Should any future Patriots QB wear #11?

[JoeSixPat]

Smart Ass

Seriously - I know there are a lot of Bledsoe Bashers around here - some don't even want to give him the credit that he's due - along with Kraft and Parcells, for restoring credibility and building the foundation that led to the dynasty

But they should just ask themselves how they would rank the all time best Patriots QBs.

Brady is my number one - statistically I think Bledsoe has to be #2 though Grogan's drive and toughness might vault him ahead of Bledsoe in many people's minds.

So since they retired Grogan's jersey doesn't it make sense that Bledsoe should get the same consideration. Perhaps people should ask themselves if the Patriots would still be in New England had we selected Rick Mirer with the #1 pick that year and then decide if he meant a lot to this team - maybe even more than Grogan.

 

[Pats67]

Kraft would have still been the owner and Parcells would have still been the coach, so yes, they would have still been in New England regardless of what mediocre quarterback they drafted in 1993.

 

[mac]

Should #11 be retired? Absolutely not. And I would not retire #4 either.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I would assume that Drew meant a hell of a lot more to the Pats than he did to the Bills.

Well they did have a rally in his honor when he arrived on the scene in Buffalo..

 

[patsfan-1982]

will the fact that there are lots of players and they need the numbers and the fact that the patriots are a team and no one players is better then the next that being said i think only bradys 12 will be after he wins 6 rings

 

[DarrylS]

Instead of retiring numbers, which I do not think Drew is worthy of, how about naming part of the stadium after certain players.. do it conjunction with corporate america, for example the Gillette-Drew Bledsoe concourse.. the Fidelity Darryl Stingley Entrance.. even the parking lot, for example the Ford Drew Bledsoe lot... this is rough, and will take some refinement, but there are other ways of doing this besides just retiring numbers.

 

[Kontradiction]

Why retire #11. Bledsoe didn't do THAT MUCH for this franchise. Honor his retirement, but don't retire the number of someone who couldn't win your team a Super Bowl.

 

[Pat_the_Patriot]

IMHO: If they didn't retire #14, they certainly shouldn't retire #11.

 

[zarakotas5]

I think retiring a number is the ultimate honor, transcending the HOF.

The HOF is a Homecoming Queen affair, in my opinion. Having your number retired is like dying as a old man, surrounding by your loving progeny on a beautful autumn evening.

If you see Bledsoe around, buy him a drink, take 30 seconds to say thanks, and remember that memory as fondly as you regard him for what he did for the franchise and you as a fan. Let the team be happy with paying him millions of dollars for services rendered and a place in the team HOF.

 

[FSUPatsFan]

I have to agree that Bledsoe's number should not be retired. I know a lot of people will get mad for using the red sox as an example here, but the red sox really do it right when retiring numbers as well as honoring other important players.

After over 100 years of baseball, 6 championship teams, and many many many great players, the red sox have a total of 5 retired numbers (not counting Jackie Robinson). They have more championships than retired numbers. This is because the standard is so high to get numbers retired (Hall of Famer, 10 years with red sox, retire as a Red Sox), and rightfully so IMO. Like another poster said, getting your number retired is the ultimate honor.

Even though only 5 numbers are retired, other players are honored with things such as "Pesky's Pole" or "Conigliaro's Corner"

I think the Pats should have a ring of honor seperate for players like Bledsoe, and probably one day McGinnest, Bruschi, Vinatierri, among others. They should retire numbers of HOF players that spent most of their career with the Patriots like Brady and maybe Seymour.

The only problem I have with that is that there is always an exception to every rule. Just like I think Jim Rice's number should probably already be retired, I would have a similar problem with Troy Brown. He won't be in the HOF, but almost every poster on this board would agree with me when I say that his number should be retired the day he retires.

So, I think the Pats need to come up with something other than retiring numbers to honor players who still meant a great deal the the franchise. The patriots HOF is good, but I want something that I can see on the field like a ring of honor.

 

[signbabybrady]

I absolutely think they should retire Drew's number. He was part of the triumbrate that saved this franchise. He is statistically atop alot of the Pats records. He took this team to a SB and he helped out in 2001. Several Pro Bowls. He was the face of the franchise for nearly a decade. Between 94 and 99 he was as good as any QB in the league and there were some good ones. Put quite simply he took this franchise to the next level and brady went beyond. Also the arguement that they havent retired Grogan doesnt work for me as I think they should the man was a warrior for this team.

 

[g-fresh]

I have to agree that Bledsoe's number should not be retired. I know a lot of people will get mad for using the red sox as an example here, but the red sox really do it right when retiring numbers as well as honoring other important players.

After over 100 years of baseball, 6 championship teams, and many many many great players, the red sox have a total of 5 retired numbers (not counting Jackie Robinson). They have more championships than retired numbers. This is because the standard is so high to get numbers retired (Hall of Famer, 10 years with red sox, retire as a Red Sox), and rightfully so IMO. Like another poster said, getting your number retired is the ultimate honor.

Even though only 5 numbers are retired, other players are honored with things such as "Pesky's Pole" or "Conigliaro's Corner"

I think the Pats should have a ring of honor seperate for players like Bledsoe, and probably one day McGinnest, Bruschi, Vinatierri, among others. They should retire numbers of HOF players that spent most of their career with the Patriots like Brady and maybe Seymour.

The only problem I have with that is that there is always an exception to every rule. Just like I think Jim Rice's number should probably already be retired, I would have a similar problem with Troy Brown. He won't be in the HOF, but almost every poster on this board would agree with me when I say that his number should be retired the day he retires.

So, I think the Pats need to come up with something other than retiring numbers to honor players who still meant a great deal the the franchise. The patriots HOF is good, but I want something that I can see on the field like a ring of honor.

I agree, something like this would be a great compromise between retiring a lot of numbers (there are so many guys on the borderline) and not doing enough to honor their contributions.

 

[Prufrock]

The only number I see fit to retire is #80. I would do that even before #12. Think of it as a homage to the, while not supremely talented, hardworking and selfless players that made the Patriots 3 Super Bowls possible.

Besides, I'm from the school of thought where leaders like Brady and Bellichick are not supposed to get any recognition.

 

[Fencer]

In any sport except football, yes.

But there aren't enough numbers to go around.

As for which numbers should be retired -- well, nobody will ever be able to live up to #12 again. As for #80 -- close call. If it's retired, it should be in the name of more than one player.

 

[JoeSixPat]

IMHO: If they didn't retire #14, they certainly shouldn't retire #11.

I'd agree - even though Bledsoe surpassed Grogan as the franchise leader in several passing categories in 9 years as opposed to Grogan's 16. (I'd assumed earlier that since Grogan was in the Patriots Hall of Fame that meant his number was retired - apparently that's not the case)

I think you really need to set some standards for these sort of things, so that emotions one way or another don't overly influence decisions.

So then I assume everyone would agree that Bledsoe should be in the Patriots Hall of Fame if Grogan is too?

Not sure if anyone saw Tony Masarotti's column in the Herald today - it sounds like he's saying retiring Bledsoe's number is a sure thing:

But if the Patriots are smart, if they are as appreciative of Bledsoe as they claim, his old No. 11 will soon decorate the stadium he helped build.

And rest assured it will.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=194554&format=&page=1

 

[brdmaverick]

While I acknowledge how Bledsoe (along with Parcells/Kraft) basically resurrected this franchise after being the laughingstock of the league, I don't think Bledsoe's number eleven should be retired. After all, there sometimes doesn't seem to be enough numbers to go around, and if we retire Bledsoe's number where do we stop?

If we retire Bledsoe then we will also have to retire......

12 (Brady)
54 (Bruschi)
4 (Vinatieri)
80 (Brown)
55 (McGinest)
37 (Harrison)

where do we stop?

 

[VJCPatriot]

Bledsoe should be in the Pats HOF but I don't think it's necessary to retire his number. There's few enough numbers as it is when you have 53 men on the roster and well over 80 during the tryout/training camp period.

 

[Pats Fanatic]

Personally I see only #12 and #73 as the only ones I would retire. A half time celebration during a Sunday Night or Monday Night game would be quite appropriate. He was a great Patriot that was very special off the field and should honored for that.

 

[fgssand]

Why retire #11. Bledsoe didn't do THAT MUCH for this franchise. Honor his retirement, but don't retire the number of someone who couldn't win your team a Super Bowl.

My goodness......your answer says to me you know very little about this franchise.

Were you even born or around here during the early 90's??

 

[3 to be 4]

someday when they draft a QB who is tall, has a strong arm, is tall...gets sacked a lot, makes stupid decisions and who is tall they should give him #11

this gives me an idea for a thread