Ray Lewis PED Allegations (Merged)

[arnie_uk]

Is this still the case? I seriously don't know - did the two guys in Seattle (Browner and Sherman) or Jackson for us fail a test at the beginning of the year?

Good point. So really asa Jackson has failed two test according to this logic?

[alienrace]

This is such a fucking joke, and an obvious publicity stunt by Mitch Ross.

First off, where's the tape? How come it's not up on youtube by now?

Second, why now? Duh, Ross trying to get publicity. Mission accomplished.

Third, where are the financial transactions? Shipping transactions? Did these remedies just magically appear at Ray Lewis' house?

I mean seriously people, EPSN, SI, and NFLN reporters, shouldn't you be asking these questions?

And, Hannah Storm is a slimey fucking cunt. Ray dismissed the mularkey several times, including saying he would never even THINK about taking the crap, yet you want to keep parroting yourself that he's not denying it? ESPN is so desperate for this to be a story it is sickening. At least Schlereth was being reasonable and pragmatic saying it was going to go away because there is no way for it to proceed further. Storm couldn't seem to accept that little nugget of truth.

What a fucking bitch.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Because the reporter never states that he did hear it. What he writes is "Hours after he tore his triceps during an Oct. 14 home game against the Cowboys, Ravens All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis and Ross connected on the phone. Again, Ross videotaped the call."

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...#ixzz2JOVm9QIe

Nowhere is there any confirmation that the reporter heard that conversation and isn't just writing down what he was told by the owner of the company. Why mention that it was videotaped and then not mention seeing it?

That's not definitive that he heard it either.

Neither one of us knows and until the writer...whom I'm sure will be asked about this report a lot over the next couple weeks sheds more light on it, we won't know.

I don't think you can clearly say that he didn't hear it anymore than someone saying he clearly did.

But either way, it's a very, very bad look.

[TheJoker]

First off I love the timing and how ESPN is covering this. \

I will say this and I'm sure other people can back me here.

I WRITE for a website about movies and comics. They way we MAKE money is per clicks per article. That is all I see about this article. It was written a while ago it is clear. This writer and SI held it just for this day, because it is Ray and it is Super Bowl week which means everyone will click this article and read it.

I for one won't even click the article. I believe this was brought up a year or two ago about deer antler spray. To me it is a bullshit story. They 'SI' are just looking to make money off this story. The story so far is just that a story.

[ravensnhokies]

Controversy sells... Thats why ESPN has become TMZ Sports. Nobody gives a shit about a player helping out needy kids.

[bt12483]

Because the reporter never states that he did hear it. What he writes is "Hours after he tore his triceps during an Oct. 14 home game against the Cowboys, Ravens All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis and Ross connected on the phone. Again, Ross videotaped the call."

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...#ixzz2JOVm9QIe

Nowhere is there any confirmation that the reporter heard that conversation and isn't just writing down what he was told by the owner of the company. Why mention that it was videotaped and then not mention seeing it?

Videotape a phone call.

Does that mean the audio from the phone is picked up, or is it just recording a phone call with him talking?

Because I could videotape myself on a phone call with Obama, or Madonna or Fidel Castro. Unless you can actually hear and confirm the person's voice on the other end of the phone, I just don't see what a videotaped phone call proves.

People fake phone calls all the time to get out of conversations. I can pretend anyone in the world is on the other line. I can use fake names. I can make fake responses.

[Hammerhead]

Because the reporter never states that he did hear it. What he writes is "Hours after he tore his triceps during an Oct. 14 home game against the Cowboys, Ravens All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis and Ross connected on the phone. Again, Ross videotaped the call."

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...#ixzz2JOVm9QIe

Nowhere is there any confirmation that the reporter heard that conversation and isn't just writing down what he was told by the owner of the company. Why mention that it was videotaped and then not mention seeing it?

The way they wrote it was so definitive (no hedge words, "allegedly," "reportedly," "according to," etc.) that it makes me think that they verified the source material. Being an attorney, I would NEVER in a million years let a journalist write a definitive fact like, "X called Y on date Z to talk about ABC" without damn well making sure that they were covered on the factual assertion. Alleging facts like that -- particularly when tied to material that could damage a person's reputation -- without checking the source material is begging to get sued for libel/slander/defamation.

I have heard of sloppy journalism, but this would take the cake.

In addition, they apparently tried to confirm by interviewing Ray and Ray admitted to using SWATs. (From the sounds of the interview, it appeared that they caught him by surprise.)

[Boulderraven]

It is amazing to me that a well-known magazine such as Sports Illustrated would let an article go out that has so many holes in it.

But hey, maybe to read the rest you have to buy it...

+1. Anyone who beleives this crap that comes out Media day is a moron. It's a former stripper going for pub and selling his Holographic patches and chips and laser beams and "antler spray" C'mon. The dumb get dumber by buying into this marketing crap.
In the Big Easy right now, great time!!

[bt12483]

I for one won't even click the article. I believe this was brought up a year or two ago about deer antler spray. To me it is a bullshit story. They 'SI' are just looking to make money off this story. The story so far is just that a story.

The top line of the article says "to buy the digital version click here"

[arnie_uk]

The way they wrote it was so definitive (no hedge words, "allegedly," "reportedly," "according to," etc.) that it makes me think that they verified the source material. Being an attorney, I would NEVER in a million years let a journalist write a definitive fact like, "X called Y on date Z to talk about ABC" without damn well making sure that they were covered on the factual assertion. Alleging facts like that -- particularly when tied to material that could damage a person's reputation -- without checking the source material is begging to get sued for libel/slander/defamation.

I have heard of sloppy journalism, but this would take the cake.

In addition, they apparently tried to confirm by interviewing Ray and Ray admitted to using SWATs. (From the sounds of the interview, it appeared that they caught him by surprise.)

actually the whole ray Lewis part is preceded by the word allegedly

[Hammerhead]

The way they wrote it was so definitive (no hedge words, "allegedly," "reportedly," "according to," etc.) that it makes me think that they verified the source material. Being an attorney, I would NEVER in a million years let a journalist write a definitive fact like, "X called Y on date Z to talk about ABC" without damn well making sure that they were covered on the factual assertion. Alleging facts like that -- particularly when tied to material that could damage a person's reputation -- without checking the source material is begging to get sued for libel/slander/defamation.

I have heard of sloppy journalism, but this would take the cake.

In addition, they apparently tried to confirm by interviewing Ray and Ray admitted to using SWATs. (From the sounds of the interview, it appeared that they caught him by surprise.)

Now, I should clarify -- none of this "proves" anything. It doesn't "prove" that Ray took the deer antler extract. It doesn't "prove" that Ray took any other banned substance. It doesn't "prove" that Ray even knew it was a banned substance (knowledge being a PR/reputation thing, not an NFL suspension thing).

The facts are that there have been no positive tests of Ray for banned substances. So, unless there is other evidence out there, Schlereth is right -- there is nowhere else for this story to go.

It does suck that it is swallowing up media day, though.

[bt12483]

In addition, they apparently tried to confirm by interviewing Ray and Ray admitted to using SWATs. (From the sounds of the interview, it appeared that they caught him by surprise.)

But a lot of athletes use their stuff.

People wear their RF patches and use the laser beam things. Just like those stupid magnetic balance bracelets. It all seems like junk science, you just need a sucker/believer. No one ever said football players were smart.

[RavenScallywag]

Videotape a phone call.

Does that mean the audio from the phone is picked up, or is it just recording a phone call with him talking?

Because I could videotape myself on a phone call with Obama, or Madonna or Fidel Castro. Unless you can actually hear and confirm the person's voice on the other end of the phone, I just don't see what a videotaped phone call proves.

People fake phone calls all the time to get out of conversations. I can pretend anyone in the world is on the other line. I can use fake names. I can make fake responses.

hahaha, I thought this too...Can the media REALLY be that dumb to run with a flimsy video of a guy talking into a phone who claims "I WAS TALKING TO RAY RAY"?

Maybe...

[Boulderraven]

That's not definitive that he heard it either.

Neither one of us knows and until the writer...whom I'm sure will be asked about this report a lot over the next couple weeks sheds more light on it, we won't know.

I don't think you can clearly say that he didn't hear it anymore than someone saying he clearly did.

But either way, it's a very, very bad look.

Yeah..like he had time "hours" after the game while in the hospital to set up a phone conversation, while he still hasn't had a full diagnosis. Does he have this guy on a Sunday on speed dial on his cellphone? It's a Sunday night, you think this guy in Mountain time is in his office at night? Facts don't add up.

[outlander512]

Yeah, there is fire. The first line of the SI article reads:



$$$$$


Also, has Singh been crucified by the PGA?



Also from the SI article:
Did Lewis really say "this" twice, or is that a typo?

Apparently he said that just after the tear in the Cowboys game (Oct 14th). Clearly he didn't return the next week. In fact he was out for months.

Also apparently Hue Jackson was the point of contact for Ravens and SWATS, and also took their products with him to Oakland.

I took it as him saying, "I have to get back on THIS product, THIS week." Not a typo or anything, but i could be wrong.

[bt12483]

It does suck that it is swallowing up media day, though.

By design no doubt.

[Hammerhead]

actually the whole ray Lewis part is preceded by the word allegedly

I must have missed it. Here is the passage I was referring to:

"Hours after he tore his triceps during an Oct. 14 home game against the Cowboys, Ravens All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis and Ross connected on the phone. Again, Ross videotaped the call.
"It's bottom, near the elbow," Lewis said of the tear. After asking a few pseudo diagnostic questions, Ross concluded, "All right, well this is going to be simple. . . . How many pain chips you got around the house?"
"I got plenty of them," Lewis replied.
Ross prescribed a deluxe program, including holographic stickers on the right elbow; copious quantities of the powder additive; sleeping in front of a beam-ray light programmed with frequencies for tissue regeneration and pain relief; drinking negatively charged water; a 10-per-day regimen of the deer-antler pills that will "rebuild your brain via your small intestines" (and which Lewis said he hadn't been taking, then swallowed four during the conversation); and spritzes of deer-antler velvet extract (the Ultimate Spray) every two hours.
"Spray on my elbow every two hours?" Lewis asked.
"No," Ross said, "under your tongue."
Toward the end of the talk, Lewis asked Ross to "just pile me up and just send me everything you got, because I got to get back on this this week."
Ross says he provided the products free of charge. He even trotted out a novel S.W.A.T.S. technology for the star client: undergarments -- black with Lewis's name and number in -purple -- drenched in pungent menthol liquid that Key and Ross exposed to radio waves. All Ross wanted in return, he told Lewis, is for the future Hall of Famer to tell the truth -- that he used S.W.A.T.S. products -- when he returned to the field.
On Dec. 5, Lewis practiced for the first time. He did not play in the final regular-season games, but remained a boisterous sideline presence and joined the jubilant locker room celebration after Baltimore routed the Giants 33-14 on Dec. 23 to win the AFC North.
Lewis had not talked to media for 10 weeks while he rehabbed his injury. Asked by SI if he had worked with Key and Ross during his recovery, he initially demurred. "I didn't work with them personally this time," he said.
When pressed, Lewis said, "Nobody helped me out with the rehab. I've been doing S.W.A.T.S. for a couple years through Hue Jackson, that's it. That's my only connection to them."
Asked if he had talked to Ross the night of his injury, Lewis replied, "I told him to send me some more of the regular stuff, the S.W.A.T.S., the stickers or whatever."
And did they help?
"I think a lot of things helped me."
So would he suggest S.W.A.T.S. to other players?
"If I did, I would've done said it by now," Lewis said. Asked specifically about the spray and the pills, Lewis walked away without comment."

[outlander512]

The way they wrote it was so definitive (no hedge words, "allegedly," "reportedly," "according to," etc.) that it makes me think that they verified the source material. Being an attorney, I would NEVER in a million years let a journalist write a definitive fact like, "X called Y on date Z to talk about ABC" without damn well making sure that they were covered on the factual assertion. Alleging facts like that -- particularly when tied to material that could damage a person's reputation -- without checking the source material is begging to get sued for libel/slander/defamation.

I have heard of sloppy journalism, but this would take the cake.

In addition, they apparently tried to confirm by interviewing Ray and Ray admitted to using SWATs. (From the sounds of the interview, it appeared that they caught him by surprise.)

Would they not be safe from a slander lawsuit since they really cant prove there was malice? I mean, they can say whatever they want, as long as no one can prove they KNEW that it was untrue. Right?

[SykesvilleRavensFan]

Ray Lewis wound up as MVP of the Super Bowl when the media was hounding him about the Atlanta murders. He'll get through this too. Things like this light a fire in him and I have no doubt that what the media is trying to accomplish here will have the opposite effect.

[bt12483]

hahaha, I thought this too...Can the media REALLY be that dumb to run with a flimsy video of a guy talking into a phone who claims "I WAS TALKING TO RAY RAY"?

Maybe...

"Hey man who you talking to?"

"Ray Lewis"

"Cool - I believe you"

"Wait...gotta go...Beyonce is on the line...I will record myself talking on the phone with her to prove that it is her."

"Later"