Billboard in Baltimore Says Ray Lewis’ Retirement Party Has Been Delayed

People in Baltimore are partying like it’s 2001 this Monday, as the first time since Trent Dilfer was their quarterback, the Baltimore Ravens are heading to the Super Bowl. However the biggest story surrounding their trip to New Orleans surrounds Ray Lewis and how his retirement announcement has seemingly sparked this magical run.

As long as Ray Lewis is dishing out the sweets, the people of Baltimore are going to eat it up. A billboard went up on Monday proclaiming that Ray Lewis’ retirement party has been delayed and rescheduled for February 3rd.

Also, the Patriots aren’t invited. It’s not my rule, it’s what the billboard says.

The billboard, and the shot at the Patriots, is likely in response to

a similar billboard in Massachusetts that mocked Lewis’ retirement

. The sign was a giant ‘Ray’s Retirement Party’ countdown, counting down the days until the Patriots and Ravens played in the title game.

Lewis said it almost made him cry when he saw it (I’ll pause here while you grab tissues), but it also put a fire in his belly, motivating him to go out and stick it to the folks who are against him.

“I was hurt when I saw a sign that actually said my retirement would [start] tonight,” a tearful Lewis told Sal Paolantonio after the AFC title game. “Man can’t dictate that.  God dictates that.”

While we’ve had an overload of Ray Lewis in the last 24 hours, this story is only going to catch on more and more as we nearly the truly final game of Ray Lewis’ career. Like him or not, this is absolutely the best and most epic way an NFL legend could ever hope to retire from the game.

Somewhere, in a shed in Mississippi, Brett Favre is crying.