Next Seasons Legend Jerseys
With all this talk about whether or not Peppers would take #2 if he were offered the number, it got me thinking...
Next year, who do you think gets the other legends jerseys (if anyone)?
Would it be too much to see Funchess go from 19 - 87 - 21?
Just would like to see a discussion on who you believe deserves what.
EDIT: And this is not me saying that I believe that Peppers will get #2 next year.
December 5th, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^
That happens sometimes. So be it. It's better than the revolving door that has been the 21 jersey for the past 3 seasons. If anything, that jersey is losing its muster because it gets passed around more than Taylor Swift.
December 5th, 2013 at 1:04 PM ^
My thought has always been that the jerseys should be awarded by the outgoing senior class to the "underclassmen of the year". That way young players are recognized for their hard work and success on the field by their teammates, and everyone who gets a legends jersey wears it for at least two years (unless they leave early for the NFL, but I doubt we'd grumble about the guy wearing the number in that case).
Seems to solve a couple of problems - you avoid the "revolving door" syndrome and you don't have an established senior you know as number X suddenly being number Y. At the same time, you're not giving a legends patch to a freshman just for showing up.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
hope they discontinue the practice. I don't like it.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 10:59 AM ^
The "make their own legacy" argument is so damn stupid.
A players actions will outshine whatever number they wear. That is why we remember Braylon and Carter (rand Butterfield, and Terrel, etc). And not just one of them. Players can add a legacy to numbers just as they could carve their own.
If Peppers turn into Woodson or better-Woodson it won't matter if he wears 2, 5 or whatever. What's better? A youngster growing up saying I want to wear 5 because Peppers did? Or I want to wear 2 because Woodson AND Peppers did? Or a young LB saying he wants to wear 90 because Jake Ryan did, or he wants to wear 47 because Jake Ryan did, while giving kudos to Bennie Oosterbaan on top of that? Not to mention if Peppers does carve his own legacy, it won't be honored by the school for 20-40 years anyways.
TL;DR version: If a player is good enough to become a M Legend, the number they wear will be immortalized in the fans eyes no matter who wore it before them.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^
If only Barry Sanders had been able to create his own legacy. Instead, he was saddled with Billy Sims' number.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^
My favorite example was Junior Hemmingway. He wore the #21 before & after they made it a Legends jersey. Why is it cool that he wore it as a true freshman, but now because they have a patch on there, only upperclassmen who deserve it can?
No one knew he would pan out, win a Sugar Bowl MVP, be an awesome jump ball dude, & make it to an NFL roster. He got to wear it anyways. He grew into a good receiver while wearing it.
But what if he didn't? If he never saw the field? Would they have not honored Desmond Howard until someone "worthy" had the jersey? Would they have taken his number away and given it to Roundtree or Gallon? I don't think so.
December 5th, 2013 at 12:15 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 1:19 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
why do you assume that the players don't have any input at all? do you think the coaches aren't sensitive to these kinds of things? do you think they haven't talked to the players about it? do you think funchess for instance was forced to wear #87?
December 5th, 2013 at 3:16 PM ^
I'm not saying they are forced. But how do you expect them to respond when asked if they want have a legends number for the rest of their career? Are they really going to turn it down even if they want no part of it?
December 5th, 2013 at 12:12 PM ^
Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. But I was talking about kids that grow up to come to Michigan, and/or the freshman. I don't like switching numbers mid-career. That's why I think only players that want a certain number should get it. If that falls to a freshman so be it.
Plus a legacy should be with the player, not the number. The only reason the number is important is that a younger generation can pick there number based off of a certain player. If someone does look up to or idolize Charles Woodson, then the #2 probably doesn't mean anything to them. But if that same kid does idolize Woodson, what's wrong with him being able to wear that number if he comes?
If Gallon's dream was to fallow in the footsteps of Desmond Howard, and want wear his number, then I am glad he finally got the chance to. If not, idk why you would give it to him over an underclassmen that does.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:40 AM ^
If they give them out, my guess would be...
#11 - Jarrod Wilson
#21 - Devin Funchess
#87 - Jake Butt
December 5th, 2013 at 10:50 AM ^
The one I would be unsure of is Funchess. He was already given a legacy jersey, and I don't know if the coaching staff would want to take it away from him. I think he wears it until he leaves. Just my opinion.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^
#11 - Jarrod Wilson
#87 - Jake Butt
#21 - Amara Darboh
#1 - Devin Funchess
December 5th, 2013 at 11:13 AM ^
I like that, if he gets moved to WR on the depth chart officially
December 5th, 2013 at 11:17 AM ^
I really doubt they would give it to Darboh, who barely played as a freshman and then missed this year due to injury. If any other WR gets a Legends jersey, I imagine it would be Chesson.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
I could be wrong, but I had thought the plan laid out by Brandon call for basically this initial outlay of legends numbers and then only sparse additions - if any - after that, so it seems like it could very well be the current ones being recirculated. I do believe that the numbers is theirs until they leave, or at least this was what I thought I heard (could be wrong).
Actually, the entire premise of the Legends issue was simply that Brandon believed the Michigan tradition of retiring jerseys - which, according to him, was basically the coach telling the quipment manager to not give out certain numbers - was not a good tradition. As I recall from the initial articles on it, the athletic department researched the issue and found that most people didn't even realize the numbers had been retired or taken out of circulation.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:53 AM ^
to sell more shirts. Peppers comes in and wears say #5 in his freshman year. People rush off to buy #5 jerseys. Next year the coaching staff gives him #2, again people rush out to buy #2 jerseys. It is a win-win for the university.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
I think it actually has the opposite effect. If you know the best players are going to wear a legends jersey every year, you buy one and you're pretty much set. No need to buy your favorite WR's jersey, he'll either be 21 or 1 in the future.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:07 AM ^
which is thed reason i like the legend jerseys... numerous times this year i've been asked why the michigan qb wears #98 and after i explain the reasoning all i hear in response is positives.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^
Did not Anthony Carter wear it from day one?
December 5th, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
As well as pretty much every other #1 before Braylon.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:48 AM ^
...but I repeat.
Give Funchess #21
Give Butt #87
I've said this a million times. STOP WITH THE SILLY LEGENDS JERSEYS.
Find a plot of land outside the stadium and build a monument park like the Yankees have. Statues and plaques and memorials.
You have these current legends...why not make a staute of a each of them, this way you can add Woodson and AC in the near future.
Stop it with the jerseys and the lockers. It's such a dumb idea.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:01 AM ^
You have no idea how many hoops the ADept had to jump through just to get a statue of Bo at Schembechler Hall.
I like your idea of having a ring of honor type thing around the concourse, but it takes away from "The Team" concept.
December 5th, 2013 at 1:44 PM ^
Who says in this memorial park that you can't honor great TEAMS of Michigan?
I wouldn't do it on the concourse. I'd make a park. It would have statues and history, basically an outdoor museum.
I'd honor, great players, great teams, great coaches, great plays, everything...I should be able to learn and honor all of the great things about Michigan at this memorial.
It should be an honor to be included in the Michigan Stadium Memorial Park just as it would be to have your number retired or a legends jersey.
December 5th, 2013 at 10:49 AM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 10:52 AM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 1:08 PM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 10:53 AM ^
This whole thing is dumb. Let Freshman choose from available numbers. The "retired" numbers can be handed out to Freshman or Sophomores who want them and the coaches decide they reflect the qualities necessary to carry on the legacy or "legend" of the original player. They may or may not pan out but this changing numbers and ceremonies are dumb.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^
It has to be earned. Can you imagine Cisko wearing #2 in his freshman year?
December 5th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
In hindsight no, but if it was his first game ever, with all the hype he had, yes. Especially if he had used that number as a motivational tool. You never know if aspiring to live up to the #2 could have altered his mindset and drive him to be the best Michigan Man he could be.
This rings especially true if he was here under Hoke & Mattison's rule.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
December 5th, 2013 at 10:55 AM ^
How about everyone just go back to the number they were wearing before so they can make their own legacies without someone else's name on the front of their jersey?
December 5th, 2013 at 10:57 AM ^
Tough to make your own distinct legacy when wearing a legacy jersey of someone else.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^
DIsagree. You can make your own legacy by your name. In fact, I would say that the legacies are tied to names and the actual people, not the numbers. We honor them by the number, but who they were and what they did is separate from that number. In other words, the number is an abstraction from who they were, what they did.
So, say Garner wins the Heisman next year; years down the road he will be remembered for what he did, who he was, and only secondarily for the number he wore. But, the number he wore will be special in that it was a legacy number, and will make him more memorable - he wore the 98 while also winning the Heisman. Its all the better of a story. Plus, you add his name to the jersey.
To me, that two heralded players (heismans or all americans or whatever) wore the same number makes them more special, and their legacy even more memorable.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:59 AM ^
why does everyone believe this? i just. don't. get. it.
do you think no one is going to remember jeremy gallon because he wore #21 as a senior instead of #10? dude, that's just... laughable.
gallon is one of my favorite players ever. i think his legacy is going to be just fine...
December 5th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
They'll make their own legacies regardless of what number jersey they're wearing. Look to the #1s.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:14 AM ^
The greatest play he had was the pass he DIDN'T catch against Virginia. Would've been tackled in bounds and the clock would have run out.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:41 AM ^
but my point is that you remember that play regardless of the number worn. You don't confuse Butterfield with, say, Derrick Alexander in that instance.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^
#2 will not be honored or turned into a Legends number until Woodson finishes his degree. I always hear that when this topic comes up.
Same thing with Trey Burke who deserves to have his #3 hung up in the rafters at Crisler to be honored if not retired. Remember, only one of the five numbers hanging in Crisler are actually retired.
Amara Darboh - #21
Blake Countess- #11
December 5th, 2013 at 11:07 AM ^
I just think they need to make the patches much, much larger...and add more copy. Maybe we could even throw a sponsor logo on the patch (I'm looking at you Arby's, the fast food chain that exists even though very few people claim to have ever gone there)! Then, we can do a red/white/blue patch to salute the troops, a pink patch for breast cancer awareness and a camo patch to honor Duck Dynasty.
December 5th, 2013 at 12:02 PM ^
sounds like you're making a slippery slope argument. the truth is that legends patches have nothing to do with any of the nonsense that you mentioned. sorry that you don't link them but they're awesome and they're here to stay so you should probably get used to it already.
December 5th, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^
You're right. Michigan never goes back on such decisions (or modifies them). They kept the Halo; they wear the bumblebee uniforms every game; and they even replaced the traditional Block M with the Split M.
December 5th, 2013 at 12:55 PM ^
People hate the halo so much, and I love making the blog mad so here ya go!
December 5th, 2013 at 11:34 AM ^
So Peppers can wear it without much ado. I mean, Justin Turner had it. If Peppers is a bust or just decent, then it doesn't matter -- he can still wear #2.
#2 will get a patch, and it will say "Charles Woodson" on it. Peppers has to accept that reality if he wears it. No matter how good he is, it will always be Woodson's patch.
The patch numbers are fine, and I think it's great to give them to established players who have earned them, but I don't think they should ever be taken away, once given, from a player who remains in good standing on the team. Surely these coaches feel the same way.
If you start taking numbers away, you're stuck in the insanity that is #1. Honestly, I'd like to see them patch it, with AC's name on it, the same year they do Woodson. Braylon becomes just one of the great players who wore #1. Just like, say, Gardner would be if he were to achieve enlightenment and win a Heisman and a national championship next year wearing 98. Then at least they could give #1 to someone. The current limbo is just stupid. Just give it to George Campbell, or whoever.
December 5th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^
1.) Re-reitre all of the Legends jerseys.
2.) Give out Legends jerseys to seniors on homecomming.
3.) Seniors who were awarded Jerseys get a Legends patch on their standard jersey for the rest of the year.
4.) ...
5.) Profit?!
December 5th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
We don't want no stinking badges!
December 5th, 2013 at 11:17 AM ^
Oh badges would be so cool. They could be put on a sash too! Plus is gives Dave Brandon more advertising space!!
