The Caw: Ray Rice Thanks Blockers With Big Gifts

Posted Dec 29, 2012

Ryan Mink BaltimoreRavens.com Staff Writer @Ravens All Ryan Mink Articles

Tis the season to be linemen, fa la la la la, la la la la.

The Ravens offensive blockers got hooked up this holiday season by their quarterback and running back.

Last week, all of the team’s offensive linemen and fullback Vonta Leach were greeted by Bose speaker systems in their lockers, gifts from Joe Flacco.

Feeling the Christmas spirit came into locker room and this was in my locker and oline lockers.Thanks Flacco lockerz.com/s/270435703
— VontaLeach44 (@vleach44) December 20, 2012

This week, Leach tweeted about a gift he got from , who was just named to his third Pro Bowl. Last year, Rice got the linemen Brietling watches. This year, everybody got a 46-inch, flat screen TV. Rice called it a “small token of appreciation.”

Rice spent some time trying to think of the perfect gift.

Thank my man @rayrice27for TVs for myself and oline. (One thing though our TV is taller them him  lockerz.com/s/272454736
— VontaLeach44 (@vleach44) December 27, 2012

“I know everybody has a TV, but I had to get them something called a Smart TV,” he said. “They could have the internet and all that stuff. I try to keep up with technology.”

The gift of giving paid off for Joe last week. He was hardly touched by the New York Giants. Is Rice hoping the gifts will pay dividends for him too with some sweet run blocking?

Nah, Rice said he already ordered the TVs before he topped 1,000 rushing yards and was named to the Pro Bowl. The fact that the awards came this week just made it sweeter.

“I’m sitting here getting all these accolades. Those guys, they don’t live by accolades. They live by putting their hand in the dirt and going to work,” Rice said.

“There’s no price you can put on how much you appreciate the dirty work for you.”