Ray Lewis won't last long in the booth if he continues his involvement as he just tweeted he would pay half of Brooks' fine. That's works for me.

I don't really fault Ray for his statement. He's a defensive guy so when something is not blatantly an illegal hit, he's going to support the defensive guy. Plus, brooks doesn't have a history of dirty hits.

Yeah, but it falls under what used to be the #1 rule of the media, "report the news, don't be the news". Aside from the fact it appears Ray struggles to form and express, at times, coherent thought when on-air, he also needs to realize "it's no longer about him", . JMO.

The keyword there is that it "used" to be the rule. You're not hiring someone out of college with a communication/journalism degree. You're hiring a personality.

The reason for that is he's not just an analyst. He's a "color" analyst meaning he is there to entertain as well as breakdown the game he played. ESPN fully understood they were getting a passionate and emotional personality when they hired Ray so you can't expect him not to be that now just because he's on the air in a suit. It's the same reason Michael Strahan, Shannon Sharpe, Deon Sanders, Michael Irvin, Charles Barkley and Shaq have jobs. They are not just there to inform you but inform you and entertain you. So in that regard, they are part of the news.

I kinda' get what you're saying and don't necessarily disagree, but I look at the list of guys you have and don't recall any of them ever saying anything as stupid as what Lewis said, thus becoming a segment on a show ... maybe Barkley has at one time or another (), but Strahan, Sharpe and even Sanders/Irvin pretty much keep their comments on a professional, non-personal level.

Now that Ray has said it, I just hope it's a substantial fine and maxes out that American Express card he was waving around, ... it's just 'bush league', IMO.

I think he said what he said moreso to make a statement and it was heard. Will it change anything? No not really. The 49ers can't have the play back and the nfl will still get their money regardless of where it comes from but it does bring more attention to how difficult it is to play defense these days. An inch lower on the hit and we wouldn't be having this discussion right now.

The one point I will agree with you on is that Ray picked the wrong play to make a statement on because the play was a violation at the end of the day.

... Michael Strahan, Shannon Sharpe, Deon Sanders, Michael Irvin, Charles Barkley and Shaq have jobs. They are not just there to inform you but inform you and entertain you. So in that regard, they are part of the news.

That would be nice, except that Im not entertained by these guys. #1, they're a few points below my reading level. #2, they're obnoxious.

You know, we used to just one or two guys doing analysis.... Maybe Phyllis George in for aethetics. All we really needed was Bryant Gumbel, and he didnt have to say dicktastic stuff to get attention for himself. He just described the game.

Now, despite all the goofiness, Chris Berman is the BEST alive now.
He tells the story of the game, and throws in some facts you didnt know. Plus he has a deep respect for history. If you throw aside all the goof stuff, he does one thing better than anyone else. HE TELLS THE STORY OF THE GAME.

All the Rich Eisens can go put their head in a garbage compacter.
Does anyone else try to watch those "top 10" shows on NFL Network?
If they would just tell the story, it would be so good. Instead, they insist
on all those short-attention-span idiots trying to be funny. Like that guy who looks like Mick Jaggers gayer little brother. I wish he would just go
thru one day of full contact practice, along with those little Jewish homo
twins.... I am so interested in the show, but I cant stand the talking idiots,
and also, everything is presented in short-attention span formatics.... all that
swishing... all those effects... Im dying of graphics. no wonder kids now are so stupid.

Same goes for the Highlights on NFLN... It sounds like the guys are narrating an episode of Jackass, not a beautiful game played by world class athletes.
Slow down... put on some Mozart.... STFU & Let John Facenda talk.

Football sells itself. If you would just show it. I dont
need 7 idiots talking smack. Just show highlights. Just ... show.... football.
And tell me the story of the game. I can get my jokes from somewhere else.