Who should get their number retired and by which team(s)?

[pmoehrin]

#51 is a curious case. I didn't think Ichiro should have been awarded the number after Randy Johnson's success in Seattle anyway, but seeing as how Ichiro is a sure-fire Hall of Famer, it will likely be retired at some point in his honor.

That's an easy fix. Retire it for both of them. Isn't one of the retired numbers with the Yankees a "double?" Without looking it up, I'm thinking maybe it's #8 for Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey?

No, I think they retire the number for Ichiro and tell Randy Johnson to eat a dick. Randy did not leave under the friendliest circumstances, as I recall.

He wanted a long term contract and Seattle wouldn't give him one. Two way street as far as I'm concerned.

The best story I heard regarding Johnson being traded was that the leading team to get him was supposed to be the San Diego Padres. It would have given them a nasty 1-2 combo of Randy Johnson and Kevin Brown. Only problem was they didn't want to part ways with their top prospect which was Ruben Rivera.

I would retire it for both if I were Seattle. With the Diamondbacks I thought he put up better numbers, but he definitely put his name on the map with the Mariners. Especially given what happened in '95 after Griffey went down and rumors were swirling about the team leaving Seattle. He was the biggest reason why Seattle won the AL West title, no offense to Edgar Martinez who had a monster year as well.

[Arts11]

Anyhow, I think that the Patriots should retire Tom Brady's #12 as soon as he retires.

Speaking of quarterbacks, I think Eli will have earned a jersey retirement by the time he retires, if he hasn't already cinched it with that second Super Bowl win. But then again, I remember reading somewhere that the Giants were gonna stop retiring numbers because they had a Ring of Honor now. Not sure how accurate that is, but it would be a pity if they did decide to uphold that policy.

[Don]

Bryce Harper.

Please tell me you did not just say that. I mean Bryce Harper is going to be a star but come on!

Jokes.

[BBTV]

Retiring a number for two players is absolutely absurd. If a player was worthy of having his number retired, it wouldn't have been given out to that second player.

The only situation where I think I could sort of see how it's OK is if there's an ownership change and the new owner really loved some old player and wanted to honor him but someone else had worn the number since.

[pmoehrin]

Retiring a number for two players is absolutely absurd. If a player was worthy of having his number retired, it wouldn't have been given out to that second player.

Well what about the Yankees?

Yogi Berra is arguably the greatest catcher in baseball history and Bill Dickey is no brainer Hall of Famer as well. Berra wore #8 with Dickey's full approval as well.

[tBBP]

Speaking of quarterbacks, I think Eli will have earned a jersey retirement by the time he retires, if he hasn't already cinched it with that second Super Bowl win. But then again, I remember reading somewhere that the Giants were gonna stop retiring numbers because they had a Ring of Honor now. Not sure how accurate that is, but it would be a pity if they did decide to uphold that policy.

If anything, it'll be the other Manning who'll have his number retired.

Now, the following is no slight on Eli, as he's clearly an elite QB now. That said, two SB 'ships =/= retired number, at least not for that franchise, especially considering they had titles well before Eli ever pouted his way up in there. Plus, the Giants have had many great players come before him?Lawrence Taylor, Carl Banks, Mark Bavaro, hell sone might even say Phil Simms. And then there's Y.A. Tittle. (Check the current Giants' uniform set?they're inspired by the ones worn while Tittle was there.) All of which is to say...when you come behind that kind of legacy, it's super-difficult to really entrench your mark.

Now, juxtapose all that with his older brother. What era of glory years the Colts had existed well before the Midnight Mayflower Express to the corn. From 1982-1995, exactly who outside of Indiana knew or cared about the Colts? No one. Relevance? HAH! (The funny thing is, for as much as the Bucs sucked back during that time, the Colts actually had more #1 overall picks than the Bucs did...fancy that.) It took Captain Comeback coming to town to get people caring about the Colts again (imagine if they had actually beat Pittsburgh back on that '95 season AFC 'ship game.) Them, three years later...and we all know the rest. Indelible impact? The man singlehandedly turned around a franchise and re-awakened an entire city. Now granted, Reggie Miller did a lot to help that well before Peyton ever showed up, since both he and the city of Indianapolis practically grew up together, but Indy wouldn't be what it is today had Peyton not arrived?at least in my opinion. Lucas Oil exists because of him (which makes the fact that they took his pictures down off the facade of that stadium all the more puzzling.) And without that building, no way on hell does Indianapolis land the Super Bowl. Heck, go inside any sports apparel store in Indy and look how many "THANK YOU PEYTON" t-shirts and other items you see up in there?these folks know what he meant to their city. THAT'S far-reaching impact. And just like my Ray Lewis example, outside of his oen brother we may never see another player of that ilk again (unless Andrew Luck ends up inheriting Peyton's spirit at some point.)

All of which is to say...#18 definitely gon' be hanging up in the rafters sometime here soon.

[BBTV]

Retiring a number for two players is absolutely absurd. If a player was worthy of having his number retired, it wouldn't have been given out to that second player.

Well what about the Yankees?

Yogi Berra is arguably the greatest catcher in baseball history and Bill Dickey is no brainer Hall of Famer as well. Berra wore #8 with Dickey's full approval as well.

Then Dickey's number wasn't really retired.

[Still MIGHTY]

The Angels desperately need to retire Tim Salmon and Troy Percival. The fact that ten years later and nobody from the championship team is up there is just bizarre. Hopefully this'll happen soon seeing as how the retired numbers just were updated from the generic ones to the current number font.

Plus, Maple Leafs precedent should mandate that Nick Adenhart be retired. However, no way in hell should that apply to Donnie Moore.

I'm surprised the Angels didn't want to retire Guerrero's number. He was so important to the team while he was here, and he did even more than Rod Carew, who HAS his number retired.

I personally believe that only true superstars, who played the majority of their career with your club, should get their numbers retired (So I don't even think Guerrero should)... but the Angels have already retired Fregosi, Jimmie Reese (a conditioning coach), Gene Autry, and Rod Carew who only played 6 seasons, so might as well retire Salmon, GA, Percy, etc., as they deserve it as much as any of those guys.

I wouldn't retire Guerrero's #27 with the Angels. He was a great player and won an MVP in Anaheim, but I've personally just never had that feel that the Angels NEEDED to retire his number. (Plus, they'll do it for Trout later )

As far as NEEDS, Salmon's #15 and Anderson's #16 (I still truly have NO idea why they allowed Conger to wear it). I wouldn't argue against Percival's #40 being retired, but I also wouldn't necessarily argue for it either. Again a ton of great things with the team, I just never had that retirement feel with him.

It's only his first year, but Trout has the potential to one day be there. Weaver has a shot. Pujols has a shot. I'd say whenever Scioscia finally retires his #14 will go up easily.

As for my hockey team, I think only Selanne should get his number retired as of now. Screw Paul Kariya, I don't feel Giguere deserves it based on my beliefs, and Scott Niedermayer didn't play here that long. Maybe if Corey Perry and/or Getzlaf stay here longer and stay elite players, I think they might deserve it down the road.

Selanne's #8 is a no-brainer. I wouldn't be surprised if they retired it the opening night immediately after his career retirement.

Screw Paul Kariya.

I don't see how you don't believe Giguere deserves his #35 retired. Two Stanley Cup Finals - one with a Conn Smythe, one with a Cup. Easily the best goalie the Ducks have had. Holds just about every goaltending record. Fan favorite. Jiggy is a lock for me. Scott Niedermayer's #27 I've debated about. He was the captain of the Cup-winning team. Easily the best defenseman the Ducks have had. Holds a majoirity of the Ducks defensive records. The argument against him is with tenure. He wasn't in Anaheim all that long but he had a HUGE impact in that time and he's still in the organization. I'd like to have him up there, but I can see the other side. I've heard arguments for Pronger's #25, but it's basically a weaker Neidermayer argument. I say no to Prongs.

As far as current players go, it's that Getzlaf/Perry/Ryan(?) combo that has the potential. If they have a long tenure, rack up their share of Ducks' records, and hopefully get another Cup for Anaheim, they'll have their shot.

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Colts: Manning's #18, duh. There's a ton of other possible's from that era, but it's a toss between simply in the Ring of Honor or full retirement. I'd put Freeney's #93, Harrison's #88, and maybe Saturday's #63 in there. Wayne's #87, Brackett's #58, Clark's #44 are probably just Ring numbers.

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Lakers: Kobe will be retired, but I'm not sure if it's #8 or #24 or both. I could see #24 in the rafters and #8 just held out. Shaq's #34 will be there at some point, but not soon. I'd argue for Fisher's #2, but that probably won't make it.

[pmoehrin]

The Angels are one of those teams where I'm not sure if anybody has done enough to warrant having their number retired.

They've had alot of great players make pit stops there over the years. Don Sutton, Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew, Vlad Guerrero. But nobody that really stayed. I guess Nolan Ryan would be the closest. He might be the only one I think you could really justify in my book.

Bobby Grich would be borderline (I think he should be in the HOF) although again not a guy that is really just known for the Angels.

I don't agree with either Anderson or Salmon. Nice players that happened to stay with one franchise. I don't think longevity by itself is enough for that type of honor.

[infrared41]

Anyhow, I think that the Patriots should retire Tom Brady's #12 as soon as he retires.

Speaking of quarterbacks, I think Eli will have earned a jersey retirement by the time he retires, if he hasn't already cinched it with that second Super Bowl win. But then again, I remember reading somewhere that the Giants were gonna stop retiring numbers because they had a Ring of Honor now. Not sure how accurate that is, but it would be a pity if they did decide to uphold that policy.

So those two rings are enough to retire his number? I'm not knocking Eli Manning, but his career to this point does not warrant having his number retired. I'm not saying he won't get there, and he just might end up there, but he's nowhere near there yet.

[Wilt]

Garnett and Allen were already mentioned in this thread but the most obvious has been omitted. Paul Pierce spent his entire career with the Celtics, survived all the crappy years and after getting reinforcements he led them to the 17th championship.

[pmoehrin]

Garnett and Allen were already mentioned in this thread but the most obvious has been omitted. Paul Pierce spent his entire career with the Celtics, survived all the crappy years and after getting reinforcements he led them to the 17th championship.

And Pierce is the only one of the group that really deserves to have his number retired by the Celtics.

Garnett has been a tremendous player with the Celtics, but with the T'Wolves he may have been the best player in the NBA for a time. If the T'Wolves retired KG's number (as I think they will and should) it would be alot more justifiable. Likewise Allen was far better with both the Soncis and the Bucks. I think he's a HOF player, but unlike KG and Pierce I think he spread himself too thin with all three teams to really merit that type of an honor with any of them.

Pierce was really the guy that took the Celtics from cellar dwellers back to respectability long before Garnett and Allen got there.

The guy I'm really interested to see what happens to is Gary Payton. Nobody has brought him up. First ballot HOFer without question. Greatest player in Sonic history with no real legitimate argument to the contrary. But he doesn't have a team anymore. He could very well go down as the greatest franchise player in NBA history never to have his number retired.

[Funky Bunky]

I don't see how you don't believe Giguere deserves his #35 retired. Two Stanley Cup Finals - one with a Conn Smythe, one with a Cup. Easily the best goalie the Ducks have had. Holds just about every goaltending record. Fan favorite. Jiggy is a lock for me.

I personally believe that only absolute legends should get their number retired. Guys who are locks for the hall of fame, and have played with your team for the majority of their career. No Ray Bourque in Colorado type bull , no owners or coaches, no "fans are #1" BS, no league wide BS, etc. Guys like Iginla, Yzerman, Howe... Guys who you automatically think about when thinking about that team.

Since I'd like to keep away from using triple digits for as long as possible, I'd like to retire as few numbers as possible. If it were up to me, about 2/3's of all retired numbers shouldn't be retired. Since Giguere probably won't make the hall of fame, and since he never was the best goalie in the league at any point of time, I wouldn't retire #35. Selanne has spent most of his time here, almost has a thousand points with Anaheim, is a sure hall of famer, and was the best goal scorer in the game a few times, I feel he is the only one who deserves it, based on my beliefs.....

....but since teams don't have the same beliefs, I feel Giguere will probably get his number retired as he deserves it compared to some other guys around the league who have their number retired. I'm torn on Niedermayer, because if not for Lidstrom, he would have won two Norris trophies here, plus he's going to make the HHOF. If he played here for a few more seasons, I'd like to retire his number, but I don't think he deserves it with only the 5 or so years he was here.... nd once again, since teams don't have the same opinion as me, I think there is a decent chance he gets #27 retired.

I just wish that if teams weren't going to use my approach, they would use the Maple Leaf system. It saves numbers for the future.... I just can't wait to see the day when the Montreal Canadiens assign somebody number 104 or 1.5!

Sorry for :censored:ty spelling and grammar, Im in phone.

[Funky Bunky]

Garnett and Allen were already mentioned in this thread but the most obvious has been omitted. Paul Pierce spent his entire career with the Celtics, survived all the crappy years and after getting reinforcements he led them to the 17th championship.

Pierce was really the guy that took the Celtics from cellar dwellers back to respectability long before Garnett and Allen got there.

That's not entirely true. The Celtics were "cellar dwellers" the two years up until the year they acquired KG and Allen. They were like 22-60 the year before KG and Allen.

[pmoehrin]

Garnett and Allen were already mentioned in this thread but the most obvious has been omitted. Paul Pierce spent his entire career with the Celtics, survived all the crappy years and after getting reinforcements he led them to the 17th championship.

Pierce was really the guy that took the Celtics from cellar dwellers back to respectability long before Garnett and Allen got there.

That's not entirely true. The Celtics were "cellar dwellers" the two years up until the year they acquired KG and Allen. They were like 22-60 the year before KG and Allen.

And when the Celtics made the Eastern Conference Finals in '02, it was the first time they had even made the playoffs since '95.

Plus '06-'07 had Al Jefferson and Rajon Rondo on it. Even if the Celtics hadn't gone out and gotten Garnett and Allen chances are they still would have been a pretty solid team. I'd be interested myself to see what would have happened had the Celtics just made the Allen deal, and kept Al Jefferson on the roster. I don't think they could top what they did with Allen and Garnett, but they might be able to equal it.

I guess the thing I'm really trying to get at is Paul Pierce was the heart of that team for close to a decade and had some success. Garnett and Allen were hired guns.

[drdougfresh]

I think the Wings have figured out a pretty a good system for handling this. Been around since 1926, and they have 6 (soon to be 7) retired numbers hanging from the rafters. Reserved for the truly elite alums, and they've had a lot to choose from over the years. It's easy to lose sight of what "elite" may be when you're such a young team, like Anaheim, but let's face it: guys like Giggy aren't HOF'ers, nor would I consider them widely-recognized as some of the best players we've ever seen. Fan favorite? Sure. But I don't think fan favorites should get their number retired. Name a concourse after them or something.

[Rockstar Matt]

The Cowboys have a Ring of Honor, but I'm not entirely sure that those numbers are retired. I mean, since Troy and Emmitt retired I haven't seen #8 or #22 on the 'Boys. I think with Dallas, it's more of a system where they honor those great Cowboy players, but players can still wear those numbers.

Out of the Cowboys Ring of Honor, there are only a couple of numbers that I believe should permanently be retired: 8, 12, 22, 33, 54, 73, 74 and in the future, 94 for DeMarcus Ware, 82 for Jason Witten and 9 for Romo only if he wins a Super Bowl.

In the NBA, the only reason I think Michael Jordan's number shouldn't be retired is because if you do that, you'll have to retire Magic Johnson's number and Larry Bird's number because they saved the NBA from the brink of non-exsistence. I believe Derek Fisher's number should be retired (I think he's the greatest role-player/supporting cast player the Lakers ever had) they won't do it, but I understand why. He's not a HOF-er. The Lakers only retire the very best.

I have an interesting question: When Kobe retires, what number should they retire, 8 or 24? Maybe even both? You can make arguments for retire 8 or 24, but also you can make one for retiring both numbers.

[pmoehrin]

I have an interesting question: When Kobe retires, what number should they retire, 8 or 24? Maybe even both? You can make arguments for retire 8 or 24, but also you can make one for retiring both numbers.

I would just go with 24. The only precedent for something similar to that would be Ray Bourque. I think Bruins could retire both 7 and 77 for him if they wanted to but they chose just to get with #77 for Bourque and I think that was the right move.

I don't think any player deserves two retired numbers. Just Kobe #24 and be done with it I would say. Its the number he clearly prefers and its starting to get to the point where he's played almost as many minutes with 24 as he did 8.

[Arts11]

All of this Dwight Howard trade talk got me thinking of the Magic. To my knowledge they haven't retired any player's number, which is almost strange given the number of notable players they've had (not just stars, but players who have contributed to the organization). Granted, many did not spend a lot of time with the team (probably the big reason why), so I guess it's understandable. Still, I'm kinda surprised Penny Hardaway hasn't had his number retired. Dwight should've been a lock when all's said and done, but the prolonged drama might affect the outcome (similar to how Lebrons exit and the bad taste it left will probably need a lot of fence mending for his number to be raised in Cleveland).

[chuckymack]

I think it's ridiculous that the Bengals haven't retired Anthony Muñoz's #78. He's the only Hall of Famer in team history, for crying out loud.

Slightly less ridiculous is that they haven't retired Boomer Esiason's #7. While he's not currently in the Hall, an argument could be made -- League MVP, Super Bowl, etc.