Players associated with certain numbers

[Visionary]

Cantona wore the 7 shirt and yeh Carlos was the number 6, typo.

[EddieG]

Johan Cruyf number 14 (Y)

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Too lazy to go back and quote Be, but I'd be shocked if 33 was retired league-wide.

Other hockey numbers:

4 - Bobby Orr

66 - Mario Lemieux

88 - Eric Lindros

7 - Phil Esposito

9 - Gordie Howie, Rocket Richard, Bobby Hull

[Clawson]

93 - Doug Gilmour

[Lineker]

David James, #13 ¬_¬

In all seriousness, I always associate Gary Neville with #2.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Paul Robinson...England's number one!

[marksbros6]

David Ginola #14.

Like as not Sol Campbell #23

Ledley King #26

Beckham #7 (no matter what number Madrid give him).

Owen #10 (ditto)

Don't know about retiring shirt numbers though. People were suggesting that the #7 shirt should be retired at Utd after Best died, but that would mean that the 'heritage' of the shirt, and all the great players who'd wore it would end, so I'm glad they didn't.

[Jam]

Lucas Radebe always is the number 5 to me

I remember when Smith left Leeds, some fans wanted his number 17 shirt retired out of disgrace for leaving to Man United

[NobBe Nobbs]

Why is Roy's number being retired so surprising? Three Conn Smythe's, two Stanley Cups and being voting the all-time best goaltender do nothing for you?

[ACCBiggz]

If you want to go outside soccer, I can give you some American stuff...

Baseball:

42: Jackie Robinson. Its been retired by all the teams.

Basketball:

32: Magic Johnson

23: Michael Jordan

Hockey:

99: Wayne Gretzky

For the NFL, I can't really think of any, because numbers don't have the same league-wide importance. Sure, each team has numbers that matter to that team, but not like the ones listed above where they're league wide/nation wide things.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Why is Roy's number being retired so surprising? Three Conn Smythe's, two Stanley Cups and being voting the all-time best goaltender do nothing for you?

[NobBe Nobbs]

Why is Roy's number being retired so surprising? Three Conn Smythe's, two Stanley Cups and being voting the all-time best goaltender do nothing for you?

They mean a lot. The Habs and Avalanche should both retire his number for sure. But the whole league? He's arguably not even the greatest goalie to play the game, let alone the second-best player in the history of the NHL!

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Roy can be argued, for sure, but there's also Gerry Cheevers, Ken Dryden, Dominik Hasek, Jacques Plante, Georges Vezina, Terry Sawchuk, Martin Brodeur, and maybe Johnny Bower (to appease Leaf fans). Personally, I'd go with Dryden. Roy was a great goalie, and I certainly have nothing against him - I've met him a couple of times - but he doesn't deserve to have his number retired by the entire NHL.

[Toe]

I don't think any player should have there number retired across the whole league other then Gretzky. No other player has had such a huge impact on the game.

[Damian WayLNKe]

For the NFL, I can't really think of any, because numbers don't have the same league-wide importance. Sure, each team has numbers that matter to that team, but not like the ones listed above where they're league wide/nation wide things.

[DMN in the House]

Sorry, the Raider fan in me denies that!

[Lowerdeck]

I don't think any player should have there number retired across the whole league other then Gretzky. No other player has had such a huge impact on the game.

Thank you. There is nobody besides Gretzky who deserves this distinction. You need to be a step above and beyond the rest of the league and then a lot further ... only he had that. Jordan had it too.

Although, personally. I really didn't like it when baseball retired 42 for Jackie and when hockey retired 99 for Gretzky. Don't get me wrong, they were truly among the most important players in their sports. But, I just don't see fit that other organizations need to be forced to recognize the achievements of great players of other teams.

Then again, I'm not a fan of number retiring to begin with. Only great players who will be remembered for many decades should get the honor. Or else you'll someday end up like Futurama, all the players have fractional or fictional numbers cause the whole numbers were all retired. (The Yankees might be in triple digits in 25 years the way they are going.)

[Hellfire]

For football, these are mine

4 - Bret Farve

7 - John Elway

80 - Jerry Rice

Thats about it really.

[Toe]

Gretzky did save hockey by bringing in fans and getting people interested in it. When he became an LA King, it was a sad day for the Oilers but a great day for the health of hockey in California and the United States. Plus, by becoming a LA King, Gretzky sparked an interest in the game by children, which is now bearing fruit. Look at how many young players from the United States there are that are rated very high by the scouting agencies, like Phil Kessel and Erik Johnson.

I am against retiring numbers. I could see you raising the player's jersey into the rafters and celebrating him, but unless that player was one of the greatest to play then it shouldn't happen. The Blue Jays don't retire numbers, they put there players on a wall which is covered in the teams greats.

[Big Red Fury]

If we are talking about hockey players who are a step above, how about Lemieux's 66?