Over the past couple of weeks, The Examiner has chronicled the Baltimore Ravens? decision to end the star linebacker?s pregame dance.
It is an utterly silly story, especially to outsiders. A soap opera, really, about a man with a huge ego, tight pants and a police record who thinks it?s his right to gyrate for national television and the fans at M&T Bank Stadium before every game.
But Baltimore loves its sports heroes and for the last decade, Ray Lewis has proven himself the biggest contemporary one of them all. Even during his double murder trial in 2000, in which he ultimately pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, the town stood by him. In fact, the town embraced him.
Inside the stadium, the dance was unlike anything ever witnessed.
He walked out of the tunnel, grabbed his patch of grass ? and writhed and shimmied for thousands of cheering fans in purple jerseys.
He backed up his swagger by arguably proving to be the most dominant force in professional football.
In 10 years, he emerged as his generation?s Johnny Unitas. Last season his stature fell, however, when some thought he ducked out on the team when sidelined with a hamstring injury.
The stadium atmosphere lost its luster with the dance on hiatus; the team struggled, and insiders reported internal strife.
Then he criticized the organization, the same one that supported him through his darkest time. He later apologized, but some in the community thought it too late to repair the damage.
The organization decided that upon his healthy return this season, the dance would be axed in favor of the team emerging as one unit. This came after some of his teammates asked for their own pregame dance introduction.
Can you imagine?
Team management is right to stop the dance. It is a football team, not a dance team. Besides, Ray Lewis plays for the Ravens, not the Ravens for Ray Lewis.
Most importantly, what kind of message does it send to young boys and men in Baltimore ? where so many end up in prison ? when a team rewards a law-breaker with special status?
Should teachers allow disruptive students to gyrate at the front of class each day? Should children be taught that celebrities don?t have to follow the rules? The team must not cave into pressure from Lewis or fans who say the pre-game buzz is gone without the dance.
Surely Ravens fans could suggest an alternative?
The team should sponsor a contest over the next month on its Web site ? baltimoreravens.com ? to decide how home games will open. The fun does not have to stop.
Just the Ray Lewis dance festival.
