In some ways, Ray Lewis is probably fortunate to have only faced Super Bowl Media Day twice in his Hall of Fame career. Even though Lewis has done an incredible job of rehabilitating his image on a national level, he is still a very polarizing figure in some areas - and he's just an easy target for a media with only one football game to think about. During Tuesday's session with the media, Lewis was asked the normal litany of questions about the game, his retirement and his past. But he was also hit with the accusation that Sports Illustrated is reporting that Lewis tried to obtain deer antler spray from a manufacturer in the weeks after he tore his triceps muscle. Lewis would eventually miss the final 12 weeks of the regular season because of the injury before returning for the Ravens playoff run.
The report from SI doesn't seem to suggest that Lewis actually obtained or used any banned substance or performance-enhancing drug, but it does state that he "tried" to do obtain deer antler spray. One of the ingredients in deer antler spray is on the list of officially banned substances by the NFL. Lewis' response was that a similar report was released about him two years ago and he refused to "give the story any press." Ravens Coach John Harbaugh replied to a question about the Sports Illustrated story by saying that Ray Lewis has passed every drug test ever administered by the NFL.
Of course, passing drug tests doesn't really mean anything in the modern sports world. Just ask Lance Armstrong or Barry Bonds. And, it's hard not to be a bit concerned that Lewis has managed to play 17 productive seasons at one of the most physically demanding positions in all of sport. That type of longevity would be super-human, even with the aid of performance-enhancing drugs. But, in fairness to Lewis, there is no doubt that his abilities have faded over the years and he's not the same player he was even just a few years ago. He's not "getting stronger" a la Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens. And unless some concrete evidence emerges that Lewis used PEDs, the majority of his legacy will be determined on Sunday night in New Orleans.
The report from SI doesn't seem to suggest that Lewis actually obtained or used any banned substance or performance-enhancing drug, but it does state that he "tried" to do obtain deer antler spray. One of the ingredients in deer antler spray is on the list of officially banned substances by the NFL. Lewis' response was that a similar report was released about him two years ago and he refused to "give the story any press." Ravens Coach John Harbaugh replied to a question about the Sports Illustrated story by saying that Ray Lewis has passed every drug test ever administered by the NFL.
Of course, passing drug tests doesn't really mean anything in the modern sports world. Just ask Lance Armstrong or Barry Bonds. And, it's hard not to be a bit concerned that Lewis has managed to play 17 productive seasons at one of the most physically demanding positions in all of sport. That type of longevity would be super-human, even with the aid of performance-enhancing drugs. But, in fairness to Lewis, there is no doubt that his abilities have faded over the years and he's not the same player he was even just a few years ago. He's not "getting stronger" a la Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens. And unless some concrete evidence emerges that Lewis used PEDs, the majority of his legacy will be determined on Sunday night in New Orleans.
