Should the Anaheim Ducks retire Paul Kariya's #9?

Meg is requesting your voting support in some super-nerdy endeavor this week, but why not also go vote on something hockey-related?

Anaheim Calling asked me to submit some 650 words on whether the Ducks should retire Paul Kariya's jersey -- you can read my take along with Arthur, Daniel, and Jen in the link above.

So go read (if you want), cast your vote, and feel free to talk it out in the comments -- here or there. Unlike Meg's cause, I won't make you vote every day! :)

11 months ago Earl Sleek 25 comments 0 recs |

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read the arguements and think that yea he should be retired…Id prefer it be after teemu..but not that big of deal…

it does piss me off how he left and its the reason hell never be known as the greatest duck ever..it will be teemu…even though teemu left too..

paul got his payback by not collecting a cup in 07..

"A Chortled Evils Nip"
www.battleofcali.com

by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Jul 5, 2011 9:04 AM PDT reply actions

I’m going to write a Kariya piece later this week (laziness permitting), but yeah — I’ve probably come way too at peace with how Kariya left, mostly because his leaving really paved the way for that 2007 cup.

But he also should get a lot of credit getting the team to a level of legitimacy that it could lure an Adam Oates or a Brian Burke or a Scott Niedermayer to spend some time in Anaheim. PK paved the way for a lot of that.

www.battleofcali.com

by Earl Sleek on Jul 5, 2011 9:12 AM PDT up reply actions

yea good point….all this talk makes me not loathe my signed kariya jersey anymore…

well bobby hows 19 sound?

"A Chortled Evils Nip"
www.battleofcali.com

by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Jul 5, 2011 9:17 AM PDT up reply actions

“Too Whitney.”

But as I said over at AC, I don’t think it’s going to happen unless Teemu makes a public push of it.

www.battleofcali.com

by Earl Sleek on Jul 5, 2011 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions

another thought on the difference between teemu and paul..is that even though teemu left..he talked about anaheim being his happy place..and butters us up on how much he loves the franchise…paul not so much..i cant recall if that was discussed over at AC…..

Paul offering up some kind of remorse might go a long way…not that he has to be apologetic..but it could help his ducks legacy with some

"A Chortled Evils Nip"
www.battleofcali.com

by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Jul 5, 2011 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions

You may be right about that — I don’t really know if he’s shown any remorse or not; I’m not really on the lookout for it.

Hmm, maybe it’s up to both of them.

www.battleofcali.com

by Earl Sleek on Jul 5, 2011 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions

hm.

retire #9? ugh.
I guess I’m satisfied with PK never winning a cup of his own (playing for it, I mean. What do I care if he wins it from behind the bench one day?).
sure. retire it. just not sure they’ll do it anytime soon, since bobby’s wearing it. =/

--Finny, formerly of Girl with a Puck
www.girlwithapuck.com

by girlwithapuck on Jul 5, 2011 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions

I’m glad PK didn’t win a cup in Colorado that season, but I don’t think I’m glad he never won one. Poor guy — I think he nearly became a Duck again, too, except those concussions.

www.battleofcali.com

by Earl Sleek on Jul 5, 2011 9:38 AM PDT up reply actions

I don’t know how I would’ve felt if he returned to the Ducks. But I was all fire and passion in the days when he left, and it’s hard to let go of that even now as an adult, so I suppose that accounts for my feelings. I can’t make the connection between my heart and my head, but having read your post, I have to say this one line you wrote makes me reconsider my emotional reactions:

if not for PK, I wouldn’t be a Ducks fan today.

When I think about that… I hate to admit it, but… that’s true of me too. Without PK, I wouldn’t be a Ducks fan today. And that alone, makes me reconsider.

Retire the jersey. He deserves that much.

--Finny, formerly of Girl with a Puck
www.girlwithapuck.com

by girlwithapuck on Jul 5, 2011 9:45 AM PDT up reply actions

yea retire it..but if wants more than token claps…paul needs to get the waterworks going and lie about how much he loved his time with anheim…probally needs some token antidote to make it believable…

bobby hasnt done much yet besides some highlight reel goals…make him change it

"A Chortled Evils Nip"
www.battleofcali.com

by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Jul 5, 2011 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions

at the retirement ceremony

"A Chortled Evils Nip"
www.battleofcali.com

by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Jul 5, 2011 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions

Bobby’s young. He’s got time to build a legacy and tie it to a number that won’t have some of that old taint. I remember when he first donned it, and how I felt watching him wear it. It felt strange, sacrilegious, or cursed in some way. (Remember: I was a bitter ex-PK fan back then). Now, of course, I’m used to it… but you know, I would hope the guy would understand.

--Finny, formerly of Girl with a Puck
www.girlwithapuck.com

by girlwithapuck on Jul 5, 2011 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions

I’m going to write a Kariya piece later this week (laziness permitting)

Cool idea. What I’d like to see is a detailed (spreadsheet anyone?) analysis of PK’s points etc. with and without Teemu; should give a good idea of his contributions. Can’t think of a better person to do this than Earl himself… ;-)

by Hollander on Jul 5, 2011 9:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Oof — that dates back far enough that it may be difficult to do cleanly.

Don’t expect that this week — I was going more on the angle of how Kariya made me a Ducks fan. You know, mushy stuff. :)

www.battleofcali.com

by Earl Sleek on Jul 5, 2011 9:40 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

That sounds like an awful lot of work,

but you should at least include some kind of big, multi-colored chart showing how much you liked hockey with and without Kariya.

by meetyourmako on Jul 5, 2011 10:07 PM PDT up reply actions

You know, mushy stuff. :)

that choir has made you soft earl!!!…go rip off a bottlecap of a fresh beer to redeem yourself…u should be ashamed of yourself…now excuse me while I go watch wedding planner

"A Chortled Evils Nip"
www.battleofcali.com

by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Jul 6, 2011 5:26 AM PDT up reply actions

Oof — that dates back far enough that it may be difficult to do cleanly.

Yeah, I know it’s a lot of work. It’s just that someone on another board stated that PK’s stats without Teemu were horrible so I figured the Stats Master himself could prove or disprove that argument… Maybe some other lazy summer day :-)

by Hollander on Jul 6, 2011 6:55 AM PDT up reply actions

dont interrupt his next cartoon!!!

"A Chortled Evils Nip"
www.battleofcali.com

by SPADE-IN-VICTORHELL on Jul 6, 2011 7:01 AM PDT up reply actions

..or do what spade does and make a simple poll.

by ScottyKnows on Jul 6, 2011 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions

650 words? That sounds like too much work for you Earl. :)

GO SHARKS!
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin (see profile for more info on this quote)

by Angy on Jul 5, 2011 9:22 AM PDT reply actions

It was! And I had a deadline, too!

I should have just sent in 2/3 of a cartoon. :)

www.battleofcali.com

by Earl Sleek on Jul 5, 2011 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Ducks sign Bryan Rodeny…. more meat for Syracuse… Murray is an asshole

by Albert K on Jul 5, 2011 1:26 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I don't have a feeling for Kariya

cause at the time he was here I was a rabid Ice Dog fan and didn’t become a duckie fan until about 2004. I did follow their 2002 playooff chase and was even at game 6 of finals, but I couldn’t name a player on the team. I basically became a duckie fan by default cause teh Ice Dogs floundered. Bu don’t worry, I have come to love me ducks.

So with that understand I am an outsider on this one. So here is what I think

A retired number is a player that represents the franchise. A retired number is a player that excelled at the franchise and the game. A retired number is someone who loved being a player for that franchise. A retired number is a player who was beloved by the fans throughout their career.

Anyone who is this polarizing of fans both pro and con should not have their number retired.

Let's go Ducks.

by deb d on Jul 5, 2011 1:30 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs

Why does the guy have to be beloved by the fans to have his number retired. I don’t see the link between being liked and being an instrumental part of a franchise’s success.

by Daniel AC on Jul 6, 2011 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Sports are still a fan based game

Being beloved by the fans means the player understood his role in the team. He understood that sports are not just for the players but are in fact for the spectators.

The team doesn’t need the sports reporters to be announcing how at a number going up there were boos from some fans. Kariya needs to make nice to the fans and make up so that if his number is retired the duckies don’t look like fools by retiring a players number who quite a few fans are still upset at.

Let's go Ducks.

by deb d on Jul 6, 2011 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions