http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/w ... index.html

i didn't even know this was a controversy...the keyshawn example king provides is spot on. why should this be an issue now?

yes

Since there was no mention of a current Saints player wearing the number and there doesn't seem to be any classic Saints player who wore that number, I see no problem with him wearing it.
I know there have been past incidents of people buying a number from one of their teammates. I think that is a little ridiculous, but this doesn't seem to odd. I realize the NFL has good reasoning for keeping certain numbers for certain positions, but it shouldn't be strictly enforced.

No.

Tight Ends are the only skill players who's number should be regulated. Any number between 1-49 should be open for any other skill position. Why not?

There was a time in hockey when forwards couldn't wear a number under 9 & no one other than goalies had numbers over 30. Boston wouldn't let Steve Heinze wear 57. I mean come on get over it

i like that players have to wear numbers in certain ranges.
who the hell is reggie bush to change that.

he wouldn't be changing it. there's keyshawna and plenty of other precedents.

Sports people are pretty weird.

no

as long as the officials know he's an eligible receiver who gives a rat's ass? how about we worry about more important issues. . .

. . .like why won't the sox award me season tickets for being such an upstanding individual.

You're talking about a league that fines players for not having their sox pulled up, incorrect tape on their shoes, jerseys untucked, and no non-affiliated headwear allowed. Image control is huge in the NFL... Don't like the rules, go play in Canada you hippie.

oh yea, neuroboy is a doctor and should pay for his own tickets. Argh

i thought that he was drug dealer?

this is retarded, much like some girls.

I think thats the point though. The numbering has to do with the positions and who is eligible, and so the officials can quickly make calls. Sure, it would be easy enough to let players wear any number they wanted but then the flood gates open.

Can we not learn from Benito Santiago and his ill-fated "09"?

i don't know why that ass clown gets to either.

Because they're number one picks? If so, that's pretty bogus.

Either enforce the rule or scrap it. AFAIK, every NFL referee needed to work college ball and apparently handled the less restrictive numbers well enough to get promoted. Are the eligibility rules in the NFL that different?

Schadenfreude's point about NFL's image consciousness is a fair one, but fashion fines don't directly affect the outcome of a game the way ineglibile receiver penalites can.

I thought the NFL originally granted Keyshawn an exception, but in the last year or two changed the number requirements for wide receivers to include the teens, which is how Terrell Owens & Plaxico Burress got their new numbers. It wasn't that long ago that Lance Allworth wore #19.

My main reason for denying it is because I just don't like Reggie Bush. I don't even have a good reason for disliking him. Actually, it may go back to that little thing where he would have the trainer write the area code on his eye black stickers, rather than doing it himself.

The second reason is that he is no Brooks Robinson, Johnny Bench nor George Brett.

i vote for names like "he hate me" on the jerseys

. . . and someone told me yesterday in class that they had always thought i was a doctor, too. weird?

Yeah, those college officials have a helluva time.
As long as it falls within a range, like college and high school, who cares?

I don't think he should be allowed to but, like Fu, I don't really have a good reason. Just seems like another spoiled athlete crying about something trying to get his way.

The only time this shit bothers me is when Colleges make promises to big time recruits about letting them wear retired numbers.

I remember a couple years ago Auburn was tossing about the idea of letting some running back wear Bo Jackson's #34 if he would come to Auburn. That's just complete bullshit. You retire numbers for a reason.

people not getting the number they wanted has lead to some classic numbers, such as:


Wayne Gretsky - 99
Dr J - 6

As a born again Saints fan, let him wear whatever number he wants. Stupid rule anyway. Athletes are superstious by nature anyway, so I can see this. Also remember reading or seeing the pressure Mantle felt when the Yanks made him break into the league wearing #6 . Numbers are a funny thing in sports.