Fantastic Ed Reed ESPN Article

**Crabcake** · 01-29-2013, 02:15 PM

By our own Kevin Van Valkenburg.

Link to Article

Really great stuff. New material and very interesting. The part about how they don't know if he would have ended up making it out if he'd had to repeat the 8th grade was really cool.

I have to say, watching Ed's early career highlights makes me even more nostalgic than watching young Ray. He was a ridiculous athlete at his best. Special teams phenomenon both returning and blocking and the best safety the NFL has ever seen. But it's more than that. Just look at some 2002-2005 videos and look at the way he moves. It makes me sad that we didn't get to see more of that. He really only had about 5 or 6 years in the NFL before his body started breaking down. He still has that incredible football knowledge and he can play safety as well as almost anyone, but he was really something to see when he was at his best.

**Irish Raven** · 01-29-2013, 02:41 PM

Great article, thanks for sharing

KVV is one of the best in the business

**Kyle Cactus** · 01-29-2013, 03:00 PM

Thanks for posting this!

**scottie b** · 01-29-2013, 04:14 PM

I remember Chris Mortenson commenting on Ed early in his career, saying he was on a HOF trajectory, and this was a year BEFORE his DPOY season! i dont even know how people form their lips to dispute he isnt the greatest safety to every play the game.

**Justlovemybirds** · 01-29-2013, 04:51 PM

Man what a pleasure to read!

**Paintballguy** · 01-29-2013, 05:12 PM

Incredible article wow

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**lowrider** · 01-29-2013, 06:09 PM

Interesting piece in there about McKinney and how Ed persuaded Harbs to get him back in the lineup.

Awesome read. Thanks for sharing.

**elgonzo** · 01-29-2013, 06:15 PM

Great article. Thanks for posting it. I have read things that Kevin has wrote before, but I didn't know he was working out of Balmur. It was a great read. - Gonz

**ballhawk** · 01-29-2013, 06:34 PM

Interesting that it looks like he developed the habit of lateraling the ball after he sent his senior HS team to the playoffs by scoring a TD on a lateral from a teammates interception. Great article by KVV, who has posted on this forum a few times BTW.

**Bigfish** · 01-29-2013, 07:01 PM

Reed is definitely one of my favorite Ravens. Any of us who has followed him closely knows he doesn't lie and just lays it out there, even when many wouldn't and maybe he shouldn't. Looking at Reed pre Super Bowl, he is giddy with delight. Did he see something in film study that makes him feel good?

**Ravenalytics** · 01-29-2013, 07:50 PM

I really hope Ed manages to stay with us next year. I'd love to see how the defense morphs with him as the primary general. Sounds like he already has such a huge influence on the locker room.

**ed from Bel Air** · 01-29-2013, 08:11 PM

Great to read KVV. His "5 things" articles were always terrific. This was very enlightening to me. I always felt Ed was the most misunderstood Raven. Now I know why.

**Phil11** · 01-29-2013, 08:12 PM

I like how Bellichek congratulated Reed and said "finish it". I hope they do this Sunday!

**Lime in the Coconut** · 01-29-2013, 11:39 PM

Very awesome article. There was a lot that was really interesting but to know just how much of a film junkie he is, it's amazing. I really hope he gets at least one pick this Sunday.

Regarding if we should keep him, I'm starting to think so. He's a leader, he's a Raven, and even if it's just for another two seasons, we should make sure that Ed retires as a Baltimore Raven. I was watching Deion today with Ozzie and it seemed as though Ozzie was confident that Ed would be back. Oz said how he and Ed are very close and personally, I don't want to see him depart, especially for a place like NE.

**JAB1985** · 01-30-2013, 07:23 AM

awesome article, thanks for posting.

**pslholder96** · 01-30-2013, 07:49 AM

I thought the most telling thing in this article was how Ed Reed gathered the team together after a bad practice, reprimanded them and told the players that "we cannot take advantage of Coach Harbaugh". This after Reed himself confronted Harbaugh during a team meeting that happened prior to the practice. Way to take control and ownership in that situation.

**shine** · 01-30-2013, 08:48 AM

great great article.
thanks for sharing

**saintmatthew** · 01-30-2013, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Lime in the Coconut

Very awesome article. There was a lot that was really interesting but to know just how much of a film junkie he is, it's amazing. I really hope he gets at least one pick this Sunday.

Regarding if we should keep him, I'm starting to think so. He's a leader, he's a Raven, and even if it's just for another two seasons, we should make sure that Ed retires as a Baltimore Raven. I was watching Deion today with Ozzie and it seemed as though Ozzie was confident that Ed would be back. Oz said how he and Ed are very close and personally, I don't want to see him depart, especially for a place like NE.

I love how they have the "what happened next" part concerning the team therapy session story that's come up throughout the year. I laughed my ass off when they talked about how awful the no-pad practice the players wanted ended up being.

**KVV1** · 01-30-2013, 12:10 PM

Appreciate all the kind words, gang. I've always enjoyed this forum.

Although I know Dom Foxworth wasn't a fan favorite, I asked him to help explain in a technical way what makes Ed Reed great, and while it was too long to work into the article, I put it on Twitter (actually TwitLonger) if you're a football nerd and you are interested in the way Reed's brain works and why someone like Belichick loves him so much.

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/ksi6rl

**Paintballguy** · 01-30-2013, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by KVV1

Appreciate all the kind words, gang. I've always enjoyed this forum.

Although I know Dom Foxworth wasn't a fan favorite, I asked him to help explain in a technical way what makes Ed Reed great, and while it was too long to work into the article, I put it on Twitter (actually TwitLonger) if you're a football nerd and you are interested in the way Reed's brain works and why someone like Belichick loves him so much.

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/ksi6rl

Thanks for the info. I'm actually a big fan of Foxworth even though he didn't really pan out as we hoped here.