By Pk Bartley
Big Play Ray is one of the men best known for making the big defensive plays in football, not only in college but in the pro ranks as well. In recognition of that fact, Ray Buchanan, the former University of Louisville cornerback, had his number placed in U of L’s ring of honor before Thursday night’s game against Florida State.
Buchanan, who played for U of L from ’89 to ’92 had fifteen career interceptions. His best year was in ’91 when he led the team with eight picks. In ’91 and ’92, Buchanan was voted to the All-American team. After graduating from U of L in ’92, he was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts and stayed with them from ’93 through ’96. While he was with the Colts, Buchanan played in an AFC Championship game.
In ’97 he signed up with the Atlanta Falcons which is where he is still playing today, With the Falcons, Buchanan has played in an AFC championship game as well as one Superbowl.
“It’s a great honor to be up there,” say Buchanan, “I was looking at a lot of the names up there, and there are a lot of great names up there. The main one Johnny Unitas, my hats off to him, that’s the first one I looked at. Then I looked at my name being up there, I felt very warm inside because that’s a great honor.”
When Buchanan was at U of L, the Cards played their home games at old Cardinal Stadium on the fairgrounds. Thursday was the first time Buchanan had ever seen the new Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. “I looked at the grass field, I looked at the locker rooms, I looked at the meeting rooms, I looked at the workout room,” Buchanan says enthusiastically. “The workout room was so huge. I mean this facility is a lot nicer than 50 percent of the NFL’s. It’s well deserved and I’m glad to be part of it.”
Right now, Buchanan is serving a four game suspension from the NFL for taking an over the counter fat burner that the league has banned. Buchanan is quick to point out that he was not suspended for taking a steroid, “Me, I’ve never taken a steroid in my life,” he stated. “I’m a hundred and eighty-two pounds soaking wet. Anybody who knows me, knows that I would not try to hurt my organization for one, my family for two, or my body for three. It’s just a bad situation and a big time mistake on my part, but it’s only a minor set back.”
Buchanan says that the reason the league has banned the fat burners is a result of what happened last year with the Viking’s Corey Stringer. The league is just trying to protect the player from having any health problems. Buchanan has been putting his time to good use, “I’ve been able to do a lot of other things,” he says. “I’ve been able to spend time with my four children. I’ve been playing Mrs. Doubtfire at home. I do a lot of TV and radio as well.”
