Lewis sidesteps deer-antler spray talk
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Of all the topics Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis wanted to talk about at Super Bowl media day, deer-antler spray probably was not on the list.
He declined to directly address in any detail Tuesday questions about a Sports Illustrated report that he sought help from a company that makes the unorthodox product to speed up his recovery from a torn right triceps. Lewis was the NFL's leading tackler in the playoffs after missing 10 regular-season games with the injury.
The company, Sports With Alternatives To Steroids (SWATS), says its deer-antler substance contains a banned performance-enhancer connected to human growth hormone.
The 37-year-old Lewis, who has announced he will retire after playing against the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday’s Super Bowl, dismissed the report as “stupidity.”
Sport Illustrated reported that SWATS owner Mitch Ross recorded a call with Lewis hours after the player hurt his arm in an October game against Dallas. According to the report, Lewis asked Ross to send him deer-antler spray and pills, along with other products made by the company.
The magazine also said that when it spoke to Lewis for its story, he acknowledged asking Ross for “some more of the regular stuff” on the night of the injury and that he has been associated with the company “for a couple years through Hue Jackson.”
Jackson is a former Ravens quarterbacks coach — and later head coach of the Oakland Raiders. Two years ago he stopped endorsing SWATS because his ties to the company violated NFL rules.
“That was a 2-year-old story that you want me to refresh ... so I won’t even speak about it,” Lewis said Tuesday. “Because I’ve been in this business 17 years, and nobody has ever got up with me every morning and trained with me. Every test I’ve ever took in the NFL — there’s never been a question of if I ever even thought about using anything. So to even entertain stupidity like that. ...”
The NFL didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, and NFL Players Association spokesman George Atallah declined comment.
“The team knew about this report. Ray denies taking anything and has always passed tests,” Ravens spokesman Kevin Byrne said.
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said he found out about the SI story during the team’s bus ride to the Superdome for media day.
“I have not talked to Ray about that personally,” Harbaugh said. “What I do know about that is Ray has worked incredibly and extremely hard to get back, so I hate to see anything diminish the work ethic that he’s put in to get to where he is right now. And my understanding is Ray has passed every random, you know, substance test that he’s taken throughout the course of his whole career. So there’s never been a test that’s shown up anything along those lines.”
Moss — from star to afterthought: Randy Moss strolled to the podium — his 49ers hat tilted slightly to the left, his sleeves rolled up high to reveal a cross tattooed on one arm, a large “R’’ tattooed on the other.
He carried himself very much like the star he once was.
“I don’t know how many questions I’m gonna give you,” he barked to reporters, before breaking into a smile. “So go ahead.”
Then, for the next hour or so, he was the center of attention — a role he seemed perfectly suited for, even though he kept saying over and over that he just wants to be treated like anyone else.
Moss proclaimed himself “the greatest receiver ever to play this game.” He urged all the coaches out there to listen to their players every now and then.
“I’m me,” Moss declared. “I just do it my way. That’s just how I feel. I don’t try to be better than the next man, or break any laws or any rules. Nothing like that. But what do I believe in? I believe in myself. That’s just the way I’ve always done it.
“I know,” he quickly added, “there’s some people out there who like me, and I know there’s a lot of people out there who don’t. For what reason, I don’t know and don’t really care.”
Moss was once the NFL’s most dominant receiver, but those days are long past. He’s 35 now, clearly on the downside of a career that actually seemed over a year ago. After bouncing around to three different teams in 2010, he didn’t play at all last season. But, he wasn’t ready to walk away from the sport just yet — and San Francisco gave him a chance to come back for another shot at the ring.
There was one big caveat: Moss would no longer be the center of the offense.
The 49ers had plenty of others — from receiver Michael Crabtree to tight end Vernon Davis to running back Frank Gore. Now that Colin Kaepernick has taken over at quarterback, it’s easy to forget that No. 84 is even on the field. Sure, Moss is savoring the 49ers run to the Super Bowl, but he’s still struggling to get his arms around the idea of being an afterthought on the field.
“I’ve always considered myself a playmaker,” he said. “Blocking? Yeah, I understand that’s part of the game. Me going out to be decoy? Yeah, I know that’s part of the game. But for me not to be out here making plays is something I just don’t understand.”
Then, he remembered why he’s here.
“If that’s going to win me a ring,” Moss said, “yeah, I accept that.”
Flacco no fan of cold-weather Super Bowl: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco apologized for his word selection in criticizing the NFL’s decision to hold next year’s Super Bowl in an outdoor stadium at a cold-weather site.
On Monday, Flacco was asked about the game being played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
“I think it’s retarded. I probably shouldn’t say that. I think it’s stupid,” he said.
On Tuesday, he was contrite.
“Obviously, it was a poor choice of words,” he said. “At home, I have a close relationship with Special Olympics. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.”
Flacco would like nothing more than to return to the Super Bowl next year, even if it might be in freezing conditions for the first time. It’s in his home state to boot.
The fifth-year pro from Audubon, N.J., is not a fan of playing the next big game in East Rutherford.
“I think it’s obvious reasons,” Flacco said. “They’ve done it the way they’ve been doing it for 47 years. There’s a lot that goes into this game, more than just playing the game: It’s about the fans and it’s about the players that played for the right to get there. There are a lot of things that go into it and it’s just kind of a crazy decision, I believe.”
Jim Harbaugh’s “necklace”: 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was asked about the “necklace” he wears on the sideline during games that includes a Sharpie. He seemed taken aback.
“Well I take great offense that you call it a necklace. It’s a whistle,” he said with a smile, drawing laughs from the media. “It’s a coaches’ whistle that coaches have long worn around their neck. I believe every coach should have a whistle. It’s hard to imagine going out to practice without a whistle.
“Then I just put a pen onto the whistle string. It’s not complicated at all. If I need a pen, it’s just right there.”
Never Tuckered out: Ravens kicker Justin Tucker was extremely patient telling every single person just how much it means to be an undrafted rookie in the Super Bowl.
Even the guy who asked him to answer a series of questions in hash tags, Twitter-style.
“In Twitter hash tags? All right, let’s try it out,” Tucker responded to the odd request in a day full of them.
Being at the Super Bowl? “Hash tag, awesome.”
Beyonce Knowles? “Hash tag, awesome.”
Destiny’s Child reunion? “I mean, hash tag, awesomer, I guess. That’s a pretty good group.”
Winning the Super Bowl? “Hash tag, unbelievable.”