Cammalleri to Wear #13

[Jimmy Leeds]

Lou is really gone now, lol

 

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Todd-Cordell/New-Jersey-Devils-Talking-Forwards-Salvador-Quenneville--More/159/70287

[HellOnICE]

I am not a fan. I want our team having no #13 and no facial hair.

[titans04]

Big fan, couldn't care less about #'s or facial hair. Only concerned about on ice play and staying out of jail.

Edited August 4, 2015 by titans04

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

To me, there's no truly wrong way of doing things...until there is.  And often the "right/wrong" ways become cyclical.  The disciplinarian comes in and straightens out a team that is too used to loosey-goosey, and his way gets some results.  Then his team (basically a bunch of grown-up children masquerading as millionaire athletes) decide they're sick of it and tune him out.  So he gets canned, and in comes the player's coach.  He's lauded as being a swell guy who the players are all comfortable talking to, and then he gets results (and sometimes, in both the case of the no-nonsense type and the easygoing-we're-all-pals here variant, it's the quality of the players that are dictating the successes or failures)...until the millionaire grown-up children start taking advantage of Mr. Swell Guy, at which point the narrative becomes "These guys need someone who doesn't take any sh!t...the inmates have been running the asylum for too long...we need a disciplinarian-type!"  And the cycle begins anew (obviously it doesn't always happen like this, but it's far from unheard of).

 

Basically, this is all a way of saying that I don't have any issues with the "New Order" doing things their way.  McMullen and Lou will always be remembered for the good they did (and some of the not-so-good, like general coldness and complete lack of marketing), but the organization doesn't have to honor either one of them by doing things their way for the sake of doing things their way.  If Cammalleri wants to wear #13 and other guys want to wear what I call "cocky" numbers (like 87, 75, etc) so be it.  I don't see how that will ultimately correlate with success...I did like it as it was happening, but change doesn't equate to Armageddon by default.  John Madden (the coach, not the former Devil) basically said (paraphrasing) at one point, when other teams in the NFL started doing the clean-cut, cracking down thing during Madden's coaching career,  "I didn't really see what any of that had to do with winning.  I basically told my guys to show up on time, play hard and listen to me when I told them to, and the rest would take care of itself."

 

I'm open-minded to all of this.  As long as they stay away from cartoony-looking Devils on the front of the jersey, I'm good to go. 

Edited August 4, 2015 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[CarpathianForest]

It's my tongue-in-cheek contention that if Ryder was able to wear #73 he would have played better.

[MadDog2020]

[TheMazz]

I know we are going into a new direction but this goes beyond getting new, younger players and even changing the atmosphere culture like the goal song. This was an agreement between Lou and McMullen. I know Lou is gone but it just doesn't seem right to me, and doesn't really sit well to me that, that agreement I'd now disregarded. You can say it's just a number but Dr. McMullen is pretty much why the Devils are here. That should go beyond what Shero wants. You got to respect tradition while embrace new ideas. Not just tear everything down like the new regime seems to be doing.

And I like Shero so far, the jury is still out on our new owners but...I don't know if I can't fully get behind this. As silly as it sounds because you can just say "it's just a number", it still doesn't sit right to me

[RizzMB30]

Small deal for most people, but my best friend brought a cammo jersey last year. He's pissed

I mean.  To be honest, isn't it still a Cammalleri jersey?  If anything it sends a more positive vibe or point of pride than anything. 

"I was a Cammy fan when he didn't wear the number he wanted to have."  

Yeah, I liked how the # rules gave the Devils this kind of identity, but times a' changin.  

P.S.  I don't believe in luck, there is only the Force.  

[CarpathianForest]

I know we are going into a new direction but this goes beyond getting new, younger players and even changing the atmosphere culture like the goal song. This was an agreement between Lou and McMullen. I know Lou is gone but it just doesn't seem right to me, and doesn't really sit well to me that, that agreement I'd now disregarded. You can say it's just a number but Dr. McMullen is pretty much why the Devils are here. That should go beyond what Shero wants. You got to respect tradition while embrace new ideas. Not just tear everything down like the new regime seems to be doing.

And I like Shero so far, the jury is still out on our new owners but...I don't know if I can't fully get behind this. As silly as it sounds because you can just say "it's just a number", it still doesn't sit right to me

 

The key term here is that it was a deal between Lou and McMullen.

[thecoffeecake]

Small deal for most people, but my best friend brought a cammo jersey last year. He's pissed

I really don't get it. That'll be a cool relic one day.

Also, how did that writer just turn 21 and have a gig like that? I know he doesn't have a journalism degree.

Edited August 4, 2015 by thecoffeecake

[Lateralous]

The thing that really bothered me was multiple guys wearing the same jersey number during the same year just to keep everyone under 30 or whatever.  Half the time I would forget who I was actually looking at with some of these numbers that seemed to get used by 2 to 3 different guys per season.        

[Satans Hockey]

Good, about time these dumb rules went out the window. These has nothing to do with us winning in the first place.

Stevens, Neids, and Marty could have been wearing 13, 50 and 90 and we still would have been amazing on the ice.

[DevsMan84]

I really don't get it. That'll be a cool relic one day.

Also, how did that writer just turn 21 and have a gig like that? I know he doesn't have a journalism degree.

 

While I don't have a high opinion of Cordell, I would still list him as a better writer than Chere.

 

That being said he is writing for hockeybuzz (I think that is the name of the website).  I am not sure what the qualifications are to write for it but needless to say I doubt it is as stringent as writing for the WSJ or NYT.

[Mike Brown]

It's time to start a new chapter in NJD history.  This is a step in that direction.  Only thing I care about is our jerseys.  They better stay the way they are.

[Satans Hockey]

If Cammalleri wants to wear #13 and other guys want to wear what I call "cocky" numbers (like 87, 75, etc) so be it. I don't see how that will ultimately correlate with success...I did like it as it was happening, but change doesn't equate to Armageddon by default.

I think they just realize a number is just a number. It doesn't have any outcome on how players perform so might as well just let them wear whatever they want.

Is Crosby cocky? Sure I would say so but I don't think it's because he wears 87 cause of his birthday. I think it's because he's good and he knows it.

[Jerzey]

I'm loving all of the changes to this franchise. It was just run a little too old school for me. 

 

As for the people who already bought Cammy jersey's, I think I remember hearing that the team or even the player himself paid to have them changed. Don't remember who or what team it was though. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I know we are going into a new direction but this goes beyond getting new, younger players and even changing the atmosphere culture like the goal song. This was an agreement between Lou and McMullen. I know Lou is gone but it just doesn't seem right to me, and doesn't really sit well to me that, that agreement I'd now disregarded. You can say it's just a number but Dr. McMullen is pretty much why the Devils are here. That should go beyond what Shero wants. You got to respect tradition while embrace new ideas. Not just tear everything down like the new regime seems to be doing.

And I like Shero so far, the jury is still out on our new owners but...I don't know if I can't fully get behind this. As silly as it sounds because you can just say "it's just a number", it still doesn't sit right to me

 

McMullen was also almost the reason they left in 1995, and I don't care what anyone says, that Nashville crap hanging over our heads did take away a little of the enjoyment of that otherwise awesome Stanley Cup run (on some level, that's something I'll never quite forgive him for).  It sucked that the players who had suffered through the lean years here had to deal with that too, when they were trying to win a damned Cup.  It was great that McMullen brought the Devils to NJ, but he wasn't exactly Captain Benevolence or Mr. Loyalty.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/28/sports/sports-of-the-times-mcmullen-s-high-stick-a-low-blow.html

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/04/sports/sports-times-move-nashville-devils-lemaire-not-so-sure-he-would-go.html

 

I don't see what's so untouchable about the low number/no #13 tradition...I don't put it on the same level of "Don't ever fvck with this" as, say, the Yankees deciding to add names to the back of their jerseys, or deciding it's finally time to come up with a 2015 refresh of their uniforms.  That would be blasphemous.  Lou and McMullen have clearly provided us with a lot of great memories that will live on in our rooting souls forever.  That's enough for me...I don't need to see their traditions carried on for all eternity.  And there's just simple logistics, which Tri and others have already discussed...three numbers are already hanging in the rafters, and two more soon will.  There's no obvious number-retirement candidates beyond that, but five less numbers to choose from in a limited pool is a lot. I'm fine with more available numbers helping to put an end to the "musical numbers" thing that seems to afflict some players. 

 

 

I think they just realize a number is just a number. It doesn't have any outcome on how players perform so might as well just let them wear whatever they want.

Is Crosby cocky? Sure I would say so but I don't think it's because he wears 87 cause of his birthday. I think it's because he's good and he knows it.

 

My "cocky" thing isn't an indictment on the player wearing the number.  I just call those numbers that because they have a certain flash and "look at me" feel to them...you almost assume that someone wearing a high number is supposed to be dynamic and well-aware of the fact that he is.  But it goes without saying that such a generalization isn't accurate in all cases.  It's just a nickname I have for those numbers.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[thecoffeecake]

I actually hadn't considered the fact that we're gonna have 5 numbers in the rafters within the next few years. I suppose the no numbers over 30 thing had to go at some point. Wouldn't be totally surprised if #6 was gone within the decade either.

But I did appreciate the tradition. I was furious that Jagr wore 68.

Edited August 4, 2015 by thecoffeecake

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I actually hadn't considered the fact that we're gonna have 5 numbers in the rafters within the next few years. I suppose the no numbers over 30 thing had to go at some point. Wouldn't be totally surprised if #6 was gone within the decade either.

But I did appreciate the tradition. I was furious that Jagr wore 68.

 

Gilmour wore 93, Richer wore 44, Mogilny wore 89...not like exceptions hadn't been made before.

 

Bernie Nicholls wanted to wear 98 and was shot down.

[thecoffeecake]

Gilmour wore 93, Richer wore 44, Mogilny wore 89...not like exceptions hadn't been made before.

Bernie Nicholls wanted to wear 98 and was shot down.

Was all that supposed to make be less furious about it?

[DevsMan84]

Gilmour wore 93, Richer wore 44, Mogilny wore 89...not like exceptions hadn't been made before.

 

Bernie Nicholls wanted to wear 98 and was shot down.

 

Surprising that a player who once scored 150 points in a season got shot down while the others in that group got to have theirs.

[NJDevs26]

I know we are going into a new direction but this goes beyond getting new, younger players and even changing the atmosphere culture like the goal song. This was an agreement between Lou and McMullen. I know Lou is gone but it just doesn't seem right to me, and doesn't really sit well to me that, that agreement I'd now disregarded. You can say it's just a number but Dr. McMullen is pretty much why the Devils are here. That should go beyond what Shero wants. You got to respect tradition while embrace new ideas. Not just tear everything down like the new regime seems to be doing.

And I like Shero so far, the jury is still out on our new owners but...I don't know if I can't fully get behind this. As silly as it sounds because you can just say "it's just a number", it still doesn't sit right to me

 

McMullen was literally three owners ago...how long are they supposed to keep his tradition/superstition, the next 100 years?

 

If 13's good enough for Pavel Datsyuk why should anyone really care?

[NJDevs26]

I am not a fan. I want our team having no #13 and no facial hair.

 

Does any of that stuff really influence on-field stuff or the locker room?  It's odd how stuck up people are on no facial hair when the freaking playoffs are full of mountain men looks.  Yeah it'd be nice to keep it as a playoff thing just cause growing beards wouldn't have as much charm if you already had a beard but still, it's not a requirement for having a successful organization.

[SterioDesign]

Small deal for most people, but my best friend brought a cammo jersey last year. He's pissed

 

well at least from now on players will likely stick with their numbers more, we won't see guys like Josefon with under 200 nhl games with like 4-5 different numbers already

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Surprising that a player who once scored 150 points in a season got shot down while the others in that group got to have theirs.

 

Probably because he wasn't known for it, the way the other three were:  Mogilny wore his number from Day 1, and Richer had worn 44 for all but one game (his debut) as a Canadien.  Gilmour did the old number flip (39 to 93) after he was traded from the Flames to the Leafs, but something about that 93 just seemed to fit him.  Bernie had been best-known as #9 (though he wore #10 and #15 with the Kings before wearing #9 as a King, Ranger, and Oiler) when he came to the Devils.  He wore two numbers as a Devil (#19 his first season (taken by Chorske) and #9 the following (Chorske switched to 17)).