Bruce the go-ahead to wear No. 80

[RamWraith]

From Rotoworld:

Isaac Bruce-WR-***** Mar. 9 - 6:04 pm et

Jerry Rice has given Isaac Bruce the go-ahead to wear No. 80 for the *****.
"I have always respected Isaac Bruce," Rice said. Somehow the number was never retired, but no 49er has worn it since Rice's last year in San Francisco (2000). Bruce, who ranks third all-time in receiving yards behind only Rice and Tim Brown, has worn the No. 80 all 14 seasons he's been in the league.

[thoey]

Wow, I am both impressed and disgusted with this information...

[Striped_Kramer]

Awesome. Gonna look mighty strange seeing that number out there again, though...

[Ramblin` Ram]

am still too deep in mourning to discuss the rev.


altho i dont agree with retiring numbers...in the context of what its supposed to represent,i can`t believe they havent retired jerry rice`s number!

[moklerman]

Nice gesture by Rice. Man, it's certainly hard to acknowledge is class when he torched the Rams soooooo many times.

[Keenum]

Kind of neat, Bruce has taken the #80 of 2 NFL legends, first Ellard, now Rice.

Here's the small article from PFT about it:

RICE SAYS IT'S OKAY FOR BRUCE TO WEAR NO. 80
When receiver Jerry Rice signed with the Seahawks and asked Hall of Famer Steve Largent to permit Rice to un-retire No. 80 several years ago, we wondered whether Rice would allow the Niners to re-issue No. 80 to another player.
Surprisingly, Rice says that he has no problem with the Niners permitting receiver Isaac Bruce to sport Rice's old number in 2008.
"I have always respected Isaac Bruce," Rice recently said on Sirius NFL Radio. "I don't know what is going to happen in that scenario but if it was left up to me I would say, 'Yeah.' For Steve Largent to do what he did for me he showed me a side of him where I just feel like I have to do the same thing. He set the standard. It would be left up to Isaac and myself to sit down and talk or if the ***** decide to do something like that it is OK with me."
Then again, the Niners have yet to retire Rice's number. And that might actually be the bigger story here. John Brodie, Joe Montana, Joe Perry, Jimmy Johnson, Hugh McElhenny, Ronnie Lott, Charlie Krueger, Leo Nomellini, Bob St. Clair, and Dwight Clark all have had their numbers retired by the *****. But, for some reason, the guy who arguably was the greatest player in NFL history at any position has yet to be honored with having his number formally set aside.

[tomahawk247]

Jerry Rice put himself in this position when he asked Largent to if he could wear the 80 in Seattle. If he didnt let Bruce wear it there would have been uproar, so its not as much of a classy gesture as it is saving face on the part of Rice.

[jkramsfan]

they retired Clarks number and not Jerry Rice's number,thats a little strange.

[Striped_Kramer]

Technically, we haven't even gotten around to officially retiring Steve Young's number yet (regardless of what Wikipedia or sportsecyclopedia.com says). and he's already in the Hall... so yeah, we're definitely running a little behind.

[Mooselini]

It's good that Rice is allowing Bruce to wear that number. It must mean alot to him.

[Ramer]

I agree with tomahawk247, Rice has to let Bruce wear # 80. If he didn't he would look really bad.

[rammiser]

I just threw up in my mouth. Well at least we still dont have to worry about him catching a lot of balls I mean who's gonna throw to him? Alex Smith or Shaun Hill LOL not really worried.

[Mooselini]

I just threw up in my mouth. Well at least we still dont have to worry about him catching a lot of balls I mean who's gonna throw to him? Alex Smith or Shaun Hill LOL not really worried.

Seeming how they beat us last year...I'm worried.

[LA Rammer]

Interesting that they (WHINERS) never retired that number. Sorry Bruce but that number will see the turf, not the endzone.

From friend to foe! He's gonna try to light up the score board, NOT IN OUR HOUSE!

Martz and Bruce are going down like silly clowns!!!

GO RAMS 2008

[txramsfan]

What's the big deal? The number isn't retired. Jerry Rice really has no say in the matter. Well, we all know he does but why if it isn't retired?