Big Lead Sports Bar

9/29/2010

Ben Roethlisberger and Ray Lewis are BFFs

I knew that Ben Roethlisberger and Ray Lewis shared the same Georgia-based defense attorney (Ed Garland), but today's revelation that Lewis and Roethlisberger are regular texting buddies was a little out of left field.

"He hit me last night,'' Lewis said, talking about the text message he received from Roethlisberger. "We always hit each other. There are many people I hit. Just simple stuff.

"He wishes he was out there, he wishes he was out there, man. It's a respect thing that we have playing against each other. It's a rivalry, but, once again, it goes back to a level of respect.

"This aint the first time he texted me. We texted each other whenever he was going through what he was going through, I was there for him. It's more of a brotherhood. The game always takes care of itself on the field, but off the field if we don't look out for each other nobody else will."
This all goes back to my theory that things like rivalries mean much more to the fans than the players. I thought the Ravens-Steelers dynamic might have been a little different, given all the incidents over the past decade (Porter v. Lewis, Suggs bounty on Ward, etc), but at the end of the day, most if not all of these players look at each other merely as union brothers. If that wasn't apparent this year more than ever, you're not paying attention. I mean, I'm sure it's a huge deal for players on the Steelers and Ravens to beat each other, but I don't think the seething dislike for the opponent is there at any point beyond the 60 minutes of gametime.

I'm sure Steeler fans would much rather see Roethlisberger taking advice from, say, a senior member of the team's history (Terry Bradshaw would probably be the best-case scenario, but that ship has sailed). However, Lewis is a peer of Roethlisberger's, he was also accused of a high-profile crime in Georgia, and he's rehabbed his image enough to score Old Spice commercials. I don't expect the locals to endorse it, but let's just say I understand.
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Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com

4 comments:

Louis Lipps is my homeboy said...

I feel like a total dick for laughing at the talking bear in that Old Spice commercial... but damnit, the talking bear's funny!

AJ said...

I don't like this.

I just can't picture Jack Lambert ever sending a text to Brian Sipe.

"OMG, r u OK? Didn't mean to hit you so hard. LOLZ"

Unknown said...

I don't care what Ray Lewis has to say about anything. Must have been a very slow news day for anything to interview Ray Lewis about this story. Like comparing murder and really bad taste in women are even close to what they went through. pleeeezzze.

Maura said...

There are so many better people that Big Ben could be texting. How about one without a murder trial on-record.