Ravens great Bart Scott reflects on Hall of Fame career of Ray Lewis and “being his fullback”

The longtime Baltimore linebacker shared stories about the greatness of No. 52 with Nestor and Luke on Radio Row in Minnesota Super Bowl 52.

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run, pay, players, baltimore, brady, live, ray lewis, radio, talk, key, scott, adjustment, man, contributed, won, team, draft, money, ravens, sports radio

Nestor Aparicio  00:00

Welcome back wn st Towson, Baltimore and wn s CI dotnet. We are live on radio road is all brought to you by Howard bank, of course, our new sponsor.

Bart Scott  00:10

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Oh, I get it I get a loan, I can get a loan from our

Nestor Aparicio  00:12

bank you can do whatever you need to do. You don’t live local anymore, man. How are banks local,

Bart Scott  00:17

I’ll take a loan. I’ll take a loan from anybody that have given it to me for the right interest rate. All right.

Nestor Aparicio  00:21

This guy now does radio. He was spoiled because he was trained by the best. Back in the day, dude, I remember when you were just a Slappy over the corner trying to run special team. I’m trying to get a job,

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Bart Scott  00:35

man. I’m just I’m still saying dude, I’m faking it till I make it. They just don’t know I’m faking it yet. Even no radio? No, no, I’m faking it.

Nestor Aparicio  00:42

I don’t know the last time I did radio with you. But it probably was when you were maybe a jet, you know, literally on the field. I haven’t tracked you down and some of these things. You’re one of the hardest working dudes I know. Much like in football, you’ve taken that to the media. Never ever thought you would want to run off to New York and do sports radio.

Bart Scott  01:00

Well, you know what, I didn’t envision it either. I was just kind of messing around. And, um, you know, my friend Sesa, who’s, uh, you know, started sports radio, or you know that you talked about the fan and what it means to the industry. I had no idea I was just messing around, they asked me to fill in my age asked me to fill in I was, you know, doing the NFL today and doing a TV thing. And they decided to go a different direction. I was just hanging out, you know, and I said, Hey, man, you want to come in and, you know, fill in for a couple days, I did it. And, you know, they start to consider me as a potential replacement. And here we are today, you know, just one of those things. I just, I go with the flow. And if it feels right, I do it. And if it doesn’t, you know, I’ve worked hard enough and made enough money where I can have options. And you know, right now I’m having fun. I’m enjoying myself. And, you know, I think about Maggie and Carlin and, you know, you know, my co hosts and how they welcomed me in and how enjoyable it is to go to work every day.

Nestor Aparicio  01:52

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Yeah, you guys. That’s not fake. I sit here on radio row, watch it all day. I mean, I’ve watched it three, four days now. And I think and I’ll bring Luke in on the first off. That’s Luke. I thought the board over there he’s like, I don’t know. I don’t know. Bart. I wasn’t covered.

Bart Scott  02:08

I’ve been gone a long time. And it’s been it’s been a minute time flies, man. It’s amazing. I’ve almost been retired almost five years. It’s my fourth year retired. And time flies. And it’s amazing. You know, every once in a while I get the opportunity to look back and reflect I was able to come down. I’m still very active in the Baltimore community. Y’all still considered Baltimore? My home I still consider myself a Baltimore Raven. You know, I had a girlfriend on the side for a little bit.

Nestor Aparicio  02:32

Je je s.

Bart Scott  02:35

I never said that. I’m a raven.

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Nestor Aparicio  02:38

Well, for you with this Super Bowl and seeing Brady still out here, you’ve been gone a long time. And I can dial up a lot of film up there. You and Rex and Ray and Hello Kitty and you know everybody ad I mean, he’s all the way around chasing him around and they’re still trying to chase him around shorts. He’s gonna try to catch them on Sunday. Well, I’ll

Bart Scott  02:57

tell you what, you you got to take your hat off to him. He’s he’s put his cell phone in Mount Rushmore, quarterbacks, you know, you think about the combination. Well, you know what, what it what a luxury it is to be able to have a head coach, and pretty much your entire coaching staff to be available with you for 17 years. You think about the things that they’ve seen together, you think about the situations they’ve been in how they’re prepared to adjust to any situation. And I don’t think they’ve changed a bit. I think they kind of leveled out and stayed at the same level. But the problem is, everybody else that comes in is new to them. And you’ll date, what a great benefit is for you to be in a situation. And you go to the sideline and you can say okay, we remember in 2003 when you know the rounds, or the Ravens or the Jets were running his Blitz, and they kept killing us with a guy Blitz. Remember what we did, I think we should be able to do that. And you’ll I think that’s the that’s the key to their success. The fact that they’ve been together, they’ve kept each other in tact. It’s the same system and has been able to evolve and grow and you got to tip your hat off to Bill Belichick because he’s won different ways. He’s won with great defense. He’s won with, you know, great receivers he’s run with tight ends he’s won with Corey Dillon as a power running back. You know, I think Swardson and Philadelphia Eagles have their hands full. But with that being said Any Given Sunday, you know, they’re talented team if you go if you go player for player, you will probably say that Philadelphia, it’s a more talented team. But the great equalizer is Tom Brady. What’s the key for that? Is

Luke Jones  04:29

it making Brady uncomfortable? I mean, I think I mean it always is

Bart Scott  04:33

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simple but it’s not that simple. Sure. It’s about being able to make the adjustments you know, meal. Can you be a great counter puncher, right Can you can you attack but can you also counter punch, can you when they make the adjustment? Can you make an equal adjustment that’s just as smart and crafty as they as they’re justement? You know, because you saw last week Jacksonville kind of came out and gave him ish problems. They really didn’t, you know, cash in in red isn’t what you have to do against the patriots to put pressure on them. But you saw them kind of say, you know, the Patriots gonna say is that all you got? And it was pretty much yeah, that’s about it. And I think that Doug Peterson he’s done a tremendous job and, and his adjusting to Nick Foles and the RPOs and being able to do things that he does well, but he’s going to have to have his best game as a play caller. And Swartz is going to have to have his best game The great thing is they’re nine deep on the defensive line. And when Brady does have trouble is because of interior pressure. And he’s not allowed to step up and step out and you hit him and you hit him off and and but what happens is you see him change temples go, no huddle, you see him, you know, you know, change and get up to the offensive line and make the defensive linemen standard stands for extended periods of time. Yeah, I don’t know if that works with this unit, because they have whole shifts. You know, they know they’ll bring up three guys and bring out another three guys. You think about Graham, you think about Ben or you think about you know, Fletcher Cox you think about their ability to rotate guys through to keep them fresh. That’s gonna be the key, but the key is while you’re trying to make those adjustments, don’t fall for the banana in the tailpipe. You know, Brady, why Brady is such a great player, you think about the the elite quarterbacks, they do all the little things. So if you want to be lackadaisical, you want to get up and kind of jog off the field when they’re trying to change personnel. He’s gonna catch you with 12 on the field, he’s gonna take a shot, try to get a cheap play, and do all the little things. So you got to have to be in tune you’re gonna have to play a complete game. You’re gonna have to try and get you to win the turnover battle, but also win situational football

Nestor Aparicio  06:35

by Scott joining us here of course ravens legend and there’s another ravens legend around Saturday night 50 to be getting into the hall. Yeah, absolutely. First ballot well deserved. So many of you own a little piece of him, right. I mean, there’s so many of you over the course of all of that lined up with him. I got to think this August thing for so many of you, I mean, coaches players Schwartz’s apart, I mean, so many, this is going to be a real nation, I think for everything. purpley again,

Bart Scott  07:06

in August, you know what I enjoy being a fullback. I mean, he talked about being able to play with the greatest, you know, middle linebacker in football history. I feel like I’m not sliding anybody by saying that. I think he is the standard. I think, you know, he’s the one that’s you know, you think about that route that Mount Rushmore of linebackers, I think you you have the star with him. And then maybe Lt. I think he’s that good, that dominant? Everything. lt was to the outside linebacker, I believe that Ray Lewis was for the inside linebacker. And He showed that he could be dominant in two different systems, a three, four and a four, three, and also being able to play in different areas and be able to adjust. You know, you saw Ray Lewis dominated to 60. But you just saw him dominate as well, at 235 to 40.

Nestor Aparicio  07:47

For you first time you met him, you come in, you’re just Bart Scott. Right. And he’s already Ray Lewis. Right. Absolutely. Some thoughts about the intimidation and part of that, and at what point does he accept you?

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Bart Scott  08:00

Well, I’ll tell you what, I was just excited to have opportunity coming from a D one double play. You know, I really didn’t even know you know, all the players that was on the ravens, I knew that they were a great team. You know, I always was a fan I should do with any dogs in the house, you know, down in college. But when you become a teammate, you know, you have to let the fandom go away. You have to start trying to earn your earn the respect of all those great players. When I defend you think about Peter bowl where Michael McQueary at that time of day is Thomas at Hartwell,

Nestor Aparicio  08:29

what shocked you though ray coming in? I mean, you you really were a kid coming into that situation? Definitely. 20 years and you’re trying to dream, the dream that a lot of people didn’t see in you because if he seen it in you that it drafted.

Bart Scott  08:41

Well, I was just so focused on trying to make sure that I can earn the right to be on the team and what I’ve tried to do is be a sponge and what I was impressed with is what you saw on Sundays what you saw during the week, he was one of the hardest workers in practice, you know, you look at him he’s at that point, I believe is that year six year seven, and he was still you know, a student of the game he was taking more notes than the rookies inside of the meeting rooms and that’s really what I think the keys to success is that he never got complacent. He never said okay, I got this figured out he always you know, bust his hump and he always lead by example in that regard with the his ability to one be a student of the game, but three also never disrespect the game. never cheated. Practice always work hard. You know, always pay the price.

Luke Jones  09:24

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Where are you with the Ravens right now? I mean, John’s got a lot of criticism. Joe has gotten criticism, they missed the playoffs four out of five years. They haven’t bought them now but I mean the arguments there that they’ve kind of been in stuck in between they haven’t been good enough but they haven’t been awful where you’re going to tear the whole thing down.

Bart Scott  09:39

Exactly. Well, that’s what happens when you have to pay your quarterback top dollar and he takes 15 to 20% of your of your salary cap. That’s just the nature of the beast. I think you see Russell Wilson is experiencing that now. It’s tough to build a complete team. When you do that you have to hit on every draft pick and I don’t know if if he’s had to, you know, his better, you know, draft class because not a lot of guys have contributed you think about pyramid? You think about you know Elam you think about all the way from Brown guys that should be on his team contributing, you know should be veterans you should be happy to make decisions. Oh no, they didn’t pan out. They didn’t they didn’t produce like, you know, we expect them to produce.

Nestor Aparicio  10:15

Well the hardest part of that then you have to go out and sign veteran players money or use more draft picks down the line redrafting, which they’re gonna be doing they’re gonna be redrafting for Prashad Perriman because it didn’t work out

Bart Scott  10:26

right. Absolutely. And that’s just that’s just the nature of the beast. You know if you if you if you have if you build your team through the draft and you hit on a draft and it buys you time if you don’t that you have to go out and you have to buy higher guns but it’s not sustainable eventually you’re gonna have to make some tough decisions on some guys you got to let a guy like Jernigan go because you can’t pay both guys and you lose great quality players ones that you draft the guys that you’ve you’ve developed and now you can’t afford to pay them guys

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Nestor Aparicio  10:53

like Mark Scott well out of our Scotland on the way

Bart Scott  10:57

I was achieved I was cheap labor and that was a key to the success think about a day as Thomas will Dempsey Chad Williams the my brightful you’ll Chester teleties All guys you know we’re all guys that were cheap. So it afforded you to take take a risk and go on and say okay, I’m gonna go out and trying to sign a Steve McNair I’m gonna go bring in a Trevor price and bringing guys like that you can afford that to do that when you don’t when you’re not paying your quarterback but when you pay your quarterback that the clock is ticking and you better be right. You see Drew Brees that’s happening with Drew Brees you know four years Drew Brees and have the team around them to compete they just so I happen to hit on a guy like Camaro, you know, I forget the right tackle that they hit on in the second round draft pick that contributed that safety. They gave him the big play, you know, so, you know, you can get away with that until you know you have to pay those young players and when you have to pay those young players just like in Seattle, you know, you pay Richard Sherman now Earl Thomas wants more money, but to handle it they had they had a hell of a run for a while because they didn’t have to pay Russell Wilson no different from the window that San Francisco had when it had a control book Colin Kaepernick

Nestor Aparicio  11:58

let’s see Pat and get a job again right now good

Bart Scott  12:01

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man. He got that as he was getting us money sitting at the at the at the at the house. You know, sit on that Buffalo Bills, money that by Buffalo Bills, money ran out, he went out and got another job. I think he’ll be great for that. For that for that team. You talk about being able to add some to that division. You know, the only thing is I don’t know what he’s going to do with his spare time because other than going to Applebee’s I don’t know what they have much. They’re there to eat some cheese curds.

Nestor Aparicio  12:26

You’re wondering smack about me or about anybody else in Baltimore right now. I got the opportunity set again. You just ran after a pet you just gave him a hard time. No, no,

Bart Scott  12:32

no, I’m happy for Ben. I’m just saying I don’t know what he’s gonna find to do he better pick up a chest or something either. Like cold lonely nights.

Nestor Aparicio  12:40

Do you say you wouldn’t play for the Packers?

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Bart Scott  12:44

Did that check what had to be real big? That’d be big check. I mean Jesus. Call dude. Man How many people are even live in Green Bay like 15 15,000 Yeah, I’m not about that life. I’m a city boy. I can’t I can’t function like that. I’d be happy you’re from Milwaukee ever I spend all my money on private jets trying to get out there on the weekend your life’s been a

Nestor Aparicio  13:05

dream and I remember running around the Superbowl with you in Detroit no you were just trying to get and now you live in in Manhattan you

Bart Scott  13:11

live in large Jersey I’m ballin on a budget.

Nestor Aparicio  13:13

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You live in Jersey why? Budget I’m saying your city guy thought you want to live in the city.

Bart Scott  13:20

No, no, I’m a city guy. I want to be close to the city. I don’t want to live I don’t want concrete to be my background. I got 10 acres man I get to go on and I can do stuff back there and run around neck and nobody can see.

Nestor Aparicio  13:31

Getting a good image. But I love you. I’ve always appreciated our relationship. I’m sorry.

Bart Scott  13:36

Not a bad idea. You know? I mean, some people might even enjoy it. Yeah, absolutely. I got a pool. I got a track. I got some zip lines. I got some paint balls. And they called it Neverland Ranch over there.

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Luke Jones  13:50

We forgot to mention there’s a hot sauce store right over there. Oh

Nestor Aparicio  13:55

guys from Maryland. He’s a Ravens fan. We gotta go take a picture with him.

Bart Scott  14:00

He ain’t slinging me No. No bar Scott vintage edition. If he if he doing that Daniel tan we can talk we can talk visit one of

Luke Jones  14:08

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the all time great lines his ankle had no idea what hit it.

Bart Scott  14:13

I tell you what, it took Reggie a little while to kind of let it go man I saw him in in Vegas and he ran for him. He was like listen, man, we cool I’m not gonna beat you up anymore. I’m not mad. Oh, good. I’ll pick up Reggie Bush we we made a man’s we built bridges. I would listen

Nestor Aparicio  14:27

to you talking about sports. I really like Rocky for I you know, I don’t know that I pay to listen to you talk about sports. But I listen. You talk about sports anytime. Well, I’ll

Bart Scott  14:34

take your check if you want to give it to him. I know. I mean, I’m making that money. You’ve been doing this for about 20 years. You only only seven years. Yeah, you own your own business. So you write your own.

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Nestor Aparicio  14:42

I feel really bad that you’ve slipped away. You know, you’ve gone off the you know, I started this. This. What I wanted was

Bart Scott  14:50

it was this Friday at the Knicks. Is this the thanks I get. I started this barbecue

Nestor Aparicio  14:56

off to New York. I come back to the fan. I come

Bart Scott  14:59

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back all the time. Though I mean how can you pass out? Well,

Nestor Aparicio  15:01

of course I mean sir you sit here they wrote me a hell of a check man. I

Bart Scott  15:05

was like hey, I don’t really want to work every day they say hey here you go I’ll say hey I’ll work every day you Monday

Nestor Aparicio  15:13

Scott the man the myth the legend still considers himself a Baltimorean always maybe I would have crabs you do one night man come on back home come on you know he Nemo but I’ll even chicken you eat the crabs.

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Bart Scott  15:23

I love obey though.

Nestor Aparicio  15:24

You took me out that night in Detroit to that. That that the place downtown that’s ledge like a Cajun place. Cool.

Bart Scott  15:32

Detroit Sweetwater Sweetwater tavern or was it Sinbad

Nestor Aparicio  15:36

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Sinbad, you

Bart Scott  15:38

took me Yeah, man. I said that’s a good stuff, man. I’m glad we get shot. That’s bad neighborhood. I got street cred so we cool I

Nestor Aparicio  15:45

said I’m a part Scott. parts you can pass through.

Bart Scott  15:49

You may enter

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Nestor Aparicio  15:51

I appreciate you after doing five hours of real radio coming over and yucking it up with me

Bart Scott  15:55

but it’s fun. Just the fun stuff man. You can’t fire me because I don’t work for you.

Nestor Aparicio  16:01

Let’s go get some hot sauce. Joining us here are brought to you by Howard bank. Reliable radio row Super Bowl 52. continuing coverage. He’s Luke on Nesta. We are wn st dotnet am 1570 wn st Towson Baltimore. And we never stop talking. Baltimore sports