Retired Numbers

[Zero2Cool]

I was reading something in the paper about Don Hutson jersey and they mentioned his number being one of four that is retired for the Packers. I really think its a great honor to have the number retired. I can't help feel a selfishness feeling that I want the numbers to be used again. Don Hutson is someone I wish I could have seen play. The stuff I heard about him were just phenomal. I was thinking if his number wasn't retired maybe if a Packer were wearing his jersey it would give the announcers reason to show past nfl clips of his games and we could all see him playing more. Same thing for others as well. I never got to see Bart Starr play or Ray or Tony and I think having their number on the field and commorating them now and then by seeing their number would be good.

Sorry if that doesnt make sense.

 

[all about da packers]

Slick, I think that it is an honour to have your # retired, regardless of team. But for the Pack, I don't mind them retiring #'s. In fact, I am all for it. Just using Brett as an example (I know the Pack stoped retiring #'s long ago, but I think the Leroy and Brett should be two exceptions) the #4, in my mind and I am sure in other people's mind will always be associated with Brett Fave, the toughest son of a gun to play football. If I see a player other than Brett wearing number 4, I will still always think of Brett. Just as seeing Collins #36 brings me back to thinking about Leroy. But I can understand your argument that it would allow more clips of the players too be shown. But I still don't know. I think that the palyers such as Brett and Leroy (and I'm sure the other retired players numbers were great, but I unfortunatly never got to see them play) have made their numbers so famous by doing the things they can do that it is highly unlikey another player who gets the same number can do anything remotly the same. I hope that we see Brett's # retired, since we aren't going to see Leroy's.

 

[rabidgopher04]

I couldn't imagine someone having the gaul to wear #4 after Brett retires...ever!

 

[Zero2Cool]

man I agree with you guys but in the same breath I disagree. I want the player to be honored but id like to see the number on the field too. My argument is weak - I don't know how to properly make my point on this lol

 

[NDPackerFan]

I think I understand Slick and somewhat agree. Why not put the name in the bowl of Lambeau Field with the number but allow it to be worn still? Look at the New York Yankees, for example, they have so many numbers retired now, that new players coming in take weird numbers. Only single #'s left with the Yanks are 2 or 6.

Number Player Retired
1 Billy Martin August 10, 1986
3 Babe Ruth June 13, 1948
4 Lou Gehrig July 4, 1939
5 Joe DiMaggio 1952
7 Mickey Mantle June 8, 1969
8 Bill ****ey 1972
8 Yogi Berra 1972
9 Roger Maris July 21, 1984
10 Phil Rizzuto August 4, 1985 *
15 Thurman Munson 1979
16 Whitey Ford 1974
23 Don Mattingly August 31, 1997 *
32 Elston Howard July 21, 1984
37 Casey Stengel 1970
42 Jackie Robinson April 15, 1997 #
44 Reggie Jackson August 14, 1993 *
49 Ron Guidry August 23, 2003

Anyway, probably a bad argument as well, but I guess it's my only rationale.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Yea see my two idols are the late Dale Earnhardt and Barry Sanders. The first thought when I considered someone else using their numbers were 'no f'n way they do not deserve to wear them' and I somewhat agree. However seeing those numbers active would only remind me of the greatness of each respective athlete and yes I do consider race car drivers athletes.

 

[IPBprez]

Good call, Slick - I agree with the NASCAR assessment - let's see some guy off the street drive like that thru a whole 400 miles.

How many of you guys thought Gilbert was back when ol' 93 walked out onto the field? THAT really pissed me off.... it should have never happened. No. 93 was with us for over 11 seasons and no one did his job better...ever! No 36 might have been able to be retired for several reasons, one of which - he was the guy who startd the Lambeau Leap - but in the end, I'd rather we see the numbers out there to spark memories (while watchin' the game) of those former Players - we've already had several discussions down at the Fox, about those former greats.. simply because the numbers were back out there again. Check it out, ol 99 is back out there, too - think about that one for a minute (heheh)...

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS with all of this is how well we remember and then honour the historical greatness of this team. I think putting Reggie's number up there is awesome - and without him, we probably would have had a much harder time winning ANY SuperBowls.... (and even with him in there for the second-in-a-row against Denver, it wasn't enough to fight against a decrepid Coaching tactic with pulling Dorsey Levens out in the 2nd half...Holmgren lost us that SB)

Putting Brett Favre's number up there is righteous for several reasons - He brought back the national focus to our team - he caused all others to fear Lambeau and bring back the mystique - he almost reigned in another two-in-a-row SuperBowls - he's THE ONLY THREE TIME MVP in the League... EVER! Yea, he's earned it - fer sure!

On the LeRoy Butler issue.... I'm sorta glad we get to see his number on the field again -- what's even neater is that an awesome Rookie by the name of Nick Collins (by fate?) has been chosen to live up to the heritage that number demonstrates.. sit back with your beer(s) for a moment and let that thought gel.... Will Collins bring even more greatness and heritage to No.36? I think he will. Does Nick think about who wore that jersey every time he puts it on, over & over? Uuuuh, yea... I think he does - ALL THE TIME. No one has asked him yet about that, but I really think he does. I would bet - and get this - LeRoy Butler, himself, probably spends time with the guy... re-discussing the old days and how he played that position - hoping some of the former rubs off onto the present day.

For the most part - Slick - it's hard to agree and also disagree with all of this. There's a fine line with hanging numbers up there. After a time, you really would run out of what's left.

For a long time, I always thought Majik Man should have his number up there, too! He's the guy that got the bandwagon rolling again for the pack, back in the late 80's... and if you compare QB against QB - Don actually was the better Quarterback over Brett Favre... Seriously. But, Majikowski didn't have the Defense that Brett had, nor did he have as great an Offensive line, with Ken Ruettgers & Co., as what protected Brett all those years in the Nineties.

Heck, has anyone seen as pure a passer as Lynn ****ey since his time with the Pack? On any Team? Probably not.... ****ey was likely the most accurate passer in the NFL. You ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing.

It's ALWAYS a Team thing - and some guys just get lucky with timing.
I got two jerseys I'll buy this year... One is Nick Barnett (next year will be No.36) and the other, when I can find it in the right material... will be No.7 - hopefully, it will have Majik's name already on the back... Don paved the way for Brett... let's hope Brett paves the way (properly) for Aaron to follow, as well.

SIDE NOTE - (flipping a coin) Ummm, let's see, Tony Mandarich... or.. Barry Sanders... Tony / Barry - Mandarich / Sanders.. FLIP (the coin)... Mandarich it is.... Woohoo..oh wait, NOT! :roll: :shock:

 

[PWT36]

Fromwhat I have hear, both Reggie White #92 and Brett Favre's # 4 will be retired by the Packers. Knowing the Green Bay Franchise's strong emphasis on Packer tradition, I cannot see the Packers allowing another Packer player to wear #4,. A few years ago, The NFL issued a recomendation that NFL teams stop retiring numbers because if it continued by some teams like it has in the past, numbers would be in short supply in the future. However, that is not the problem with the Packers who have been very selective of retiring numbers- only four. But a few of the other old franchises of NFL like Bears have retired something like 16 numbers. The Packers have stop using #5 Paul Hornung's number but have not retired it.

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

The thing to do is if it ever is given out after a few years is to put the number on a different unit.

For example instead of Nick Collins wearing "Leroy's" number in a couple years if you do let it out you give it to say the next fullback coming in.


Forty years since anyone wore #5 and no one is complaining.

 

[Zero2Cool]

The thing to do is if it ever is given out after a few years is to put the number on a different unit.

For example instead of Nick Collins wearing "Leroy's" number in a couple years if you do let it out you give it to say the next fullback coming in.


Forty years since anyone wore #5 and no one is complaining.

Did you know Majik man wanted to wear #5 in the PRO's.

 

[goat317]

Vince Farragamo wore #5 when he was with the Packers, sometime around the late 70s or early 80s.

 

[Philtration]

I think I understand Slick and somewhat agree. Why not put the name in the bowl of Lambeau Field with the number but allow it to be worn still? Look at the New York Yankees, for example, they have so many numbers retired now, that new players coming in take weird numbers. Only single #'s left with the Yanks are 2 or 6.

Number Player Retired
1 Billy Martin August 10, 1986
3 Babe Ruth June 13, 1948
4 Lou Gehrig July 4, 1939
5 Joe DiMaggio 1952
7 Mickey Mantle June 8, 1969
8 Bill ****ey 1972
8 Yogi Berra 1972
9 Roger Maris July 21, 1984
10 Phil Rizzuto August 4, 1985 *
15 Thurman Munson 1979
16 Whitey Ford 1974
23 Don Mattingly August 31, 1997 *
32 Elston Howard July 21, 1984
37 Casey Stengel 1970
42 Jackie Robinson April 15, 1997 #
44 Reggie Jackson August 14, 1993 *
49 Ron Guidry August 23, 2003

Anyway, probably a bad argument as well, but I guess it's my only rationale.

Same with the Bears. They have retired so many numbers that hall of famers like Singletary and Hampton and maybe Dent in the near future will probally never get thiers retired. The NFL gave the Bears a lot of s**t when they retired Sayers and Butkus at the same time.

 

[wpr]

I hear what you are saying Slick but my concern is sooner or later you'll get a fat lazy turd (a Hunt like player) who is wearing a jersey number that you revere. And it will make you sick to see them just going thru the motions and cashing their pay checks.
Something else to consider- Now this is a generalization- Players today as a whole are not as tuned into the traditions of the different professional franchises to the same degree as the players that came before them. In this free agency age you may be with a team or only 3-4 years then you pack your bags and move on. There isn't the desire to know all there is to know about the men who played for the team before them.
I don't want to single him out but I would be surprised if Murphy knew Hudson's number even though it's up on the bowl. I would also be surprised if he could name 5 former WR, players who played prior to 1990.

 

[Raider Pride]

The Yankees numbers are low numbers becuase at that time the players wore the number on the uniform representing what their batting order was at that time.

Personally, I kind of find the numbers 1,2and 3 ugly on a baseball uniform.

It is kind of like seeing old time games where the numbers do not line up with the position they play in todays game.

 

[PWT36]

In the early days of Pro football (20's )The number the player wore on the back of his uniform did not mean much to him. A player during that time could have worn 5 different numbers on his uniform during his career.