Something I didn't know

[Draft Dodger]

I had no idea the Cowboys didn't retire the number of Ring of Honor players.

I just about fell out of my chair yesterday when I saw some dude wearing Tony Dorsett's number.

[Maple Leafs]

The Maple Leafs are similar, they only retire the numbers of player who died tragically -- Ace Bailey and Bobby Baun being the only ones so far. They "honor" numbers but do not retire them, which results in travesties like Sittler's #27 being worn by people like Lucien Deblois and John Kordic.

(Of course, some numbers just wind up being de facto retired. No Leaf was ever worn Clark's #17 in the various years he's been retired or on other teams.)

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs are similar, they only retire the numbers of player who died tragically -- Ace Bailey and Bobby Baun being the only ones so far. They "honor" numbers but do not retire them, which results in travesties like Sittler's #27 being worn by people like Lucien Deblois and John Kordic.

yeah, I don't really like the death thing. I think it is a really, really terrific gesture for a team to honor an Ace Bailey, but I guess I'm just a grinch or something because I really think that a number should be retired only after a lengthy career of greatness for a particular team, not for a death. by the same token, nobody on the Leafs should be wearing Darryl Sittler's number, and nobody on the Cowboys should be wearing #33.

I didn't even like Brett Hull wearing his dad's retired number.
And you can be certain I didn't like Jerry Rice wearing Steve Largent's number.