Mount Sportsmore

[NJOriolesFan]

This is a great debate. I think the 4th should be Ray Lewis, even though I'm not a Ravens fan.

He's got some baggage, but so what? That stuffs pretty much swept under the rug anyway...it's not like he committed the crime. People think he's a murderer or something but he's not. . . . .

Lewis: One Super Bowl ring. 8 time Pro Bowl player. Two time defensive player of the year. 11 year career in Baltimore.

Palmer: Three World Series rings. Three other World Series teams. 19 year career in Baltimore. 6 time all-star. 3 time Cy Young. 4 time Gold Glove. 1st ballot hall-of-famer. Orioles announcer.

[2632]

Same argument that you get nowadays when they ask people who the most influencial female rock star ever is and they say Courtney Love/Hole. I mean come on, history didn't just start yesterday.

I actually thought about Brady ahead of Russell or Orr and simply couldn't do it. Back when I was a kid, Yaz was the biggest thing in New England and I considered him too.

I wanted this to span all eras.

Brady and Ortiz are modern players, but Brady brought them their 1st, 2nd and 3rd superbowls in the history of the franchise and Ortiz their first WS Championship in 86 yrs. They are living Gods up here.

Orr would be much harder to bump than Russell, though.

[Sports Guy]

Lewis: One Super Bowl ring. 8 time Pro Bowl player. Two time defensive player of the year. 11 year career in Baltimore.

Palmer: Three World Series rings. Three other World Series teams. 19 year career in Baltimore. 6 time all-star. 3 time Cy Young. 4 time Gold Glove. 1st ballot hall-of-famer. Orioles announcer.

Yea...As great as Ray is(and he is one of, if not the best ever at his position), Palmer is just worth more and did more.

[NJOriolesFan]

It's Ray-Ray. He is the most important player in Ravens history and put Baltimore back on the map as a great football town. He means so much to the city... It may be getting old, but I have never experienced anything at a sporting even that compares to a Ray-Ray introduction before a playoff game in Baltimore.

I'm all for balance - there are already two Orioles on there.

I do love Palmer though and he has been around the Orioles for over 30 yrs now. He is a close second.

I'm not sure many other cities compare in how much these individuals meant to their hometowns. Johnny U, Brooks, Cal, and now Ray. All are pretty much worshipped around these parts. Working class players for a tradionally blue collar city. Pretty awesome stuff...

Like the other poster said - maybe only Pittsburgh compares.

I need this kind of debate. For me, it's not even close between Palmer and Lewis. It is clearly Palmer. I think Lewis is more flavor of the month. Since he is recent more people can actually see his greatness. Nobody was better than Plamer in the 70's, maybe Seaver. Of course, I'm a Vikings fan so I don't embrace Lewis like I do Palmer. It is fairer for the Baltimore sports fans who saw both guys play and love both sports equally to pick this one.

[Chollie Eckman]

This is a great debate. I think the 4th should be Ray Lewis, even though I'm not a Ravens fan.

He's got some baggage, but so what? That stuffs pretty much swept under the rug anyway...it's not like he committed the crime. People think he's a murderer or something but he's not. . . . .

2 people are dead because of his posse. He was an accessory and turned states evidence. Why not put the transcript of his testimony on the wall too. No he's not a murderer, but what other tag would you put on him through your purple tinted glasses. I could think of a few.

[theonestevewh]

My Mount Sportsmore for B-more would be: Freddie Bynum, Jay Gibbons, Chris Ray and Peter Angelos... the four most beloved guys in this great town. Wait, I think this post needs to be moved to the "Post here when you're drunk" topic haha.

Seriously, I'd make Ray Lewis the 4th right now because B-more is becoming more of a football town than a baseball town. Sadly.

[blueberryale77]

It seems to me that a city which is mostly African American shouldn't be represented by all white guys. I might lean a little toward Frank Robinson even though only part of his career was here because he did come back and manage here as well as playing. Ray Lewis is probably more representative of the city but I am hesitant on him for the same reason as everyone else. However, if Ty Cobb is on Detroit's Mount Sportsmore we'd be pretty hard pressed to find a reason Ray should be kept off for morals if he's not. I don't want Palmer on there because it would be too expensive for the city to have to give Mount Sportsmore a facelift every year.

[frankpembleton]

I need this kind of debate. For me, it's not even close between Palmer and Lewis. It is clearly Palmer. I think Lewis is more flavor of the month. Since he is recent more people can actually see his greatness. Nobody was better than Plamer in the 70's, maybe Seaver. Of course, I'm a Vikings fan so I don't embrace Lewis like I do Palmer. It is fairer for the Baltimore sports fans who saw both guys play and love both sports equally to pick this one.

I don't think you can discount Ray's importance to Baltimore's sports landscape in relation to Palmer, however. When the Ravens came to town fans were dying for someone to rekindle the Colts magic. Ravens fans found that in the young linebacker out of Miami who played with more passion than everyone else on the field combined. He brought Baltimore football back into the limelight and his importance goes beyond his stats, championships, etc.

He certainly does not have the accolades and championships of Jim Palmer and Palmer would probably go down as a better player in his sport, I will give you that.

I have to admit, I did not see Palmer play as I was too young. I will say that I think Ray Lewis is as important to a lot of Baltimore sports fans as Cal Ripken Jr. And I pretty much know for a fact that Cal is more beloved than Palmer.

[NJOriolesFan]

Brady and Ortiz are modern players, but Brady brought them their 1st, 2nd and 3rd superbowls in the history of the franchise and Ortiz their first WS Championship in 86 yrs. They are living Gods up here.

Orr would be much harder to bump than Russell, though.

I could see Brady over Orr but only half of his career is over. Then again he can add to his accomplishments.

But Russell may even be ahead of the Hick from French Lick and Teddy Ballgame. Russell won two consecutive NCAA championships at University of San Francisco before heading off to the Celtics for a 13 year career. Before he joined the Celtics he led the U.S. to a gold medal in basketball. While with the Celtics he won 11 NBA titles in 13 years. So in 16 "seasons', Russell won the title 14 times. Has there ever been a great winner?

[olehippi]

Too bad you didn't include sports announcers....Chuck Thompson would be a gimme. But, I'd have to go with Jim Palmer, arrogance and all.

[NJOriolesFan]

My Mount Sportsmore for B-more would be: Freddie Bynum, Jay Gibbons, Chris Ray and Peter Angelos... the four most beloved guys in this great town. Wait, I think this post needs to be moved to the "Post here when you're drunk" topic haha.

Seriously, I'd make Ray Lewis the 4th right now because B-more is becoming more of a football town than a baseball town. Sadly.

You are missing the point. It is supposed to stand the test of time. Who cares if Baltimore is becoming more of a football town? It is irrelevant in this discussion.

[blueberryale77]

I don't think you can discount Ray's importance to Baltimore's sports landscape in relation to Palmer, however. When the Ravens came to town fans were dying for someone to rekindle the Colts magic. Ravens fans found that in the young linebacker out of Miami who played with more passion than everyone else on the field combined. He brought Baltimore football back into the limelight and his importance goes beyond his stats, championships, etc.

He certainly does not have the accolades and championships of Jim Palmer and Palmer would probably go down as a better player in his sport, I will give you that.

I have to admit, I did not see Palmer play as I was too young. I will say that I think Ray Lewis is as important to a lot of Baltimore sports fans as Cal Ripken Jr. And I pretty much know for a fact that Cal is more beloved than Palmer.

That's a great way of putting it. Even though Palmer was an unquestionably great player, the common fan (i.e. not people who spend a significant portion of their lives obsessing over the technicalities of baseball but the average Baltimore resident who roots for the local teams out of civic pride) never seemed to identify with him like they do with some players. I get the impression that he came across as aloof and a little too "Hollywood" for Baltimore and its blue collar ethos. He still does. I think if you were going to build a huge monumental statue, you'd need to consider who the top four are in the hearts of the local masses rather than who the best actual players were.

[Moose Milligan]

2 people are dead because of his posse. He was an accessory and turned states evidence. Why not put the transcript of his testimony on the wall too. No he's not a murderer, but what other tag would you put on him through your purple tinted glasses. I could think of a few.

IMO, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

[NJOriolesFan]

I don't think you can discount Ray's importance to Baltimore's sports landscape in relation to Palmer, however. When the Ravens came to town fans were dying for someone to rekindle the Colts magic. Ravens fans found that in the young linebacker out of Miami who played with more passion than everyone else on the field combined. He brought Baltimore football back into the limelight and his importance goes beyond his stats, championships, etc.

He certainly does not have the accolades and championships of Jim Palmer and Palmer would probably go down as a better player in his sport, I will give you that.

I have to admit, I did not see Palmer play as I was too young. I will say that I think Ray Lewis is as important to a lot of Baltimore sports fans as Cal Ripken Jr. And I pretty much know for a fact that Cal is more beloved than Palmer.

But what will people be saying when Ray Lewis is retired for 10 years? To have relevence years after you stop playing is what really makes somebody's career remarkable. Lewis will have his place in history and in Baltimore lore but it is hard to compare the love you have for somebody who is current to someone many have never seen play.

[Sports Guy]

I need this kind of debate. For me, it's not even close between Palmer and Lewis. It is clearly Palmer. I think Lewis is more flavor of the month. Since he is recent more people can actually see his greatness. Nobody was better than Plamer in the 70's, maybe Seaver. Of course, I'm a Vikings fan so I don't embrace Lewis like I do Palmer. It is fairer for the Baltimore sports fans who saw both guys play and love both sports equally to pick this one.

This is 100% correct...Most people on this site never even saw Palmer pitch.