Whose Numbers Should Be Retired?

[clonetrooper264]

Newskoolbulls wrote:

Frank Breakfast-Styleham wrote:

clonetrooper264 wrote:
Also, Glen Rice is pretty underrated.

When i lived in Phoenix i went to a Lakers-Suns playoff game in 97 or 98 and as i always do when going to a game i was the first one in (i love to go right up to the court and watch the shoot around and talk to the players as they come out and get high fives and autographs and stuff).

I'll never forget watching Glen Rice that night though as he was shooting around an hour before the game.

Saw him make 35 3-pointers in a row from all kinds of different angles.

Every single one of them was nothing but net. Perfect swishes. Man i wish i could do that.

35/35.

Am i the only Bulls fan that respects Artis Gilmore?[/quote]

No way man, Artis Gilmore is awesome! I have no idea how he could get such a high FG% being the type of player that he was. I think he might deserve to have his # retired.

 

[Newskoolbulls]

clonetrooper264 wrote:

Newskoolbulls wrote:

Frank Breakfast-Styleham wrote:

clonetrooper264 wrote:
Also, Glen Rice is pretty underrated.

When i lived in Phoenix i went to a Lakers-Suns playoff game in 97 or 98 and as i always do when going to a game i was the first one in (i love to go right up to the court and watch the shoot around and talk to the players as they come out and get high fives and autographs and stuff).

I'll never forget watching Glen Rice that night though as he was shooting around an hour before the game.

Saw him make 35 3-pointers in a row from all kinds of different angles.

Every single one of them was nothing but net. Perfect swishes. Man i wish i could do that.

35/35.

Am i the only Bulls fan that respects Artis Gilmore?

No way man, Artis Gilmore is awesome! I have no idea how he could get such a high FG% being the type of player that he was. I think he might deserve to have his # retired.[/quote]


Damn straight.

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

I love Artis Gilmore.

Once I spoke with him and he even was loose enough to joke around with me. I said "Art, that afro you had in the 70's had to have made you at least 8 feet tall on the court, right?" and he laughed and said "No, just 7-7"!

I think playing in the ABA as long as he did may have prevented him from being a 50 greatest but I still think he belonged. He was a great center.

 

[Newskoolbulls]

Frank Breakfast-Styleham wrote:

I love Artis Gilmore.

Once I spoke with him and he even was loose enough to joke around with me. I said "Art, that afro you had in the 70's had to have made you at least 8 feet tall on the court, right?" and he laughed and said "No, just 7-7"!

I think playing in the ABA as long as he did may have prevented him from being a 50 greatest but I still think he belonged. He was a great center.

Great thing about him was that he was not washed up after the ABA, he dominated in the NBA as well.

 

[jsain360]

The Bulls should retire Chet walker and Norm's number.
Others,
Glen Rice, Heat
Mitch Richmond, Kings
Rick Smits, Pacers
Tim Hardaway, Warriors
Ron Harper, Clippers
Sean Elliot & Avery Johnson, Spurs
Dikembe Mutombo, Nuggets
Steve Smith, Hawks
Doug West, T-Wolves
Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Jason Kidd, Nets
Nick Anderson, Magic

 

[jsain360]

Frank Breakfast-Styleham wrote:

To be fair I suppose most of this is due to my favorite players always being the under-rated guys. When everyone in school was getting the Jordan and Barkley and Ewing jerseys I was the guy who wanted to get the Glen Rice jersey or the Pooh Richardson or the Rony Seikaly.

Maybe its because all my life people have under-rated me and what i can do. Whenever anyone chose teams they just got the bruisers and the guys with the big guns and then there i was, 6-0" and 125 pounds in 7th grade. After being the last one picked i'd step out there and knock down 7 3's in a row but still get chosen last because i was never popular.

That's life i guess.

I've always loved the underdog and the under-rated guys.

Perhaps retiring their numbers is a stretch indeed.

Thanks for the input everyone. Contrary to my juvenile joking I really do respect your comments.

Pooh Richardson reference, classic!!!!!!!!!

 

[jsain360]

If the Sonics still existed, Tom Chambers, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Detlef Schrimpf, Xavier McDaniels.
Is Kevin Johnson's number retired.

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

jsain360 wrote:

If the Sonics still existed, Tom Chambers, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Detlef Schrimpf, Xavier McDaniels.
Is Kevin Johnson's number retired.

KJ's number is indeed retired. Chambers was retired but in Phoenix.

I agree - why on earth havent they retired Kemp and Payton? Is it because of the Oklahoma City thing? I guess that would look weird since we dont associate Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton with the Oklahoma City Thunder but enough is enough! Somebody retire those guys' numbers because they were great together!

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

jsain360 wrote:

The Bulls should retire Chet walker and Norm's number.
Others,
Glen Rice, Heat
Mitch Richmond, Kings
Rick Smits, Pacers
Tim Hardaway, Warriors
Ron Harper, Clippers
Sean Elliot & Avery Johnson, Spurs
Dikembe Mutombo, Nuggets
Steve Smith, Hawks
Doug West, T-Wolves
Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Jason Kidd, Nets
Nick Anderson, Magic

I loved Doug West too! So under-rated.

I can't believe the Magic havent retired Anderson's number. Wasnt he their original player? Yeah he missed all those free throws but he's the man in Orlando! I lived near there recently and went to a game and when he stuck his face out during a shootaround people went nuts!

 

[houheffna]

The Bulls should retire Chet walker and Norm's number.
Others,
Glen Rice, Heat
Mitch Richmond, Kings
Rick Smits, Pacers
Tim Hardaway, Warriors
Ron Harper, Clippers
Sean Elliot & Avery Johnson, Spurs
Dikembe Mutombo, Nuggets
Steve Smith, Hawks
Doug West, T-Wolves
Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Jason Kidd, Nets
Nick Anderson, Magic

Glen Rice-yes, if they are going to retire Hardaway's number but Rice's best years were in Charlotte.

Mitch Richmond-already happened

Rik Smits-No, 1 allstar appearance, never averaged 20pts in his career...no

Tim Hardaway-yes

Ron Harper-no, did nothing significant while there

Sean Elliot-maybe, hometown favorite, 2x allstar
Avery Johnson-no

Mutombo-yes, 3xallstar, plus defensive player of the year while there

Doug West-hell no! Kidd-definitely, Coleman-maybe, Anderson-maybe best handles ever? but no.

Steve Smith-decent player, no

Nick Anderson-nice little career, Chicago great, but no...



And thats the bottom line, cause Houheffna said so!

 

[clonetrooper264]

houheffna wrote:

The Bulls should retire Chet walker and Norm's number.
Others,
Glen Rice, Heat
Mitch Richmond, Kings
Rick Smits, Pacers
Tim Hardaway, Warriors
Ron Harper, Clippers
Sean Elliot & Avery Johnson, Spurs
Dikembe Mutombo, Nuggets
Steve Smith, Hawks
Doug West, T-Wolves
Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Jason Kidd, Nets
Nick Anderson, Magic

Glen Rice-yes, if they are going to retire Hardaway's number but Rice's best years were in Charlotte.

Mitch Richmond-already happened

Rik Smits-No, 1 allstar appearance, never averaged 20pts in his career...no

Tim Hardaway-yes

Ron Harper-no, did nothing significant while there

Sean Elliot-maybe, hometown favorite, 2x allstar
Avery Johnson-no

Mutombo-yes, 3xallstar, plus defensive player of the year while there

Doug West-hell no! Kidd-definitely, Coleman-maybe, Anderson-maybe best handles ever? but no.

Steve Smith-decent player, no

Nick Anderson-nice little career, Chicago great, but no...



And thats the bottom line, cause Houheffna said so!

And of course what Houheffna says is law :laugh:

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

houheffna wrote:

And thats the bottom line, cause Houheffna said so!

Yeah! Houheffna said it, I believe it, that settles it baby.

Way to go hou.

 

[jsain360]

clonetrooper264 wrote:

houheffna wrote:

The Bulls should retire Chet walker and Norm's number.
Others,
Glen Rice, Heat
Mitch Richmond, Kings
Rick Smits, Pacers
Tim Hardaway, Warriors
Ron Harper, Clippers
Sean Elliot & Avery Johnson, Spurs
Dikembe Mutombo, Nuggets
Steve Smith, Hawks
Doug West, T-Wolves
Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Jason Kidd, Nets
Nick Anderson, Magic

Glen Rice-yes, if they are going to retire Hardaway's number but Rice's best years were in Charlotte.

Mitch Richmond-already happened

Rik Smits-No, 1 allstar appearance, never averaged 20pts in his career...no

Tim Hardaway-yes

Ron Harper-no, did nothing significant while there

Sean Elliot-maybe, hometown favorite, 2x allstar
Avery Johnson-no

Mutombo-yes, 3xallstar, plus defensive player of the year while there

Doug West-hell no! Kidd-definitely, Coleman-maybe, Anderson-maybe best handles ever? but no.

Steve Smith-decent player, no

Nick Anderson-nice little career, Chicago great, but no...



And thats the bottom line, cause Houheffna said so!

And of course what Houheffna says is law :laugh:

Rick Smits should, he put in a lot of work for the Pacers, and he is probably one of the top 3 or at least top 5 Pacers ever.

 

[houheffna]

Rick Smits should, he put in a lot of work for the Pacers, and he is probably one of the top 3 or at least top 5 Pacers ever.

Doesn't mean he should have his number retired, it means Pacers have sucky history.

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

houheffna wrote:

Rick Smits should, he put in a lot of work for the Pacers, and he is probably one of the top 3 or at least top 5 Pacers ever.

Doesn't mean he should have his number retired, it means Pacers have sucky history.

Usually when a team retires a former players uniform it is a great, great player who was a multiple All-Star in the league. But from what we've seen you don't have to be an All-Star to have your uniform retired. It isn't written in the Constitution that "he must have played in at least 6 All-Star games, won an MVP and hold at least 14 team records."

When a team retires a players jersey it's actually up to the franchise.

I've got a name for you.

Brad Davis.

I guarantee you most of the people on this list have never heard of him. If he came walking into the place you work most of you would have no idea who he was.

His number is retired by the Dallas Mavericks.

He never played in a single All-Star game. He never averaged more than 12 points a game. But he gave his heart to that franchise for 12 seasons. After barely playing his first couple of seasons in Indiana and with the Lakers (and maybe even a third team) he thought his career was over. Then suddenly the franchise Mavericks needed a guard and he signed and stayed all those years.

How about Bingo Smith of the Cavaliers? Never played in an All-Star game. Never averaged 16 points a game. His number hangs in the Cavs rafters.

Vinnie Johnson. Never played in an All-Star game. Never averaged 16 points a game. His career average is 12 points and 3 assists a game. He was a role player. Retired number.

Some guy named Tom Meschery has his number retired by Golden State. Career average of less than 12 points.

How about Malik Sealy, Drazen Petrovic and Bobby Phills who had their numbers retired after their deaths? Yes, a good gesture and yes, neither were All-Stars. Not once.

Lionel Hollins has his number retired by Portland.

Sometimes a team will overlook the fact a guy wasn't a star and honor them.

Not because they were a legend. Not because their jerseys were selling out in the mall - but because they gave their all to that team for years and years and years.

So basically when a team retires a players number its up to them.

 

[houheffna]

Yeah, it is up to the team, which is why I am glad The Bulls don't just retire everybody's number. As it should be. But the team having discretion was never in doubt. I just think that should be a special number that you earn on the court, not through tenure or seniority or even through tragic death. I just think that is a very distinctive honor.

 

[Frank Breakfast Styleham]

You do make a very good point.

When a player retires who spent either the entirety or the majority of his career with a franchise, there are many, many ways to honor him.

You can name a foundation in their name...you can give them a rocking chair...you can dump loads of cash in their lap...you can get them a new car...you can throw them a big ceremony...but retiring a number is extra, extra special isn't it?

When it comes to 23, that's a special iconic number. We always think Michael Jordan. It's so special even another team retired it (the Heat retired Jordan's 23 when he retired the second time).

In the past I thought Steve Kerr and Rodman's numbers should have been retired too but when it comes to numbers, I think you do have a point. Still not entirely sure what to think but i hear you when it comes to special numbers.

In Phoenix you have guys like Grant Hill and Tom Gugliotta coming in and UN-retiring numbers (Alvan Adams and Tom Chambers) so they can keep the one they've had most of their career. I dont think thats right...youve got to respect those guys.

If the Bulls got Jason Richardson or even LeBron James himself, there's no way that "23" is coming off that banner and onto any of those guys.

Because its a special number and a great player.

 

[RC_Skinny22]

Right and because you always think of Jordan when you see a 23, you should retire it for the whole league. Like Gretsky in the NHL.

 

[jsain360]

The Nets need to retire Buck Williams number, Rolando Blackman's number should be retired by the Mavs

 

[houheffna]

The Nets need to retire Buck Williams number, Rolando Blackman's number should be retired by the Mavs

I agree, but see this is where the problems come in...Why is Blackman's number not retired and some guy named Brad Davis' number is? That makes no sense and is an insult to what Blackman accomplished in Dallas. I remember those teams...Blackman, Derek Harper etc.