the people who make the decision thought it should be retired. someone who became a fan in 94 doesnt agree. you didnt see the games but you feel it makes a mockery of the whole retirement thing. sounds like ignorance to me
Nope, I never saw O'Reilly play. I never saw Orr, Neely, Middleton, Bucyk, Shore, Hitchman, Schmidt, Esposito, or Clapper play either. I only saw Bourque play and I was really young so I don't remember too much. I've formed this opinion from knowing there are Bruins fans who saw the player play and don't think he should be up there, along with his rankings among the other greats in Bruins history.
He ranks 7th in Games Played
He ranks 18th in Goals
He ranks 9th in Assists
He ranks 10th in Points
What exactly about the above is really worthy of having his number hang in the rafters, and never worn again? I get it... He's the epitome of what a Boston Bruin is/was/should-be. He was a hard nosed animal out there. I'm not trying to say he's not.... He's one of the greatest Bruins ever. But when it comes to retiring a number forever, I just think there needs to be a line walked. Hell, Wayne Cashman has better numbers than O'Reilly and he's not up there. Should he be?
Every team has a player or two, or in the Celtics case 20, who probably shouldn't have a number retired.... Does Wade Boggs really belong up there for the Red Sox? Nope. I'm sorry I offended people with my take that O'Reilly really shouldn't be up there... I apologize to you especially seeing you are a huge fan of his.... He's in your name, so I struck a nerve there. I'm not the first person to think #24 shouldn't be retired, and I won't be the last. Hell, Finchster came in right after me and said the same thing haha.
A retired number should be reserved for
The Best of the Best. If a good amount of people can go down a list of retired numbers and question whether a player should be up there or not, there's a good chance he shouldn't be up there. There were people with this past retirement of Middleton's #16 who felt he shouldn't be up there.... He trumps O'Reilly in every rank.
If you want to respond to this, just take it to the Ex-Bruins Thread.