Largent and Rice duped on Jerry wearing number 80 for Hawks

[loafoftatupu]

I would like to think that Rice was duped rather than believe that his head was so big that he thought it was important to wear the number of a retired Seahawks hero.

I just can't really see Rice demanding it. The guy IMHO is the greatest football player I have ever seen. I watched him his entire career. He had class, work ethic, unmatched hands after his first few games and in-game speed that many don't credit him for. He is the ONLY guy worthy of wearing Largent's number in any case. I just didn't take him for a guy that would do that. For his status, he was pretty humble.

I was glad to see him here and I think if he would have been on the 2005 team that the Hawks would have won that Super Bowl. No official would ever dog Rice for ticky-tack stuff and he would have brought some serious experience to the game.

 

[HawkWow]

I would like to think that Rice was duped rather than believe that his head was so big that he thought it was important to wear the number of a retired Seahawks hero.

I just can't really see Rice demanding it. The guy IMHO is the greatest football player I have ever seen. I watched him his entire career. He had class, work ethic, unmatched hands after his first few games and in-game speed that many don't credit him for. He is the ONLY guy worthy of wearing Largent's number in any case. I just didn't take him for a guy that would do that. For his status, he was pretty humble.

I was glad to see him here and I think if he would have been on the 2005 team that the Hawks would have won that Super Bowl. No official would ever dog Rice for ticky-tack stuff and he would have brought some serious experience to the game.

Rice, by the numbers, was undoubtedly the greatest receiver to ever play the game. But that sure doesn't translate to he doesn't have a big head. He is the epitome of egomaniac and I have no problem with that, he earned it, but I do go out of my way to avoid everything, anything Jerry Rice. I will never associate him with this franchise.

And while the number means little to some, it means a lot to others. It's one way we are honor our heroes in American sports. If Rice was truly a class act, he would have refused to bring Largent's 80 down from the rafters, even if Largent personally begged him to. You just don't un-retire a number. Maybe some forget it was Rice that broke Largent's TD record... That plays a very small role in my feelings about this, Rice earned the record, but it does play a role none the less. Let me break your record, go to the house you built, un retire your number and then play half-assed football while wearing it. Chump.

Reporter to Jerry Rice: "It's a given that you are the greatest WR in history, but who do you feel is the greatest football player in history"?

Rice: "I'm not the type to call myself the greatest anything...I let others call me that and I agree with them".

 

[BlueTalon]

I genuinely dont get this retiring a number lark. Seems so utterly silly.

It's an American thing.

 

[UK_Seahawk]

I genuinely dont get this retiring a number lark. Seems so utterly silly.

12 ? :roll:

I can understand that as it makes the fans part of the team and is a good way of giving the fans a sense of togetherness.

Retiring player numbers is like admitting you will never get a better player at that position, which seems a bit defeatist to me. If you were a rookie or new FA signing WR can you imagine putting on number 80 for the Seahawks? The fact it isn't available is the team telling you that you won't ever be as good as Steve Largent.

 

[BioDawg03]

Retiring player numbers is like admitting you will never get a better player at that position, which seems a bit defeatist to me. If you were a rookie or new FA signing WR can you imagine putting on number 80 for the Seahawks? The fact it isn't available is the team telling you that you won't ever be as good as Steve Largent.

It's not admitting anything of the sort, it's setting aside the legacy of that great player... when he retired Steve Largent was one of the best to ever play his position... and that was at a time when the passing game wasn't close to as developed as it is today. For many of us long time fans Largent is still the greatest and favorite Seahawk and for me he will never be topped.

The fact is that numbers worthy of retirement don't really come along that often, especially in this day an age.... just look at how many people raved about Tatupu, Trufant, Hutch, Galloway, etc. and all of them either simply had a pretty good career, faded quickly or finished up somewhere else.... all of those guys started off great, but it takes more to be a number in the rafters.... You have to be a franchise defining player....

As for the running out of numbers thing... maybe in college when you have the kind of numbers and turnover on the team you could see that.... thus Notre Dame not retiring numbers and giving each player on the day they get their number a card that lists every Notre Dame standout that has worn his number.... but in the NFL if you are getting your number retired you are going to own it for a decade or more.... so unless you are planning on having another 9 franchise defining WRs we won't run out of numbers in the 80's... and even so it would take about 90 years for that to work itself out unless we are as fortunate as Pittsburgh in the 70's to have two HOF WRs at the same time....

As for Rice, was mad they put the 80 on him... he should have worn 88 like he did in college....

The only time I have agreed with unretiring a number was bringing out the #2 for Kasen Williams because his dad wore the number for UW....