Maple Leafs decide to retire all honoured numbers

[Puppet Guy]

Either as a centennial-season gesture or just to appease Dave Keon, the Maple Leafs have now officially retired their honoured numbers.

Besides Keon (#14), the now retired numbers include 1 (Turk Broda, Johnny Bower), 4 (Hap Day, Red Kelly), 5 (Bill Barilko), 6 (Ace Bailey), 7 (King Clancy, Tim Horton), 9 (Ted Kennedy, Charlie Conacher), 10 (Syl Apps, George Armstrong), 13 (Mats Sundin), 17 (Wendel Clark), 27 (Frank Mahovlich, Darryl Sittler) and 93 (Doug Gilmour). Barilko's and Bailey's had been the only ones officially retired previously.

Hopefully this'll inspire the Flames to end the "Forever a Flame" nonsense.

full article:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/m...e-keons-no-14/

[TheScorpion]

Oh my goodness. That's a ton of numbers coming out of circulation at once.

JVR will be the only one switching -- from 21 to 25.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Oh my goodness. That's a ton of numbers coming out of circulation at once.

edit: Scorpion beat me to it.

As much as I dislike the Leafs, this is a good move.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

Hopefully this'll inspire the Flames to end the "Forever a Flame" nonsense.

I don't mind Forever a Flame, as long as they still retire the important numbers, and use the FAF as very good players that shouldn't be retired. In addition to 9 and 30, I'd retire 2, 12, and 34. I'd leave FAF for 14, 25, and likely a couple others.

When discussed before, I equate it to the SF Giants. In order to have your number retired, you need to be in the baseball hall of fame. They still honour people like Will Clark, Jeff Kent, Matt Williams, etc. with a plaque outside on their monument wall. These players need to be remembered, but in no way should their numbers be retired.

[Resolute 14]

LOL. I knew as soon as I saw the thread it would merely be a coatrack to cry about the FoF program.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Oh my goodness. That's a ton of numbers coming out of circulation at once.

They were all pretty much out of circulation anyway. As it is, van Riemsdyk is the only current player who had to change his number because of the change.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

LOL. I knew as soon as I saw the thread it would merely be a coatrack to cry about the FoF program.

Which is fine because fans voicing their displeasure is how things eventually change. Everyone cried at how ugly and ridiculous the different style banners in the Dome were. Then they cried some more, and eventually the Flames caved and now our banners look like that of a professional sports organization.

[Locke]

So theres not going to be any numbers left?

And, sorry, I couldnt care less about the Leafs but how have they estranged Dave Keon?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

I don't mind Forever a Flame, as long as they still retire the important numbers, and use the FAF as very good players that shouldn't be retired. In addition to 9 and 30, I'd retire 2, 12, and 34. I'd leave FAF for 14, 25, and likely a couple others.

Ken King stated that they will no longer retire numbers, FAF replaced jersey retirements, outright.

[lazypucker]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Ken King stated that they will no longer retire numbers, FAF replaced jersey retirements, outright.

Wait until Ken King is finished with the Flames then we may have a chance to have number retirements, a new building, and new uniforms....

[Locke]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

Wait until Ken King is finished with the Flames then we may have a chance to have number retirements, a new building, and new uniforms....

I too voted for Kodos, but Ken King remains.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Locke

So theres not going to be any numbers left?

Still not as bad as the Habs who have retired 12 numbers between 1 and 20 and 15 total.

6, 8, and 11 are the only numbers from 1 to 12 that a Hab can still wear.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Locke

So theres not going to be any numbers left?

And, sorry, I couldnt care less about the Leafs but how have they estranged Dave Keon?

He didn't like Harold Ballard's and Harold Ballard told him to F off basically, as Ballard did lots of players. Keon got sensitive and didn't talk or want to be part of the Leafs for years, complaining long after Ballard's death and then complaining about subsequent ownership decades after he retired (for some reason). It's made him some sort of rebel that's enhanced his reputation because of that.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Ken King stated that they will no longer retire numbers, FAF replaced jersey retirements, outright.

12 and 14 are already retired. Nobody will ever wear either number again.

What they call the eventual banner ceremonies is merely a matter of semantics.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

12 and 14 are already retired. Nobody will ever wear either number again.

What they call the eventual banner ceremonies is merely a matter of semantics.

There's something to be said for uniformity, though. Right now, as it stands, the Flames have two officially retired numbers (9 and 30), two "honoured" numbers (2 and 25), and four numbers who are essentially out of circulation (2 again, 12, 14, and 34). That's hella confusing.

I'd love to see this organization:

RETIRED
2 - Al MacInnis
9 - Lanny McDonald
12 - Jarome Iginla
14 - Theoren Fleury
30 - Mike Vernon
34 - Miikka Kiprusoff

RING OF HONOUR
7 - Joe Mullen
8 - Valeri Bure
10 - Gary Roberts
12 - Hakan Loob
14 - Kent Nilsson
20 - Gary Suter
22 - Craig Conroy
24 - Jim Peplinski
25 - Joe Nieuwendyk
28 - Robyn Regehr
29 - Joel Otto
39 - Doug Gilmour

[GirlySports]

yeah but say we won the draft lottery and got Matthews. It would have been really stupid to start a fight over not allowing him to wear 34 over a non-retired, non-honoured number.

[Yamer]

^^Valeri Bure?

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

yeah but say we won the draft lottery and got Matthews. It would have been really stupid to start a fight over not allowing him to wear 34 over a non-retired, non-honoured number.

Precisely. That's why it needs to be retired outright.

Edit -- OK, maybe not Bure. I put him on the list because he helped the team through the dark late 90s, but it is a pretty big stretch. But the rest still stand.

[nik-]

Forever a Flame is still dumb.

[Locke]

Does any other sport 'retire' numbers?

I know in soccer when you take on a famous number there is pressure and expectations involved in that, but some players want that number and deal with it.

Does baseball or football retire numbers?

It just feels like backwards thinking applying too much authority to nostalgia.