Should Byron Scott's Jersey be retired?

doughboy · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 4:41 pm Post subject:

You know it

slavavov · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:05 pm Post subject:

I know that Byron Scott was an integral part of the Showtime teams for much of the 80s, but he wasn't a "great" player or HOFer like Magic, Worthy, or Kareem. If you retire Scott's number, you might as well retire the numbers of Jamaal Wilkes, Norm Nixon, Cooper, or even Bob McAdoo. I'm sorry, even though I'm aware of how important each of those guys were and what they did, they just weren't great enough to have their jerseys retired.

I will say, however, that Luke Walton is making a travesty of Scott's old jersey number. At least make Walton wear a different number, or better yet, just get him off the team somehow. I'm sick of him being a liability at both ends of the floor.
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WestCCa · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:12 pm Post subject:

Coop will get his number retired before Scott.

Scott was good for a time, but look at the players whose numbers are hanging in the rafters.

All but Gail Goodrich were part of the 50 greatest players list.

We don't retire anyone's number because they were a fan favorite, they have to have been a star.

Sister Golden Hair · Franchise Player Joined: 01 May 2001 Posts: 15872

No. Good player, but the jersey honor should be reserved for legendary players. You can imagine Showtime without Byron; you can't imagine it without Kareem or Magic.

SGH

RedSnapper · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 2:14 am Post subject: No friggin way

Does anyone remember the dialogue leading up to James Worthy's Jersey Hanging? There were a lot of folks who thought it shouldn't be up there... that he was into a grey zone leading to a slippery slope that had the potential to open the flood gates, so that the meaning of those jerseys on the wall became diluted.

I disagreed, because I thought "Big Game James" was a slam dunk inductee into the "Wall of Fame". He didn't get the "Big Game" moniker for nothing. Often, when the rest of the team was going flat, he was the guy who pulled them out with post-ups, baby hooks, drive-dunks, tipped balls, rebounds, saves, steals, etc. He was absolutely at his best in the biggest games when the team needed him most. Second to Magic in that department, but not by much.

Byron had a great career, and was very important to those teams. He was also somewhat inconsistent, and I can recall a few big games where he really didn't come through in the clutch.

That is not to besmirch his career, or denigrate his magnificent accomplishments. But it is an illustration of what separates those whose jerseys occupy the wall, or should occupy the wall from those whose jerseys should not be there.

We could discuss raw numbers, all-star appearances, etc. etc. but this is an issue that requires a more intimate and less quantifiable aspect of the player's career in order to make this judgement.

Was Byron Scott a great player who should be remembered and revered by Laker Fans for years to come? Absolutely. Does his jersey belong on the same wall as the others already occupying that space? No. It isn't even close.
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CabinCreek44 · Star Player Joined: 16 Apr 2001 Posts: 3856

Those of you who have pointed out that the only retired jerseys belong to Hall Of Famers are absolutely correct. That is the team's policy. They only retire numbers of players who are in the Hall Of Fame or a lock to get there.

Byron Scott, while he was an integral part of Showtime, does not fit the team's criteria. I don't believe the team should be opposed to making an occasional exception to that policy however, and if they ever did the first number that should be retired of a "non-HOFer" would be Michael Cooper's No. 21. He is the only player besides Kareem and Magic to play for all 5 championship teams of the 80s, and he was absolutely a vital part of all of that history. He deserves to be up there IMO.

I believe George Mikan's number is retired on a special banner they hung a few years ago honoring the Minneapolis Lakers, but I can't remember for sure if it's his number or his name (or both) on that banner. But yes, his No. 99 should never be worn be another Laker.

As for Shaq, I don't think his number should be retired unless he issues a formal and public apology to Dr. Buss and the Laker organization for all of the ridiculous slander he has tossed around the media about same. The little hug-fest with Kobe before the last Lakers-Miami game was all well and good, but much of it was calculated PR BS on Shaq's part IMO. He spent more than a year going out of his way to publicly damage the Lakers brand at every opportunity. That should not be forgotten by the organization.

Money$hot! · Star Player Joined: 18 Dec 2002 Posts: 5911

I don't think there is a formal team policy about the hall and jersey retirement. Has anyone seen this in writing or heard it quoted from a Laker official?

That being said, no Byron doesnt deserve his jersey retired for all the other reasons given. I'd retire McAdoo and Cooper before Byron, but neither of those guys will have their jerseys raised either.

CabinCreek44 · Star Player Joined: 16 Apr 2001 Posts: 3856

Money$hot! · Star Player Joined: 18 Dec 2002 Posts: 5911

BigGameYimmy · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 7:35 am Post subject:

CabinCreek44 · Star Player Joined: 16 Apr 2001 Posts: 3856

Yeah, Horry might deserve it just for The Shot.

Still the greatest buzzer beater I've ever seen in the five decades I've been watching the NBA.

Laker_Dynasty · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 9:38 am Post subject:

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LakerLegend · Star Player Joined: 10 Jun 2001 Posts: 1538

MIMLaker · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:28 am Post subject:

I LOVE old B, but NO.

Getting a number retired by the Lakers is the most select fraternity in basketball. You have to be among the absolutely disgusting best ever at your position, or at a minimum, a clear and undeniable symbol of your historic greatness at that position for this franchise.

In other words, if you have to explain it FOR LONGER THAN 5 SECONDS, forget it.

B was a great guard, but I just don't think he's earned the wall. Give him a jersey plaque like DFish and Fox. Come on, we can't be like the Celtics and give out retired jerseys with gold watches and pension plans.

MIM
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doughboy · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:37 am Post subject:

For the 17,505 time.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

LakeShow09 · LG Multimedia Team Joined: 07 Jan 2003 Posts: 4801

nope.. if you retire his then you have to retire Horry, Cooper, Glen Rice, etc.. all important role players but not superstars