Retire Cornell jersey numbers

[RichH]

Whenever someone says they want Cornell to be more like Ohio State, it makes me sad.

Hi guys...new to the debate, and I am not saying I feel strongly either way, but I voted in favor of retiring. There was a time when I would have been strongly against the concept, but then I saw how Ohio State retired jerseys for their football team (where they also have number-restrictions, by position category I believe) and I thought it could be emulated, in that it is a very select group (Heisman winners only, +the founder of the program, +the first African American All American  at OSU who also happened to be a member of the Ohio High School, Ohio State Athletics, College Football and Pro Football halls of fame).

http://www.coachtressel.com/tradition/retired_jerseys.php

You have to limit it to a very very select group. I think I'm unsure if I would allow professional accomplishments to weigh on the decision. I am leaning towards "no," in which case only Dryden's number should be retired under the argument that he played before the Hobey Baker award was handed out.

[KeithK]

Whenever someone says they want Cornell to be more like Ohio State, it makes me sad.

The only move we should make to be more like Ohio State already happened (we hired Casey Jones).

[RatushnyFan]

Why don't they retire jerseys with their name and number, but don't retire the number. Then we could do more. A line-up of them on the wall that the students walk by would be great to show our tradition.

Not a bad idea.  I wouldn't have a problem retiring two numbers, but I like your idea as well.  My argument for Dryden and Nieuwendyk was relative to their peers at CU and college hockey broadly at the time they played.  I know that Nieuwendyk's numbers aren't a reason for retiring his number, but as stated by many who some him play at CU he truly had a profound impact on the team.

[Trotsky]

Why don't they retire jerseys with their name and number, but don't retire the number. Then we could do more. A line-up of them on the wall that the students walk by would be great to show our tradition.

Clarkson has (had?) a couple jerseys hanging from their rafters (Dave Taylor IIRC) and I always found that a great touch.  Not sure whether the numbers were retired.

I always thought in the pros numbers should be retired for a set period of time -- a LONG period, say, 50 years.  The "un-retiring" of the number would be an opportunity to recall the past glory of the team/player, and give the new players something to aspire to.  It would also mean the Yankees wouldn't have to look like an NFL team.  Baseball uniform numbers should not exceed 44, ever.

[Al DeFlorio]

The Big Guy on the retiring of his number, spoken last night at the ceremony:

"I  hope that Mike (Schafer) or any subsequent coach would feel that he has the right, that if some goalie comes along and they think, 'maybe there's there something here,' and if that person wants to wear number one..." Dryden said, his voice trailing off. "There's something very nice about having a number in the rafters, but there's something also quite nice to see it on the ice. Not to take it out of the rafters, I'd be happy for it to stay there, but if it found its way to the ice again, then that would be quite nice too."

I think so, too.

[billhoward]

And they retired Woody Hayes's clenched fist after the Clemson game. One hopes that will never be used again to knock down an opposing player on a breakaway.

[Jim Hyla]

The Big Guy on the retiring of his number, spoken last night at the ceremony:

"I  hope that Mike (Schafer) or any subsequent coach would feel that he has the right, that if some goalie comes along and they think, 'maybe there's there something here,' and if that person wants to wear number one..." Dryden said, his voice trailing off. "There's something very nice about having a number in the rafters, but there's something also quite nice to see it on the ice. Not to take it out of the rafters, I'd be happy for it to stay there, but if it found its way to the ice again, then that would be quite nice too."

I think so, too.

Hear, hear.

I wore my Lodboa jersey to my first home game last night. Essentially I wanted others to know that we had some other great players who went there as well. Met a fan looking at the Lodboa picture and he started talking about running into Lodboa at a hotel in town. He started up a conversation about CU hockey not knowing who he was, he graduated in the 70s. That, aside from winning is what makes this fun.

Now if they only had taken my advice and retired jerseys, not numbers, all would be right in the world.:-D

[amerks127]

If you were against retiring Dryden and Nieuwendyk, I imagine you'll have stronger feelings toward the purpose of this facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128004180551205&v=info

[phillysportsfan]

If you were against retiring Dryden and Nieuwendyk, I imagine you'll have stronger feelings toward the purpose of this facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128004180551205&v=info

Yeah retiring Wittman,Foote,Dale's numbers would be bad. If they had won the championship or maybe even if they had made a Final 4, retire their numbers but not for a Sweet 16 despite how amazing of an accomplishment that was. Yes those three were the core of the best basketball team in Cornell history and the best basketball team in the modern era of the Ivy league but by retiring their numbers you are sort of admitting that we will never make a Sweet 16 ever again. Just hang a banner that says Sweet 16, that would be enough.

[CowbellGuy]

Eh, it's just basketball. Who cares?