Retired numbers

[Jones31]

What in your mind would qualify a player to have their number retired by any sports franchise.

[shadowboxin']

Including but not limited to:

HOF'ers and key parts of a championship team.

Also, faces of the franchise (not necessarily stat freaks, but fan favorites who are still good players, i.e. Keith Bulluck).

[don28]

I don't believe in retired numbers. I think that eventually the whole qualifications for retirement become watered down, and that teams will run out of numbers eventually.

I could see a "10-year retirement" of a number when an all-time great retires, but not a permanent one. I do believe in Rings of Honor, and feel that would be a more appropriate way to celebrate great athletic achievements.

[shadowboxin']

Now that you mention it, the criteria I listed is more suited for the Ring of Honor.

Retired numbers should be reserved for those with legendary status.

[TitanTom0987]

See I've thought about this before because I believe the Pistons are going to retire Billups' number at some point. It's a good question and I'll give you an answer when I think of one.

[Rolltide14TOMB]

i see retired numbers being for players who you just cant see someone else wearing their number...Im talking Steve McNair...i mean really number 9 is ALL Big Mac...MJ 23...larry bird 33...peyton 18...brady 12...rice 80...i dont really see billups as that guy...he was awesome and led them to a title but i dont know if Billups goes in the same breath as these other guys...

As far as the Titans the only "retired" numbers i think should be 74, 9, 89, and 27
not that i couldnt see anyone wearing 89 but i think in our case..Steve, Frank, Eddie, and Bruce should be remembered forever...they STARTED OUR franchise in Tennessee...without their greatness who knows what we would be like right now

now be this fair or not i view Keith as ever so slightly below these 4 men...even tho he came in 2000 and played with these guys he is like "the second wave" of titans to me

[shadowboxin']

Bruce's #74 is already retired.

Keith is a solid Ring of Honor guy but I wouldn't retire his number.

[Bobcat]

The only numbers I've ever felt should be retired are those who create an impact so lasting that there's no way anyone can ever live up to what they did for their team. People listed above, like MJ, Bird, Rice, etc. would qualify in my book.

Those who are fan favorites, did good things for a team but not necessarily game-changing (long term, not just one or two seasons), etc., to me they belong in a ring of honor type setup but not having their number retired. Retiring numbers for those non-game-changers, as posted above, just thins out what it means to have a number retired.

[Titanico]

I would only retire the numbers of those players that could show solid consitence in and out the field, are role models in and out the field, and also the ones that could make solid impact in their game and style and that could be very difficult to replace in years.

I also like the idea of the ring of honor. That keeps things in a bright side and those numbers could be used again after some time. (I would not like to see 100's jersey numbers because the 2 digit ones aren't that much or aren't available for the corresponding position, I cannot imagine a RB wearing a 70's number, for example..the 2 digit ones look always more decent and appropriate, IMO).