Killion: New 49er won't wear Rice's No. 80
By Ann Killion
Mercury News
Article Launched: 03/13/2008 03:28:23 AM PDT
Put down the torches, folks. No reason to form an angry mob outside 4949 Centennial Blvd.
Isaac Bruce won't be wearing No. 80.
The 49ers, usually tone-deaf when it comes to honoring their past, put this percolating issue to rest Wednesday.
Jersey numbers will be assigned next week, but no sacrilege will take place. There will be no blasphemy when Bruce gets dressed for his first practice.
"Isaac Bruce will not be wearing No. 80," team spokesman Aaron Salkin said. "We are leaving it in honor of Jerry Rice's legacy."
That's nice. Now let's get to the more important part of the legacy-preserving: When is the jersey retirement ceremony?
Ever since Bruce signed with the 49ers two weeks ago, the question has been lingering about which number he would wear. Bruce wore No. 80 throughout his stellar career with the St. Louis Rams and didn't automatically say the appropriate thing when the question was asked. No 49er in his right mind would ever consider donning No. 80, but Bruce never said that.
On blogs and talk shows, the issue had legs. The image of another 49ers wide receiver running around in No. 80 was just too weird not to generate interest. Even Rice weighed in and kept the story going, by giving his blessing if Bruce wanted to wear the number.
Rice, however, was only doing what Steve Largent had done for him when Rice signed with Seattle in 2004. Back then, I ripped Rice for accepting Largent's offer to wear No.
80 for the Seahawks, speculating what it would be like if Isaac Bruce came to the 49ers and asked permission to do the same thing.
FULL STORY
http://www.mercurynews.com/49ers/ci_8556931