticism, was benched in Game 1 of the ALCSafter going through a prolonged slump, sparking questions regarding his current value in today’s MLB.
Kowaleski: God (read: Brian Cashman), please trade Alex Rodriguez before no team will take him.
Even as a Yankee fan, I’ve never liked A-Rod. Any real Bronx Bomber fan will tell you that there are “true” Yankees; the Derek Jeters, Paul O’Neils, and Hideki Matsuis of the world. To be a True Yankee, you can’t just wear the uniform for an extended period of time, there’s an intangible quality that you have to embody. A-Rod doesn’t embody this at all. For a franchise renowned for extraordinary postseason performances, he doesn’t fit the mold at all, going 0-18 against right-handed pitchers this postseason.
And now you just sent me a link from the New York Post about how he flirted with fans during Game 1, after he got benched? Derek Jeter, the gold standard for the Yankee way, would never do that. Yeah, he may send one night stands home with gift baskets, but he would never take getting benched that lightly.
Get rid of A-Rod, and fast.
Kelley: You are right indeed, Mick. A-Rod has and always will be a lightning rod of criticism and this postseason has added another action packed chapter to the drama. He needs to go.
While I can’t speak from a Yankees fan perspective (I despise the Yankees), watching A-Rod this postseason has left me incredulous. After being benched, one would of thought he would play the standard “cheer for your teammates more than ever” role. But no, not for A-Rod, who seemingly just doesn’t care about his reputation. Why, in the middle of an ALCS game, with cameras surrounding him, would he ever decide it would be smart to openly flirt with two girls sitting in the crowd? Never mind, my question has already been answered: it’s simply A-Rod being A-Rod.
But back to why the Yankees should dispose of him immediately. His production has declined rapidly over the years. He hasn’t played in over 140 games since 2007 and hasn’t hit higher than .286 since 2008. And he has hit less than 20 home runs and had less than 100 RBIs in each of the past two seasons. His contract is ridiculous- that production level does not warrant 20 plus million dollars a year.
With so much money in his contract and the extra incentives for home runs, it will be almost impossible to find a trade partner, leaving the Yankees in a no-win situation.
