Odeen Domingo
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 9, 2005 12:00 AM
13.
Great, that just doomed this article.
Some people view the No. 13 as bad luck, avoiding it like a telemarketer. Most high-rise hotels skip the 13th floor, and some airplanes don't have a 13th aisle. advertisement
But like the letter "S" on Superman, jersey numbers become a player's identity in the world of sports.
Even the dreaded 13.
Just ask Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.
Warner, like Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino, has had success wearing the No. 13 on his chest. He won two NFL Most Valuable Player awards, a Super Bowl and a Super Bowl MVP with the St. Louis Rams.
"Really, I've had that number for most of my career, and that's where my success has been," said Warner, who was given No. 13 at the University of Northern Iowa because the number he wanted, 12, was already taken.
Warner has never had a problem with someone trying to take his number, but once some players identify with certain digits, they'll pay up for the right to own them.
New York Giants equipment managers call Giants punter Jeff Feagles "the luckiest person they have ever seen." Last season, then-rookie quarterback Eli Manning paid for the Feagles family's one-week vacation to Florida in exchange for No. 10. This year, Feagles received a new outdoor kitchen at his Phoenix home courtesy of Giants free-agent signee Plaxico Burress for No. 17.
Cardinals rookie running back J.J. Arrington is wearing No. 28 instead of the No. 30 he wore at the University of California, where he ran for more 2,000 yards his senior year. Fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo has No. 30, and Arrington won't ask for it.
"No, I'm just glad I have a number," said Arrington, a second-round draft pick who had worn No. 30 since ninth grade. "I'd have it if it was available, but I won't get it unless I pay for it - I don't have enough money right now."
Others will give up, willingly or not, cold, hard cash.
On Monday, Cardinals safety Ifeanyi Ohalete and Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis settled a spat over No. 26.
When Ohalete wore No. 26 with the Redskins last season, Portis agreed to pay him $40,000 for it. Portis paid $20,000 up front but stopped payments after Ohalete was released in August.
Ohalete, who wears No. 25 with the Cardinals because cornerback Robert Tate has No. 26, claimed breach of contract, and the case was to go to court Tuesday in Upper Marlboro, Md.
Ohalete accepted Portis' offer of $18,000 to settle the argument 2 1/2 hours before his flight to Maryland.
Safety Robert Griffith, who signed with the Cardinals as a free agent this year, had to switch his number to 34 because Adrian Wilson has 24, the number Griffith has worn throughout his 12-year NFL career. Griffith talked to Wilson about the prospects of obtaining it, but Wilson would have none of that.
"It's cool," Griffith said. "I could respect that. I know I wouldn't have given it up if I had it. I know I'm not going to be playing for another 12 years, but I'm always going to be No. 24."
Just like Warner will continue to be 13, or "1-3," as he was called in St. Louis.
Maybe reading the numbers as separate digits is the key to defying the bad luck that is No. 13.
Then again, Warner has lost two starting jobs since he won his last NFL MVP award.
And Marino never won a Super Bowl.
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 9, 2005 12:00 AM
13.
Great, that just doomed this article.
Some people view the No. 13 as bad luck, avoiding it like a telemarketer. Most high-rise hotels skip the 13th floor, and some airplanes don't have a 13th aisle. advertisement
But like the letter "S" on Superman, jersey numbers become a player's identity in the world of sports.
Even the dreaded 13.
Just ask Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.
Warner, like Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino, has had success wearing the No. 13 on his chest. He won two NFL Most Valuable Player awards, a Super Bowl and a Super Bowl MVP with the St. Louis Rams.
"Really, I've had that number for most of my career, and that's where my success has been," said Warner, who was given No. 13 at the University of Northern Iowa because the number he wanted, 12, was already taken.
Warner has never had a problem with someone trying to take his number, but once some players identify with certain digits, they'll pay up for the right to own them.
New York Giants equipment managers call Giants punter Jeff Feagles "the luckiest person they have ever seen." Last season, then-rookie quarterback Eli Manning paid for the Feagles family's one-week vacation to Florida in exchange for No. 10. This year, Feagles received a new outdoor kitchen at his Phoenix home courtesy of Giants free-agent signee Plaxico Burress for No. 17.
Cardinals rookie running back J.J. Arrington is wearing No. 28 instead of the No. 30 he wore at the University of California, where he ran for more 2,000 yards his senior year. Fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo has No. 30, and Arrington won't ask for it.
"No, I'm just glad I have a number," said Arrington, a second-round draft pick who had worn No. 30 since ninth grade. "I'd have it if it was available, but I won't get it unless I pay for it - I don't have enough money right now."
Others will give up, willingly or not, cold, hard cash.
On Monday, Cardinals safety Ifeanyi Ohalete and Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis settled a spat over No. 26.
When Ohalete wore No. 26 with the Redskins last season, Portis agreed to pay him $40,000 for it. Portis paid $20,000 up front but stopped payments after Ohalete was released in August.
Ohalete, who wears No. 25 with the Cardinals because cornerback Robert Tate has No. 26, claimed breach of contract, and the case was to go to court Tuesday in Upper Marlboro, Md.
Ohalete accepted Portis' offer of $18,000 to settle the argument 2 1/2 hours before his flight to Maryland.
Safety Robert Griffith, who signed with the Cardinals as a free agent this year, had to switch his number to 34 because Adrian Wilson has 24, the number Griffith has worn throughout his 12-year NFL career. Griffith talked to Wilson about the prospects of obtaining it, but Wilson would have none of that.
"It's cool," Griffith said. "I could respect that. I know I wouldn't have given it up if I had it. I know I'm not going to be playing for another 12 years, but I'm always going to be No. 24."
Just like Warner will continue to be 13, or "1-3," as he was called in St. Louis.
Maybe reading the numbers as separate digits is the key to defying the bad luck that is No. 13.
Then again, Warner has lost two starting jobs since he won his last NFL MVP award.
And Marino never won a Super Bowl.
