Update on Legends Numbers: not completely gone

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Just read this over at the great MVictors site.

  • Nothing is official, but U-M is indeed evaluating the Legends program and considering changes.
  • The evaluation is being driven, in part, by feedback from the players.
  • McCready’s understanding is that they do intend to maintain the Legends distinction, but are considering honoring those players in a different way.
  • All options are on the table including a presence in the stadium to recognize the Legends. 
  • Hackett is soliciting input from the Legends/families and has already connected with one other Legend/family.  Hackett will be talking with all the Legends families and keeping everyone in the loop as this moves forward.
  • Timeline is TBD, but McCready’s understanding is that they plan to settle this before the season starts.

I say do something with the blank canvas that is the box. Put national championship years and the Legends numbers up there and be done with it. 

1464

March 30th, 2015 at 2:08 PM ^

10 foot tall bronze statues of each player that has a legends distinction, grouped together and located somewhere inside the gates.  Each has a plaque with a 200 word bio.  THIS is how to cultivate a WOW gameday experience.  Be refined, be memorable.  You don't need a t-shirt cannon to foster an amazing gameday.  Walking amongst these literally larger than life players would be something fans remember forever.

rockediny

March 30th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^

This is probably a bad idea but imaging if they put the statues on top of the press boxes so they would be sort of "watching over" the field. Obviously there'd be no bio, just their numbers on the boxes themselves. Just something that popped into my head and not very well thought out.

Roc Blue in the Lou

March 31st, 2015 at 12:49 AM ^

Excellent choice.  If you google the STL Cardinals new Busch Stadium, you will find the Hall of Famers are represented BOTH with a bronze statue--nicely done with the player memorialized in an action stance for which that particular HOF player was known--and with the retired jersey numbers also ensconced on the outfiled walls.  This could be mixed with the concept of one game (homecoming seems fitting) when present befitting players were awarded the honor of playing one game in a legend's number.  Players would be pumped and, following Sir James' lead, competitive about earning the honor of playing this signal home game in honor of a Michigan football legend.  

OldDad67

March 30th, 2015 at 1:49 PM ^

of having the current players wear the legends number. Why not just wear the legends patch on the shoulder? There is enough $ in the kitty to have ever player wear the patch during the game that the legend is being honored. Two or three times a year is plenty, and we have enough "legends" that we don't have to repeat them every year. 

jmblue

March 30th, 2015 at 4:03 PM ^

When's the last time they retired a number?  I'm curious.  I imagine they don't want to do too much of that either.

We can function without those five numbers, obviously.  But if we want to honor other players beyond those seven (none of whom played later than the 1950s), we could get to a point where we don't have enough numbers.  That's the problem that the legends jerseys could have solved.

lilpenny1316

March 30th, 2015 at 2:00 PM ^

Do it for one day and let the guys go back to whatever number they had before.  AC, D. Alexander and Terrell made the #1 jersey special, but they had that number from their freshman year.  Woodson made #2 what it is.  They were assigned a number and balled out in that number.

#6 for me will always be Tyrone Wheatley.  Derrick Green or Ty Isaac should have the opportunity to make their number and the years they played in that number special.

SteelBrad

March 30th, 2015 at 2:48 PM ^

Why are you asking me? This doesn't have to be exclusively for retired numbers.

I just think having a player change numbers after having a great career in his own number cheapens things for his own legacy. And I'm assuming kids won't turn down the honor of the Legends number.

In my opinion, pick a game (homecoming seems very fitting) and leave the jersey changes unannounced. Have the kids wear the Retired and/or Legends jersey for that one game. If the kids earn it, they earn it.

I have faith Harbaugh will get this done right.




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turd ferguson

March 30th, 2015 at 1:51 PM ^

I've said this before, but I love the idea of legends numbers and dislike the execution.  

 

What I love about them:

  • It honors past Michigan players in a way that's more active than just putting their names in a book or hallway somewhere.
  • It keeps numbers in circulation.  That's valuable partly because there are a lot of guys on a college football team, and partly because it's nice for recruiting that a guy who has worn #11 his whole life and wants to wear it in college won't be told, "Sorry, not happening."
  • It's a unique, creative way of honoring the past, and that's a recipe for what could become a nice Michigan tradition.

What I would like to see change:

  • Don't ask guys to change numbers.  If someone wants to wear a legends number, that's great and that should be encouraged.  But don't urge our best players to switch, because that undermines the possibility that one day we'll be able to associate them with a number.
  • Don't make it such a privilege to wear one of these jerseys.  Let them be permanent fixtures on those uniforms, but don't take so seriously the privilege thing.  No one will seriously think that Desmond Howard's legacy is tarnished if a kid wearing #21 gets a DUI.
  • Make them a little smaller and more succinct.  You don't need to squeeze a block M in each one, nor do you need to squeeze the words "Michigan legend."  Just put the guy's name and years in there (if that).

turd ferguson

March 30th, 2015 at 1:55 PM ^

I like that idea, too.  "Unretire" them for one game per year in which we actively honor those guys.  That's also pretty creative, and it'd be a nice addition to our homecoming traditions.  If that's the plan, then I would make them something that players earn (via good behavior and strong play).

Farnn

March 30th, 2015 at 2:21 PM ^

This was what I was thinking when I heard the jerseys were going away.   Maybe a patch for the season and then for homecoming they wear the jersey.  Don't have to give them all out each year, but allows them to honor a few each year.

Yostbound and Down

March 30th, 2015 at 1:53 PM ^

The numbers on the facade would be all right, but what about something like the Yankees' Monument Park right outside the stadium? There's a little room behind the north scoreboard I think. Just a little garden and some nice plaques/monuments/statues. 

Of course the cool thing about Monument Park is that it was at one time in play like the Tiger Stadium flagpole and at the original Yankee Stadium you couldn't really miss it out in the outfield (apparently the new stadium doesn't do it justice.) This wouldn't be visible on TV or to the crowd inside the stadium but I think that'd be a cool way to honor them, the "Ring of Honor" approach by itself seems kinda boring to me. 

twoheartedale

March 30th, 2015 at 2:09 PM ^

It would have to be done on the luxury boxes(Memorial Stadium example) because there's not much space on the sidelines or around the stadium. The east and west concourses already have the national championship teams and All-Americans listed.

The Walk of Champions that will connect Schembechler Hall to Michigan Stadium goes between Oosterbaan and Alumni Field. There's some space(marked x on the photo) where they could create a monument park. It could be something like FSU's sod cemetery, a place to honor the legends and other historic events. 

Yostbound and Down

March 30th, 2015 at 2:13 PM ^

I guess I was almost thinking on the grass directly beneath the North Scoreboard... out of the way of the concourses and it would be able to get natural light. 

The concourses have terrible lighting and the teams/all-Americans are hard to really stop and take a look at on game day. I think ideally this would be somewhere at least a little ways away from the foot traffic, and preferably on the stadium site...it shouldn't be something to take away from Schembechler Hall but something small and nice for some fans to see on game day. You're right though, there isn't much room.

jmdblue

March 30th, 2015 at 1:52 PM ^

after for very very deserving players.  It gives the players the opportunity to establish their own legendary numbers and also lets us get to celebrate the occassional return of "98" or "47" etc.  It should be occasional.  I don't think any players were deserving last year.  However, Denard, Martin would easily have made the cut.  This year?  Maybe Morgan.  Maybe Pipkins.  Maybe Bolden or Butt?

Big Uglies

March 30th, 2015 at 2:04 PM ^

Here is how it should be approached:



1) Eliminate the patches and treat it like a ring of honor where numbers are not retired, but the number and name are recognized



2) Treat each ceremony as they have done in the past for the legends



3) Add Anthony Carter and #1 this year



4) Add Woodson and #2 this year if the NFL bye week aligns, we shouldn't have to wait for his retirement