Reades And Mitchell Deserving?

GrandGreen · August 1, 2007

I think Rosalyn Reades and Jalie Mitchell selection to the NT athletic hall of fame is certainly well deserved. But I have always wondered why they were honored with the hanging of their jerseys (retirement of numbers?) in the Superpit. No men's team member has every been so honored despite the fact that men's basketball has a much longer history. Yes they played on the most successfully women teams in NT history but the teams never won a conference title (they were division champions) and were basically non-competitive against mediocre level NIT teams. They are all time statistical leaders for NT but the men's team counterpoints have not been so honored.

I am not making the point that they don't deserve the honor, but why were they singled out for this honor when players like Clara Campbell who was the star of the only women's team to go to the NCAA tournament was not. Men like Kenneth Lyons and Joe Hamilton certainly deserve the honor as much if not more. Joe Hamilton was the best player IMO ever at NT and played and was a star in the best conference in American at the time. Kenneth Lyons led the team for all four years and still has as far I know the Southland conference record for scoring in a Southland tournament game. Forty + points against conference MVP and future NBA great Carl Malone. I would also rate players such as Chris Davis and Jessie Ratliff as comparable to Jalie Mitchell and ahead of Rosayln Reades in contributions to NT athletics.

This obviously is not a major issue, and again I applaud Reades and Michell selection to the NT HOF. It just seems to me that the retirement of the jerseys especially when they were still in school was done hastily. Anyone know how and why the decision was made and who made the decision?

drex · August 1, 2007

Title Nine lives.

greenminer · August 1, 2007

Title Nine lives.

?

Green Means Go! · August 1, 2007

I think Jalie and Ros are both very deserving of being in the Hall of Fame.

But, I do see Grand's point. They were good players on a team that basically achieved very little (two WNIT blowouts to .500 teams---Oklahoma State and Washington).

But, once a number is retired.....it's pretty hard to un-retire it.

I've always liked the Cowboys' way of doing things. They don't retire numbers----they set aside numbers that great players have worn, and only dole those out to players that they think will also achieve greatness. For example, Drew Pearson made the number 88 pretty special. So, they never doled that out until they drafted a player who they thought would be very good---Michael Irvin.

emmitt01 · August 1, 2007

I think Rosalyn Reades and Jalie Mitchell selection to the NT athletic hall of fame is certainly well deserved. But I have always wondered why they were honored with the hanging of their jerseys (retirement of numbers?) in the Superpit. No men's team member has every been so honored despite the fact that men's basketball has a much longer history. Yes they played on the most successfully women teams in NT history but the teams never won a conference title (they were division champions) and were basically non-competitive against mediocre level NIT teams. They are all time statistical leaders for NT but the men's team counterpoints have not been so honored.
I am not making the point that they don't deserve the honor, but why were they singled out for this honor when players like Clara Campbell who was the star of the only women's team to go to the NCAA tournament was not. Men like Kenneth Lyons and Joe Hamilton certainly deserve the honor as much if not more. Joe Hamilton was the best player IMO ever at NT and played and was a star in the best conference in American at the time. Kenneth Lyons led the team for all four years and still has as far I know the Southland conference record for scoring in a Southland tournament game. Forty + points against conference MVP and future NBA great Carl Malone. I would also rate players such as Chris Davis and Jessie Ratliff as comparable to Jalie Mitchell and ahead of Rosayln Reades in contributions to NT athletics.
This obviously is not a major issue, and again I applaud Reades and Michell selection to the NT HOF. It just seems to me that the retirement of the jerseys especially when they were still in school was done hastily. Anyone know how and why the decision was made and who made the decision?

I think your argument proves more that the others should have the numbers hanging from the rafters than that Roz and Jalie shouldn't. And as far as Rosalyn Reades, she would be the first on the list that I would retire and induct into the HOF. She was the embodiment of what we want in student athletes. Great player, soul of her team, and an outstanding student and ambassador for the athletic program!

GrandGreen · August 1, 2007

I think your argument proves more that the others should have the numbers hanging from the rafters than that Roz and Jalie shouldn't. And as far as Rosalyn Reades, she would be the first on the list that I would retire and induct into the HOF. She was the embodiment of what we want in student athletes. Great player, soul of her team, and an outstanding student and ambassador for the athletic program!

Your first sentence is somewhat puzzling. My quote "I am not making the point that they don't deserve the honor, but why were they singled out for this honor" seems clear to me. I agree with you that if you based athletic awards based on join academic, athletic, and overall citizenship that NT could not do better than Rosalyn. She not only had a stellar athletic career but was at the time one of two NT students every named a Rhodes Scholarship Semi-Finalist. However academic prowess is usually not a big factor in athletic accolades. Joe Greene without question the most heralded NT athlete of all times did not graduate unless he did after his pro career. Rosalyn was an unique person not only having a solid basketball career but battling back from a major injury. But I do think it is difficult to justify her or Jalie being one of the only two NT basketball players to have their jerseys retired.

emmitt01 · August 1, 2007

Your first sentence is somewhat puzzling. My quote "I am not making the point that they don't deserve the honor, but why were they singled out for this honor" seems clear to me. I agree with you that if you based athletic awards based on join academic, athletic, and overall citizenship that NT could not do better than Rosalyn. She not only had a stellar athletic career but was at the time one of two NT students every named a Rhodes Scholarship Semi-Finalist. However academic prowess is usually not a big factor in athletic accolades. Joe Greene without question the most heralded NT athlete of all times did not graduate unless he did after his pro career. Rosalyn was an unique person not only having a solid basketball career but battling back from a major injury. But I do think it is difficult to justify her or Jalie being one of the only two NT basketball players to have their jerseys retired.

That's my whole point. They shouldn't be the only two with their jerseys retired. They should be among a larger group.