Some days, it's hard not to marvel at Willis McGahee. He can cut. He's slippery. He makes your eyes shake out of their sockets. Sometimes, you simply can't believe what has taken place in front of you.
If only we were talking about McGahee's feet instead of his lips.
In an interview this week with Sporting News Radio, McGahee seemed to imply Ravens coaches were at fault for his lack of production this season. McGahee said he "tried to be someone else's running back this year, and it didn't work out."
It's probably not worth harping too much on McGahee's comments. For the most part, he has said the right things to microphones and digital recorders during what has been a frustrating and disappointing season for him. He has often accepted blame and responsibility, even going so far as comparing his play to "doo-doo"- a prime candidate for the year's most truthful statement.
I'm not sure why he chose the week before the playoffs to spout off (the Ravens didn't schedule the interview; The Monty Show's producer told me they had been negotiating with McGahee's people for months). But whether he really blames coaches or not, don't expect his poor judgment on radio to be any kind of distraction as the Ravens prepare for the Miami Dolphins this weekend.
But there was one snippet that is worth further discussion. Asked about his future, McGahee acknowledged he's completing a "crazy" year and added: "I'm just going to go out there and play for me. I can't play for nobody else but me."
We focus on those words not because they reflect on McGahee, but because they speak to the Ravens as a team. In fact, they seem to reveal why McGahee hasn't meshed with this remodeled Ravens unit.
This season's team features many Pro Bowl performers and All-Pro performances. There are at least two near-certain Hall of Famers in the locker room. There are guys playing for new contracts, guys playing for their legacies and guys playing for a job.
But not many who are playing for themselves.
Go through the roster. Hard to imagine many daring to utter something like, "I can't play for nobody else but me," isn't it?
Perhaps more than any other Ravens squad, this season's group embodies the team concept best. It's a credit to coach John Harbaugh for instilling it. And just as important, a credit to linebacker Ray Lewis for encouraging it.
