Retired numbers...

[Roy H.]

This discussion came up in the Al Horford thread.  It was proposed that the Celtics shouldn't retire numbers anymore, but rather should simply honor guys by putting their names in the rafters (i.e., "Loscy").  I proposed a two-tier system, where true legends get their numbers retired, but other Celtics greats get their name.

Things to discuss in this thread:

1.  If you could re-do history, whose numbers would remain retired?  Who would be honored via their name only?

2.  Which current or past Celtics who aren't in the rafters belong up there, either via number or name?

For me...

Retired Numbers:

#0 (Tatum)
#00 (Parish)
#6 (Russell)
#7 (J. Brown)
#14 (Cousy)
#15 (Tommy)
#17 (Havlicek)
#18 (Cowens)
#24 (Sam Jones)
#32 (McHale)
#33 (Bird)
#34 (Pierce)

Names In the Rafters:

Red
W. Brown
KG
DJ
JoJo
Reggie
Max
KC
Ramsey
Macauley
Sharman
Nelson
Sanders
Ray
Danny
Horford

I'm sure I'm leaving somebody out.  I'm mixed on Rondo.

Keep retiring numbers and segregating who goes into the rafters will lead to more controversies than anything, and not going up with the "legends" will be considered slights by many.

So I don't jive with that suggestion. I rather just not retire a number than to create a 2 tier system.

I think that's overblown a bit.  The Red Sox have a two-tier system, between the Red Sox Hall of Fame and their retired numbers.  The Yankees have a two-tiered system as well, with Monument Park and retired numbers.

The hard part would be unretiring anybody's number after they were originally honored.

[Moranis]

This discussion came up in the Al Horford thread.  It was proposed that the Celtics shouldn't retire numbers anymore, but rather should simply honor guys by putting their names in the rafters (i.e., "Loscy").  I proposed a two-tier system, where true legends get their numbers retired, but other Celtics greats get their name.

Things to discuss in this thread:

1.  If you could re-do history, whose numbers would remain retired?  Who would be honored via their name only?

2.  Which current or past Celtics who aren't in the rafters belong up there, either via number or name?

For me...

Retired Numbers:

#0 (Tatum)
#00 (Parish)
#6 (Russell)
#7 (J. Brown)
#14 (Cousy)
#15 (Tommy)
#17 (Havlicek)
#18 (Cowens)
#24 (Sam Jones)
#32 (McHale)
#33 (Bird)
#34 (Pierce)

Names In the Rafters:

Red
W. Brown
KG
DJ
JoJo
Reggie
Max
KC
Ramsey
Macauley
Sharman
Nelson
Sanders
Ray
Danny
Horford

I'm sure I'm leaving somebody out.  I'm mixed on Rondo.

Keep retiring numbers and segregating who goes into the rafters will lead to more controversies than anything, and not going up with the "legends" will be considered slights by many.

So I don't jive with that suggestion. I rather just not retire a number than to create a 2 tier system.

many NFL teams have a ring of honor and retired numbers.  The Browns have 17 people in the ring of honor. They have 5 numbers retired (oddly enough Davis and Fleming aren't in the ring of honor as they were in memorium - Graham, Brown, and Groza have both).

The Patriots have retired 7 numbers but don't have a Ring of Honor (just a hall of fame)

[aefgogreen]

This discussion came up in the Al Horford thread.  It was proposed that the Celtics shouldn't retire numbers anymore, but rather should simply honor guys by putting their names in the rafters (i.e., "Loscy").  I proposed a two-tier system, where true legends get their numbers retired, but other Celtics greats get their name.

Things to discuss in this thread:

1.  If you could re-do history, whose numbers would remain retired?  Who would be honored via their name only?

2.  Which current or past Celtics who aren't in the rafters belong up there, either via number or name?

For me...

Retired Numbers:

#0 (Tatum)
#00 (Parish)
#6 (Russell)
#7 (J. Brown)
#14 (Cousy)
#15 (Tommy)
#17 (Havlicek)
#18 (Cowens)
#24 (Sam Jones)
#32 (McHale)
#33 (Bird)
#34 (Pierce)

Names In the Rafters:

Red
W. Brown
KG
DJ
JoJo
Reggie
Max
KC
Ramsey
Macauley
Sharman
Nelson
Sanders
Ray
Danny
Horford
Mike Gorman
Johnny Most

I'm sure I'm leaving somebody out.  I'm mixed on Rondo.

I like the idea of one tier - I don't know if you can do some recognition in the Celtics Hall of Fame or whatever.

[liam]

We?re running out of numbers

Numbers are infinite.

[Roy H.]

We?re running out of numbers

Numbers are infinite.

Just not on jerseys.

Celtics numbers in 100 years:

[Neurotic Guy]

I don?t really care. 

My preference would be to have a Celtics Museum to tell the story of the organization. In this way anyone - including PJ Brown for example - has a place in Celtics history. Those with bigger impact will naturally have more prominence.  I think we generally pay too much homage to athletes - especially modern era athletes who receive adulation, fame, crazy amounts of money. Having numbers retired isn?t necessary. When it comes to Celtics history I?m interested in the contributions of Larry Seigfried, Don Nelson, Don Chaney, Gerald Henderson, Scott Wedman, Tiny, not only Russell, Bird, Hondo, Pierce.
Let the Basketball HOF worry about who gets to be a HOFer.

[jmen788]

This discussion came up in the Al Horford thread.  It was proposed that the Celtics shouldn't retire numbers anymore, but rather should simply honor guys by putting their names in the rafters (i.e., "Loscy").  I proposed a two-tier system, where true legends get their numbers retired, but other Celtics greats get their name.

Things to discuss in this thread:

1.  If you could re-do history, whose numbers would remain retired?  Who would be honored via their name only?

2.  Which current or past Celtics who aren't in the rafters belong up there, either via number or name?

For me...

Retired Numbers:

#0 (Tatum)
#00 (Parish)
#6 (Russell)
#7 (J. Brown)
#14 (Cousy)
#15 (Tommy)
#17 (Havlicek)
#18 (Cowens)
#24 (Sam Jones)
#32 (McHale)
#33 (Bird)
#34 (Pierce)

Names In the Rafters:

Red
W. Brown
KG
DJ
JoJo
Reggie
Max
KC
Ramsey
Macauley
Sharman
Nelson
Sanders
Ray
Danny
Horford
Mike Gorman
Johnny Most

I'm sure I'm leaving somebody out.  I'm mixed on Rondo.

Tatum and Brown, once they (hopefully, fingers crossed) get us this number 18 in the next couple weeks... then retire em, assuming they both play at least 5 more years with us. Despite his short period of time here, KG oughta be included, he is an all time great, even if most of it was with Minny -- plus, he is one of a kind. if Rondo wasn't a turncoat with the Lakers I'd say throw his name not number up there... but now, idk... which pains me as he was my fav player since 07 before we were good again with the new Big 3.

[tenn_smoothie]

I'm gonna go with:

Retired Numbers>

#0 (Tatum) (if)
#00 (Parish)
#1 (Brown)
#2 (Red)
#3 (DJ)
#5 (Garnett)
#6 (Russell)
#7 (J. Brown) (if)
#10 (Jo Jo)
#14 (Cousy)
#15 (Tommy)
#17 (Havlicek)
#18 (Cowens)
#24 (Sam Jones)
#31 (Max)
#32 (McHale)
#33 (Bird)
#34 (Pierce)

Names In the Rafters:

Reggie
Walton
KC
Silas
Ramsey
Macauley
Sharman
Nelson
Sanders
Ray
Danny
Horford
Mike Gorman
Johnny Most

Red and Walter Brown are THE foundation of the franchise.
All Garnett did was turn the culture of the entire franchise around, lifted us out of the post-Bias/Reggie purgatory era and put us on the successful course we have been on since.
Max was the most important player during the '81 title run, including the 76ers ECF and finals MVP. He and Parish won game 7, 1984 for us.
We would be less 4 titles without DJ and JoJo (finals MVP 1976)