#1 Jersey

Submitted by GVBlue86 on

I was just thinking about this whole #1 jersey thing and after reading Rich's comments about it:

"I'm not touching no numbers thing."

To me he seems like a coach who doesn't want to single out any players or put them above anyone else. Roy was saying he wants it, and I hope he gets it. Just not sure if RR will ever want that kind of symbolism. My feeling is that while he is here, he is not going to give out that #1 jersey. Wondering what you guys think , and if you think it is a good or bad thing if he doesn't allow it. Is the #1 jersey a thing of the past?

Bryan

November 8th, 2010 at 10:34 PM ^

But I will post a larger file tomorrow. I actually have a better pic...got very lucky with my seats for the uconn game and was able to take a few great pics of Brock
<br>
<br>I hope this is directed toward me. I've had a few beverages and really haven't used the iPhone app all that much.

blueheron

November 8th, 2010 at 8:34 PM ^

That's one view.  I'd say that Braylon unnecessarily made a spectacle of himself (by design, surely, even if done so unconsciously) and a mountain out of a molehill.  Need I add that the nonsense was lumped in with Mike Boren's Family Values crusade?  Both were multiplied ad nauseum by lame MSM journalists.  Thanks a bunch, Braylon.

No wonder Rodriguez doesn't seem enthusiastic.

Old School Wolverine

November 8th, 2010 at 8:58 PM ^

What is far more interesting is to wonder how did it ever even get to the point where it was Braylon who had to speak up about it.  ie How come this wasn't made aware internally by the AD or by say Jon Falk or whoever.     And a self answer to that is that it probably was made aware but the media wanted a story so they went to Braylon about it on the spot.

bklein09

November 8th, 2010 at 7:40 PM ^

I took RR's comment to mean that he personally was not going to select and give out a special number to a player. 

I'm guessing this is in large part do to the fiasco when he accidentally gave #1 to a defensive player. 

I didn't take it to mean that someone couldn't earn, ask for, or be elected (by the players?) as the new #1. 

I think if Roundtree finishes up the year strong, he deserves it both from a performance and personality standpoint. Just my opinion.

BlueFab5

November 8th, 2010 at 7:41 PM ^

The common theme under RR has been the team.  Considering the team has not done very well the last few years and is bowl eligible for the first time under RR I don't think they should be worrying about individual accomplishments.

With that said I hope RR embraces the traditoin of the #1 jersey.

beangoblue

November 8th, 2010 at 8:31 PM ^

Hopefully in the near future we'll be in a place to recognize individual accomplishments but as of now we're not there IMO. I think Roy deserves it though, he's got the talent and the stats, but we need to accomplish more as a team first.

Old School Wolverine

November 8th, 2010 at 9:09 PM ^

Team > #1 Jersey

Technically, yes, but that isn't the point.. The significance of the #1 jersey is a tradition for the wr who strives for WR excellence and achieves it. It is incidental that the years of the #1 jersey happen to also coincide with high team and program success.

BlueGoM

November 8th, 2010 at 7:43 PM ^

Is the #1 jersey a thing of the past?

It better not be.  He might wait for a senior WR to give it to, or something like that.  I could see that happening, each year a senior WR (or other player) who's earned it could wear it.

RR did make a comment a long while back about "someone has to earn It' so hopefully he hasn't dismissed it altogether.

Of course if he wants people to stop asking about it he should just give it to someone.

pasadenablue

November 8th, 2010 at 7:45 PM ^

I'm sure Braylon will get in RRods ear about a choice at the end of the season.  It should probably be that way, esp since he's the one who's forked over the cash to endow the schollie.

WreckingCrew

November 8th, 2010 at 7:49 PM ^

I think we should just go ahead and establish that Braylon is singularly in charge of designating who wears the number 1. That would avoid any real discrepencies on the matter. Not to mention, A) Coach Rod doesn't need to distract himself with any personal accolade BS, and B) Braylon knows a thing or two about being a great college reciever. I trust him to make the right choice.

Tater

November 8th, 2010 at 8:12 PM ^

I think it is great of Braylon to contribute schollies, but I don't think it should buy him the right to decide who does or doesn't wear the jersey.  It just seems "too SEC" to me.  Braylon's donation should come with no strings attached, like those of other donors. 

In other words, "Thanks for the donation, Braylon.  Now go do what you do best and let the coaches do what they do best.  See ya at the next alumni/booster function."

mGrowOld

November 8th, 2010 at 8:30 PM ^

Dear RichRod:

We also don't think anybody but Braylon should be able to decide who gets to wear the #1 jersey.  After all, wasn't he the only Wolverine of any significance who wore it?

Signed:

Anthony Carter WR 1979-1982

Greg McMurtry WR 1986-1989

Derrick Alexander WR 1990-1994

David Terrell WR 1998-2000

Greg Willner P/PK 1976-1978

Old School Wolverine

November 8th, 2010 at 9:13 PM ^

Are you joking?   Anthony Carter didn't have a "say" in the next WR to don the jersey, and neither should Braylon. It should be self-evident to the program who gets/earns it, and not fall temptation to ego or politics, and would do exactly that if you give the power to a former player.

maizeblue28

November 8th, 2010 at 7:46 PM ^

It seems like he is waiting for Braylon to tell him who deserves it.  He's said in the past that he's not touching that subject because it got him in trouble before.  

hisurfernmi

November 8th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^

to get some former players involved by letting them vote for a player to have the #1 jersey, along with the coaches and current players.  Then mix in a little Baseball Hall of Fame voting structure where a player would need to get a certain percentage to be given the #1 jersey that year.  So if no player was given over lets say 60% of the vote then the #1 jersey would be left vacated until the next year.

Magnus

November 9th, 2010 at 1:17 PM ^

Perhaps I should have italicized "that."

It is a big deal.

It's just not THAT big of a deal to involve a huge panel of former and current players, the voting process of the Hall of Fame, etc.  Seriously, 60% of the votes should be required to give the kid the #1 jersey?  That's just bordering on ridiculous...

umfan

November 8th, 2010 at 7:52 PM ^

I think he will wait for a "Michigan Man" to give him a suggestion as to who he should bestow the #1 jersey. Or he will wait until the public is crying out for him to give it to a particular player. He doesn't want to mess with the tradition again because he gets attacked any time he touches the tradition.

Webber's Pimp

November 8th, 2010 at 7:56 PM ^

Can Denard have the jersey ;)

All kidding aside, I don't think Roundtree is quite ready yet. He had a great game last weekend. It was a record setting performance and his best ever. But Roy has also had average games this year. And last saturday he got caught from behind (again)! by an Illinois defender on what should have been another long TD. OK, so I'm knit picking here but I want that #1 jersey to go to the right guy. It could very well be Roy but we need to see more.

Raoul

November 8th, 2010 at 11:28 PM ^

Braylon definitely had at least a couple of "average" games his sophomore year--see chart below. I think a case can be made for Roundtree based on his record-setting performance against Illinois and career totals of 77 receptions for 1,090 yards and 7 TDs. He also already has five career 100-yard games, which is good for a tie for ninth place in Michigan history.

The 100-yard game leaders are:

  • Braylon --17
  • Anthony Carter -- 14
  • Mario Manningham -- 11
  • David Terrell and Marquise Walker -- 9
  • Desmond Howard, Tai Streets, and Amani Toomer -- 8
  • Mercury Hayes, Marcus Knight, and Roundtree -- 5
  • Junior Hemingway + 4 others -- 4

  

Career Receiving for Braylon Edwards
Season Opponent Recp Yds Yds/Recp TD Lng
2001 Miami (Ohio) 2 22 11.0 0 13
2001 Western Michigan 1 16 16.0 0 16
  Season Total 3 38 12.7 0 16
2002 Washington 5 80 16.0 1 45
2002 Western Michigan 4 93 23.3 2 39
2002 at Notre Dame 4 95 23.8 0 38
2002 Utah 9 109 12.1 1 44
2002 at Illinois 4 101 25.3 1 42
2002 Penn State 7 66 9.4 2 17
2002 at Purdue 3 71 23.7 1 31
2002 Iowa 5 69 13.8 0 16
2002 Michigan State 4 31 7.8 0 11
2002 at Minnesota 4 75 18.8 1 36
2002 Wisconsin 4 28 7.0 1 10
2002 at Ohio State 10 107 10.7 0 15
2002 vs Florida 4 110 27.5 0 49
  Season Total 67 1035 15.4 10 49

Magnus

November 9th, 2010 at 7:00 AM ^

The dude had two 75-yard catches in one game, and you're knocking him for getting caught the second time?

Pardon me if I don't factor that into whether I think he should have the #1 jersey or not.  The dude has three 75+ yard catches in approximately one season's worth of games (since he didn't play significantly until the end of the 2009 season).

Do you know how many catches of 75 yards or more Braylon Edwards had in his career?

Zero.  That's right, zero.  None.

Raoul

November 9th, 2010 at 9:39 AM ^

This is a good point about the 75+ yard catches.

It's also interesting to note that despite not playing significantly until the latter games of last season, Roundtree still led the team in receptions and reception yards. He leads in those categories again this year, and he thus has a chance to become the first player in Michigan history to lead the team in receptions and reception yards for four years. No one has ever led the team in either of those categories for four years--let alone both.