Previously, Boston College has retired the numbers of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Doug Flutie and Outland Trophy winner Mike Ruth and the jerseys of eight other standouts: Art Donovan, Bill Flynn, Gene Goodreault, Mike Holovak, Lou Montgomery, Charles O'Rourke, Tony Thurman and Louis Urban.
Both Luke and Matt are great guys who followed great BC careers with great NFL careers. Both have given back to BC and serve as role models for the BC Football community. This honor is well deserved. However, I do have a few quibbles with the process and timing.
Retiring numbers in football is difficult logistically. The massive size of the roster necessitates recycling iconic numbers. Hence most teams use some sort of ring of honor. The eight numberless jerseys that are honored at Alumni are in the same concept. BC doesn't clarify whether or not Ryan and Kuechly's 12 and 40 will be permanently retired, yet both are out of use and seemingly reserved for retirement. I think Ryan and Kuechly should be retired, but their numbers should live on with new players. In my opinion, Flutie's 22 should be the only number not re-used. (I would argue that even Ruth's 58 was premature...but that is another subject.) While both Ryan and Kuechly were special, I don't think either deserve the ultimate honor and honoring them in that way now is a trend that glorifies the recent past (in all sports) over true history.
My second issue is that this honoring skips over too many guys who came between the Thurman-Flutie-Ruth eras and the Ryan-Kuechly ACC era. I think Herzlich and Kiwinuka were both conference players of the year and both had incredible college careers. I feel like they are not being honored like Ryan and Kuechly because their NFL careers did not reach the same heights. That shouldn't matter.
There might not be a Matt Ryan era if not for the rebound led by Glenn Foley. How is his jersey not retired? What about all the great offensive linemen who have protected BC's stars? Mike Cloud, Derrick Knight and Montel Harris all finished their respective BC careers as the school's all-time leading rusher. Some acknowledgement is deserved, not to mention what Andre Williams' accomplished. Tom Coughlin and Tom O'Brien deserved the same honor that Mike Holovak received. I could go on, but the point remains.
In the short term this will be a nice little boost of PR for the Football team. I hope it leads to clarification of what BC is honoring -- "jersey vs number" -- and a whole new group of other players getting the recognition they deserve.
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26 comments:
Agreed. I hate when teams retire numbers in any sport. I much prefer the "ring of honor".
'Desperate affairs require desperate measures' - Horatio Nelson
Little Boy Brad is creating a nice distraction so people can stop thinking how bad Daz (and little boy brad) suck.
Also, agree that it is way to early for Ryan and Kuechley. Maybe consider this after NFL retirement.
BC clarified it is just their jersey being retired, but their numbers are not being retired and are still available to players.
ATL,
Did James Comey write that for you? It makes no sense. Completely illogical.
Bah. Get off my lawn.
Both are well-deserving of the honor.
There's no way any fan from another school would say "wow, I can't believe they retired THAT guy's number" when talking about Matty Ice or Keeks.
@mod34b: You forget that there is a second honeymoon in progress. If that doesn't work, there will be a third with another extension. I agree with your comment.
Yes on both; a maybe on Andre Williams (he really only had 1 good year); and no to everyone else you listed ATL.
BB - imagine honoring Montel Harris who transferred to Temple.
He turned his back on BC. He walked away from his teammates, from his fans, from his coaches. He wanted to leave. F him.
I agree with Mod - Both Ryan and Kuechly are/were great players and class acts at the "Heights". But , my God , I believe that it is a bit early to be retiring jerseys ,numbers or whatever. Introductions at halftime are overdone and very few fans are in their seats to applaud the achievements of the individuals . Does anyone know the advance sales figures for the G. Tech game ????
Mod,
Montel left because he was overused by the Spaz coaching staff to point of serious career ending injury. Then the medical staff in Newton/Brighton botched his surgeries on more than 1 occasion.
Knuck. He had a great season at temple. Surgery not botched. No career ending injury. At Temple, Montel had over 1000 yards. 5.7 yards a carry!
But I forgot that he did not voluntarily leave. Spaz's booted him "for repeated violations of team rules "
So he didn't walk away from his teammates
Spaz pushed him.
Perhaps I am missing something, but how do you retire a jersey but not a number?
@dixie, i was curious about that too. I think to "retire" the jersey means to just hang a giant version of the star player's jersey with name from the rafters (or wherever) - but allow other players to use number.
Not sure really. Does not sound like anything is being retired when "the jersey" is retired.
@mod34b A way to honor an outstanding player while hedging your bets...
I have always liked the idea of "legacy numbers" the way Syracuse utilizes the #44. It would be great if the #1 linebacker wore 40, the best quarterback 12. Herzlich inherited 94 from Kiwanuka who wore it before he. It would be a good way for the team to connect to its past.
Mod,
That is bullshit. Go back and read the Boston Globe during the Montel years.
You are completely misinformed, 100%.
Plenty of schools retire numbers. The fix if you have too many players and not enough numbers is to double up numbers. Lots of teams do it.
ATL is just parroting the logic that BC is using. Comey logic.
knucklehead, which part of what is bs? That Harris was healthy when he left BC and had an outstanding season at Temple? That his surgery was not 'botched'? do tell.
The surgeries were botched it took him 2-3 surgeries and 18 months to recover. You know the statistics don't be an asshole. He was overused by Spaz which ultimately destroyed his NFL prospects. Temple didn't play ACC level teams when he was there.
Douchbag.
I am giving you too much credit. You do not know your ass from your elbow.
2012 Game Log Rushing Receiving
DATE OPP RESULT ATT YDS AVG LNG TD REC YDS AVG LNG TD
8/31 Villanova W 41-10 5 12 2.4 7 0 1 8 8.0 8 0
9/8 Maryland L 36-27 No statistics available.
9/22 @Penn State L 24-13 10 23 2.3 6 0 3 42 14.0 40 0
10/6 South Florida W 37-28 24 133 5.5 35 2 3 15 5.0 7 0
10/13 @Connecticut W 17-14 (OT) 30 142 4.7 33 1 1 13 13.0 13 0
10/20 Rutgers L 35-10 19 81 4.3 20 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
10/27 @Pittsburgh L 47-17 18 72 4.0 14 1 1 13 13.0 13 0
11/3 @Louisville L 45-17 15 115 7.7 25 1 0 0 0.0 0 0
11/10 Cincinnati L 34-10 8 19 2.4 8 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
11/17 @Army W 63-32 36 351 9.8 60 7 0 0 0.0 0 0
11/17 @Army W 63-32 36 351 9.8 60 7 0 0 0.0 0 0
11/23 Syracuse L 38-20 21 106 5.0 16 0 1 -1 -1.0 0 0
Knuckle. So stupid in your rage and potty talk. His surgeries were not botched because he again performed at a high level of football after surgeries. So there can be no doubt the surgeries succeeded.
Too many Monday morning QBs who think they have any idea what surgery entails. Harris had a serious injury. Do you know what his condition was pre surgery or what challenges were presented to the surgeon be his injuries? Of course you have no idea. And, of course, you have no idea if the surgeries were botched or how many surgeries were required and how much rehab was required. Nothing suggests surgical failure and nothing suggests the surgeon failed. To the contrary, actually. Look at the result: he again played high level college football and did very well.
Do you think your stats are somehow proof of the surgical start, challenges and outcomes?
You don't get back to perfect from any serious surgery Harris got back to a high level. That is a very good result.
Yes he was overused.
Are you blaming spaz, the surgeon or who? Or are you just raging.
Should I call you douche bag now?
He lost a season football. The surgeries were botched. He had to have more than one. He would not have had any surgeries if he weren't overused by Spaz. You are missing the point. He was overused which caused his injuries, then his first surgery was not effective, at the same time he was being prodded to play while injured. Then he had another surgery essentially ending any chance he had a pro career. The he cameback and played against a slate patsy teams which led to a 1000 yard season. He never made the NFL because if injury.
He lost a season because people at Boston College used him and did not effectively take care of his health. That is why he said fuck you to Boston College.
He was karate expert to. So his physical condition was optimal.
So your self righteous bullshit is just that. You are an ignoramus.
hmm i am an ignoramus? no thanks
Harris did not say FU to BC, they said it to him. he was booted
Harris surgeries were NOT botched because he was in top athletic form upon leaving BC
from Wiki
"On May 1, 2012, Harris was permanently dismissed from the Boston College football team due to a repeated violation of team rules. A fifth-year senior, Harris transferred to Temple in the fall of 2012 after receiving a medical red-shirt for his sixth and final year of eligibility. Harris had a successful final year running for 12 TDs and averaging 5.7 yards per carry." pretty impressive for a guy who had a bad surgery.
maybe you are the ignoramus?
Kuechly left too.
Sounds like an a fuck you to Boston College to me.
Top athletic form.
Priceless bullshit.
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