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C LeCharles Bentley (2001 Rimington Award & 2 time Pro Bowler)

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While I want him to have the number change, I still dont want Bush to be allowed to sport #5. Im sure if one gets it their way, so will the other. However, LeCharles motives for number change is much more respectfull than Bush's - who tends to come off a bit more cocky and aggresive about not wanting to switch a number hes had his "entire life." Also, if the numbers do change for both players, Im sure we will see alot of USC banter on how Reggie Bush went from changing the way college football way played to being a huge impact on pro football in his rookie season. Quite frankly, Im not ready to hear anymore about Bush, ESPN wore him out.

But lets hope the best for LeCharles as he is back in the great state of Ohio, playing in a tradition rich team - the Dawg Pound.
 
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AirForceBuck said:
While I want him to have the number change, I still dont want Bush to be allowed to sport #5. Im sure if one gets it their way, so will the other.
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I think there's a significant difference between the requests. Bentley wants to wear "00" to honor Jim Otto, whereas Bush wants to wear "5", well, just because he wants to. Also, at least "00" is a double-digit number, somewhat meeting the current format for OL.
 
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MililaniBuckeye said:
I think there's a significant difference between the requests. Bentley wants to wear "00" to honor Jim Otto, whereas Bush wants to wear "5", well, just because he wants to. Also, at least "00" is a double-digit number, somewhat meeting the current format for OL.
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Thats what Im sayin. But Im sure if Bentley gets his number changed, the Bush camp will feel they are being shorted and will re-petition (if possible?) for allowance? The motives are completely different, and at least Bentley is a NFL vet, not a rookie, riding his overexposure from ESPN.
 
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link

6/14/06

CAM INMAN: INSIDE THE NFL

Bentley's plan to wear '00' gets 86'd by Raiders' Otto

Uniform No. 00, made sacred by Raiders legend Jim Otto, is staying safe on the shelf for another season. That's just the way Otto wants it. No, it's the way he demands it.

Cleveland Browns center LeCharles Bentley petitioned the NFL to change its strict policy on uniform numbers so he could bring "00" out of hibernation and pay homage to Otto. The NFL said no last month, opting not to alter its number system and consequently denying the fellow request of New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush to suit up in his USC No. 5.

Otto called Bentley's "00" pursuit "ridiculous." Then came stronger words from the Hall of Fame center, whose "00" became ingrained in Raiders lore via his 1960-74 playing career.

"To let him wear my number, that I built into a legacy, all it takes is one ounce of coke up his nose and that legacy is gone," Otto said last week in Livermore at a Raiders' golf tournament benefiting Special Olympics.

"I don't know who he is. I played 15 years with the Raiders. He's played, what, three or four years in New Orleans? What kind of legacy would he give double zero? I don't think he should wear it and I don't think anyone in the NFL should wear it."

Otto didn't seem to be implying that Bentley is a drug user, rather Otto was pointing out how a foolish act could damage the "00" image he worked so hard to build. Otto holds the franchise record with 210 consecutive starts and played in 308 games if you count preseason, playoff and all-star games.

Bentley is no slouch, though. He's made the Pro Bowl in two of his four seasons, all of which were with the Saints. A second-round draft pick out of Ohio State, Bentley played two seasons at right guard before returning to his natural spot at center.

"In terms of who LeCharles is, you can make a strong argument he's the best center in the NFL. I don't think he'd tarnish the image (of "00")," Bentley's agent, Neil Schwartz said. "He'd enhance the image and explain the story of 'OO' to kids. Kids today might not know who Jim Otto is. If anything, Charles would know the responsibility of what it would mean to wear 'OO.'"

Bentley, a Cleveland native, wore a "00" Browns jersey at his introductory press conference in March after signing a six-year, $36 million deal, touted as the richest ever for a center. He's also had "00" over his locker this offseason, even though he's No. 57 on the team's Web site.

Bentley turned down an interview request, as he's done with Cleveland-area reporters regarding the jersey issue.

An NFL spokesman said Bentley would not even be allowed to wear "00" in exhibition games because of the league's jersey-numbering system, which began in 1973. The system forbids anyone from wearing "00" or "0," so if you want those numbers, hit the roulette table. The last player to wear "00" was wide receiver Kenny Burrough, who played from 1970-81 and was grandfathered to wear the goose eggs since he had that number prior to 1973.

The NFL's competition committee recommended against number changes for this season but might look into it again in October, committee co-chair Rich McKay said at last month's owners' meeting in Denver.

"There's no real sentiment yet on the committee that there will ever be a change of the system or that there's any need to have a change," McKay said.

Offensive linemen are assigned numbers 50 to 79.

While Bush's quest -- or that of his marketers -- drew most of the attention regarding the jersey-number policy, the decision to keep "OO" out of reach shouldn't be forgotten, nor should Otto's legacy.

Otto, whose No. 00 reflected his palindromic name, relayed his strong feelings about his jersey number to Schwartz and declined to speak with Bentley about it.

Schwartz makes a strong case that Bentley has only the best intentions to wear "00," something Bentley conveyed before free agency.

Schwartz said Bentley told him: "One thing to negotiate is I want to wear '00' and I need management to support me on it. When I was younger, I was a huge Cleveland Browns fan. But I grew up watching NFL Films, and me being an offensive lineman, Jim Otto is who I wanted to represent."

Schwartz said the Browns backed Bentley, and he still holds out hope that Bentley someday will wear "00" so that another generation of fans can recognize Otto's body of work.

It's Otto's war-torn body, however, that gives him the right to fight for his number -- his "00" -- and defend it the way a Hall of Fame lineman protects a quarterback.
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"To let him wear my number, that I built into a legacy, all it takes is one ounce of coke up his nose and that legacy is gone," Otto said last week in Livermore at a Raiders' golf tournament benefiting Special Olympics.
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Otto keeps his "double-ought" jersey right next to his Klan hood.


"I don't know who he is. I played 15 years with the Raiders. He's played, what, three or four years in New Orleans? What kind of legacy would he give double zero? I don't think he should wear it and I don't think anyone in the NFL should wear it."
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So, you arrogant fuck, he should have to play 15 years to establish his legacy before he should have the "honor" of wearing your number? Don't you think that would be a bit late by then to start wearing your number?
 
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There is nothing LeCharles could do while wearing 00 for the Browns that would have any impact on the "legacy" of Jim Otto, whose name means nothing to most anybody born after 1975. The NFL having a strict number-policy is their prerogative, but this geezer's comments are out of line. What a stuffed-shirt.
 
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