Ray Lewis induction into the Hall of Fame: What it means to me
I can make one promise about Ray Lewis’s induction speech based off his career with the Baltimore Ravens: It will be one to remember.
Ray Lewis is the most important figure in the history of the Baltimore Ravens, and he was one of the greatest players football has ever known. Ray Lewis, above all else was one of the most memorable characters the world has ever known. Everything he does is memorable. Ray Lewis is the most genuine and passionate player in recent memory and over the top is really the only speed he knows.
My biggest hope for Lewis and his induction speech is that he gets back to doing what he does best, lifting people up around him. There isn’t a better motivational speaker in the entirety of the planet. Ray Lewis lifted his teammates up on a regular basis. When he said that 2012 was his last ride, the Ravens knew they had to win it for him. What is incredible about Lewis, is that he wanted to win it for them.
Ray Lewis is the master of motivation and positive influence:
Ever since Lewis has walked into the commentary game, he has said some things that have created negative firestorms. He called out Joe Flacco’s love for the game, an action that was so contrasting with what he said as a player. He had some choice words for Odell Beckham Jr. and if they were well-meaning words, he could have done it behind the camera instead of in front of it. When Lewis lifts people up, he is an unstoppable force for good. That’s what I hope he gets back to in the induction speech.
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Yes, it’s his moment. Yes it is about honoring his career, but it is the perfect chance for Lewis to tell us that greatness is within our reach. It’s the perfect chance to grab the ear of a 10-year-old boy, and motivate him to work hard in life. It’s the perfect chance to tell adults that there is always hope even when there is none in sight. When Lewis is a motivator, he is a self actualized machine for good.
He made me believe in myself from an early age:
When I was 10 years old I fell in love with the game of football. My dream of being a great linebacker in the NFL was never going to happen, but I played rec league and high school football. I played and it meant the world to me. I was never a great athlete but I promised myself that nobody was going to be more passionate than I would be. Nobody was going to out work me, and no result would change that. When I said that Lewis is best when he is lifting people up, I meant it. He lifted me up.
I wasn’t a great player, and I didn’t get much time on the field, but everything I did was for the love of the team. That’s what Ray Lewis taught me. It’s all about positive energy and a will that won’t quit. Now I’m 27 and I try to apply that tenacity I learned from watching Lewis to this blog and everything I do.
What to expect from Lewis at the podium:
Lewis is getting introduced by his daughter which is an awesome thing. Lewis is going to be filled with a lot of emotions. Emotions pour out of him like water flows out of a pitcher. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him tear up, in fact it would almost be weird if he didn’t. Lewis lays on his religiosity pretty thick, so expect a good bit of that. I’m sure Lewis will thank a lot of people, and that his mother will receive the biggest thanks. If you’ve followed Lewis’s career, you know how important and influential his mother has been to him.
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Lewis is going to enjoy the moment. He’s going to take it in and savor it. He earned this moment through hard work and determination. I expect Lewis to continue to be the undeniable force of positive energy that he has always been. There are few players that mean more to his fans than Ray Lewis. He is one of a kind, and I hope it will be a moment we will all cherish forever.