Should Anyone Be Allowed to Wear Number 3

[Danielos38]

For about 3 hours, new transfer Evan Smotrycz said that he was changing his number from the #23 that he had at Michigan to #3 at Maryland. After seemingly getting a ton of crap about it, he decided that he would change to #1.

So, would you mind someone wearing the number 3? I think it's clear that no one should ever wear the number 34. Bias was Maryland's greatest player ever and obviously, he died far too young. But Juan was not Maryland's greatest player ever and there were a bunch of other important players on the championship team.

I'm certainly of the opinion that Juan willed that championship and so his number should be retired. Does Turegon agree, is another important question here.

[glenn__davis]

34 is the only number that should be retired, IMO.

I love Juan and he was a great player, but I really see no reason his number should never be worn again.

BTW, I hope people didn't give Smotryzc too much grief. Not exactly a great way to welcome a new commit.

[Floater]

Well, he better hit some damn 3's then.

[Icterus galbula]

I love Juan too, but the standards for a retired basketball jersey are higher than any other sport simply because the pool of numbers to choose from is so small. I think Bias only is pretty reasonable. I don't want to see #3 used as liberally as other numbers, but it shouldn't be officially retired IMO.

[ShaneDawg85]

I thought Maryland had a rule that you had to have made All-American to have your number officially retired, which is how Francis got up there in the first place. Did they change that, or what is the actual policy recognized but not officially retired?

[glenn__davis]

I thought Maryland had a rule that you had to have made All-American to have your number officially retired, which is how Francis got up there in the first place. Did they change that, or what is the actual policy recognized but not officially retired?

Francis' number is not retired. His jersey just got raised (and shouldn't have been, IMO, but that's another story), but people can still use that number.

EDIT - BTW, the same is true of Dixon (and Baxter, Blake, Vasquez, McMillen, Elmore and a few others). The jerseys are raised but their numbers aren't retired. Bias' 34 is the only one that cannot be used.

[Danielos38]

Bias' 34 is the only one that cannot be used.

Is that really the case though? It's been 10 years since the National Championship and no one has worn number 3. Did we retire it or did Gary just want no one else to wear it?

[glenn__davis]

Is that really the case though? It's been 10 years since the National Championship and no one has worn number 3. Did we retire it or did Gary just want no one else to wear it?

Well I'm certain that Bias is the only one that is "officially" retired, for obvious reasons.

Juan's is probably "unofficially" retired in that it can still be worn but probably won't be anytime soon. I suspect it will be one day, though.

I think people tend to romanticize Juan a bit. He was a fantastic player, no question. But he was also on a fantastic team, about as complete a college team as you can get these days. Great sharpshooters in Dixon and Nicholas. Great floor leader in Blake. Long, athletic, skilled, deep front line with Baxter and Wilcox leading the way. And Byron Mouton filling in the gaps and playing shut-down defense.

Juan wasn't even the best player under Gary, Joe Smith was.

Again, not trying to undersell Dixon. But for me this is just a no-brainer. If Smotryzc wants 3, let him wear it.

[AgentOrange]

Well I'm certain that Bias is the only one that is "officially" retired, for obvious reasons.

Juan's is probably "unofficially" retired in that it can still be worn but probably won't be anytime soon. I suspect it will be one day, though.

I think people tend to romanticize Juan a bit. He was a fantastic player, no question. But he was also on a fantastic team, about as complete a college team as you can get these days. Great sharpshooters in Dixon and Nicholas. Great floor leader in Blake. Long, athletic, skilled, deep front line with Baxter and Wilcox leading the way. And Byron Mouton filling in the gaps and playing shut-down defense.

Juan wasn't even the best player under Gary, Joe Smith was.

Again, not trying to undersell Dixon. But for me this is just a no-brainer. If Smotryzc wants 3, let him wear it.

Hard to say that for sure. Don't forget, Juan was a lock down defensive player as well. He was the best player on the one of the best Maryland teams ever. If that isn't enough to get his jersey retired, I am not sure what would.

[DuffMan]

Juan wasn't even the best player under Gary, Joe Smith was.

Steve Francis says hello.

[AgentOrange]

Steve Francis says hello.

Stevie can sit at the table, but I am not sure he is the one saying grace.

[glenn__davis]

Hard to say that for sure. Don't forget, Juan was a lock down defensive player as well. He was the best player on the one of the best Maryland teams ever. If that isn't enough to get his jersey retired, I am not sure what would.

Yes, forgot to add an "IMO" at the end of that sentence. I would definitely take Smith over Dixon myself, but I know others feel differently.

Retiring college jerseys is a very rare thing. IMO it should only be done under very special circumstances, a la Bias. Had Bias not died prematurely, I don't think his jersey would be officially retired either.

Steve Francis says hello.

I'd take both Dixon and Smith over Francis pretty easily. But I admit I am not the biggest Francis fan.

[Danielos38]

I'm surprised that no one has taken the 2nd option. I guess no one is for the status quo? Options one and three would both require some kind of action to be taken.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I'm insanely biased since I went to school there from 2000-2004, but nobody should ever even hint at the idea of wearing #3 at Maryland ever again.

3 and 34 are off limits. If you're speaking just in terms of the all time great MD players than Joe Smith should be retired too. You can argue he was the best player to ever don a Maryland jersey.

[Pedro Cerrano]

IMO, the 3 best players in MD history were Bias, Dixon and Smith. Not necessarily in that order.