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Lions to retire missing boater Smith's No. in '09

sports.espn.go.com — In memory of missing boater Corey Smith, the Detroit Lions will be retiring his number later this year. Very honorable move in my opinion.

Who dugg this? Made popular Mar 22, 2009

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36 Comments

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  • rd1010, on 03/22/2009, -2/+19dude they're just doing it for one year.. how can you think that this is somehow wrong?
  • DickyT83, on 03/22/2009, -5/+16Regardless of how the Lions did last year, you really have to commend them for this.
  • aceakm, on 03/22/2009, -3/+12Wow, there's some ***** on here.
  • Zegarek, on 03/22/2009, -3/+12A nice gesture to Smith and his family. I can't imagine it will, but I hope this helps brings closure to this whole thing for his family. One of the few times that I have been proud to be a Lions fan.
  • DickyT83, on 03/22/2009, -4/+9You're an idiot.
  • aTroll, on 03/22/2009, -1/+5you mean you hope he's lost? :O
  • matt247, on 03/22/2009, -1/+5It's only for 1 year
  • AnthonyC, on 03/22/2009, -1/+5For as bad as they have sucked and been terribly mismanaged, the Lions have always been a classy organization. This is a great gesture to give to his family and friends. I don't even know if they were planning on having him back on the team next year, so they didn't have to do this at all, which makes it even more genuine in my opinion. Very cool.
  • yacks, on 03/22/2009, -0/+4When I first read the description, I thought they were retiring it for good, which I believe even though everyone is touching about the grief would be a stupid move.. Retiring it for 1 year is a classy act..
  • JGinthehouse, on 03/22/2009, -0/+4god damn....R.I.P....
  • BassMastr, on 03/22/2009, -2/+5He made it to the top of his profession. There are only 30ish teams so that means he had to be at least the top 50 at what he does in the world. I bet you can't claim anywhere near the same.
  • jsffive, on 03/22/2009, -0/+3I'm sorry guys. I can't go along with the crowd on this one. The guy won ONE Superbowl... that he didn't actually PLAY in... for ANOTHER team, and he played on a Detroit team that went 0-16. And they're going to retire his number?

    What's next? The Hall of Fame?

    I mean really folks, I'm a Redskins fan, which only has ONE "official" retired number (Sammy Baugh, number 33), but when you look at the numbers hanging in the ceiling in Texas Stadium, each and every one of those numbers are there for a reason, and it's because the fans couldn't imagine someone else wearing the same number.

    Number 93? Sitting alongside number 20, Barry Sanders' number? Or Doak Walker? Or Bobby Layne?

    Is that fair?

    The guy fell off a boat.

    I hope you don't think that I'm being mean here, it's just that I don't think his achievements warrant retiring his number.

    Twenty years from now, what will be the story that some Detroit fan will tell his kid, when he asks why 93 can't be used EVER AGAIN by a Detroit Lion?

    ???

    But I'm sure a lot of people will pay to see the ceremony, and in the end, isn't THAT the most important thing?
  • ArmenTamzarian, on 03/22/2009, -0/+3His fate is arguably still better than playing for the Lions or living in Detroit.
  • whoreable, on 03/22/2009, -0/+2Yeah that whole story was shady as *****.
  • spaceaudi0, on 03/22/2009, -4/+6***** that, I'll be a so called "*****". He didn't do anything significant like set records or lead the Lions to a superbowl. Retiring his number because he died takes away from all the NFL greats who had there number retired.
  • inactive, on 03/22/2009, -3/+5Man, what a horrible way to go.... A Detroit Lion.
  • Samohtneas, on 03/22/2009, -3/+5You're kind of a jerk. Just so you know.
  • Tw3ek, on 03/22/2009, -0/+2You're right. Players like Barry Sanders or Bobby Layne were just plain terrible weren't they?
  • inactive, on 03/22/2009, -2/+4so that means everyone's number should be retired
  • BassMastr, on 03/22/2009, -1/+3Nope. I was just correcting your statement about him not being very good. I never said everyone should have their number retired for a season. Not very smart are you?
  • Ryuzaki356647, on 03/22/2009, -0/+1Dude, WTF does Michael Moore have to do with this story? Moore is nothing more than a prick that doesn't know when to stop talking except to shove another hotdog down his ever expanding throat. As a Michigan resident, I'm embarrassed he even grew up in MI.

    Anyway back to thread. Despite only being for a year, it's nice to see a team pay their respects to a fallen player, as in my opinion it's only proper. As a person who enjoys the game and has a sense of honor (something I would never say about Moore or MeatMountain), I can appreciate that action. RIP.
  • FOR3MAN, on 03/22/2009, -1/+2As a season ticket holder I finally feel they have done something to deserve my money.
  • hawksfan03, on 03/22/2009, -0/+1RTFA - they are retiring his jersey for one year not forever. it's out of respect
  • inactive, on 03/22/2009, -2/+3Missing or killed? ***** you, you're all thinking it, I had the balls to say it.
  • 9bpm9, on 03/22/2009, -1/+2The Blues retired Bob Gassoff's number when he died in 1977. They also unoffically retired Doug Wickenheiser's number when he died also.
  • jsffive, on 03/22/2009, -0/+1P.S.

    I just read that it will be for only one season... My bad.

    I still can't help but think that it's just a ruse to boost ticket sales for one game.
  • jakobmakob, on 03/22/2009, -3/+4Just so everybody who didn't read the article knows, it's just for the '09 season. It would be dumb of them to retire his number forever.
  • 9bpm9, on 03/22/2009, -2/+2It's disrespectful just to do it for one year. When the Blues retired Bob Gassoff's number when he died, they didn't just do it for one year and then just say ***** you to his widow, "he isn't important enough to be retied forever."
  • Ryuzaki356647, on 03/22/2009, -1/+1Wow, respectful fella, aren't ya?

    /s
  • inactive, on 03/22/2009, -3/+2They should retire it permanently. I'm not a football fan, but their the deaths are tragic none the less. If there is something better waiting for us, I hope the guys time in the water and the way he died paid his dues to get in.
  • BassMastr, on 03/22/2009, -4/+3The retirement of a number is a sign of respect for whatever reason they decide to retire the number. Just b/c you don't agree doesn't mean you are right. One thing that is for sure though...you are a total idiot.
  • lingum, on 03/22/2009, -2/+0$40 bucks could have saved these guys lives. Instead they go out where they have no business being without the proper safety equipment. No sympathy here.

    Now they are fish food.
  • MeatMountain, on 03/22/2009, -5/+1Another sad page in Detroit's recent history. Please turn this around. The first car maker that starts reopening plants here gets my money, and I'm in the market. But its a pipe dream right now.

    If you want to see what happened check out Roger and Me, and its followup Pets or Meat. Yes they are Michael Moore movies, but don't let that turn you away. Give it a chance and even the most far right conservative will see what happened to American industry is a shame.
  • snkscore, on 03/22/2009, -7/+1It isn't like they have any good players to have numbers retired so.... go ahead.
  • inactive, on 03/22/2009, -23/+4He wasn't even good. Give me a break. I hope he's on an island somewhere but this is stupid.
  • inactive, on 03/22/2009, -35/+3They should retire the team.

    How can anyone think this is good idea? He died. Yep, sorry to see a young guy go with so much promise but retirement of your number should be based on how well you did on the field and contributed to the good of the city.

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