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A.D on Lewis
FOXBOROUGH -- Patriots LB Adalius Thomas had strong comments today in response to Ray Lewis calling him a coward. The audio clip of Lewis's words is here, which are in response to this Sports Illustrated article.
"First of all, about the quotes that was on me, I don't think I recall any of the conversation I had, I don't think what I said came out that way. I could be totally wrong. Like I said, it was a compliment of the Patriots. I never downed the Ravens. Anybody that has seen me do an interview in seven years knows my integrity isn't that. If I have something to say to somebody then I'll say it. Nothing that I said was a comment or shot at the Ravens, or none of the players. Actually, I said I had a chance to play with Hall of Fame players that was not in that quote. I went on to name names. Ray Lewis was one of the names I named.
"The only problem I have is the coward comment. To call me a coward, you have my phone number. You can call me. I will call Ray, personally myself. I don't want to sit here and throw [things] back and forth, and make this a media frenzy as far as that goes. I'm bigger than that. I'm better than that. As far as calling me a coward I think that goes to something personal. I don't like it. I will address that with him personally myself. To attack my integrity, as far as that goes, and say you had to make a scheme up for me, I didn't know they made up outside linebacker for me. I really didn't know that. I know he was crying about a big guy in the middle so you can keep blockers off of you. I mean, I don't know if that's a scheme made for you or not. As far as that goes, if you want to criticize your head coach, talk about a coward. You can go right upstairs and talk to him like a man, just like you're talking about me.
"As far as that goes, I'm just here to play football. I'm worried about the Redskins. Ray Lewis means nothing to me, as far as his comments or anything else that he says. I love him like a brother. Other than that, as far as me being a coward, I felt like that was a personal shot. That's the only problem I have with it."
Asked why he thinks Lewis called him a coward, Thomas said the media would have to ask Lewis that question.
"I'll ask him that, I'll call him personally myself and I'll talk to Ray. Again, there are a lot of things that could be said right now but none of them can really be solved by trying to go back and forth with 'he said, she said.' If I have something to say, anybody that knows me, I don't hold my tongue for nobody. If I have something to say, I'll say it to Ray, or I'll say it to anybody else that is out there. But I'm not here to go back and forth with 'he said, she said' or try to throw a quote at somebody that indirectly. Because there was a misquote with [Ravens linebacker] Bart Scott in the paper and I picked the phone up and I called Bart. I talked to Bart and Bart said 'Man, that's not the way it came out.' That's how you solve that. If you think I took a shot at you, pick the phone up and call me. Because at no point when I did the interview did I ever try to take a shot at anybody at Baltimore or any of the players. I have friends there."
Asked what he was trying to say, Thomas said:
"The only thing I tried to say was that it's different here than it was there. I said I played with Hall of Fame guys on both sides of the ball and I named players on both sides, and that's what I said. I said the superstars that were there were everyday household names, from Randall Cunningham to Deion Sanders, those are everyday household names. That's what I said, but that got cut out [of the article]. That's how it went. As far as that goes, I said Belichick is the same way. Everybody here shies away from the media. I said the head coach there [Brian Billick], he stayed in the media when I was there. That's not a shot, that's a fact."
Your comments
(55)OK, guys. Step back and take a deep breath. Remember, football is only a game .
This is why Bill Belichick instructs his players not to talk openly with the media. The next time media outlets wonder why players and coaches are not as open as they used to be remember this incident. An innocuous statement will almost certainly be a big headline on ESPN within a day.
maybe ray lewis will try to kill him now.
This is too bad really. I hate to see a guy like Thomas getting involved in a back and forth with Ray Lewis, and I'm sure that BB is going to point out to his team that this is the reason why it's better to keep the media at arms length.
Especially today with blogs, and streaming video & audio, things get blown out of proportion pretty quickly.
All that said, I'll put my nickel on AT.
Ray Lewis is a washed up, has-been on a going nowhere team. Why are we even giving this any press?
Hey Hicks, Ray Lewis is so washed up he is 5th in the league in tackles and the nearest Pat is tied for 62nd (Bruschi). So if Ray is washed up then the Pats LBs should be cut to make room for some high schoolers.
Ray Lewis is the best Linebacker to ever play football. I know we all are pissed and siding with Thomas. Let's face facts, Adalius would be nothing if he hadn't learned from the best.
I'd rather call Ray Lewis than talk to him in person too (or at least have him frisked for shanks prior to any face-to-face.) Ray Lewis IS a spotlight craving chest thumping ME-ME-ME person.
Let's settle this on the field gentlemen. When "A.D." was in Baltimore you didn't want to be between him and a microphone. He was a great guy, and a helluva player, but getting hit with the franchise tag last year seems to have embittered him. Too bad. He should be grateful that the Ravens took him and polished a sixth round pick into a Pro Bowl caliber defensive end/linebacker multi-millionaire.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK NEED TICKETS!!!!
Someone please translate what this guy was talking about. It's nice to know big words, but it's better to know how to use big words. I respect Thomas not dragging this out and adding his own aggression or machismo, but some of the comments are patently undecipherable. Just speak the words you have a handle on.
I live in Baltimore, and the amount of pressure the Ravens have placed on themselves with all the talk they do is about to come down on their heads with all of their underachieving. Ray Lewis is frustrated because the Ravens acquired a great RB, but don't use him in ideal situations (4th and 1). Ray Lewis is regarded as a great leader, but he lacks tact sometimes. This is one of those examples.
Adalius Thomas most likely said exactly what Tim Layden wrote, but didn't realize how negative it read in print. Unfortunately for Ray Lewis and the Ravens, it's absolutely true. Ray Lewis had to be begged to temporarily stop dancing out of the Ravens' home tunnel before games. He would do this even when they held a losing record.
The Patriots were the first organization to forego the individual SuperBowl introductions, and chose to march onto the field as a team.
Both of these circumstances say everything you need to know about each organization's philosophy on building a competitive environment. Both environments can be successful, but the Patirot way is special.
hey guys if you havent learned anything yet understand one thing patriots walk the walk, they are a team first not a thug mentallity group of players, thats why they win and thats why ray lewis loses maby ray should shut up and not try to be a bully on the team and every where else goes in life! but be a team role model and then maby just maby he will win. by the way whether your drafted 6th or 1 you still have to earn it just ask this guy named brady.
Responding to Rick S. comment. How do you know that A.D. is not grateful to Baltimore? He is responding to a comment made by Ray Lewis, how does that make him ungrateful to the whole organization?
Ray Lewis ,`the greatest linebacker ever`??????? he`s is and always has been the most `overrated linebacker in the n.f.l.!!!!!!!
The only reason Thomas is playing down the comments and saying he didnt want to discuss is because he is afraid Ray will Kill him. Can you blame him? He is not a convicted murderer because of his $$ and got off.
The Raven's current leading tackler's name is spelled "punk" with a big mouth. He take's out his head coach in public, has a Super Bowl victors ring and a criminal record. My dad always said "consider the source" of all comments. Wait a minute, this IS the NFL isn't it? Nearly everyone craves the "sound-bite" including the media. What ever happened to, "Just play the game and be happy?"
hey matt that wouldn't matter because he would only get away with it anyway........
I wonder if the guy Lewis stabbed to death was a coward
the best linebacker of all time?
Yikes, I'll take L.T. coming off the corner any day of the week.
Please. There's nothing special about New England except Tom Brady and camcorders. Take away Brady and New England is fighting for a 10 ten pick in the draft. Spare me. Our defense is why we win the games we do. If we had an offense we'd have another 2 or 3 titles. Let AD talk about all the limelight he was grabbing here.
The reason why the pats do not have as many tackles as other linebackers is because we are always on offense .
Ray Lewis has the integrity of a tapeworm, why respond to anything he says?
Number of tackles is the most worthless stat there is. If a defense cannot get off the field they rack up MANY more tackles than a 3 and out defense. Just because Ray Lewis can dive on the pile to get another 1/2 tackle every other play does not make him the greatest LB of all time.
Ray Lewis can go and hang with Warren Sapp. Another big mouth, non-factor.
So Thomas is going for the old "I don't remember making those comments defense?". Sounds like TO. Obviously he said it to Sports Illustrated as they are not in the business of completely fabricating stories. AD needs to own what he said and thank God Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens discovered him. Show a little class and alittle gratitude AD.
lewis' rant actually made some sense, until he started bragging about his pro-bowl appearances. he can't even help himself.
Some how I think this is Kyle Boller's fault if he wasn't so bad the running game would work and they would be winning and Ray Ray wouldn't be crying. Oh and McNair he's washed up.
This is the point of the matter is that the Pats are 7-0, and we are not about individual statistics. Do you want to compare the number of Super Titles that the Ravens have compared to the Patriots? I didn't think so.
"AD" was a bitter person all of last year, ask any of the Baltimore beat writers about the transformation in his personality last year. Ray was responding to AD in Sports Illustrated, not the other way around, Lee K.. By the way, all you Ray-haters need to take a deep breath, calm down, and go back and learn the facts of the Atlanta murders. Ray DID NOT stab anyone. He pled guilty to obstruction of justice, did his time, and has stayed out of trouble since.
Rey Lewis says: What do you mean we're not as good a team as the Patriots? I've been to 8 pro bowls! lol
Mr. Thomas, apparently has not been a Patriot long enough to have learned that opening your mouth to the press never seems to add value to anything. The W/L column says it all, end of story.
Ray Lewis is a coward that shot some one in atlanta. He is the coward. I can play better than him, I"m 72.
david, you think the pats would be a last place team if brady wasnt here. Are you crazy? we could beat the ravens with me at qb. the ravens suck and you need to realize it.
Looks like bulletin board material for late Nov, early Dec.
Ray lewis is a great LB but his social skills are "thug" so all he cares about is himself. Adalius is right in this sense that if he felt Baltimore was an ego-driven selfish team as opposed to the Pats than the result is wins. Ask Cinn. how selfish players are working out for them! To be honest, whats more cowardice, pointing out why you came to a winning team or calling a player a coward behind his back in the media? Truth is, Lewis at his age needs surrounding players that can keep all the focus off him, pretty selfish and I guarantee his tackle total rankings goes down before the season ends.
Pats Fans: Understand that when we're at the top, they (the rest of this league's fans) are always going to chop us down. Since the beginning of the year we've seen our team called out by the same people who lauded them as THE "model franchise", and our head coach go from a genius in the same conversation with Lombardi ( LOMBARDI!) to a smug, anti-social, ungrateful cheater. We know this is BS. Its tough because I know I was always proud of the way the Patriots won those championships with class, and I still am. I know whats true, we all know our team, and our players. We need to keep standing up for ourselves and our team and treat all the naysayers (David from above, ESPN "columnists", apparently the general public) like the unimportant, opportunistic, exploitative and sensationalist pieces of trash that they are by ignoring them. We'll talk our trash with wins and in ten years our team(s) will be remembered for the football they played, not the rest of this extraneous nonsense that has recently popped up. GO PATS!! (And by the way, Ray Lewis as the best linebacker ever? You forget about the man who invented the way that Lewis plays his position, and oh yeah, THE SACK! The original L.T. needs to get his props, so give it up Baltimore fan...
Ray Lewis will be remembered as the greatest or 2nd greatest linebacker (behind Lawrenece Taylor) to ever put on cleats. Adalius Thomas was discovered by the Ravens in the sixth round. They gave him a shot when no other team would and he should thank him for the mega-bucks he is getting from the Pats. While most of the country hates the smug Patriots and their cheating coach at least they are respected for winning and keeping their mouths shut. Maybe Thomas missed that meeting. You're right chowder-head Joe. It is bulletin board material...for Baltimore. Should be interesting when the pats go to Baltimore undefeated in December.
You all are making a big deal out of nothing. the pats a 7-0 and baltimore is not even worth mentioning. Lets not forget how the ravens got to baltimore, they moved out of town without telling anyone, kinda like when your neighbor is going to lose thier home and move out at 4am so noone sees them.
Reed, some guys grow after college, just because they got him in the 6th round doesnt mean he owes them anything. They should be happy they got a stud for 6th round money. Granted the Ravens have an excellent D but that tooth is getting pretty long and will only take them so far.....so far being home for the playoffs.
hahaha ok Reed, do you think your team can beat us honestly? you guys lost to the bengals and bills. we beat both of them by 3 touchdowns
to the comments about Lewis being the 5th ranked in tackles- not taking anything away from ray- but his teams offense cant stay on the field, hence more oppurtunities to make tackles. Pats defense hasnt spent a ton of time on the field and the middle linebackers rotate in and out. Its like comparing apples and oranges. Its all on how you want to look at it
careful adalius, ray already got away with ONE murder...
dear mr crab head reed who does tom brady have to thank, I believe he also was another 6th rounder maby give credit where credit is due maby the guys worked harder than others. newengland fans you may call us smug but the way you sound you sound like thugs.
Lewis Is Frustrated With His Team Being On Decline. He's Used To Being On Top Main Guy On a Team With a Fierce D Yada Yada Yada He Thinks He Can Get Away With Murder.....Oh Yea Thats Right He Did. Best Linebacker EVER Was On NY Giants #56
GO PATS!
who would u take in a fight adalius or ray ray ...
no weapons involved adalius would drop that punk
Reading Adalius's quote above, he doesn't really say anything other than a two-step back and forth - so much for being a man and saying what you mean. I'm sick of players running their mouths like this and not having the testicular fortitude to either stand by their words in the first place and just play the game. I loved AD and Ray in Baltimore for years and bleed purple, but Ray runs his mouth too much, loves the limelight too much. Now it seems Thomas is better off just being known for his game as well.
Pat fans say Ray shot someone in Atlanta?
Pat fans say Ravens moved to Baltimore without telling anyone?
Pats fans don't know much!
OK sorry, Baltoman. Ray Lewis stabbed two people to death. We stand corrected.
lol @ j said... hillarios
Look, Ray Lewis never stabbed anyone. He was never accused of that. You can be charged with murder if proven that you participated in an assault where someone was murdered, whether you did the actual killing or not. Since there was no witness to testify Lewis actually hit anyone (including the victims' friends) he got off with the plea.
AD is awesome, and a playmaker, no doubt. But Lewis is right b/c he was a DE/LB tweener that they created roles for.
Baltimore is a low-profile media town. If you'd live here you would know that NO LB ever impacted the game like Lewis. An as disruptive as LT was, he could not compare to the real quarterback terror of the age, Reggie White.
Is "David" serious? (There's nothing special about New England except Tom Brady and camcorders. Take away Brady and New England is fighting for a 10 ten pick in the draft. Spare me. Our defense is why we win the games we do. If we had an offense we'd have another 2 or 3 titles.) Losers use the word "IF" as an excuse for failure. Brady is the leader, but there's a lot of champions, especially the head coach, on New England. The Ravens have won a single Super Bowl, then "Cinderella" Billick lost his slipper and the Ravens became "also-rans." Dave is obviously a jealous, self-delusional crybaby who can't see things objectively. If the Ravens were any good, they'd win another Super Bowl without excuses. The Patriots never had super receivers until Randy Moss arrived. Belichick & Company managed to win with what they had, even though it was far below the talent level of other teams. Remember the Super Bowl against the "Greatest Show on Turf" St. Louis Rams? Nuff said!
Ray Lewis rips his coach on a national radio sports show and then calls Thomas a coward for his comments comparing the Patriots to the Ravens. Hey Ray, like they say, it takes one to know one!
Umm ... the Red Sox are better than the Orioles.
You guys who say that the patriot way is to not talk to the media are wrong. BB likes it when the pot is stirred, as long as it's not stirred between players INSIDE the patriots locker room. Remember "Vandejerk"? Sure he wants the talk limited, and maybe AD crossed that line, but he's more concerned with the players giving away injury information and/or breaking the cohesion of his own locker.