More Numbers in the Rafters!

but that’s just me. – Elgin

We can’t retire every single number. What will our players wear, Roman numerals?

As somebody wise once said, “Looking up at the Rose Garden rafters is quite similar to looking at the Boston Garden (TD Banknorth) rafters—the only difference is that all the championship banners are missing!”

The point is that Boston players earned jersey retirements by winning titles, MVP awards, multiple All-Star game appearances and etc.

Blazer players should be expected to earn jersey retirements and by retiring the jersey of every guy who makes a decent impact on the team only waters down the honor.

Jersey retirements should be treated like an expensive whiskey—it has a sweeter taste when it’s not watered down.

I do think that Terry Porter’s number should have been retired, he after all holds several of our organization’s records, and winning a championship is not the only thing to consider in a great team. We did win the Western Conference, and ran into one of the best Bull’s teams of the MJ era, in the finals (not the best, but they were still an amazing team).

As far as the other members of our championship team, I agree that we have gone a bit overboard with retiring numbers. Winning the NBA championship was a huge thing for our organization, but retiring everyone’s numbers sets a bad precedent, and kind of holds them up as a once in a lifetime team, when we should be looking towards the championship every year. So yea, I guess I both agree and disagree with your sentiments.

Drexler is the only no-brainer for being retired. Walton didn’t play long enough for the Blazers.

If it were up to me, I’d have #22 in the rafters and #77 in honor of the entire championship team. I can live with Lucas, Walton and Porter… anything more than that is ludicrous and frankly a joke.

The only time jersys should be retired is when you just can’t see another person wearing that number. 22 is the only number that would look strange on anyone. Most people don’t remember the other numbers. putting 77 up there is a fantastic idea too. And as I have said many times I don’t like the idea of someone not getting to choose their favorite or lucky number if it is available. You know, not being used by a member of the current team?

But here is another reason I don’t like the retired jersey honor… it makes it harder to honor other players who deserve time in our rafters. We could honor more greats like Jerome Kersey and Arvidos Sabonis and, well there are quite a few great Blazers that just arn’t going to get there due. Maybe Sabas doesn’t deserve it for making us wait. OH if he had been center on the Drexler/Porter/Kersey/Buck teams. And what about buck? He wasn’t here for ever but he was a great Blazer.

Maybe there could be these great artistic renderings of our studs with their name and number up on banners in the rafters. The number itself wouldn’t have to be retired.

Whatcha all think?

just sayin.

Year before last maybe?

…………………. It’s a pathetic joke.

I think they should retire the jersey of Sabonis. I don’t care if he never won a ring, he’s my favorite from the Blazer’s past.