Freshmen starting to arrive - Anim to wear #2, Cheatham to wear #24

[Warrior Code]

College refs use one hand to notify the official scorer of the number of the person fouled.  

NBA refs, because they are more advanced, are able to manage to use both hands without confusion.

Well that's an easy fix. NBA refs aren't allowed to chew gum during games. If the NCAA would man up and ban gum from college refs they could make all numbers available. Maybe I should be commissioner.

[jsglow]

Retire certain numbers that should never be worn again.

3 - Wade
15 - Lee
24 - Thompson
31 - Ellis

The rest are jerseys that can be honored at a much lower standard.  That standard could include people like Jerel McNeal, Wes Matthews, Jae Crowder, Jimmy Butler, Tony Smith, etc.

I'm with Sultan on this.  If we could invent a criterion that fits the above I'm all for it.  #24 should never be worn again.  It's George Freakin' Thompson.  No disrespect to those in the modern era but he is the second most important person in MU basketball history with Lee, Bo and DWade next in order.

[jsglow]

In all fairness he lead us to two ncaa appearances and an NIT finals appearance. I think he was great and on the ground floor of the modern era of MU basketball. But did he give us much more than someone like Jerel McNeal? Both all time scorers after leaving, both lead us to great success but no championships or final fours. Didn't exactly have a massively productive professional career where we'd retire him for that (Rivers) I just kind of think if we're going to retire numbers they should have gotten us a final four at least.

It's not like it's Wade.

Sorry my young friend.  That's just not right.  Thompson represented so very much more than mere statistics.  He paved the way toward the future by being the first to believe in Al thereby making everything that came after that possible.

I'm open to Anonymous' suggestion.  But let's at least announce something before we hand out possibly our most sacred jersey number.

[Eldon]

For all we know they may have asked George for permission.  If he is okay with it, everyone else should be.

IMO just asking him can put him in an awkward position.  If he says "no" it may come off to some as being kinda douchey.

[4everwarriors]

Brute Force was insulted when the first Mofo pulled this chit. Y'all really think he's down with it now, hey?

[mu03eng]

College refs use one hand to notify the official scorer of the number of the person fouled.  

NBA refs, because they are more advanced, are able to manage to use both hands without confusion.

To be fair, Higgins usually has his other hand on his hip catching his breath when signalling.

[bilsu]

Retire certain numbers that should never be worn again.

3 - Wade
15 - Lee
24 - Thompson
31 - Ellis

The rest are jerseys that can be honored at a much lower standard.  That standard could include people like Jerel McNeal, Wes Matthews, Jae Crowder, Jimmy Butler, Tony Smith, etc.

I would remove Wade from this assuming he did not get his degree.

[keefe]

In all fairness he lead us to two ncaa appearances and an NIT finals appearance. I think he was great and on the ground floor of the modern era of MU basketball. But did he give us much more than someone like Jerel McNeal? Both all time scorers after leaving, both lead us to great success but no championships or final fours. Didn't exactly have a massively productive professional career where we'd retire him for that (Rivers) I just kind of think if we're going to retire numbers they should have gotten us a final four at least.

It's not like it's Wade.

Wow. You have no idea what you just wrote, young man. No idea. Brute Force and Al made the national reputation of Marquette - the University, not the basketball team.

[bilsu]

http://www.anonymouseagle.com/2015/5/27/8663217/marquette-basketball-sacar-anim-haanif-cheatham-george-thompson-lazar-hayward



Maybe I'm in the minority, but I have no problem with Cheatham wearing Thompson's #24.  I'm too young to have watched him play so for me someone else wearing #24 brings Thompson's accomplishments back to the forefront.

I would go to the freshmen games to watch Thompson play. His sophomore year he could do 360 degree dunks in a game. Unfortunately, because of Lew Alcinder dunks were not allowed after his sophomore year. His number was retired and should remain so.

[jsglow]

I would remove Wade from this assuming he did not get his degree.

Good point.

[keefe]

IMO just asking him can put him in an awkward position.  If he says "no" it may come off to some as being kinda douchey.

If one were to ask Queen Elizabeth if one might try on the Royal Crown and she were to decline would she be a douche?

George Thompson is Marquette royalty.

[mu03eng]

Generally, I'm against this move, but will wait and see what all comes of it.  As Chick said, if George is ok with it, we should too.

I'm a little surprised, if George is ok with it that Wojo wouldn't have made a deal of the tradition of George in a public forum....seems counter to how he normally operates.

I think George(#24) and Wade (#3) are the only numbers (along with #77) that should be off limits.  We can retire jerseys as an honor for everyone else, but the number can be reworn.  

I love the idea, that if you are wearing a number of a "great" that you have a patch indicating that player.  How cool would it be to have someone like Ellenson wear #31, have an Ellis patch on his jersey and let's say Henry leads us to back to back final fours or something the next player to wear #31 would have an Ellis and Ellenson patch.....they always know they have a lot to live up to.

[keefe]

There was little doubt Lazar was given the number by Crean out of spite (Crean also orchestrated his ouster from the booth).

Tanned Tommy is an absolute disaster as a human being. In so many ways. F#ck that guy

[Golden Avalanche]

Lovell should fire Wojo for this gross incompetence.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Perhaps these Drake lyrics can provide a clue:

24's on my Escalade
They call me Brute Force
My boy Haanif is the judge
Cuz he runs the f***cking court

My boy be on his way
Don't cheat him in Wisconsin
Give Florida respect
F*** You George Thompson!

[keefe]

I'm pissed off at this. It's disrespectful, unnecessary, and diminishes the accomplishment, duly earned, of one of our greatest Warriors. There remains a plethora of other numbers to choose. That ass hole Crean started this bullchit and his sorry ass needs to be hung out to dry for it.

Al was a showman who genuinely cared.

Buzz is a character who is just an odd f#ck.

Tanned Tommy is a f#cking pretty boy.

[GooooMarquette]

It's just a number.

+1

[Tums Festival]

Since it's not one of the poll options, I'd say it's George Thompson's call. If the university reached out to him and he's cool with it, then it's OK for another player to wear the number.

[bilsu]

I believe Ellenson is no Bo Ellis. I do not think the younger posters know how good Ellis was. He could score, he could play defense and he could rebound. He anchored the backside of the press. There was no way anyone was going to try to throw a long inbounds pass to try and beat the press with Ellis covering the back end. Ellis averaged 10 rebounds a game as a freshmen and that was with him playing alongside to Lucas who also averaged 10 rebounds a game. He led us to two final fours including the NCA title and would of been three final fours, if they did not meet the undefeated Indiana team in the second game of the tournament. I still believe he is the best MU player of all time. he could of scored a lot more, but did not need to with the other stars on the team. I suspect Ellenson will score more than Bo did as a freshmen, but will not be near the rebounder or the defender.

[keefe]

I think George(#24) and Wade (#3) are the only numbers (along with #77) that should be off limits.  We can retire jerseys as an honor for everyone else, but the number can be reworn.  

Navy

Butch Lee was special. His number needs to be up there before Wade's.

'76 Olympics. Montreal. Butch Lee, snubbed by Coach Dean Smith and playing for Puerto Rico, almost defeats the US team singlehandedly. It was a Performance for the Ages. (Puerto Rico should have won but that is a different conversation...)

The National Championship Team was called the Butch and Bo Show. It was a marvel to behold.

Butch Lee is #3 in the Marquette Pantheon behind Al and Brute Force. End of discussion.

[frozena pizza]

What do they do at places like Duke and Kentucky, who have scores of players who are good enough to have their numbers retired (at least in comparison to most other schools)?

Maybe Wojo thinks that in the next couple of decades we are going to have so many great players, we might as well part with tradition now.  

At North Carolina, in order to have your number retired you must be National Player of the Year by at least one of the six recognized services.  Eight numbers have been retired.  The standard is high as well as clear and preempts debate.  MU should have a similar standard, maybe first team All-American.

[Tums Festival]

Anon Eagle makes a good point when he says 25% of jersey numbers available at Marquette have been retired. That's ridiculous. Retiring so many makes it lose its value.

Here's an idea: Do what Michigan football does. If a player wears a jersey that is honored, they also wear a small patch with the name of the former player. Very cool from a tradition and marketing standpoint. The school also connects the current player with the honored one, and acts as a mentor.

The Legends Jersey idea came and went, thankfully, with Brady Hoke.

[MUWarrior4Life]

I'll have 2 ask George what he thinks down at Goolsby's

[frozena pizza]

I wasn't around to see Thompson, but #2 will always be Maurice Acker, period.  I bet no one asked him.

[MUfan12]

GT is the like Godfather of the program, especially among former players. They better have cleared this with him.