Vince to get jersey retired!!!

by rutaj04 on Jul 18, 2008 10:58 AM CDT

Its about time...

http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=40&url_article_id=3858&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2

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Me and my friend were just talking about this yesterday

I was sick that they were never going to retire Vince’s number, just because he never won the Heisman. I hated to watch a number 10 play on our team that wasn’t Vince. But now I can rest in peace.

by texasfan05 on Jul 18, 2008 11:09 AM CDT reply actions

If you dont have enough to say to fill the length requirement

Use fanshots instead. Its kind of like their whole purpose.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jul 18, 2008 11:10 AM CDT reply actions

whoops

sorry…havent gotten the hang of the new site or posted in a while.

Texas '11

by rutaj04 on Jul 18, 2008 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions

agree, fill it with a quote from the story or something

but disagree, because this news is definitely Fanpost worthy. Like it or not, not everyone scrolls down to the Fanshots.

by jc25 on Jul 18, 2008 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions

While true...

They never will if its never used. Its a vicious cycle!

Its also not that hard to add some commentary to avoid the spam. You could easily write 75 words on this topic.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jul 18, 2008 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions

when?

At what game will they do it? Texas plays ou during the Titans bye week.

by Longhorns84 on Jul 18, 2008 11:13 AM CDT reply actions

The Titans play there last preseason

The Titans play their last preseason game Thursday August 28th, so it could be the FAU game.

I've been fuelin' my dreams eatin' greens and beans.

by 16thLonghorn on Jul 18, 2008 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions

i REALLY hope not..

..i’ll be out of town for that game…i hope you’re wrong, for my sake

by vy til i die on Jul 18, 2008 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Rice Game?

When could VY be making the appearance?

Titans bye week is the same week as t he OU game, so nix that.
Titans play thanksgiving day vs the lions, so nix that one too

If it doesn’t happen during the FAU game then I would assume the next choice would be Rice.Titans play at Houston the same weekend as the Rice game, so this could be the one unfortunately.

John Chiles - I'm your foster daddy!

by BMG on Jul 18, 2008 11:13 AM CDT reply actions

Durant

You neglected to mention that Durant will also get his number retired. I don’t know how I feel about a player who was only here for 1 season and didn’t do anything special in terms of winning a championship (a la Carmelo Anthony at Syracuse). Thoughts?

by pleaseplaykindle on Jul 18, 2008 1:26 PM CDT reply actions

While it may draw the ire of fellow fans

I agree, one and dones should not get their jersey retired.

I was happy to have watched Kevin play, and am grateful for what he did for UT Bball, and Ill be a Durant fan for life, but I dont think he deserves to have a jersey retired.

And for me, its almost entirely the one and done nature.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jul 18, 2008 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions

#35 should hang high

If you earn National Player of the Year honors then you get your jersey retired at UT. I understand the one and done argument, but he did win every individual award imaginable.

by jimmer on Jul 18, 2008 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions

I honestly don't mind

KD made a rather large impact on UT basketball, even though he played only one year. If they retire #35, that’s fine with me. But I will agree that you normally prefer to retire numbers of players who play more than one year.

by TheElusiveShadow on Jul 18, 2008 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Would it really change your views

If he was here for 3 years, we had no national titles, but in his 3rd year he won half of the awards he won. Would you be more willing for his number to be retired then?

1 year or 5 years. A once in a lifetime player deserves this. Just my opinion

by texasfan05 on Jul 18, 2008 2:32 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

It honestly would.

I cant say its right, just that its my opinion. I remember his magical games against Kansas, and I remember the horrible and abrupt exit from the tourney.

All the individual awards in the world are just that, and in my opinion, retiring the jersey is more a recognition for the contribution to the team and University. And I’m not saying KD didn’t contribute, but I personally feel that by default, no one can earn in that honor when you spend just one season with a team. To me it just goes against the intention.

Im not upset about it, and I understand why hes getting it, just saying that if it was up to me, I wouldn’t give it to him.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jul 18, 2008 3:30 PM CDT up reply actions

I get what you're saying

But I think he did do something for our program. He was always on ESPN, and our B-ball team got so much exposure from him being such a highly recruited player. I do see your point tho.

by texasfan05 on Jul 18, 2008 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions

agree on durant

I think you, and others, make a valid point: One and done (Durant) is not jersey-retirement worthy.
I don’t think individual or team numbers or awards should be the defining point for jersey retirement. It ought to encompass more than the sports aspect, if possible.
I’m glad the school/athletic department is slow to retire jerseys; they should have waited another five years on Vince Young. That said, it’s kinda silly to retire Bobby Layne’s number 60 years after the fact. For players like Vince, just don’t assign No. 10 for a period of time (five years, 10, whatever) after the player is gone. Then retire it permanently, or put it back in use. I know it bothered me when I was younger to see a walk-on wearing Tommy Nobis’ No. 60 just a year or two after he left UT.

by edsp on Jul 18, 2008 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Don't hate the player, hate the game...

You really can’t blame Durant for leaving after one year. The kid had umpty-million dollars just a press conference away, and if he came back he could lose it all in one second if he landed awkwardly after a dunk. If he had anywhere to go but down, then maybe you could make a case for him to stay. It’s also unfair to punish Durant for the NBA’s decision to not let him in the first year, but then take him the next. If the NBA’s draft eligibility rules were like football’s, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion. We would have won this national championship (maybe, I still don’t know we could have gotten past Memphis), and we’d already be preparing to win the next one in March. People would be clamoring to retire Durant’s jersey at his last home game, if not sooner. So don’t punish Durant just because the NBA doesn’t care about APRs and building a team. If he’d been here three years only because he had to be, there’d be no doubt in your mind, the only difference is the rule.

by Horn Brain on Jul 18, 2008 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Well

1) No one is blaming Durant for leaving. Its obvious that it was the right choice, then and now. Hell, hes the 13th highest paid athlete according to SI.com. 13th. Right above Jeff Gordon. Think of all the big names you know in sports, Durant is 13th. However in my opinion, choosing the money is also choosing not to leave a legacy at your school that extends beyond your one year, and sacrificing that, should sacrifice getting your jersey retired. I still don’t begrudge him the decision, and no one has in these responses, again just my opinion.

2) Its not a punishment to think hes not deserving of a retired jersey. I’m not looking to strip it down, or cause all hell. As I said, what retiring a jersey means to me, I dont think is possible to accomplish in one year of playing. I’m not the level of Beerguts response here.

3) First off, if the rule wasn’t there he wouldn’t have been here at all, and we wouldn’t have this discussion. As well, like you pointed out, if it required him to stay for three years, again I would have no problem, and we wouldn’t have this discussion.

So you are right, the only difference is the rule, because thats the only reason he was at college to begin with. The rule forced him to go somewhere for a year, I’m happy as shit it was Texas, and will always be a fan of his because of it. I have little doubt that he is the most skilled player we will ever see in a Longhorn uniform, and that he had a great positive impact on our program. But as an alum, I don’t think that warrants a retired jersey. If I had the deciding vote, it would have been nay. I can understand retiring it, and I know it follows suit with our POY policy. I personally would not apply it to one and done players.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jul 18, 2008 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions

So it doesn't matter...

... if he hates his three years here, as long as he stays three years and has at least one really awesome season?

by Horn Brain on Jul 18, 2008 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Uhh what? I guess not?

Are you saying personal happiness is now a requirement for jersey retirement?

Are you asking if I want him to stay at UT if hes unhappy? No, I want the kid to do whatever makes him happy, I’m just glad I got to see him play. Id have been perfectly fine if he skipped UT altogether as well.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jul 18, 2008 5:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Not what I meant...

... I meant if he was forced to stay here for three years instead of one, that’d be fine with you, but since the NBA only said one year, no jersey for Durant? Seems kind of silly. Plus, Durant would have stayed if he could, I believe. Everything I’ve read says that he was really enjoying his time here and he has come back to watch a game or two when his schedule allows.

by Horn Brain on Jul 19, 2008 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions

how about waiting until they graduate to retire their number?

It would be incentive for them to come back and finish their degrees.

Just MHO, but retiring Durant’s number is laughable.

by Beergut on Jul 18, 2008 4:23 PM CDT reply actions

The stated criteria

has always been a National Player of the Year Award. Durant won them ALL. I’m just sayin…

by ctex80 on Jul 18, 2008 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Not nearly as laughable

as A&M retiring Acie Law’s jersey. He never achieved a single individual accolade worth mentioning, and his team never got past the Sweet 16, but because he played for four years, he gets his jersey retired?

Winning POY is a big deal. It says you were the best in the country at your sport. Not at your position, at your sport. TJ Ford was only at Texas for 2 years, and nobody bitched about him being the first player in the history of Texas basketball to get his jersey retired. Vince Young didn’t complete his eligibility at Texas and didn’t even win the Heisman, wouldas, couldas, and shouldas aside. Kevin Durant was a transcendent player for the University of Texas and continues to represent UT with the utmost class and dignity. The impact of his 1 year at Texas will be felt for years to come. Nobody deserves this honor if he doesn’t.

by bassale47 on Jul 18, 2008 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs

tru that

Aggies are always laughable.

by texasfan05 on Jul 18, 2008 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

You have to understand

what Acie did for the program. He came to the school and went 0-16 his first season and ended up in the sweet 16 with the whole school behind him. He was and still is the face of the program and is the greatest aggie bball player ever. He also won the PG award (forget the name) which is something. It’s not like he was just an average player.

If schools only retired players who won national POY awards or who single handedly took the team to a national championship, some schools would never retire any jerseys.

by carsondude on Jul 19, 2008 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions

So what you're saying is that retiring jerseys is about program impact

It shouldn’t have anything to do with what you accomplished outside of the program? Captain Clutch can brick a layup that might have sent his team to the Elite Eight, which would have been his single greatest accomplishment, but some consider him the best aggie basketball player ever, so that’s enough?

Sorry, the only reason Acie Law’s jersey hangs in Reed Arena is because of one shot in one game that continues to send an entire fanbase into random convulsions and will forever be talked about as the single most important event in the history of A&M basketball.

by bassale47 on Jul 19, 2008 6:51 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs