Speculation on Woodson's Legend Jersey Timing
So what with Seth's front page post on Next-Woodsons and some previous board chatter about legend jerseys, combined with MGoUser Samsoccer7's meeting Charles, and claiming that Charles says he wasn't supposed to talk about legend jerseys (http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/charles-woodsons-twentyfour-wines-chicago-launch-sunda)... my money is on Charles getting a legend jersey patch this year.
But when? For Desmond it was easy. ND, at night, broadcast by Desmond's employer on national TV, a week he was going to be in Ann Arbor anyway. Now Charles? He's employed by the Green Bay Packers and his travel schedule in the fall isn't friendly. That said, I assume they're going to do it during a home game, of which we only have 6, so here are the options:
Sat Sept 8 - Air Force: NO, Woodson and the Packers start their NFL season the next day in San Fransisco.
Sat Sept 15th - UMass: POSSIBLE, Packers and Bears play on Thursday Night the 13th, so Charles has the actual weekend off. Kind of a let down game though.
Sat Oct 13th - Illinois: POSSIBLE, Packers are in Houston for SNF. Could Charles attend an afternoon game at the Big House on Saturday and then head to Houston for a night game on Sunday?
Sat Oct 20th - MSU: DOUBT IT, Charles and the Pack play at the Rams at 1pm the next day, I doubt he'd have the flexibility to be away on a Saturday before an early game. But, it is only going DTW to St Louis... so I won't say a 100% no.
Sat Nov 10th - Northwestern: PROBABLE, This is the Packers' bye week. Less than ideal opponent, but still a good chance. Most NFLers visit on their bye weeks anyway.
Sat Nov 17th - Iowa: PROBABLE, Pack vs. Lions on Sunday the 18th. He'll be in the area anyway for a game, last game of the year, bigger name opponent than Northwestern.
I'll have to ask Jamiemac for the odds, but were I a betting man, I'd guess the Iowa game.
Packers Schedule: http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/schedule/_/name/gb/green-bay-packers
I say the MSU game, since he had that incredible jumping, one handed interception vs them.
That was a pretty good catch.
/understatement
Who will wear #2? Vincent Smith?
This. No doubt that Woodson will get a legend patch, but I figured that they would have to wait for someone to earn the #2 first
Considering Woodson had a particular interception against a particular team we have at home this year, I would bet money on that despite the Packers playing the following day. At this point in his career, I think Woodson can afford to miss a few hours (it's not like he's going to miss the game) on the day before his game.
Like, it just makes waaaaaay too much sense. Plus, we don't exactly have an exciting home schedule this year. MSU is pretty much it.
to be with their teams for at least 24 hours prior to kickoff, so it would have to be either a Packers bye week or else a week they're playing a Monday or Thursday game.
I see. Well, I hope they hold it off until a valid MSU/OSU game or when Woodson retires, then.
I don't think that the AD necessarily wants to pair unique, interest-generating events with games that are big anyway. I think it's more likely that this kind of thing would be used to increase the interest in something like the Northwestern game.
"I don't think that the AD necessarily wants to pair unique, interest-generating events with games that are big anyway."
What about:
Desmond and UTL
Carr and Nebraska's first visited to the Big House
I think this is becoming the standard.
I would hope they would wait until he retires, and they do it during the OSU game. He's too legendary to do it against MSU. The OSU game is where he won his Heisman IMO.
I think its very rare that he comes a Saturday before he has a game. NFL head coaches don't usually let their players out the night before a game.
Dave Brandon said he was going to permission from the families of the players whose numbers are retired, so they can do legend patches for them.
I think Tom Harmon should be before Woodson. They should honor Woodson when he retires.
in terms of timing, but I think we need to be a little braver in electing bearers for these numbers. The way the #1 jersey has been held back it seems like they have upped the expectations unreasonably for the wearer. Is Fitz Toussaint good enough to wear #98? I have no idea, but by the time we really know he'll be gone.
if the point of the Legend Jersey is to honor the number in a living way - not having it on a current player kind of makes the living part of it hard.
I never thought of it that way. The question as to "is the player good enough" need not be asked. Give it to a player that will represent the number the best.
There's also something to be said for doing it relatively early in the season, so if someone is wearing it or switching to it we actually get to see the Legends patch for a significant part of the season. Doing it vs. Iowa kind of quickly kills off the excitement cause we'll only see it for a few games.
At the very latest do it vs. MSU. Otherwise, wait till next year for a better opportunity....
The only problem about handing out legends patches against Ohio (or Iowa this year) is that, as the final home game of the season, it's Senior Day. It seems like Coach Hoke really makes Senior Day a big deal, so I don't know that he'd want to have another ceremony potentially upstage Senior Day. Mid-season ND or MSU seem like the right time to me, or potentially during the home game of the Pac-12 home-and-home series we are about to begin.
Brady against Bama this year. Anthony Carter (and maybe Braylon) against Indiana next year. Woodson against MSU in 2014.
Brady has the week off for the Bama game and had that awesome performance against then in the Orange Bowl. Plus, they probably want to have the patches done earlier in the season so they can be a talking point for the rest of the season. MSU is right in the middle. It's not a home game, but Brandon seems to care more about making a splash than rewarding fans.
#1 has to happen at some point. I'd rather have it be for, or at least focus on, Anthony Carter than Braylon. Indiana is a home game. It's later in the schedule, but still before the MSU game. We might have a #1 by then. If we don't swap years with Woodson.
Woodson against MSU in 2014 because of his big interception. He might also be retired by then, so scheduling might be easier. You could swap this with #1 and have his against OSU and #1 against MSU. However, that would push both of the ceremonies back later in the season. If Countess is still around, he will be a senior and can wear #2.
Why would Brady get a legend's patch? He's been a truly great NFL QB but was only very good at Michigan (All Big 10 honorable mention twice). There are a bunch of former players who should be honored before Brady.
plus his girlfriends/wife.
I am guessing they won't designate the #2 as a legends jersey until after he retires and possibly even voted in the Hall of Fame. As some have said above, I am guessing some of the current retired jerseys may make it into the rotation first (Harmon, Wistert, Kramer, etc.).
Somewhere I had the impression that graduating was a requirement for receiving a jersey honor. Is this correct?
I don't think it is. I don't think there's any requirements for being a Michigan Legend
They may not have decreed any official rules because it's such a new concept, but it wouldn't surprise me if the school required players to have graduated to receive this honor. These guys are supposed to be the most exceptional players of all, so it would stand to reason that the school would want them to also hold a degree.
I recall Woodson making a comment in a recent newspaper article about the amount of coursework he needed to graduate, which could be a hint in this direction.
I don't see them waiting long to make #2 a patched jersey. Leon McQuay learned from the coaches on his recent visdit that, per his father,
"The one thing that hits me is him possibly wearing Charles Woodson’s jersey. I didn’t know that coming in and the way that they do that with the jersey’s and with the players, that’s major, man, when you can decide what kid is going to have the chance to try to fill those shoes.”
They obviously intend to make that jersey available to a DB soon; and you have to believe the patch will be on it. No way they wait for Woodson to be in the HOF.
http://mgoblog.com/content/tuesday-recruitin-plays-woodson-card
I don't see where the HOF has much to do with the patch. I suspect Brady will eventually get one, but I wonder whether it's a good choice.
I think Hoke already said something about giving the #2 to the best DB, similar to the #1 for the best WR (can't find a link at the moment, though). I assumed that that was what McQuay was talking about in that quote, not necessarily a legends patch.
This. McQuay was talking about the #1 and #2 jerseys (obviously more the #2 since he's a DB). It doesn't have anything to do with a patch.
i personally like the dierdorf #72 mention, since he is a link to Bo and was one of Bo's favorites early on. he has represented very well since his days, is in the NFL hall of fame and, judging by his last big house appearance might not have many mobile years left to walk out the tunnel on those knees.
It would be cool if there were a way to combine Dierdorf and McKenzie
DierKenzie? nah? McDorf? maybe...I like them both, but do we have to combine them?
By many accounts the best offensive lineman in Michigan football history. Went on to be an even better pro. He's a top 10 all time player in this program. I'd love to see it.
Here is the locker that Roy Roundtree will be using next year. Had a tour on Friday 5/25/12.
This is cool and all, but wouldn't the player want his own name on the locker as well. Or should I assume that his name will replace that Michigan Football placard?
His name will replace the Michigan Football Placard. They had not yet added the numbers for incoming freshmen or made any of the changes to existing jersey numbers. I asked if any other numbers were to get this honor in the future and the guy giving the tour said we will see. It seemed like he knew something was coming.
I hope to see in the future-
#1 Best player on the team, shows leadership
#2 Elite DB, Honroing Charles Woodson
#7 Elite QB, Honoring Rick Leach
#11 Elite DT, Honoring Alvin, Francis and Albert Wistert
#21 Elite WR, Honroing Desmond Howard
#41 Elite FB, Honoring the late Rob Lytle
#47 Elite DE, Honoring Bennie Oosterbaan
#48 Elite Center, Honoring Gerald Ford
#87 Elite TE, Honoring Ron Kramer
#98 Elite RB, Honoring Tom Harmon
This has been mentioned before but I don't remember seeing it answered.
According to NCAA rule book Section 4 Article 1 recommends numbering as follows for offensive players; Backs 1-49 Snapper 50-59 Guard 60-69 Tackle 70-79 End 80-99 Otherwise all player must be numbered 1-99, the NCAA makes no stipulation on defensive players. Two players may also share the same number though they may not play during the same down.
So is it that the NCAA only recommends those numbers, or do they enforce those numbers?
is that anyone wearing 50-77 cannot be an eligible receiver.
Well great, there goes my dream of seeing Lewan slide out to the outside receiver spot.* Damn!
(*Accomplished via Gardner's move to TE, freeing up Ricardo Miller to head to SLB, which allows Cam to take over at LT.)
He can be an eligible receiver, but he has to notify the officials before the play begins.
Argh double post
Is that true? Wasn't Jake Long used as a receiver on a trick play in the bowl against Florida?
They definitely don't enforce all of that, because wide receivers ("ends") don't only wear numbers in the 80s and 90s, obviously.
Also, they really need to find a better way to incorporate the concept into the jersey. I know the idea is a good one, but the patch looks terrible. Something along the lines of the Legend's written out small under the M on the upper back or initials somewhere.
What happens when you give a legend jersey to someone who becomes a legend in their own right?
What do you do with the #1 jersey? What about other numbers that have "legends"...for example what if Taylor Lewan has 2 All-American years left, who's #77, him or Long?
These things are silly, IMO...
Have a park like the Yankees and honor everyone, don't worry about the number. Statues and plaques...whatever you want.
All of this emphasis on the number, f*** the number, Woodson would've been just as great if he wore #3 instead of #2.
We need to honor the player, not the number he wore.
I mean, I guess I can see where a number might have a couple deserving guys but the chance Lewan is as good as Long is very low, even with Lewan's talent. Jake was the best lineman in the Big Ten the year Joe Thomas got drafted third and was a Pro Bowler as a rookie; he came back and didn't take a penalty or give up a sack to players not doping with roids.
I like the recruiting advantages too much to not do this.
Oh hey LTT, you idolize Jake Long? Want to be the next Jake Long and wear 77? Come to Michigan.
Hey Treadwell, your pick - want to be a three-time AA and wear #1 like AC/Braylon or #21 and win a Heisman like Des? Come to Michigan.
Hey Leon McQuay, you want to be Next Woodson and wear 2? Come to Michigan.
Hey badass center (Kugler, I don't know), want to wear the same number as a former AA and POTUS? Come to Michigan...
Not using this is a waste of history, one of Michigan's greatest assets, in my opinion.
yeah, but he wore #2, so that is the number we honor. Nothing new here, this is the way sports has honored players for decades.
It almost makes it...
If you have legacy jerseys, then you're pretty much allowing/asking/whatever the best player or best recruits to wear that number. This players is most likely going to end up being a great player and every now and again you could get someone who is as good or better than the player they're wearing.
#2 Charles Woodson? No.
Lewan may not be likely, but it's not out of the relm of possibility.
What if Ondre Pipkins is a 3 or 4-year starter at DT and ends up being a top 5 pick...2 time All-American. Who gets #56, Pipkins or Woodley?
Look at these recruiting classes, we're recruiting TOP players again...we've got TOP coaches developing TOP talent. We WANT to have these "problems." I don't think it's far fetched to say eventually you're going to have to worry about such a problem.
Especially when you take a kid and offer for him to switch numbers into that jersey ala Roy Roundtree. What if we do have a freshman WR who's a beast like Sammy Watkins...he goes on to beast as sophomore as well and then we switch him to #21 where he becomes at top draft pick on a national championship team. I don't see how this train of thought is so off.
...my last thought is this, whatever happens to the guys who aren't worthy of a "legacy jersey" but are worthy of recognition? Your Dhani Jones, Ian Gold, Larry Foote, Marquise Walker, Mike Martin, Jordan Kovacs' of Michigan. I believe THEIR legacy is just as important.
How do we honor THOSE types of players? This is why I say do away with retired numbers, legacy jerseys and all of that...have a memorial park where you can honor all of these guys. A ring of honor, hall of fame, whatever...but I just rattled off a ton of names that should NEVER be forgotten.
regardless of NFL rules...I'd be hard pressed to believe they couldn't give him time to be honored in a big way like this for a few hours. A flight to St.Louis even on his dime from DTW after the game is a no brainer...by this point in his NFL career, what is going to change his performance sitting on the sideline at UM...even if he leaves at half time...that late in the season it will be a noon game likely anyhow.