Ok so this isn’t solely about the Lions but sports in general. Curious as to everyone’s thoughts…
I think retiring numbers, while a cool thing done to respect past greats, may be becoming limiting, outdated and somewhat counterintuitive.
There was a conversation on 97.1 today (they had little to talk about) but it was how #9 was either not distributed or not chosen by anyone on the roster, and then they debated “what if the lions retire stafford’s #9.”
Which led me to thinking, why retire anyone’s number? In the past 50-75 years of athletics, the low numbers were all taken first generally speaking. Retiring numbers was not a thing. 50 years later however, a player can’t wear #7 for example on certain teams, typically older franchises… The red wings bother me the most with this because essentially 1-9 are unavailable.now they have a bunch of players with weird numbers (for hockey anyway) like 53 and 76.
My idea is have banners of honored numbers. Where these numbers are honored because of the players who wore them, however others can wear them and it becomes a more selective yet still attainable “achievement”.
I’m not trying to show disrespect to past players, but only say eventually numbers will run out if sports as we know it continue for another 50-100 years.
The lions kind of do this with #20. But I wouldn’t be opposed to another player wearing 20 as long as they earned it.
I think retiring numbers shouldn’t be a thing but honoring numbers should be. You can still hang banners. What do you think?
I kind of like that they Lions have had three greats wear #20.
Rather than retiring numbers, I’d like to see teams treat it almost like a captain’s “C” in hockey.
Earn the right to wear certain numbers. And if you’re not getting it done, you don’t get to wear that number in that city. Yes, take their jersey number away, even if they’ve been in the league for awhile, if it’s one of your great numbers and they aren’t cutting it. Make it clear to anybody coming in your door that that potential exists.
I don’t think anybody does it that way, but I find the concept interesting.
I agree, I think it’s cool they’ve had 3 great players all wear the same number. How cool would it be to have a couple awesome #7’s if they were all memorable players.
Make it a merit thing and yes, it gets taken away if necessary. And once it’s back in, you have to earn it. I can see different franchises doing this differently but I think that would add to competition and truly honor the number and players.
And I also agree, I don’t think #9 should be retired by the Lions.
I think that’s because they weren’t diligent about who got, say, Anthony Carter’s #1.
And they certainly weren’t taking numbers away from under-performers.
Maybe it’s more trouble than it’s worth.
All I know is, keeping retiring numbers will eventually get problematic.
I can’t speak for other sports but in the NFL my understanding is a team can not officially retire a number. They can choose to not issue it, but if for some reason they were forced to use it they would have to.
For me I am on the bandwagon of selectively issuing numbers rather than retiring them. Like #88 in Dallas, and some of the other examples that have been given. I think retiring a number should be reserved for special circumstances, and those circumstances don’t apply to most football players (like MJs iconic 23).
In high school we had a really good, really popular teammate die during the offseason. We knew for sure they were going to retire his #13. When it was time to issue numbers for the following season, the coach got us all together and let us know who was going to be wearing 13. Then he explained that it’s important to honor his legacy and keep his number on the field, not take it off the field. But each year the person wearing it would need to live up to the character and work ethic requirements of having the number.
When the Lions “un-retired” Chuck Schmidt’s number to give it to the most worthless free agent pick up in franchise history, Pat Swilling, all genuineness of retiring numbers went out the window.
Instead of retiring numbers, just have a 20 year moratorium on wearing them. That way a new generation can appreciate a player without the instant sting of seeing someone wearing it a year after they leave or retire.
To me this would be someone who transcended the game, on and off the field, and both changed the way the game is played but also changed the way we thought about it.
I wouldn’t retire any of them. They are just numbers.
I love honoring players from the past but taking a number out of circulation, especially in a game like football where the rosters are so big, it gets to be restrictive. And let’s face it, the next generations are always going to keep coming and have even greater players.
Why can’t another great player wear #7 or any other number?
Honor the players in a ring of honor or honored numbers thing, be selective in who gets to wear the number next, but don’t retire them.
Of those 3 you mentioned though if I had to choose I would say Jackie Robinson
