Retiring Jersey Numbers

[CQI13]

At least it's not like the Miami Heat, who have only 2 retired numbers, neither of which played for the team, and one of which didn't even play basketball!

#23 for Michael Jordan

#13 for Dan Marino

[Evil Chase K]

I like how the Steelers do it, don't officially "retire" numbers (only #70 Ernie Stautner) but merely no longer issue them.

[Summers]

Aside from after death, I'm against it.

[Turbo Yannis]

I like what Motherwell done though. When Phil O'Donnell died, they gave his #10 shirt to his nephew at the start of this season. Quite a classy touch.

[MyKILLv2.0]

I actually like the idea of all NBA teams retiring #23 for Jordan. He meant so much to the sport, and despite the fact I love LeBron James,... I distain fact that he wears #23, and markets himself as the next "Jordan". He should stand on his own merrit, as far as marketing goes. As stated, even with King James, when you see a #23 on a basketball jersey, you instantly think of Jordan.

[sahyder1]

See, like Toe said, Gretzky's 99 is retired by the entire league, and I agree with that. 99 was such a recognizable and marquee number that it deserved that kind of status. I wouldn't have much issue with the entire NBA retiring Jordan's 23, either. But, as big a place as Jackie Robinson owns in baseball, retiring his number didn't do much for me. These days, you don't say "42" and instantly think of Jackie, not in the way that you could say "99" to a hockey fan.

The Celtics will someday approach the same problem as the Yankees, and the NBA will have to amend its numbering rules, as they only allow teams to use up to 55 without asking for special permissions. This sort of thing, and the Yankees running out of single-digit numbers, are the only issues I have with retired numbers. At some point, yeah, you're going to have the entire infield using numbers in the 60's, making the team look like a bunch of minor-league scrubs just up from Columbus.

And that Milan system is absolute class.

Minor stuff but the Yanks affiliate is now Scranton.

I think the problem is when numbers are retired because a player was really popular as opposed to an all time great at their sport. For example, the Yankees are no doubt going to retire # 2 and # 42 for Jeter and Mariano, but there are a lot of fans who (will) want Pettitte, Posada and Bernie Williams' numbers retired as well because they were integral parts of the 4 title teams. Mariano is a no brainer since he's almost universally considered the greatest relief pitcher ever. Jeter will get 3,000 hits which pretty much guarantees him HoF enshrinement so I can see that one as well. But the other three were just popular Yankees. They were never the best at their position in the league over a lengthy timeframe, never won any major awards and are just key parts of beloved championship teams. Then you look around and a guy like A-Rod may end up as the greatest statistical player in the history of the game and he's likely not to have his number retired by any of his teams since he bailed out on the Mariners, ruined the Rangers and he's probably the least popular star the Yankees have had in the last 20-30 years.

#13 is definitely getting retired by the Yankees. There is no way it won't be. He'll have over 800 HRs by then. I think Bernie and Pettite will have it eventually......don't think Posada will.

[livid]

I think it's good but it has to be done right, like others have said.

I will say that I always like to hear of people respecting the great ones who's number hasn't been retired yet. For example, in practice Isaac Bruce wears his usual #80 jersey but because that was also Jerry Rice's number, he chose to wear #88 in games to respect the legacy of #80 on the 49ers.

[Hajjhowe]

Eh, I think players should just be enshrined with trophy's or a team Hall of Fame instead of retiring the number. I don't really care that much about what digits are on a guy's jersey, more so on what he's accomplished and such.

Also, what's the deal with people putting up division/conference banners? If the Canadians did that the entire roof would be overflowing with banners.

[lanky316]

It's interesting that due to the nature of football no team would use numbers 1 - 17 due to pre squad numbers history. I prefer the fact numbers have history, all the great number 9's and so on.

[Colly]

Exactly. Association football is well over 100 years old and I'd assume will continue past that number again pending some crazy disaster. If we'd been retiring numbers over that time everyone would be wearing three figure numbers.

As said earlier, 7 at Man U is iconic. At Newcastle if the number 9 had retired with Jackie Milburn (or indeed Hughie Gallacher in the 20's(!)) would Macdonald, Cole and Shearer have been wearing 14's, 22's and 48's? It just doesn't work for a sport with any longevity, unless the player has a ludicrous number to begin with.

Amusingly I think Bobby Robson told Johnny Woodgate prior to his move to Madrid that the number 27 would be held until he came back. It was given to Steven Taylor within 2 years.

[Summers]

If I were to play for the club I love, I'd consider it an honour to wear a number that greats and heroes have. Instead of being shoved 47 because they retired numbers.

[Toe]

Eh, I think players should just be enshrined with trophy's or a team Hall of Fame instead of retiring the number. I don't really care that much about what digits are on a guy's jersey, more so on what he's accomplished and such.

Also, what's the deal with people putting up division/conference banners? If the Canadians did that the entire roof would be overflowing with banners.

Winning a division or conference title is still a big deal. And for a team like LA, that has been around for 40 years, they want to have something hanging in the rafters to show that they have done SOMETHING.

[Lineker]

I believe that Futurama sums it up perfectly - all the players have to have EDIT: fraction on the back of their shirts as all of the numbers have been retired.

It is ridiculous. Unless the player has died whilst wearing that shirt (i.e. Foe, O'Donnell etc.), it shouldn't happen. However I can accept the AC Milan system.

Edited October 26, 2008 by 3 Faces of Foley

[Maxx]

If you've reached icon status wearing the jersey, it should get retired.

There should never be another 23 on the Bulls, a 99 on the Oilers or an 80 on the 49ers. The players that wore those numbers are going to be forever tied to them, so you might as well retire it.

[fourstarfizzle]

I think it's ok to retire a number if it's truely iconic to the person wearing it (99 with Gretzky, 23 with Jordan), but with the lower numbers, it should be a tradition, especially in football, like United with 7, Liverpool's No.9 is pretty iconic (Rush, Fowler, potentially Torres), the number's should be given to the players who can fill the boots of that number.

[CQI13]

Eh, I think players should just be enshrined with trophy's or a team Hall of Fame instead of retiring the number. I don't really care that much about what digits are on a guy's jersey, more so on what he's accomplished and such.

Also, what's the deal with people putting up division/conference banners? If the Canadians did that the entire roof would be overflowing with banners.

Winning a division or conference title is still a big deal. And for a team like LA, that has been around for 40 years, they want to have something hanging in the rafters to show that they have done SOMETHING.

I remember when Riley first came to the Heat, he didn't want to hang up the Atlantic Division Champions banner, but ended up caving in. I guess it's all relative though. Some teams have worked their way up to a division title after years of nothing, so it's ok to display. But after sustained success, you can't really put up lesser banners.