Unretire numbers?

Originally posted by Frisco69ers:

Originally posted by Niners99:

99 numbers, only 15 retired/not available.

84 available numbers...53 man roster.

Were running out? We will end up having 31 unused numbers. Practice squad guys numbers dont matter.

yeah but 1-19 can only be worn by WR, QB, K, P

It still wont matter, because numbers only get retired once every decade+. Every other number that is taken right now will be recycled when that player leaves.

Retiring 52 is fine because we still have every other LB eligible number from 40-59 available except 42. Retiring 21 is fine because RB's can wear 20-49, and only 34, 37, 39, and 42 are retired. That leaves 25 numbers for RB's and DB's.

Even retiring 97 is fine. We still have 90-96 and 98-99 available, as well as the numbers in the 50's-70's that DL can wear.

There is plenty of room for all positions, even with the restrictions.

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by Frisco69ers:

Originally posted by Niners99:
99 numbers, only 15 retired/not available.

84 available numbers...53 man roster.

Were running out? We will end up having 31 unused numbers. Practice squad guys numbers dont matter.

yeah but 1-19 can only be worn by WR, QB, K, P

It still wont matter, because numbers only get retired once every decade+. Every other number that is taken right now will be recycled when that player leaves.

Retiring 52 is fine because we still have every other LB eligible number from 40-59 available except 42. Retiring 21 is fine because RB's can wear 20-49, and only 34, 37, 39, and 42 are retired. That leaves 25 numbers for RB's and DB's.

Even retiring 97 is fine. We still have 90-96 and 98-99 available, as well as the numbers in the 50's-70's that DL can wear.

There is plenty of room for all positions, even with the restrictions.

what about #94 though

Im fine retiring those that have reached Legend status. Not just with 49er fans but NFL fans. Montana, Rice Lott have earned that. Those 3 are arguably the best to ever play their respective positions. When people speak of the greatest QB WR and Safety to play the game their names get brought up.

I love Willis, Gore BY etc. But if someone asked you who the greatest RB or MLB to play the game are is your answer Gore and Willis? If it is so be it but I would strongly disagree. Keep on retiring numbers and it waters down what the above mentioned 49er legends retired numbers.

Maybe do what they do in European soccer. You have to earn the right to wear that number i.e you have to be an outstanding DL to wear #97, LB 52 etc. The number is given to you as a reward and you honor the players past by wearing it.

Then again there's 99 numbers for 53 spots kind of hard to run out.

Originally posted by Lutch57:
Maybe do what they do in European soccer. You have to earn the right to wear that number i.e you have to be an outstanding DL to wear #97, LB 52 etc. The number is given to you as a reward and you honor the players past by wearing it.

Then again there's 99 numbers for 53 spots kind of hard to run out.

yeah.. i mean maradona's number is not retired.. Figo is a legend in Real Madrid and his number is worn by Christiano Ronaldo.. gotta earn your stripes.. thats a great idea... i still think that retiring a number = forgetting about that player.. i don't see anyone wearing 87 and i won't be thinking back to the dwight clark days.. 34, 37. 39 is a cool number..

also how did they unretire 12 so TRENT DILFER (????) can wear... whoooo Trent Dilfer.. Not Tom Brady.. haha. how did they unrulier 80 in Seattle so the Legend Jerry Rice can wear that number.. i think thats pretty cool..

Originally posted by Niners99:
This post has so many flawed points.

First off, retiring numbers is an individual honor. Winning Super Bowls is a team honor. Over half of the current retired numbers never won a title. That's basically telling a great, franchise player that he doesn't get honored because they never won a title. Guess Bruce Smith and Jim Kelly dont deserve their numbers to be retired? How about Marino?

You clearly arent very old, because if you watched BY play, he was not an "average lineman"... He was an elite pass rusher who recorded 90 career sacks, mostly from DT.

Retiring a number is permanent. Otherwise instead of an honor it becomes subject to opinion on who was only good enough to get retired for 10 years, and who was better than that.

The entire point is, we arent running out of numbers. By week 1 we will have 31 un-used numbers. You retire a number or 2 once every 10-15 years. Its not a big deal to show respect to a deserving Niner and give them that honor.

I swear, are some of you actual Niner fans? Why on earth are we debating whether or not Gore and Willis should have their numbers retired?? Did you not watch football over the last decade? Back your own players up for once. If this were the Packers fans, they would ALL be willing to fight anyone who didnt think Clay Matthews deserved the honor someday.

well jim kelly and bruce smith and marino sure do deserve their number retired.. why is dwight clarks number retired? because of a catch.. how bout trent differ wearing 12? and i am still wondering how did harris barton get to wear 79? i think some numbers like 42, 34, 37, 39, 12, 87, should be brought back only by super stars to wear them. kinda like they do in soccer.. maradonna who is one of the best players's number is worn by leo messi.. who is the best right now.. figo's number in real madrid is work by christiano ronaldo.. those players wearing legend number bring old memories back.. we retire them, and we will forget about them as players.

Originally posted by btthepunk:
They should just stop making certain positions have certain number ranges. Why can't a QB where #75 and a DE wear #1? Because it "looks wrong?" So dumb.

I think there's a very practical reason for that.....in helping the opposing team figure out instantly what type of player you are, even if there are "obvious" signs depending on player size.

I'd see it being more of a reason for offensive players deciphering defensive players than the other way around, but gotta be fair to both sides.

Originally posted by Lutch57:
Maybe do what they do in European soccer. You have to earn the right to wear that number i.e you have to be an outstanding DL to wear #97, LB 52 etc. The number is given to you as a reward and you honor the players past by wearing it.

Then again there's 99 numbers for 53 spots kind of hard to run out.

I don't mind this idea. On the other hand , it is nice for truly great players to make a number their own. Worth some thought though.

Originally posted by kazak13:

Originally posted by Niners99:

This post has so many flawed points.

First off, retiring numbers is an individual honor. Winning Super Bowls is a team honor. Over half of the current retired numbers never won a title. That's basically telling a great, franchise player that he doesn't get honored because they never won a title. Guess Bruce Smith and Jim Kelly dont deserve their numbers to be retired? How about Marino?

You clearly arent very old, because if you watched BY play, he was not an "average lineman"... He was an elite pass rusher who recorded 90 career sacks, mostly from DT.

Retiring a number is permanent. Otherwise instead of an honor it becomes subject to opinion on who was only good enough to get retired for 10 years, and who was better than that.

The entire point is, we arent running out of numbers. By week 1 we will have 31 un-used numbers. You retire a number or 2 once every 10-15 years. Its not a big deal to show respect to a deserving Niner and give them that honor.

I swear, are some of you actual Niner fans? Why on earth are we debating whether or not Gore and Willis should have their numbers retired?? Did you not watch football over the last decade? Back your own players up for once. If this were the Packers fans, they would ALL be willing to fight anyone who didnt think Clay Matthews deserved the honor someday.

well jim kelly and bruce smith and marino sure do deserve their number retired.. why is dwight clarks number retired? because of a catch.. how bout trent differ wearing 12? and i am still wondering how did harris barton get to wear 79? i think some numbers like 42, 34, 37, 39, 12, 87, should be brought back only by super stars to wear them. kinda like they do in soccer.. maradonna who is one of the best players's number is worn by leo messi.. who is the best right now.. figo's number in real madrid is work by christiano ronaldo.. those players wearing legend number bring old memories back.. we retire them, and we will forget about them as players.

Trent Dilfer wore 12 because hes married to John Brodies daughter, and Brodie asked him to wear it.

Dwight Clark's number is retired because he was the original top WR before Rice, and he made the catch that secured this franchise becoming a nobody to a dynasty. I don't necessarily agree that his number should be retired, but The Catch meant enough to this franchise that I understand. He also had a great career.

Only allowing stars to wear those numbers is so subjective. How long do you have to prove it until youre a "star". And by then, they probably wont want to give up the number they built up.

Again, there is NO shortage of numbers. This is a non issue. We dont have to unretire any numbers.

Originally posted by slowriot:

Originally posted by Lutch57:
Maybe do what they do in European soccer. You have to earn the right to wear that number i.e you have to be an outstanding DL to wear #97, LB 52 etc. The number is given to you as a reward and you honor the players past by wearing it.

Then again there's 99 numbers for 53 spots kind of hard to run out.

I don't mind this idea. On the other hand , it is nice for truly great players to make a number their own. Worth some thought though.

Even more so than US footbal,l soccer #'s were (and in a large part still are) based on player position (GK, D/B, MF, W, F/ST) and used to identify those positions... and of course in soccer far less total players playing in a game even with substitutions (22-26 players playing for 90+ minutes)

if we retire #21, I hope it's for Eric Wright.. not Frank Gore..

Originally posted by 9moon:
if we retire #21, I hope it's for Eric Wright.. not Frank Gore..

This is a good illustration of how more than one great player can wear the same number. The amazing career of Eric Wright is in no way diminished by Frank Gore. I'm also pretty confident most 49er fans would also have fond memories of Deion Sanders back in 1994.

Gore;s will get retired when he retires. you cant retire roger craigs numbers and not retire gores.

Just give the new guys alphabet letters just to remind them they aren't sh*t & don't even rate a numbered jersey till they prove themselves.

Originally posted by hondakillerzx:
Gore;s will get retired when he retires. you cant retire roger craigs numbers and not retire gores.

Roger Craig's number isn't retired. Trey Millard is wearing it at the moment.