SIAP: Thoughts on the Legend patches?

Submitted by no joke its hoke on

I love the idea and thought everything that goes into it was very well planned out. I saw in the Detnews that Brandon said they are going to ask the families of Ford,Harmon,Kramer,Oosterbaan and Wistert if they can do the same with their jersey's so  players can wear them. Do you guys like that idea or should they stay retired??

adammeekhof

September 12th, 2011 at 10:23 AM ^

I think the idea is great it is orginal and is a new way to honor people.  I think it also will make a player think before asking for a number.  I think it will help the history of the program stay with all players regardless of the generation!!

UMfan21

September 12th, 2011 at 10:25 AM ^

I love the idea.  Good compromise bewteen retiring a number and ignoring our past.  The patches are pretty small and classy.  And it gives us a new tradition that no other school does.  Really creative thinking. 

Bando Calrissian

September 12th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^

I'm mixed on it.  It's unique, sure.  It's a solution to not allowing too many numbers to get out of circulation.

Yet I wonder if we shouldn't let kids make their own legacies without someone else's name on a patch on the front of their jersey.  Are we going to have an entire team decked out in various individual tributes?  

Yes, it's a good problem to have with as many great players as we've had, but I'm just not sure how I feel about having a former player's name memorialized on the jerseys of other players for perpetuity.  

"No man is bigger than The Team...  The Team, The Team, The Team."  Right?

marmot

September 12th, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^

This is going to be a rambling post that isn't thought out.  I also want to stress I'm really not looking for an argument, but it's my belief that more consideration has to go into retiring a number than individual greatness.  

I was a First-Team All American in my sport in High School, but if we didn't slaughter teams at Districts and win the State Title, I felt like the season was a waste.  Too tough on myself?  Fuck no.  That's what it takes to win in today's age.  Did you see Cam Newton yesterday after he threw for a record 422 yards in his rookie debut, but lost the game?  Pay-for-play or not, that boy wins games.  He made Carvin Johnson's hate-to-lose-face look pre-pubescent.

I love watching Denard Robinson play as much as any member on this board, but these past few Michigan teams are a hell of a long way from the teams I grew up watching.  Until the 2007 Game, I had never witnessed Michigan lose to Ohio State while I was in attendance.  Players like Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard, Derrick Alexander, Marcus Ray, Tyrone Wheatley, Glen Steele, Leroy Hoard etc. defined the entire field when they played, not just the teams they played for.  I would love to see Brian UFR the 1997 season.  I think we'd see just how far we've slid.

That said, I think some measure of team success needs to go into the selections as well, otherwise we would have hoards of numbers honored.  A prime example would be Jake Long.  A large number of younger fans and posters on MGoBlog find him to be an example of greatness on the field, but in his 4 years playing on the team, he shared one Big 10 Title and that's about it.  He redshirted in 2003, so as far as I'm concerned our last victory over Ohio doesn't count for him, as he didn't play all season.  And I'm sorry, but winning the Capital One Bowl isn't shit if we want to run for National Championships and Big 10 Titles every year like we used to.

Sad to say, Jake Long was on the field for The Horror - the lowest point in Michigan Football history.  I'm not saying he isn't deserving (I'll let others decide that), but some folks are simply too young to understand that we've had equally as great offensive linemen in the past.  Just because he went number one in the NFL draft doesn't make his career at Michigan "great."  When I was younger, I witnessed many less-talented teams than the senior-laden 2007 team play, and they NEVER would have lost to App. State at home in a season opener, coaching be damned.

Denard Robinson is a once-in-a-lifetime player, but I can guarantee that he wouldn't want his own jersey honored until his team does something that matters.  Denard PLAYS FOR Michigan, and anything he gets needs to be a function of the team's successes, or their failures.

M-Wolverine

September 12th, 2011 at 10:31 AM ^

But think they found the perfect avenue to honor former players. Doesn't lose it for use, still can be used as a recruiting tool (maybe even moreso now), but still honors the player in a special and unique way. And it's nothing tacky like a ring of champions or something. Understated, yet effective (and original, once again leading the way).

I hope the families take him up on his offer, because they deserve to be honored too. And I hope in the near future we're doing one of these things for #2. (Maybe vs. MSU).

go16blue

September 12th, 2011 at 10:35 AM ^

I like them, so long as they're reserved for the likes of Desmond, Woodson, Ford, etc. We don't need one for a guy like Mike Hart, even if he did set records. The one bad thing would be that it could detract from the "no man is bigger than the team" mentality if handled poorly, but it should be fine. Plus, its a unique thing that (as far as I know) only we do, and should be good for recruiting, as some kids will want to come to Michigan to earn a certain number.

NeilGoBlue

September 12th, 2011 at 10:36 AM ^

It now becomes a teaching moment.  The current players have to live up to the jersey, and they are reminded every day who's number they are wearing.  The locker of the 'legend' will also remind the player.

This is Michigan! For godsakes.  It fits perfectly into Brady's philosophy.

Pure Genius.

Maize n Blue

September 12th, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^

I love the patches idea as well. The main reason I do not like the idea of retiring college football numbers is because I want our players to understand/feel a connection to what it means to put on the Michigan jersey. I think its important for every player that comes through to understand that they aren't just representing Michigan, they are representing every player before them that has worn their number. Although the legends patches may take away from the other players that have worn the number, there will only be a select few. If I had to guess, the next Michigan Legend status will not be awarded until 2017, when Charles Woodson becomes eligible for the College FootbalL HOF. Of course, if they unretire the aforementioned numbers, I could be wrong.

Franz Schubert

September 12th, 2011 at 10:43 AM ^

Im not sure about this. I can envision the need to put 2 legends on one jersey eventually and that would be tacky. Maybe if the marker on the jersey is really low profile and small enough it could work, perhaps sewn into the neck line? I dont know but if is done it needs to be reserved for the greatest of the greatest only, Heisman winners or very special individuals. Woodson and Ford come to mind.

Jinkin Mongol

September 12th, 2011 at 10:40 AM ^

Agreed, it is original (as far as I know) and creative.  It will also bring the history of the program to the forefront.  I can picture future broadcasts where someone wearing #47 makes a big play and they zoom in and see the patch and then get to talking about Oosterbaan.  That is cool and something that wouldn't happen with a retired number.

randyfloyd

September 12th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^

I love the idea, but I think the player has to play the same position as the legend.  I can already hear the announcers, "nice run by number 98, Brionte Dunn (or whatever great RB we get in the near future)".

Mr Frieze

September 12th, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^

the number 1?  Does Anthony Carter automatically get selected, or does someone like Braylon put up a protest?  Does the player have a say in which person's patch he wears?  How does something like that work?

Fort Wayne Blue

September 12th, 2011 at 11:11 AM ^

why not put a patch on the #1 jersey noting this is a legendary receiver....

so instead of having a patch with "Desmond Howard" have something like "WR" or something more creative that will note this is Michigan's best wide receiver ...

Fort Wayne Blue

September 12th, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^

I know when I was looking into buying a personalized jersey this spring, the M-Den said that you couldn't buy a jersey with a current or former player's name and number. With that being said, would it be against NCAA policy to purchase a jersey with a Legend's patch on it? or to even sell the patches???

 

blacknblue

September 12th, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^

in the future if you have more than one legend who shared the same number they'll both or all names on the same patch. Hopefully the number will never be over three on a patch.

Jon06

September 12th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^

It's not a bad idea, but I thought the speech was ridiculous. Somebody who isn't into marketing buzzwords needs to edit the next one so we don't have to hear about how the patch is "highly visible" or whatever.

jmblue

September 12th, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^

I think it's a really cool idea.  The patch itself should be a little smaller, though.  I don't want the jersey to lose too much of its simplicity.

gbdub

September 12th, 2011 at 11:29 AM ^

I think it's a cool, unique tribute, but they do have to come up with a way to honor players who wear a legend patch. What happens if the next guy to wear #21 wins two Heismans? Does he not get honored because the number already honors Desmond? Seems like a player coming in would have a tough choice - on the one hand, it'd be a real honor to wear Desmond's number and patch. On the other, does it prevent the player from creating their own legacy?

Another minor logistical issue: I think the patch as worn by Hemingway last night is a bit too big - it seems like it would interfere with a bowl game patch, since it's in the same spot. Maybe it could instead be incorporated into the "M" that's now over the player names just below the back collar?

What does this do to the #1? Obviously I think #21 now goes to your best receiver - as great as Carter and Braylon were, I think Desmond trumps them. But then #1 has a certain cachet...

 

 

 

BlueHills

September 12th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^

I like the idea. Not crazy about the execution.

The patch looks a little busy and intrusive with the white circle and lettering. It should just be maize on a navy background, to match the simplicity of the Michigan jersey.

It's not horrible, but it could be done in a better way.

Gulo Blue

September 12th, 2011 at 11:42 AM ^

Patches should be more subtle.  Ledgends jerseys should only be worn by freshmen and sophomores.  Give them a goal.  If your best players are wearing retired numbers in their senior year, you risk having someone that deserves having their number retired already wearing a retired number.

teldar

September 12th, 2011 at 12:22 PM ^

I see no problems with honoring multiple people who have worm the same number. Say we have another 2 way starter from ohio, say a safety who also plays rb in h.s. who commits to michigan in his junior year and lives up to the hype, wins the heisman, wins a superbowl, or two.
Got no problem with Woodson and Thomas hypothetical player's names on patches on that number in the future.

Geaux_Blue

September 12th, 2011 at 1:53 PM ^

would have liked them to be like memorial patches with initials, maize on blue. that way for things like the #1 it could fit the number of people necessary. as of now, it's like a bowl patch and too large.