WELL COME ON AND LET ME KNOW…SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? ~ Ray Lewis has been the talk of the town over the past few days and understandably so.  When the sports icon in a town that desperately starves for one says that he no longer wants to be that icon, some feathers are bound to be ruffled.

In one corner are those fans that have Ray’s back to the bitter end.  They will fight you tooth and nail and deny that there’s anything wrong with Ray or his behavior over the past few months.

In the opposite corner are those that say to Ray, “Don’t let the door hit you in the ass!”  Like the jilted lover, they say go ahead and leave Ray.  “If you don’t want us, we don’t want you!”

My oh my how things have changed.

Even posse member Deion Sanders called out Ray publicly, telling “little brother” to handle business matters professionally and behind closed doors.  The topic has attracted the national media and feature stories have appeared on ESPN’s Sportscenter, Sporting News Radio with James Brown, MSNBC and other major media outlets.

On Wednesday afternoon ESPN Radio’s Dan Patrick had analyst Chris Mortensen on his program and they discussed Ray Lewis.  According to Mortensen, he had a chance to speak to Ray about the reports that he wants out of B’more while the two were in Hawaii, during the Pro Bowl.  Mortensen claims that Ray understands the situation and while he does want a new contract, he understands that he’s already signed a contract – one that Ray plans to honor.  At least that is Mortensen’s impression.

So does that make everyone feel a bit better? 

It might and then again it might not – not until everyone hears Ray say it himself.  Mortensen’s impression could be accurate and Ray’s intentions could be genuine.  It could also be part of an effort to still trade Ray without diminishing his trade value.  The perception is that someone who isn’t anxious to leave might cost a bit more to pry away and maybe the only way Ozzie actually considers moving Ray is if someone ups the ante.

Time will tell what may happen to Ray and if he continues to wear a Ravens’ uniform.  However if the Ravens can secure a first round pick and place Ray with a team of his liking, it could be a win-win situation.  Clearly Ray isn’t the player he once was and two of his last four seasons have been cut drastically by injuries.  One could argue that Ray remains one of the league’s best middle linebackers yet he is playing for a team that clearly needs retooling to challenge the Steelers and Bengals in the AFC North.  Can the Ravens move past the Super Bowl Champion and the AFC North Champion in 2006?  Possibly, although it isn’t likely. 

The Ravens may be better off chartering a course intended to have them playoff ready by 2007 and that is something that Ray Lewis will not take kindly to.  If the Ravens can get value for Ray, it may be in their long-term best interests to take the cap hit and move him.  Assuming the club can land a No. 1 pick (although that may be overly optimistic), Ray could move on to a team that is just one or two impact players away from taking that next step – say a team like Jacksonville.  The Ravens have always enjoyed a healthy working relationship with the Jaguars and Jack Del Rio has always been a big Ray Lewis advocate.

And for those that worry about Ray’s place in history, don’t!  He will retire as a Raven much like Joe Montana returned to San Francisco from KC and retired as a 49er and he’ll go in the Hall of Fame as a Raven and we’ll all travel to Canton, OH for a spirited induction ceremony.  And if Ray does leave, you’d like to think it could be an amicable split.  After all whether he likes it or not, Ray Lewis has been the face of the Ravens and he still deservedly is!

Let’s all hope for the best but don’t hold your breath.

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER…MAKES ME FEEL SAD FOR THE REST ~ Despite his decline in play, Ray remains among the best at his position.  Here’s a look at all of the inside/middle linebackers that were named to the 2006 Pro Bowl teams along with Ray Lewis and another who emulates Ray, Jonathan Vilma.  The statistics are compiled over the past 3 seasons (2 seasons in Vilma's case):

WELL I WAS STANDING ON A CORNER IN WINSLOW ARIZONA…SUCH A FINE SIGHT TO SEE ~ Kurt Warner certainly likes his little corner of Arizona which now could be worth as much as $24 million if he performs as he did for the Arizona Cardinals over the next 3 seasons like he did in 2005.  The two-time former MVP signed a new deal with Denny Green’s boys on Tuesday.  Scratch him off your list of potential QB free agents.

WELL NOW THEY CALL HIM THE BREES, HE MIGHT JUST BLOW ON DOWN THE ROAD ~ Word is the San Diego Superchargers are toying with the idea of allowing Drew Brees to head on down the road and test the free agent market.  Brees injured the labrum in his throwing shoulder and the Chargers just might bet on a market that is fearful of the injury -- a market that only needs to look at the Jets and Chad Pennington as a case in point.  If the Chargers follow through on the idea, scratch Philip Rivers off your list of potential QB’s and add Brees with an asterisk.

I WANT TO GET AWAY…I WANNA FLY AWAY…YEAH…YEAAAAAAAAAAAH ~ Some of the New York Jets veterans might try to pull a Herm Edwards and start looking for a way out of the Big Apple.  John Abraham is disgruntled and he wants out.  Chad Pennington is being asked to take a big pay cut to provide needed cap relief – the Jets are reportedly $26 million over the projected cap.  Under the current contract, Pennington would carry a $12 million cap figure and even if the Jets cut him, he would be a $10 million cap casualty.

Although Pennington will more than likely not be a cap casualty, other Jets’ veterans could be.  According to the New York Daily News, Ty Law, Jay Fiedler, Jason Fabini, Pete Kendall and, possibly, Kevin Mawae are expected to be released. 

Wonder if Keydrick Vincent would give up his No. 68 to Mawae?

GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNIN’…HEAD OUT ON THE HIGHWAY ~ It doesn’t appear that the Titans’ Pro Bowl Defensive End Kyle Vanden Bosch will be looking for free agent adventure.  According to FOXSports.com Vanden Bosch and the Titans are closing in on a four-year contract that could include up to $15 million in guaranteed money.  Shhh, don’t tell Ray.