2012 Redskins Free Agency (and Trades) Tracker (Chapter III)

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by los panda

but they have unofficially retired his number

Where do you get that from? That's why there was a huge debate about if OJ was going to wear the #21.

[los panda]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

Where do you get that from? That's why there was a huge debate about if OJ was going to wear the #21.

who was debating? i just get it from the fact that no one else has worn that number since sean took it in 2005. it's a popular number, when is the last time no one on the team wore it? it wasn't this millennium, all signs point to unofficially retired

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by los panda

who was debating? i just get it from the fact that no one else has worn that number since sean took it in 2005. it's a popular number, when is the last time no one on the team wore it? it wasn't this millennium, all signs point to unofficially retired

I think the only reason nobody has wore it is because they don't want to offend the fan's memory of #21.

O.J. Atogwe switches to No. 20 out of respect for Sean Taylor - The Insider - The Washington Post

OJ was within his right to wear the #21 if he wanted, and probably could have. I don't think it's unofficially retired like the other numbers, and quite frankly doesn't deserve to be unofficially retired either. That's just my personal opinion on the matter even though many may disagree.

[los panda]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

I think the only reason nobody has wore it because they don't want to offend the fan's memory of #21.

O.J. Atogwe switches to No. 20 out of respect for Sean Taylor - The Insider - The Washington Post

OJ was within his right to wear the #21 if he wanted, and probably could have. I don't think it's unofficially retired like the other numbers, and quite frankly doesn't deserve to be unofficially retired either. That's just my personal opinion on the matter even though many may disagree.

"Safety O.J. Atogwe had worn No. 21 his entire life, he said. But joining the Redskins and hitting the practice field for the first time with his new teammates Friday, he knew wearing No. 21 wasn’t an option"

that's what unofficially retired means to me, i don't know what it means to you

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by los panda

"Safety O.J. Atogwe had worn No. 21 his entire life, he said. But joining the Redskins and hitting the practice field for the first time with his new teammates Friday, he knew wearing No. 21 wasn’t an option"

that's what unofficially retired means to me, i don't know what it means to you

You are reading way too much into that. He's not saying that because of it being unofficially retired, he's saying that because he knows what type of memory and weight Sean Taylor still carries with the fans.

He did it out of respect.

The Redskins Blog | OJ Atogwe Plays The Guessing Game

he made it clear via his Twitter that he would honor Taylor’s memory and switch to a different number:

[los panda]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

You are reading way too much into that. He's not saying that because of it being unofficially retired, he's saying that because he knows what type of memory and weight Sean Taylor still carries with the fans.

He did it out of respect.

The Redskins Blog | OJ Atogwe Plays The Guessing Game

i got that part. it's a popular number, when is the last time no one on the team wore it? what does unofficially retiring a # mean to you?

*edit
and who was involved in the "huge debate"?

[NC_Skins]

Originally Posted by los panda

i got that part. it's a popular number, when is the last time no one on the team wore it? what does unofficially retiring a # mean to you?

It's not just a popular number, it's the number of a deceased Redskin who fans have put on this grand pedestal, even though it's not warranted. Players who come here from other teams having wore #21 know and understand very soon not to bother wearing it due to the controversy and probably hate they'll receive from fans for doing so. Fans blew up OJ about the number, and I'm quite positive the media made it a point to bring it up with him in interviews. Why would he (or any player) subject themselves to the wrath of fans like that when he could simply avoid that by wearing a different number.

I think you'll have a better shot of some kid grabbing #28 or #44 before you will #21...lol

Who was debating it? The correct question was who wasn't debating it in the DC area.

The Early Lead - Should O.J. Atogwe, or any other Redskins player, wear No. 21?

Many of the other Redskins media outlets were discussing this as well back when it occurred.