There will be no statues built for Bart Scott or streets named after him in Baltimore. But he was a really cool, good Raven during the time he spent here. Scott was underappreciated on draft day, worked his way through development, special teams and finally onto the roster for good and now has gotten a bigger contract than his Hall of Fame counterpart Ray Lewis, who was left at the alter by Rex Ryan yesterday when the big contracts were being handed out.
Apparently, Rex Ryan, Mike Pettine and Bart Scott all went out for a trip to the local mall near the Jets facility while the agents and financial folks were working out the terms. As a fan, it might not sound like a big deal. But those are three, special dudes there who will no longer be working every day to make the Ravens better in Owings Mills.
It’s hard to replace good people…
Scott was a kid from Detroit who always had to work a little harder and a little smarter to make his way. He was polite, sharp, loquacious and charming. He was frequently spotted at the team facility in the offseason pushing his kids through the halls in a stroller. He was great on the radio. He was great with people. He was a stalwart in the community here and has a long track record of helping people. He’ll have a good time in New York and will be hard for the Ravens to replace.
And, privately, most scouts would tell you he’s absolutely a better player than Ray Lewis circa Sept. 2009. Well, Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine basically told the whole world that yesterday. That’s gotta sting Ray Lewis even more than waiting by the phone or the “insulting” offer the Ravens have put on the table.
Here’s a solid piece from the Jets official website on the pursuit of Bart Scott.
