Off all the places one would expect to find Ray Lewis, just about the last would be at Madison Square Garden, giving a pep-talk to the Stanford Cardinal before Tuesday night's NIT game. But one could find worse to give a pregame speech, and if you're going to go all-out for the NIT, you might as well go find Ray-Ray.

And, really, would anyone turn down a chance to see Lewis deliver a passionate pregame speech? Even if it's for the NIT? I didn't think so. Hit the jump for the superb video and a transcript of his speech.

I can't thank you guys for the opportunity. Let me tell you something: If tomorrow wasn't promised, what would you give for today? Forget everything else. Forget everything else. Forget that there was any sunlight left. What would you spend today thinking about. Yourself? Or the man that's beside you? Or the man that you know you'd give everything in your heart for? We get one opportunity in life. One chance in life ... to do whatever you're gonna do. To lay your foundation. To make whatever mark you're gonna make. To leave whatever legacy you're gonna leave. Leave your legacy. And it's found through effort. Wins and losses come a dime a dozen. But effort? Nobody can judge effort. Effort is between you and you. Effort aint got nothing to do with nobody else. So that team that think they ready to seen you? They think what they seen on film. They ain't saw what film shows. Because every day is a new day. Every moment is a new moment. So now you got to go out and show them that you a different creature now than I was five minutes ago. Cause I'm pissed off for greatness. Because you ain't pissed off for greatness, that mean you OK with being mediocre. Aint no man in here OK with bring just space. So let's do what we do. Tonight, we ain't gotta worry about taking no breaks.

If you'll excuse me, there's a brick wall nearby that needs runnin' through.

H/TRule of Tree