Someone will wear Gerald Ford's #48 this fall; No. 1 jersey probably remains hung up in 2012

http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/brady-hoke-says-michigan-plans-to-honor-gerald-fords-no-48-jersey-this-year-no-plans-for-no-1-unifor/

Excerpt:

Quote :

"We're honoring Desmond Howard now every year with one of our players (senior receiver Roy Roundtree) who really deserves it," Hoke told the station. "We're going to do the same with Gerald Ford's jersey here this year."

As for Michigan's other legendary number, the No. 1, Hoke said there are no immediate plans to have a player don that uniform.
Although, that doesn't mean another won't get a shot to wear it down the road at some point.
"I think in the near future, but I can't tell you it'd be this season," Hoke said. "That's something we're doing a lot of thinking about.
"There's a lot of things we're looking at doing. Right now, that No. 1 is still hanging in the locker."

I don't really think any of our WR's deserve the No. 1 this season. And at this point, I feel like Roy is the best on the team. I don't see any WR's in the foreseeable future deserving of the 1. Gallon? No. Robinson? Haven't even really seen the kid yet.

I ramble...

Darboh if he earns it. BTW, Im on campus right now. I miss it so much...

I did not realize there were so many jersey's in retirement. They should have had a ring of honor of some type so fans could see the retired numbers.

Let me know if I got this right-Are they only going to award a player a jersey or can a player ask for the number and it will have the commemorative patch on it? I think I am confusing myself but wasn't Hemingway already wearing the number 21 for the past several years? He didn't change numbers did he?

There really isn't that many retired. 11 Wistert brothers (Francis, Albert, and Alvin); 47 Bennie Oosterbaan; 48 Gerald Ford; 87 Ron Kramer and 98 Tom Harmon.

I hope they give 48 to a linebacker. Even though Gerald Ford was more famous for being a center, he also played LB. Offensive linemen can't wear 48 but a linebacker can.

WillieMfan wrote:

I did not realize there were so many jersey's in retirement. They should have had a ring of honor of some type so fans could see the retired numbers.

Let me know if I got this right-Are they only going to award a player a jersey or can a player ask for the number and it will have the commemorative patch on it? I think I am confusing myself but wasn't Hemingway already wearing the number 21 for the past several years? He didn't change numbers did he?

Hemingway wore 21 his entire career.

That's what I thought. So going forward will it have to be awarded or can players ask for it?

So who do you guys think will wear 48? Fish brings up an interesting point about a linemen not being able to wear the #48. I guess that opens up a lot of possibilities.

While we are on the topic of numbers did you see that Devin has been wearing the #12?

http://hokesmadmagicians.blogspot.com/2012/05/battle-for-12-jersey.html

Here's my blog post about the jersey numbers:

http://mgorecruiting.blogspot.com/2012/06/oh-how-we-love-numbers.html


Hope you enjoy.

Junior wore the #21 before it became a designated by a patch a'la Desmond....

It was a bid deal, just not in the media (thus the patch)...

Just a comment/question to piggy-back on your article: Doesn't unretiring Ford's number a slap in the face to tradition? I wouldn't be incredibly shocked to see a family member bitch about it. Not sure that I could disagree either...

Not really. IMO there was nothing that was honoring him. The Cowboy's have a ring of honor that lists all of the players and numbers that are retired. There is nothing like that in AA. Instead the numbers go unworn and forgotten (mostly). At least this will put the spotlight back on these all time greats.

2ndComingOfBo wrote:

Just a comment/question to piggy-back on your article: Doesn't unretiring Ford's number a slap in the face to tradition? I wouldn't be incredibly shocked to see a family member bitch about it. Not sure that I could disagree either...

I doubt we hear a family member bitch about it. But just the same, I'm not crazy about unretiring Ford's number. If bringing back the number is a way of honoring Ford, what was the point of honoring him before by retiring it in the first place? We're getting into fancy word play here where no matter what the school does, he's honored. I just think if the jersey has been retired, leave it retired.

Hmmm...I am starting to change my opinion on this. Here is a post from Brian at mgoblog-

"If I can make a request (I cannot) could this not be Jordan Kovacs? Or, like, anyone who has established themselves as a guy with a particular number? Kovacs is 32. Roundtree is 12, except he'll be 21 this fall, and that will negatively affect how he's remembered because he won't be consistently one thing. This may be a crazy argument. It is my argument, though, so I say I'd rather have Kovacs keep 32 and have everybody who wears it after him remind me that once we had a really good walk-on safety.

The legends patch thing is good for honoring past legends but switching numbers up makes it hard to create new ones. I hope they start using them as recruiting incentives instead of flipping seniors to new numbers every year."

He makes some great points about the guys losing their identities by switching numbers. I also think he makes a good point about it being difficult to create new "great" numbers. Does any other school do anything similar?

WillieMfan wrote:

He makes some great points about the guys losing their identities by switching numbers. I also think he makes a good point about it being difficult to create new "great" numbers. Does any other school do anything similar?

I don't know if any other school does this but I agree with Brian. Changing numbers for your senior year seems kind of pointless, doesn't it? Your college career is 75% over, why not just end it with the number you started and make your own history?

I think this all can be traced back to the Braylon Edwards issue. He begged and begged and begged for the #1 jersey and Lloyd used it as an motivational tool to make him better finally giving in and letting him be #1 starting his junior year. That's the only time the #1 jersey has been used that way. That seems to be the deal now. Numbers have to be earned, even if you're a senior. On one hand, I like that the players are actually respecting history and the greats that preceded them. But I'd rather just have numbers be given to freshmen and leave it at that.

WolverineHistorian wrote:

I don't know if any other school does this but I agree with Brian. Changing numbers for your senior year seems kind of pointless, doesn't it? Your college career is 75% over, why not just end it with the number you started and make your own history?

My assumption is that Coach Hoke thinks that Shane will come in next year and take the QB job, Devin will go to WR (thus the switch to #12- Roundtree's old number) OR it's merely a way to tick off Shane by Devin?

Good GOD, make it stop.

From MGoBlog - Oosterbaan's #47 and Kramer's #87 also being issued this fall

Per Angelique Chengelis on Twitter:

Michigan announces jerseys worn by Oosterbaan (47), Ford (48) and Kramer (87) returning to field with "Football Legend" designation

Edit: Confirmed on MGoBlue.com:

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061212aaa.html

Following are the tentative dates for recognizing legend status for Oosterbaan, Ford and Kramer:

Bennie Oosterbaan -- Air Force (Sept. 8th)
Ron Kramer -- Massachusetts (Sept. 15)
Gerald Ford -- Illinois (Oct. 13)

Edit 2: via @umichfootball, two quotes from Dave Brandon;

"The Ford, Kramer & Oosterbaan families want to see their family member honored in this way way."

"We have yet to have any discussions with the Wistert or Harmon families."

WolverineHistorian wrote:

Good GOD, make it stop.

From MGoBlog - Oosterbaan's #47 and Kramer's #87 also being issued this fall

Per Angelique Chengelis on Twitter:

Michigan announces jerseys worn by Oosterbaan (47), Ford (48) and Kramer (87) returning to field with "Football Legend" designation

Edit: Confirmed on MGoBlue.com:

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061212aaa.html

Following are the tentative dates for recognizing legend status for Oosterbaan, Ford and Kramer:

Bennie Oosterbaan -- Air Force (Sept. 8th)
Ron Kramer -- Massachusetts (Sept. 15)
Gerald Ford -- Illinois (Oct. 13)

Edit 2: via @umichfootball, two quotes from Dave Brandon;

"The Ford, Kramer & Oosterbaan families want to see their family member honored in this way way."

"We have yet to have any discussions with the Wistert or Harmon families."

Wow...way too many in one season.

Well, this was discussed last year but I still don't like it. However, at least they're doing it in a classy way. Initiate the "deal" one year with the number that it is being done to with the one person who is alive (I think) that way it's a big deal. Then take care of the rest the next two years. At least I assume they'll finish off the retired numbers next year?

Just had a thought, do you think that Shane would wear #11? I know that niether of the Wistert brothers' were QB's but it kind of would be fitting. Think about it, the history of Michigan Football merging with the future?

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120612/SPORTS0201/206120458/1361/U-M-football-bringing-back-retired-numbers-of-Oosterbaan--Kramer--Ford

WolverineHistorian wrote:

Good GOD, make it stop.

From MGoBlog - Oosterbaan's #47 and Kramer's #87 also being issued this fall

Per Angelique Chengelis on Twitter:

Michigan announces jerseys worn by Oosterbaan (47), Ford (48) and Kramer (87) returning to field with "Football Legend" designation

Edit: Confirmed on MGoBlue.com:

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/061212aaa.html

Following are the tentative dates for recognizing legend status for Oosterbaan, Ford and Kramer:

Bennie Oosterbaan -- Air Force (Sept. 8th)
Ron Kramer -- Massachusetts (Sept. 15)
Gerald Ford -- Illinois (Oct. 13)

Edit 2: via @umichfootball, two quotes from Dave Brandon;

"The Ford, Kramer & Oosterbaan families want to see their family member honored in this way way."

"We have yet to have any discussions with the Wistert or Harmon families."

I'm good with this. As long as they aren't just issuing the number to someone in fall practice. Do it on the field like they did the Desmond.