There is always the options of going to letters AA , CC, AC the like at some point.Seriously I could see the option of going with O1, O3. The retiring is all well and good but I don't want to see someone wearing 78 playing basketball.
Why can’t they wear number 78? Is it that much of an eyesore? Or too long to pronounce?
Not sure what the issue is here, we are a franchise who embraces their history.
We are the Celtics, and that means something.
we are the Celtics and having your number retired should mean alot more than it does
I think the lax standards of jersey retirement that you're referring to are things of the past. Maxwell was a poor decision IMO, as he was merely a decent-good player who won a Finals MVP. However, since then we have had 1 jersey retirement, for a guy who is widely considered a top 5 all time Celtic.
KG didn't get his retired, and it hasn't sounded like he will. Ray didn't get his retired, and it seems almost a certainty that he won't. Rondo hasn't retired, but (barring some unimaginable return to Boston where he wins 2 rings as the starting PG) he almost certainly won't.
I don't think the 'problem', so to speak, of retiring too many numbers is as present today, with only 2 numbers being retired post-2000
The C's have said KG is going to go up there. As I've said in basically every thread it comes up, I don't think he should. Now if they don't put him up there, maybe what you are saying is true, but there are far too many numbers in the rafters.
If I was doing it now, I'd retire the numbers of Cousy, Russell, Hondo, Cowens, Bird, McHale, and Pierce. I'd have Lewis up there, but don't think I'd actually retire his number, though I could be persuaded to do so. I'd listen to arguments on S. Jones, Parish, and White because of their longevity and all around solid play. I'd have Brown, Red, Heinsohn, and Ainge honored up there for what they did for the organization, but certainly wouldn't retire any number for them (and I'd wait until Tommy and Danny retired before putting their name up there).
So for me the only retired numbers for sure would be 6, 14, 17, 18, 32, 33, and 34. I'd put 35 as a maybe and could maybe be convinced on 00, 10, and 24 (though it would take a lot of convincing on them). Having your number in the rafters of the most decorated franchise in NBA history should be an immense honor. I wouldn't want to cheapen it by putting lesser deserving players up there.