NBA Bill Russell passes away

[Know Your Enemy]

MJ might take this personally

 

[Human]

I'm not a fan of retiring numbers league-wise, I find it ridiculous.

That being said, they did it with for the right guy.

On the other hand they will definitely do it with #23 sooner or later. It doesn't matter what you think about MJ. He was a megastar of the highest order. I'm originally from Eastern Europe, Michael Jordan changed how we watched sports, and even more so how we watched american products, The guy just transpassed not just basketball and sports in general, but everything americana related... Dude is part of the Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles group...

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Gretzky and Robinson make sense as league-wide retired numbers in NHL and MLB.but I'm a touch surprised they didn't retire Jordan's number first. But I'm not complaining, Bill Russell ain't exactly a bad pick. You're not gonna find another athlete as decorated as him in this lifetime

Russell was a major figure in the Civil Rights movement as well.

He was also the first black MVP, first black coach and first black coach to win a title (1968).

 

[Voight]

russell was a legend on the court and an even better person off it, but i'm not a fan of retiring #6 league-wide

Agreed. It seems like a bit of a knee jerk reaction to his passing. If you're going to do something like this, do it for #23.

Michael Jordan needs his #23 retired league-wide next. Both Russell and Jordan won multiple championships with their longtime teams.

In that case you should do the same for Kareem, Magic and Duncan.

 

[DaaaaB's]

Agreed on Jackie because the color barrier was such a huge deal. It marks the evolution of society and transcends sports. Gretzky yeah, if you're saying it's not as important in scale I agree. I think he got it because he almost doubles his competition and is a GOAT in every sense of the word. I don't particularly have a problem with it but it's not anything like Jackie. At the end of the day it doesn't affect me and I might as well bow to the GOAT. Bill Russell feels arbitrary in comparison but I know that there's never been a giant of the game before or since.


IDK if it was up to me it would just be Jackie Robinson as the sole number retired. If you're gonna do Gretzky and Russell what's stopping Babe Ruth, Mario Lemieux, and Michael Jordan?

There's a lot of people who don't think Gretzky is the GOAT. Some say Lemieux but myself and a lot of others say it's Bobby Orr. I don't think any of their numbers should be retired league wide.

 

[Neutrinos]

There's a lot of people who don't think Gretzky is the GOAT. Some say Lemieux but myself and a lot of others say it's Bobby Orr. I don't think any of their numbers should be retired league wide.

I've never heard anyone say Lemieux is the GOAT

Best player ever? Sure. But not the greatest

 

[DaaaaB's]

I've never heard anyone say Lemieux is the GOAT

Best player ever? Sure. But not the greatest

I meant best player ever. If you're defining GOAT as best career than Gretzky is number 1 partly due to not having injuries/illness.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

There are numerous other players across all big 4 leagues whose numbers should be retired leaguewide.

Tom Brady's #12 should be retired in the entire NFL once he is done, although other players who wear it now would still be allowed to do so (like with Jackie Robinson's #42 and presumably Russell's #6).

 

[LightningStorm]

The more I think of it, the more I don't like retiring #6 leaguewide, or any # for that matter. Jackie Robinson is an exception because that moment transcended sport and was about societal progress. But if you are gonna mention Russell's off the court contributions, that makes retiring Jabbar's #33 necessary too. He's also done a good deal for civil rights and was also IMO a clear step above Russell as a player. With the exception of the extreme case of #42, I think # retirements need to be strictly a team thing.

 

[Voight]

There are numerous other players across all big 4 leagues whose numbers should be retired leaguewide.

Tom Brady's #12 should be retired in the entire NFL once he is done, although other players who wear it now would still be allowed to do so (like with Jackie Robinson's #42 and presumably Russell's #6).

12 is a traditional QB number, so I doubt it. Goodell would also NEVER do that, he hates Brady.

Gretzky was far and away the NHLs GOAT so I see why they retired his number. If the MLB had done the same for Ruth when he passed, I don't think anyone would have argued against it, especially with how beloved he was.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

There's a lot of people who don't think Gretzky is the GOAT. Some say Lemieux but myself and a lot of others say it's Bobby Orr. I don't think any of their numbers should be retired league wide.

I don’t even have to ask why you say Bobby Orr is the GOAT.

 

[DaaaaB's]

I don’t even have to ask why you say Bobby Orr is the GOAT.

Oh ya cuz there's no non-Bruins fans who think Orr was better than Gretzky. Defenceman who led the league in scoring. Enough said.

 

[DaaaaB's]

There are numerous other players across all big 4 leagues whose numbers should be retired leaguewide.

Tom Brady's #12 should be retired in the entire NFL once he is done, although other players who wear it now would still be allowed to do so (like with Jackie Robinson's #42 and presumably Russell's #6).

No Bradys number should not be retired league wide. No numbers should be. I don't think Gretzkys number is retired league wide either. Everyone just chooses not to use it.

 

[Terry Yake]

No Bradys number should not be retired league wide. No numbers should be. I don't think Gretzkys number is retired league wide either. Everyone just chooses not to use it.

#99 was retired league-wide by the NHL in 2000

teams (aside from the oilers and kings) just don't have banners honoring it like MLB teams do with robinson

 

[GKJ]

There are numerous other players across all big 4 leagues whose numbers should be retired leaguewide.

Tom Brady's #12 should be retired in the entire NFL once he is done, although other players who wear it now would still be allowed to do so (like with Jackie Robinson's #42 and presumably Russell's #6).

There are very significant differences as to why Robinson and Russell have their numbers retired, and is being considered for Willie O'Ree that does not apply to Brady, so, no, it should not.

 

[GKJ]

There's a lot of people who don't think Gretzky is the GOAT. Some say Lemieux but myself and a lot of others say it's Bobby Orr. I don't think any of their numbers should be retired league wide.

For Gretzky it went past being whether or not he was the best player ever, and more essentially because he wanted to play in LA and as the league's biggest attraction they credit him with expansion into southern hockey markets, even though that was going to happen anyways. It was typical NHL obtuseness because they saw MLB do it and thought it would be cool to do the same thing and somehow think it was the same.

 

[DaaaaB's]

#99 was retired league-wide by the NHL in 2000

teams (aside from the oilers and kings) just don't have banners honoring it like MLB teams do with robinson

Ah ok, I'm probably thinking back to when he still played in the 90s and it was basically a rule that no other player wore it.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Oh ya cuz there's no non-Bruins fans who think Orr was better than Gretzky. Defenceman who led the league in scoring. Enough said.

I don’t give a shit about your imaginary non-Bruins fan people. Yours is just pure homerism and you know it. People who think Orr is the GOAT over Gretzky are just rebels.

 

[DaaaaB's]

I don’t give a shit about your imaginary non-Bruins fan people. Yours is just pure homerism and you know it. People who think Orr is the GOAT over Gretzky are just rebels.

Haha says the guy from California. Yeah, you're not a homer at all. If you don't think there's non Bruins fans who think Orr was better than Gretzky than you obviously don't know many hockey fans. Not really surprising considering where you live.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Haha says the guy from California. Yeah, you're not a homer at all. If you don't think there's non Bruins fans who think Orr was better than Gretzky than you obviously don't know many hockey fans. Not really surprising considering where you live.

What does me being from California have to do with Gretzky being the GOAT? Because he played for the Kings? If you made a poll right now, do you really think Orr would win? Or even be close to 50-50? No, because you’re f***ing wrong that’s why. It’s not an accident why people who think Orr is the GOAT is a small minority. Also, you said “better” than Gretzky. That’s a different definition. If you want to say Orr was the better player, that’s fine. But being the GOAT is beyond that. Not only does Gretzky have the numbers, he had the better longevity and impact on and off the ice.

And here you are mocking me for being a fan from California? You didn’t even know that Gretzky’s number was retired league-wide. That’s literally like a baseball fan not knowing that Jackie’s 42 was retired in all of MLB. Some hockey fan you are. Not really surprising considering how much of a homer you are.

 

[DaaaaB's]

What does me being from California have to do with Gretzky being the GOAT? Because he played for the Kings? If you made a poll right now, do you really think Orr would win? Or even be close to 50-50? No, because you’re f***ing wrong that’s why. It’s not an accident why people who think Orr is the GOAT is a small minority. Also, you said “better” than Gretzky. That’s a different definition. If you want to say Orr was the better player, that’s fine. But being the GOAT is beyond that. Not only does Gretzky have the numbers, he had the better longevity and impact on and off the ice.

And here you are mocking me for being a fan from California? You didn’t even know that Gretzky’s number was retired league-wide. That’s literally like a baseball fan not knowing that Jackie’s 42 was retired in all of MLB. Some hockey fan you are. Not really surprising considering how much of a homer you are.

I've already said in here that Gretzky had the best career partly due to avoiding injury and illness. I'm saying Orr was the better player and that's just my opinion. I've never claimed there was anymore than a small minority who thinks Orr was better, I'm just saying it's not unanimous like some of you think it is. There's people who think Lemieux or Howe were better too. If you want to go by point totals then yes Gretzky was definitely the best, that's pretty obvious. Impact off the ice doesn't matter and you might want to research that a bit more anyhow if you're going to use that as an argument.

As for the California comment it's pretty obvious what I meant. You said I think Orr is better because I'm a homer, well Gretzky played in California and you're from there.

So I'm not much of a hockey fan because I got mixed up whether Gretzkys jersey was officially retired or it was still just an unwritten rule that no other players wear it like it was throughout the 90s. Ok, how about the fact that I've played and watched Hockey my whole life. Can you say that?

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I've already said in here that Gretzky had the best career partly due to avoiding injury and illness. I'm saying Orr was the better player and that's just my opinion. I've never claimed there was anymore than a small minority who thinks Orr was better, I'm just saying it's not unanimous like some of you think it is. There's people who think Lemieux or Howe were better too. If you want to go by point totals then yes Gretzky was definitely the best, that's pretty obvious. Impact off the ice doesn't matter and you might want to research that a bit more anyhow if you're going to use that as an argument.

As for the California comment it's pretty obvious what I meant. You said I think Orr is better because I'm a homer, well Gretzky played in California and you're from there.

So I'm not much of a hockey fan because I got mixed up whether Gretzkys jersey was officially retired or it was still just an unwritten rule that no other players wear it like it was throughout the 90s. Ok, how about the fact that I've played and watched Hockey my whole life. Can you say that?

Nobody here ever said it was unanimous. But it’s a pretty common knowledge that it’s an overwhelming majority that have Gretzky as the GOAT. Impact off the ice doesn’t matter? You’ce gotta be shitting me. Of course it does, homer. MJ isn’t considered the GOAT based solely on numbers. He doesn’t even have the most titles, or most points. It’s what he’s meant to general public. And that’s what Gretzky did in his career.

Your California comment was a desperate move to prove that you aren’t a homer. Guess what, you are. Nothing’s gonna change that.

You didn’t know that Gretzky’s 99 was retired by the NHL. That alone is a major blow to your rights to mock other hockey fans. Your Sunday league hockey career has nothing to do with your homerism as Orr being the GOAT. And again, Orr being the better player than Gretzky does not mean he is the GOAT. His jersey was retired by the league in 2000. What year is it now again? Oh, it’s 20 f***ing 22. Follow your own advice: do your research.

 

[Jack Straw]

I don’t even have to ask why you say Bobby Orr is the GOAT.

I hate the Bruins and Orr is the GOAT as far as I'm concerned.

 

[DaaaaB's]

Nobody here ever said it was unanimous. But it’s a pretty common knowledge that it’s an overwhelming majority that have Gretzky as the GOAT. Impact off the ice doesn’t matter? You’ce gotta be shitting me. Of course it does, homer. MJ isn’t considered the GOAT based solely on numbers. He doesn’t even have the most titles, or most points. It’s what he’s meant to general public. And that’s what Gretzky did in his career.

Your California comment was a desperate move to prove that you aren’t a homer. Guess what, you are. Nothing’s gonna change that.

You didn’t know that Gretzky’s 99 was retired by the NHL. That alone is a major blow to your rights to mock other hockey fans. Your Sunday league hockey career has nothing to do with your homerism as Orr being the GOAT. And again, Orr being the better player than Gretzky does not mean he is the GOAT. His jersey was retired by the league in 2000. What year is it now again? Oh, it’s 20 f***ing 22. Follow your own advice: do your research.

So you think Orr hasn't done great things off the ice then lol. How about Gretzkys wife and one of his best friends being part of a gambling ring. You think he wasn't involved in that. Ask Matt Corral what a great guy he is. That Michael Jordan comment is such a pile of crap. What you meant to the general public doesn't mean shit.

You're a homer and you can't admit it. See I can do that too.

You're clueless if you think getting mixed up about something like that makes me less of a hockey fan. You probably didn't even know no one else wore it while he played. You're non answer obviously proves you've never even played hockey before. Hang ten dude.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

So you think Orr hasn't done great things off the ice then lol. How about Gretzkys wife and one of his best friends being part of a gambling ring. You think he wasn't involved in that. Ask Matt Corral what a great guy he is. That Michael Jordan comment is such a pile of crap. What you meant to the general public doesn't mean shit.

You're a homer and you can't admit it. See I can do that too.

You're clueless if you think getting mixed up about something like that makes me less of a hockey fan. You probably didn't even know no one else wore it while he played. You're non answer obviously proves you've never even played hockey before. Hang ten dude.

Who said Orr didn’t do great things? But are they at the level that Gretzky did for the sport? Simple answer: Hell no. Now, Gretzky benefitted from the NHL expanding and the pop culture booming in the 80s and 90s compared to Orr’s era in the 60s and early 70s. But why blame Gretzky for that?

You clearly don’t know anything beyond the game. It’s not a pile of crap why MJ’s impact off the court is part of what made him the GOAT. You’re just to stubborn to admit it.

Lmao getting mixed up. Just accept your mistake, boy. You. Did. Not. Know. It’s okay. Oh yeah, I know the fact that Gretzky wanted to wear 9 to honor Howe but it was already taken so he settled for 99. I didn’t say you were less pf a hockey fan. I’m just saying you don’t have any right to mock other NHL fans just solely because of where they’re from. Everyobe has flaws, including you.

That’s right. I’ve never played ice hockey before. What does that have tp do with your blatant Boston homerism? Quit flexing with irrelevant bullshit.