Players associated with certain numbers

[TheArsenal]

Whoever said shirts can't be retired in England is mistaken.

Man City retire the number 23 shirt after Marc Vivien-Foe died tragically on the pitch. Cameroon also retired the number 23 shirt.

[Lowerdeck]

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

Are you saying Lemieux is better than Gretzky?

[ACCBiggz]

I forgot to mention Farve as #4, that one is about the only NFL number all around. Elway? No. If someone said #7 right now, I'd say Michael Vick, not Elway. I look at it like this, if someone shows you the number and that person is instantly in mind.... or if that person is called by that sometimes. The NFL is more team based than anything. If you say 22 in Dallas, or 88, or 8. But league wide.. probably not.

[NobBe Nobbs]

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.

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.)

[SeanDMan]

1. Lemieux is done the service of surviving cancer. Saku Koivu is an average player, and would have likely been traded twice over if he hadn't a cancer survivor. As a player, he is a distant second to Gretzky, and the fact that he came back 5000 times has helped something to tarnish his legacy.

2. Nurtured Marc-Andre Fleury to what? A history of choking in big games, general inconsistency, and looking like Alexandre Daigle? I'll give you Sidney Crosby, but come on.

3. You can't retire Lemieuxs number until he dies. He'll probably be back three or four times, so until he can no longer breath on his own, leep his number open for him.

[Lowerdeck]

Well, let me rephrase this. Who is a bigger household name? Gretzky or Lemeiux. IMO, while Lemeiux is one of the best hockey players of all time ... would the average American know of him? I'm sure more would know about Gretzky though.

[TAFKA Castroneves]

In Champcars the #99 was retired following Greg Moore's fatal accident in 1999. I always associate Nigel Mansell with #5 and Helio Castroneves (my namesake) with #3.

[Dan]

Bah, the yanks are filling up the thread with their shitty sports.

I really don't understand retiring a shirt, unless it's something like Marc Vivien-Foe.

[Mj3]

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

[ACCBiggz]

Dale Earnhardt's #3...

[Hugar Twriker Eats Spam]

The Reason why football(american) numbers will never be retired across the whole leauge is that no one has stood head and shoulder above everyone else and that they only have 99 number for 54 people so if they start retiring some numbers than they are getting tight...

Also I can't think of any New Orleans Saint remembered for his number which just makes me sad.

[Lowerdeck]

Cause the Saints are a shitty team with nobody special ever coming there.

[Farmer Reil]

At Rovers (of the Bristol variety), the #12 is reserved for the fans. I think other clubs do this too though.

He's changed it now, but I always associate Henry with the #14. Probably because it's so unusual for such an important player to have a high number (although obviously when he joined #9 and #10 were Suker and Bergkamp, so it's understandable. What isn't understandable is how Vivas was #7 when he was a leftback, and really shit).

[The Slickman]

David Ginola always number 14 in my eyes.

Sheringham - 10.

[TGO]

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

[livid]

I'd also argue that Joe Montana's #16 could be consider. Also because not too many QB's where that number to begin with.

[alldaws1]

He's changed it now, but I always associate Henry with the #14.

He's still #14 for Arsenal isn't he? He's just #12 for France I think.

Like Slickman, I'll always remember Ginola for #14

[Guest muddatrucker]

I'll remember him for getting sent off for achieving two yellows for diving.

[TheArsenal]

Ljungbergs #8 for Arsenal, but I'll always associate the #8 with Wrighty..... and then Rocky before Freddie.

[ClaRK! Kent]

The number 23 has recently been pretty important at Spurs. Sol Campbell had it, and now the official England's Only Hope Of Winning The World Cup himself, Michael Carrick, is wearing it.

Also, there's that guy at Madrid who wears it. David somebody.