I apparently live on a very lonely island....
- Thread starter vhdawg
- Start date
I just think in a case like this, you have to honor the families wishes to an extent, and no one except their families knows what they would or would not want do.
I'm all for that if that's what the families want. But if that is the way we go with this, there needs to be some sort of a special honor attached to wearing the numbers. Pretty much like Ole Miss does with Chucky Mullins.
Also, I think we should retire Earnest Garner's number as well. He died while he was a student at MSU, and he became very ill and lost a lot of weight. I may be wrong, but I think he had an adverse reaction to a supplement or something.
I'm assuming one of two things happened with Keefer and Rodney's numbers:
1. Jackie told the families privately that he would retire the numbers, and it would be a private thing without a lot of pomp and circumstance.
2. Jackie wanted to retire the numbers and LT said "we don't do that here"- see Baily Howell for reference- and Jackie said, "Well, I'm retiring them".
I don't know what really happened, but I'm guessing it's one of the two.
I do agree with you- it would be awesome to see Anthony Dixon running over Ole Miss while wearing 21, or Jerious Norwood, or Titus Brown in 07 wearing 97. But if we don't attach an honor to it, it will lose it's meaning.
I'm all for that if that's what the families want. But if that is the way we go with this, there needs to be some sort of a special honor attached to wearing the numbers. Pretty much like Ole Miss does with Chucky Mullins.
Also, I think we should retire Earnest Garner's number as well. He died while he was a student at MSU, and he became very ill and lost a lot of weight. I may be wrong, but I think he had an adverse reaction to a supplement or something.
I'm assuming one of two things happened with Keefer and Rodney's numbers:
1. Jackie told the families privately that he would retire the numbers, and it would be a private thing without a lot of pomp and circumstance.
2. Jackie wanted to retire the numbers and LT said "we don't do that here"- see Baily Howell for reference- and Jackie said, "Well, I'm retiring them".
I don't know what really happened, but I'm guessing it's one of the two.
I do agree with you- it would be awesome to see Anthony Dixon running over Ole Miss while wearing 21, or Jerious Norwood, or Titus Brown in 07 wearing 97. But if we don't attach an honor to it, it will lose it's meaning.
Just as many, just as legendary former players at MSU.
There should be a plaque installed in his honor at Davis-Wade.
But there are only 99 jersey numbers available for football players, unless we want to go to 1-A, 13-B, 21-A, et al, for future players, after we run out of retired numbers.
We have other guys, Jackie Parker, DD Lewis, Joe Fortunato,so many others who were great. Where do we start, where do we stop?
Keffer was a good guy, and his end was tragic. He should be remembered.
RCD
There should be a plaque installed in his honor at Davis-Wade.
But there are only 99 jersey numbers available for football players, unless we want to go to 1-A, 13-B, 21-A, et al, for future players, after we run out of retired numbers.
We have other guys, Jackie Parker, DD Lewis, Joe Fortunato,so many others who were great. Where do we start, where do we stop?
Keffer was a good guy, and his end was tragic. He should be remembered.
RCD
A jersey in a case locked up foreverdoes nothing to let a legacy live on like seeing a player earn the right to wear it.
....these kids don't have any idea who Keffer McGee is. You'll never talk the next Jerious Norwood or Anthony Dixon into wearing #21 instead of their own numbers because of someone who died when they were a toddler. If some freshman wants to wear #21, it's because that number is special to him for his own reason, not because of Keffer.
A lot of people also try to lump this in with the Chucky Mullins story as well, but I think that's apples and oranges. Chucky was a special case. Chucky was an inspiration because of the way he lived through his injury, not because OF his injury. If Chucky had died upon impact, it would have still been devastating, but there wouldn't have been a need to perpetually honor him just on that fact. It was how he lived that next year and a half or so until he died that is the reason #38 is so important in Oxford, why so many people have worn jerseys and patches in his honor, and why the players rub a bust of Chucky's head now with his words "Never Quit" emblazoned below it.
Sadly, neither Keffer nor Rodney had the opportunity to be that sort of inspiration, and as such, this is a different discussion.
A lot of people also try to lump this in with the Chucky Mullins story as well, but I think that's apples and oranges. Chucky was a special case. Chucky was an inspiration because of the way he lived through his injury, not because OF his injury. If Chucky had died upon impact, it would have still been devastating, but there wouldn't have been a need to perpetually honor him just on that fact. It was how he lived that next year and a half or so until he died that is the reason #38 is so important in Oxford, why so many people have worn jerseys and patches in his honor, and why the players rub a bust of Chucky's head now with his words "Never Quit" emblazoned below it.
Sadly, neither Keffer nor Rodney had the opportunity to be that sort of inspiration, and as such, this is a different discussion.
I said, let's set a time limit, especially in these emotional cases.
We'll retire a jersey for a set number of years(say 10), otherwise, no dice.
Unless someone sets untold records, I just don't see it!
We'll retire a jersey for a set number of years(say 10), otherwise, no dice.
Unless someone sets untold records, I just don't see it!
Retiring numbers is illogical. You retire enough of those things and football players are going to have to start wearing letters or triple-digits. Honor the player by putting his jersey in the rafters, on the stadium, etc...<div>
</div><div>Making the players compete for and earn a jersey number is a much greater tribute to the nature of the sport anyways. There's always going to be another great player. His name, his contributions to a certain team, and the memories he gave a fanbase will stand on their own regardless.</div>
</div><div>Making the players compete for and earn a jersey number is a much greater tribute to the nature of the sport anyways. There's always going to be another great player. His name, his contributions to a certain team, and the memories he gave a fanbase will stand on their own regardless.</div>
if you had a moronic AD that refused to retire the number when it should have appropriately been done.
I don't think the Ole Miss players know who Chucky Mullins was, but that's the point in honoring it in the first place. So that generations down the road would know who these players were and what they meant to the program.
It may be apples and oranges in terms of one of the players living physically, and the others dying, but I think the bottom line of the players isn't- their tragic circumstances inspired their teammates. I remember when Mullins had his injury how it inspired the Ole Miss team and how they rallied around that. I also remember Keefer's death in 1997, and how that team rallied around that, and the players at MSU seemed to continue to rally around that tragedy on into 1998 and 1999.
Even before he died, Keefer was the guy that everyone on the team rallied around and drew inspiration from. He was the unquestioned team leader. He was what made us go. There was something about him that made him special even before his death- as a player, a person, and a leader. It was obvious that he left a lasting impression on the team- whether that was because of the unrtimelessness of his death or how he carried himself as a player and a person. Whether he lived or not after his tragic event is moot because his legacy shouldn't be determined whether he was able to survive or not for a period of time.
I don't think the Ole Miss players know who Chucky Mullins was, but that's the point in honoring it in the first place. So that generations down the road would know who these players were and what they meant to the program.
It may be apples and oranges in terms of one of the players living physically, and the others dying, but I think the bottom line of the players isn't- their tragic circumstances inspired their teammates. I remember when Mullins had his injury how it inspired the Ole Miss team and how they rallied around that. I also remember Keefer's death in 1997, and how that team rallied around that, and the players at MSU seemed to continue to rally around that tragedy on into 1998 and 1999.
Even before he died, Keefer was the guy that everyone on the team rallied around and drew inspiration from. He was the unquestioned team leader. He was what made us go. There was something about him that made him special even before his death- as a player, a person, and a leader. It was obvious that he left a lasting impression on the team- whether that was because of the unrtimelessness of his death or how he carried himself as a player and a person. Whether he lived or not after his tragic event is moot because his legacy shouldn't be determined whether he was able to survive or not for a period of time.
RocketCityDawg said:
there are many programs that have had WAY more great players than we have, and don't seem to have an issue with handing out numbers and or retiring them.
We should honor those that deserve it- we know who does and does not truly deserve it. That may or may not necessarily mean retiring their numbers. A lot of teams in the NFL have a "Ring of Honor". We can find ways to do this. It's really not that hard.
I think it would be a great thing to do because one thing that our football program is lacking in is tradition- and great players are part of that. That is one area that I think MSU has failed at in general, really in all sports. It's almost like we're ashamed of what we've accomplished.
Ole Miss is not the only school where some uniform numbers have "special meaning"- at Alabama, it's an honor for the QB to wear 12, and at Syracuse, it's an honor to wear 44 (Jim Brown's number). They've been doing it for years without a problem to my knowledge.
that is like the bulldog monument in the Junction. Have the bronze dog on top looking out on to the field (ala standing guard) and have on the base the name and number of players lost while at MSU. That way you can use the jersey but you are honoring the players. You could even put on it "Forever Maroon and White" or some other quotes, etc. ESPN and other TV broadcasts would eat it up and show it every game.
If the former players want to do something, they could start a scholarship or special bulldog club in honor of him or even provide the funding for the above memorial.
My free 2 cents.
If the former players want to do something, they could start a scholarship or special bulldog club in honor of him or even provide the funding for the above memorial.
My free 2 cents.
they give it to a senior wideout who has been a great player and leader on and off the field. we could make it where a senior skill player earns the right to wear it his final season. and we maybe could have one of those cut-out jersey things with mcgee's name on it (as well as any of the others) and put it on the mclub building or on one of the columns of the dawgzillatron, or the monument thing would be neat too
I've already said all this, but why not say it again?
1.) It's been 13 years. If we didn't start it before now, it's too late.
2.) Due in large part to 1.), nobody other than us old folks knows who Keffer McGee was. The players certainly don't. All he is to them is a jersey hanging in a display case.
3.) Keffer was but one former MSU great. There are plenty of other former MSU greats whose jerseys get worn on the field every Saturday in the fall. Who doesn't look at whoever's wearing #13 and think of them wearing John Bond's jersey? Who doesn't look at #2 and think of Ed Smith and Fred Smoot (okay, and Korey Banks too)? Pick a number, any number, and those former players are continually honored by those who continue to wear them. I want to look down on the field, see some running back or wideout wearing #21, and think about Keffer. It certainly beats the alternative, where nobody remembers him on gameday.
I know there's arguments to be made that it should be a good player wearing it, someone who's earned it, but in response to those, I direct you back to points 1 and 2. It's too late for that. It's time for someone new to get the opportunity to become great wearing #21.
1.) It's been 13 years. If we didn't start it before now, it's too late.
2.) Due in large part to 1.), nobody other than us old folks knows who Keffer McGee was. The players certainly don't. All he is to them is a jersey hanging in a display case.
3.) Keffer was but one former MSU great. There are plenty of other former MSU greats whose jerseys get worn on the field every Saturday in the fall. Who doesn't look at whoever's wearing #13 and think of them wearing John Bond's jersey? Who doesn't look at #2 and think of Ed Smith and Fred Smoot (okay, and Korey Banks too)? Pick a number, any number, and those former players are continually honored by those who continue to wear them. I want to look down on the field, see some running back or wideout wearing #21, and think about Keffer. It certainly beats the alternative, where nobody remembers him on gameday.
I know there's arguments to be made that it should be a good player wearing it, someone who's earned it, but in response to those, I direct you back to points 1 and 2. It's too late for that. It's time for someone new to get the opportunity to become great wearing #21.
is given the chance to let the situation play out like this instead of having this unwritten rule stuff forced down for years to come. I know he's between a rock and a hard place and hope good middle ground can be found but all things being equal, it's time to put a new #21 on the field. Let's give someone else a chance to do great things in that number, not just leaving it hanging in a case.
Honor the jersey of a player but don't retire the number.
And how does #2 get brought up without mentioning Walt Harris? Wasn't he #2 and by far the most prolific?
And how does #2 get brought up without mentioning Walt Harris? Wasn't he #2 and by far the most prolific?