Clark honors Taylor

Steelers Notebook: Mendenhall injures hamstring as minicamp jinx strikes again (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08125/879004-66.stm)

"Ryan Clark wanted to switch jersey numbers this season, to wear No. 21 in honor of his murdered friend and former teammate, Sean Taylor.

The NFL said no, so Clark must stick with his No. 25 in games, but he has worn No. 21 in minicamp practices this weekend and will continue to do so throughout the 2008 season to honor Taylor.

"I tried to change my number this year, but the NFL wouldn't let me," said Clark, who overcame the loss of his spleen and gall bladder last season to return to the No. 1 spot at free safety this weekend.

"They kind of gave me the run-around about it -- if you do change a number after having it so long and there are jerseys made, you have to buy the other ones. I tried to do that, but they never really got back with me. It is a veteran rule, about having a number for so long. When you go to another team, it's a little different.

"So I'll just wear it in practice."

That's pretty gay, just cause he wore that number for a while shouldn't mean that he is not allowed to change it.

Why exactly won't the NFL let him do that?

Its weird because I dont remember Taylor (of all people) having trouble with the switch from 36 to 21

Yeah I had no idea the NFL could do that, every case I've seen where a player tried to switch their number it was allowed, and if another player had the # that person wanted then they had to reach an agreement on it. That's pretty stupid on the NFL's part, nobody had that number.

Why exactly won't the NFL let him do that?

Its weird because I dont remember Taylor (of all people) having trouble with the switch from 36 to 21

Because it is some veteran rule that if you wear a jersey number for a certain amount of time you have to keep wearing it until you get onto another team.

That sounds like a dumb rule if there ever was one. What exactly is the purpose of that? It sounds like it might be marketing related, that's the only thing I can figure out lol.

That sounds like a dumb rule if there ever was one. What exactly is the purpose of that? It sounds like it might be marketing related, that's the only thing I can figure out lol.

It is because then they have to get all those other number jersey off shelves and put the others, and I guess they don't want to go to the trouble.

It is because then they have to get all those other number jersey off shelves and put the others, and I guess they don't want to go to the trouble.

As bad as this sounds you really have to see where the NFL is coming from. The NFL is a business, it is their objective to make money not lose it. If they have to cut the prices on Clark's old jersey down to a fraction of what it was then they aren't making the money the should be. Not only that but you have to re-make the Clark jerseys w/ the new #. Just keep in mind the NFL is a business.

As bad as this sounds you really have to see where the NFL is coming from. The NFL is a business, it is their objective to make money not lose it. If they have to cut the prices on Clark's old jersey down to a fraction of what it was then they aren't making the money the should be. Not only that but you have to re-make the Clark jerseys w/ the new #. Just keep in mind the NFL is a business.

I doubt it has much bearing in Clark's case. Are there really a bunch (or any) Ryan Clark jerseys for sale? But it probably is a blanket rule for other guys who actually do have jersey's on the shelves.

No Fun League.

This is a sad excuse. I can understand them not allowing players to change their numbers yearly, but there cannot be as many Ryan Clark jerseys on the shelf as there is Hines Ward or Big Ben.

As bad as this sounds you really have to see where the NFL is coming from. The NFL is a business, it is their objective to make money not lose it. If they have to cut the prices on Clark's old jersey down to a fraction of what it was then they aren't making the money the should be. Not only that but you have to re-make the Clark jerseys w/ the new #. Just keep in mind the NFL is a business.

According to the quote above, the player has the option of buying up the unsold jerseys with the old number. Clark said he offered to do that, and the NFL never got back to him.

"They kind of gave me the run-around about it -- if you do change a number after having it so long and there are jerseys made, you have to buy the other ones. I tried to do that, but they never really got back with me. It is a veteran rule, about having a number for so long. When you go to another team, it's a little different.