redskins

[BallWonk]

Seventy years ago, if a star player known for his distinctive taste in uniform hosiery were gunned down during his prime, the team absolutely would have adopted his socks permanently as part of its identity. And I really think that this situation calls for that kind of a response, not just another set of black numbers for a few games and nothing really lasting.

Can't agree with you at all.

Especially if it turns out that he was killed in retribution for his own actions in the past, as might be the case.

This sort of circumstance is rare enough, and the player enough of a favorite and star for his team, that I really do think that, back in the days before deliberate team branding, the team likely would have made some permanent gesture in response. Teams have been named, colors have been chosen, for less.

I'm pretty sure that whatever the criminal investigation reveals, in a few weeks you will find the sentiments you're expressing here to be a bit shocking. I say that as respectfully as possible, and as someone who basically doesn't like the sport of football, more or less hates the Redskins, and has no emotional interest in this poor man's fate.

If this had been a situation like we've seen from too many NFL players of late, where an out-of-control athlete clearly provoked violence by, say, brandishing a gun at a bar or beating his wife or doing drugs in public or attempting to run over a police officer, then I think your caution would be warranted. But even if this proves to be a case of a man's past coming back to haunt him, this just doesn't compare to, say, a drunk driver wrapping his Lambo around a tree while doing 150 on a suburban street. There's no legitimate causal connection or moral culpability between brandishing a gun at a suspected thief several years ago and getting gunned down by assassins in your bedroom today.

Even so, I think the argument about causality and his possible culpability is neither here nor there. For his teammates and his team's fans, the player was just good enough, his role on the team just significant enough, and the bonds of affection for the man just strong enough that I think a lasting tribute would be appropriate no matter the cause of his death. It's like the song says:

We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly,

And bitterly wept as we bore him along.

For we all loved our comrade, so brave, young, and handsome,

We all loved our comrade although he'd done wrong.

The tribute you pay to the dead isn't done for the sake of the dead, it's done for the sake of the living. To mourn is not to approve, nor would a lasting Redskins tribute amount to an endorsement of everything the man did in his personal life. A mere show of black numbers on the uniform is what you do when a long-retired player that nobody on the team has ever even met dies from old age. These circumstances, and the effect it is having on players, coaches, and fans, would seem to demand something both more lasting and more subtle. Which is why I suggest adopting the socks (which, once adopted, would eventually lead to overall uniform changes for the better).

[Gothamite]

So where does it end?

Do the Broncos do something to their uniforms for Darrent Williams? And do they undo it for Damien Nash? And how should the Patriots permanently remember Marquise Hill with their uniforms?

And those examples are just this year alone.

Not to mention the recently-retired athletes, who still have former teammates in the organization. Surely the Packers should add black to their color scheme, to properly remember Reggie White's passing?

The 49ers already have black in their color scheme, so they'll have to find a different way of permanently honoring Thomas Herrion.

All I'm saying is that it's important not to get carried away, especially since the facts in this particular case are not known.

[McCall]

For this season, and this season only, the Redskins should do something to honor their fallen teammate. That goes without saying, as is the case with most situations like this in all sports. As far as the rest of the league, a moment of silence before each game this week would be sufficient enough. There really shouldn't be a league mandated uniform or initials tribute imposed on every other team. Any individual player who wishes to make their own tribute in an individual way, may do so, on their own, and would more than likely willingly accept any fines that may come of it, for the sake of showing their respect to a fallen colleague. And while the NFL would not necessarily be wrong in fining these players, I believe that should be the extent of it. Fine them each time they violate the uinform policy, but don't go after them with threats of suspensions and stuff to try and get them to stop. Then at season's end, the Redskins, once having all the facts in the case, can make a decision on future tributes beyond this season. However, like teams in other sports, uniform tributes only run through the season in which the death took place. That doesn't mean there can't be other tributes in other places. The Cardinals still have a DK57 in their bullpen in honor of Darryl Kile, but they only wore the patch on their sleeves for the remainder of the 2002 season, after his death. The Redskins can maybe do a special ST21, or something somewhere on the sidelines or even in the endzone or the back of the endzone.

[John in KY]

For this season, and this season only, the Redskins should do something to honor their fallen teammate. That goes without saying, as is the case with most situations like this in all sports. As far as the rest of the league, a moment of silence before each game this week would be sufficient enough. There really shouldn't be a league mandated uniform or initials tribute imposed on every other team. Any individual player who wishes to make their own tribute in an individual way, may do so, on their own, and would more than likely willingly accept any fines that may come of it, for the sake of showing their respect to a fallen colleague. And while the NFL would not necessarily be wrong in fining these players, I believe that should be the extent of it. Fine them each time they violate the uinform policy, but don't go after them with threats of suspensions and stuff to try and get them to stop. Then at season's end, the Redskins, once having all the facts in the case, can make a decision on future tributes beyond this season. However, like teams in other sports, uniform tributes only run through the season in which the death took place. That doesn't mean there can't be other tributes in other places. The Cardinals still have a DK57 in their bullpen in honor of Darryl Kile, but they only wore the patch on their sleeves for the remainder of the 2002 season, after his death. The Redskins can maybe do a special ST21, or something somewhere on the sidelines or even in the endzone or the back of the endzone.

I think this makes a lot of sense to me - the Redskins wear either a helmet decal or a jersey patch for the remainder of this year. All teams do a moment of silence before their games starting with the Green Bay/Dallas game tonight. I would be okay with a one-week only decal for all teams. If individual Redskin players want to do a uniform style tribute, let them do it, fine them like usual but donate their fines.

If the Redskins want to do something more permanent, I like McCall's idea of putting up something for Sean Taylor on the stadium - aside from a stadium sign maybe they could add that photo of him with all the modified stripes in their sublimated stadium wrapper along with the other Redskin players of the past.

[M59]

A tribute idea I have is: Becauce Sean Taylor and Clinton Portis were good friends, it would be cool if Portis wore a #21 jersey with Sean Taylor's name on the back for the Redskins' next game. It is classy and I think the NFL would let it happen.

I'm sorry, but I didn't fully get your post when I replied last time. I read that Portis will wear #21 for the rest of the season, but assume the jersey will have his (Portis) name on the back.

[powersurge]

I have to agree with the majority of the posters who question the need for a league wide tribute.

Listen, its really really sad that he died...especially the fact that his wife and kid witnessed it. I'm sure no amount of therapy or time will ever remove that mental picture from her head. That being said, lets be serious here and call it like we see it. The guy wasn't exactly a model professional football player. Atleast, not one that you'd refer to when speaking to your kids about role models (if indeed it is intelligent for you to use athletes as role models for your kids...thats a whole other debate)

This is a sad situation indeed, but this guy isn't exactly Roberto Clemente. THAT guy was a model athlete and potential role model who was lost tragically before his time. He is an example of a player who deserved a league wide tribute...and eventually will get HIS number retired from all of the franchises like Robinson. Taylor's death doesn't even come close to something like that. A moment of silence across every football stadium in America is good enough IMO. R.I.P.

[oz615]

The entire league is puting decals on the helmets.

OK, I have to ask why? As much as I liked Sean Taylor and as much as it was a tragedy what happened, I don't see why the entire league should do this. They didn't do it for Darrent Williams or any of the other players that died recently. Why is this any different? Because Sean was a Pro Bowl player? It shouldn't matter.

[STL FANATIC]

I think it's a bit much to put a memorial on every team's helmet, and I think it'd be a bit much to memorialize him permanently.

But frankly, I don't think it should have a whole lot of anything to do with how he died.

[dfwabel]

I think it's a bit much to put a memorial on every team's helmet, and I think it'd be a bit much to memorialize him permanently.

But frankly, I don't think it should have a whole lot of anything to do with how he died.

It think it is fair to say that most members on this board know your feelings toward Josh Hancock. However there is a different level of dealing with homicide which the NFL is using. Denver lost out on a playoff change, but the Redskins are competing for the final seed.

That said, the NFL did not do much as for Darrent Williams, as they were preparing for Wild Card Weekend as what reports are that they may do for Taylor. Granted, Commissioner Goodell and other executives went to the Williams funeral, plus they gave money he was fined six weeks before his death back to the family, but there was little comment on the criminal investigation.

Plus I don't think we should have any confidence in any criminal investigation in Miami-Dade as the case of Bryan Pata, the former Hurricanes DL, is still unsolved 55 weeks later.

[STL FANATIC]

I think it's a bit much to put a memorial on every team's helmet, and I think it'd be a bit much to memorialize him permanently.

But frankly, I don't think it should have a whole lot of anything to do with how he died.

It think it is fair to say that most members on this board know your feelings toward Josh Hancock. However there is a different level of dealing with homicide which the NFL is using. Denver lost out on a playoff change, but the Redskins are competing for the final seed.

That said, the NFL did not do much as for Darrent Williams, as they were preparing for Wild Card Weekend as what reports are that they may do for Taylor. Granted, Commissioner Goodell and other executives went to the Williams funeral, plus they gave money he was fined six weeks before his death back to the family, but there was little comment on the criminal investigation.

Plus I don't think we should have any confidence in any criminal investigation in Miami-Dade as the case of Bryan Pata, the former Hurricanes DL, is still unsolved 55 weeks later.

I guess I'm a little confused by your post.

Yes you know my feelings on Hancock, and I'm sure there's a way to tie that in...but I guess I'm not seeing how that relates to what you posted.

I agree what the NFL is doing isn't consistant, and I don't think the NFL needs to do as much as they are.

I think there's some pretty simple things that should be done for a player who dies midseason (mid-career maybe), and in most cases, those things should be followed.

If it's a franchise player (and I don't mean on the field) of some sort, I can see a permanent tribute*, otherwise, I think a uniform tribute on the team he played for and a moment of silence or something around the league is about right.

*-teams can handle the players number in regards to retiring however they choose. But I mean uniform patch or stripes or something.

[Mac the Knife]

The NFL could donate the fines to an organization that helps reduce gun violence.

What, in honor of Taylor's multiple fines for dirty play and general misconduct?

I swear to God, do you know what tact is?

Sure he does. He hangs pictures on them.

[nolegboy]

The entire league is puting decals on the helmets.

OK, I have to ask why? As much as I liked Sean Taylor and as much as it was a tragedy what happened, I don't see why the entire league should do this. They didn't do it for Darrent Williams or any of the other players that died recently. Why is this any different? Because Sean was a Pro Bowl player? It shouldn't matter.

You mean the same league that threatened to fine Jake Plummer if he wore the number of Pat Tillman, who fell serving his country, if he wore the number more than the one alloted week? Come on?

[leopard88]

The entire league is puting decals on the helmets.

OK, I have to ask why? As much as I liked Sean Taylor and as much as it was a tragedy what happened, I don't see why the entire league should do this. They didn't do it for Darrent Williams or any of the other players that died recently. Why is this any different? Because Sean was a Pro Bowl player? It shouldn't matter.

You mean the same league that threatened to fine Jake Plummer if he wore the number of Pat Tillman, who fell serving his country, if he wore the number more than the one alloted week? Come on?

Yes, he does. He also means the same league that threatened to fine Peyton Manning if he wore black hightops as a tribute to Johnny Unitas.

Yes, I posted this point before. I just think it was such an egregious decision that it deserves to be mentioned twice.

Unfortunately, I can't find a picture of Chris Redman wearing the hightops anyone . . . and, IIRC, incurring a fine.

[Survival79]

Unfortunately, I can't find a picture of Chris Redman wearing the hightops anyone . . . and, IIRC, incurring a fine.

[leopard88]

Thanks. I was obviously not looking in the right places.

[jonkj]

So where does it end? Do the Broncos do something to their uniforms for Darrent Williams? And do they undo it for Damien Nash?

The Broncos have had helmet decals of both players' numbers this year.