Ray Rice was about to begin his post-game remarks after the Ravens' big 30-24 win over the New Orleans Saints Sunday when a handful of reporters began trickling out, headed to the team's locker room for more quotes.

"Hey, where you going?" the Ravens running back asked playfully. "I'm getting ready to speak!"

 This is part of the beauty of Ray Rice these days: no one in the NFL is having more fun than this guy.

 You can see it in everything he does: the smash-mouth style with which he runs the ball, the obvious joy he takes in his day-to-day interactions with his teammates, even the funny -- and often-hilarious -- banter he engages in with the media jackals.

 Rice was in a great mood after the Saints game, and no wonder. What a day the little man -- and I use that term with all due respect -- had.

Thirty-one carries for 153 yards and a touchdown. Five catches for 80 yards and another score. He ran hard every time he touched the ball, showed great hands on his receptions and his cutbacks were uncanny.

But maybe what you admire most about the guy is his humility. Over and over, he gave credit to his teammates -- especially the offensive line -- for his career day. And he spoke with obvious feeling about the passionate speech All-Galaxy middle linebacker Ray Lewis had given at the team's hotel the previous night, a speech, Rice said, that was all about the concept of sacrifice for one's team.

 A few minutes later, Rice wrapped up his remarks, but not before saying he planned to sign the turf shoes he wore against the Saints and give them to his mother as a Christmas gift.

Just what every mom wants to see under the tree Christmas morning -- a smelly pair of shoes her kid wore in a football game.

But I have a feeling the shoes will be a big hit because the gift comes from Ray Rice's heart. And he showed plenty of that yesterday.