Players who look BETTER or WORSE after a number change

[Wade Heidt]

Talking about worse before a number change.  Something about Wayne Gretzky wearing #20 just does not seem right.  As seen in WHA photos prior to the 1978-79 season.

 

[DCarp1231]

Doug Williams from this:

 

to this:

 

I see as a downgrade. I’m fully aware that he wore 17 his entire time with Washington and winning a Super Bowl with it, but for some reason I’ve always thought he wore 12 and looked better with it. I guess it’s some sort of weird Mandela Effect.

[Sport]

Ken Griffey Jr is the first name to come to mind. 

 

When he came to Cincinnati he switched to 30 because of his father, but 24 suits him better. 

 

 

 

He switched to #3 later in his Reds tenure, which was a lateral move, wore 17 in his minute with the White Sox, which is whatever, and then went back to 24 for his last year with the Mariners, which was the correct decision. 

 

 

[BadSeed84]

Surprised the biggest downgrade of all time hasn't been posted yet.

From:

to:

[DCarp1231]

Adrian Peterson:

 

This-

 

to this was a downgrade-

 

but to this, and I’m probably gonna catch a lot of heat for this, is an upgrade over both-

[M4One]

On 11/4/2019 at 2:28 PM, anythinglogos said:

Raul without the 7 would have looked weirder, but still, this is way worse than 7

 

Durant does not look like a 7 at all. Generally bigger guys look best with double digit numbers

 

Conversely,  Luka Doncic needs to go back to 7 the moment it becomes available. 77 should be a role player, not a superstar

 

 

 

I would think the opposite, that a uncommon number would be worn by a superstar to stand out from everyone else.  Granted, I'm more of a hockey guy and wearing a high number used to be reserved for the best of the best.  Not so much now.

[DC in Da House w/o a Doubt]

It already was said, but Manny Ramirez going from 24 to 99 is the most jarring example for me.  I am/was a huge Manny fan, I was crushed when I saw his new number was 99 with LAD.

 

 

Another one, no where near the same caliber of player as Manny, but before the Nats got good we had to cling to false hope with players like Lastings Milledge.  He was #44 before Adam Dunn was acquired, and I guess they worked out a deal to give 44 to Dunn.  Milledge's new number was a grotesque 85.  Still makes me sick to this day.  

 

 

 

Although I do prefer the most recent #44

[bbush24]

Downgrade for Delly

 

 

to

 

[pianoknight]

Suh looks better in #93 (terrible Buccs uniforms notwithstanding)

 

After he got drafted, the Lions had him wear #90, but otherwise he's been #93 since college. 

 

 

 

[DCarp1231]

Evan Longoria:

 

Better:

 

Now for a long one:

 

Josh McCown:

While on the Bears, he wore both 15 and 12-

McCown carried over 12 to the Buccaneers-

 

But upped a digit during his tenure in Cleveland-

 

The next stop on McCown’s grand tour was New York, donning 15 once again-

Next on the list was Philly, where he currently backs up Wentz and dons 18-

Overall for Josh McCown, I personally believe he looks best in 15. So after wearing 12 for years to start out his career, I’d say upgrade to 15 while in Chicago, but downgrade while also playing for the Bears when he reverted back to 12. Lateral move when he upped to 13 in Cleveland, but upgraded for New York. Downgraded in Philly.

[kimball]

This will look sooooo much better next year. I can't stand AD in #3.

 

 

[leopard88]

Downgrade.  He chose it because he was 37 when he came out of retirement to play with the Ravens, but it just looks wrong.

NOTE -- I was also 37 at the time, so I did appreciate the nod to us old guys.

 

[M4One]

Huge downgrade for Pavel Bure, going from 

 

 

to this

 

 

Bure wanted to wear 96 when he first became a Canuck, but Pat Quinn did not like high numbers.  September 6, 1991 was when he first came to North America, which is why he wanted the number.  After 2 injury plagued seasons, he switched back to 10.

[PERRIN]

The Chargers gave away Melvin Gordon's #28 to someone else while Gordon held out, now he wears 25. I like both, I feel like 28 works better for him, but 25 is a better number in general.

(Can't get the pictures to work)

[dmmdoublem]

Matt Cain upgraded when he switched from 43 to 18.

 

 

Also, one more for Josh McCown (from the 2011 preseason):

[pepis21]

On 11/6/2019 at 3:19 AM, EddieJ1984 said:

Surprised the biggest downgrade of all time hasn't been posted yet.

From:

to:

 

Don't forget this one off change:

[dont care]

On 11/8/2019 at 9:41 AM, Punchy_Gungus said:

The Chargers gave away Melvin Gordon's #28 to someone else while Gordon held out, now he wears 25. I like both, I feel like 28 works better for him, but 25 is a better number in general.

(Can't get the pictures to work)

He chose to switch to 25 to match his number from college

[DCarp1231]

31 minutes ago, dont care said:

He chose to switch to 25 to match his number from college

Much like his teammate, Joey Bosa, who was 99 and is now 97.

 

[MilSox]

Ahman Green returned to the Packers in 2009 after two injury plagued seasons with the Houston Texans.  By then, his usual #30 had been issued to starting fullback John Kuhn, forcing him to choose another number.  He went with #34, a tribute to his childhood idol Walter Payton. 



While it was odd seeing him break the Packers all-time rushing record in anything but 30, I'm not sure I can argue that he could have chosen something better than 34 given the situation.

[DelayedPenalty]

On 11/8/2019 at 5:11 AM, M4One said:

Huge downgrade for Pavel Bure

 

Was scrolling through to see if anyone had posted him yet.