25 days of Canuckmas

[Coconuts]

11 minutes ago, Chickenspear said:

Fuck Messier!

 

Almost forgot.

 

It's okay, it's never too early or late to say Fuck Messier

[Kevin Biestra]

 

I think he's fingerbanging Gary Coleman.

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Kevin Biestra

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

 

[4petesake]

18 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

 

12

 

 

[Coconuts]

On the twelth day of Canuckmas, Canucks lore gave to me

 

Mike Corrigan 1971-1972
Ron Stewart 1972
Barry Wilcox 1973
Dan Gloor 1974
Leon Rochefort 1975-1976
Jim Wiley 1977
Rob Flockhart 1978
Stan Smyl 1979-1991

[Kevin Biestra]

1 minute ago, Coconuts said:

On the twelth day of Canuckmas, Canucks lore gave to me

 

Ron Stewart 1972

 

There is some hockey history attached to this former Canuck that might not be very well known nowadays.  He was the guy who was living with Terry Sawchuk when they got into a wrestling match about some rent money or something...Terry Sawchuk fell and had his internal organs injured in the scuffle and died within a couple days.  In the middle of his career.  I mean he was at the tail end of it but he was still an active player in the NHL.

 

Must have haunted Ron Stewart for the rest of his life.  Stewart was a good player.  Over 1300 NHL games, almost 300 goals, three Stanley Cups in a row with Toronto.

[Coconuts]

21 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

There is some hockey history attached to this former Canuck that might not be very well known nowadays.  He was the guy who was living with Terry Sawchuk when they got into a wrestling match about some rent money or something...Terry Sawchuk fell and had his internal organs injured in the scuffle and died within a couple days.  In the middle of his career.  I mean he was at the tail end of it but he was still an active player in the NHL.

 

Must have haunted Ron Stewart for the rest of his life.  Stewart was a good player.  Over 1300 NHL games, almost 300 goals, three Stanley Cups in a row with Toronto.

 

I had no idea, what a horrible thing to happen!

 

Yet another successful player who made a pit stop in Vancouver 

[Kevin Biestra]

57 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

On the twelth day of Canuckmas, Canucks lore gave to me

 

Stan Smyl 1979-1991

 

 

Not much to say about this fellow that hasn't been said over the years but people all these years later do underestimate and overlook his scoring.  His 88 points one season was the Canucks record until that was just barely surpassed by Patrik Sundstrom and then Pavel Bure came along.  He also retired as the Canucks career record holder in pretty much everything...games, goals, points, etc.  If he didn't have the career record for assists and PIMs he was very close (probably a photo finish at the time with Tiger, Snepsts and Butcher for PIMS and Gradin for assists).  Since he got passed by Linden for the career numbers, people didn't really talk about his career totals and team records much anymore...but he once held them.  And the number of Canucks who have scored 88 points in one season is still extremely short.

 

There are notable stories to how he both gained and gave up his captaincy.  Kevin McCarthy was the team captain in 1982 and was injured and (along with Rick Lanz on the blueline) missed the entire playoffs.  Smyl was just named the temporary captain for the playoffs because they needed somebody.  It was more rare back then to have things like a whole season without a captain the way teams do it now while dawdling about the decision.  Anyway, Stan put on the C and the Canucks went to the final.  When the playoffs were over, the organization decided to leave the C on Stan's jersey and Kevin McCarthy was (understandably) insulted.  He didn't pout or anything but quietly asked for a fresh start elsewhere.

 

In 1991 or so when Stan Smyl was getting healthy scratched, he insisted upon relinquishing the captaincy because he felt it wasn't best for the team to have the C on the jersey of someone who wasn't an everyday player.  The guy put the team first in pretty much every way since the day he was drafted.

 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Kevin Biestra

[Kevin Biestra]

1 hour ago, Coconuts said:

On the twelth day of Canuckmas, Canucks lore gave to me

 

Mike Corrigan 1971-1972

 

 

Just worth mentioning I suppose that Corrigan scored over 20 goals in the Canucks' inaugural 1970-71 season.  One of the goal scoring leaders in that first year and one of the first Canucks ever to achieve that milestone.  Went on to score 37 goals a couple years later with the Kings.  The Canucks actually had six 20 goal scorers in that first 1970-71 season...and nobody with 70 points but seven guys with 49-66 (including Corrigan).  They really did a good job of coming together as a bunch of no names and cast offs and scoring by committee.  Corrigan was a significant part of that.  That first Canucks teams had a losing record but they finished ahead of the Detroit Red Wings in their division...a Red Wings team that had Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio and Frank Mahovlich.

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Kevin Biestra

[Coconuts]

1 hour ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

 

Not much to say about this fellow that hasn't been said over the years but people all these years later do underestimate and overlook his scoring.  His 88 points one season was the Canucks record until that was just barely surpassed by Patrik Sundstrom and then Pavel Bure came along.  He also retired as the Canucks career record holder in pretty much everything...games, goals, points, etc.  If he didn't have the career record for assists and PIMs he was very close (probably a photo finish at the time with Tiger, Snepsts and Butcher for PIMS and Gradin for assists).  Since he got passed by Linden for the career numbers, people didn't really talk about his career totals and team records much anymore...but he once held them.  And the number of Canucks who have scored 88 points in one season is still extremely short.

 

There are notable stories to how he both gained and gave up his captaincy.  Kevin McCarthy was the team captain in 1982 and was injured and (along with Rick Lanz on the blueline) missed the entire playoffs.  Smyl was just named the temporary captain for the playoffs because they needed somebody.  It was more rare back then to have things like a whole season without a captain the way teams do it now while dawdling about the decision.  Anyway, Stan put on the C and the Canucks went to the final.  When the playoffs were over, the organization decided to leave the C on Stan's jersey and Kevin McCarthy was (understandably) insulted.  He didn't pout or anything but quietly asked for a fresh start elsewhere.

 

In 1991 or so when Stan Smyl was getting healthy scratched, he insisted upon relinquishing the captaincy because he felt it wasn't best for the team to have the C on the jersey of someone who wasn't an everyday player.  The guy put the team first in pretty much every way since the day he was drafted.

 

 

 

I appreciate your contributions when it comes to Canucks that played in decades past, I'm too young to have actually watched any of them play

 

My understanding of Smyl is that he was basically Linden before Linden was Linden, his importance to the franchise is sometimes understated 

 

When debates as to whether the Canucks have too many retired jerseys or not pop up he's one of the few I always emphasize as belonging in the rafters

Edited December 12, 2023 by Coconuts

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

2 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

I appreciate your contributions when it comes to Canucks that played in decades past, I'm too young to have actually watched any of them play

 

My understanding of Smyl is that he was basically Linden before Linden was Linden, his importance to the franchise is sometimes understated 

 

When debates as to whether the Canucks have too many retired jerseys or not pop up he's one of the few I always emphasize as belonging in the rafters

 

According to online records, Smyl's number was retired in November 1991, where it hung alone for just over 17 years before Trevor's number 16 was retired (in December 2008).  Naslund's was retired not even 2 years later.  I think it says a lot when none had come before, and it took so long before the next one went up.

 

Not to mention the level of dedication he put towards the team.  Basically his whole adult life!  It's not every day that you find someone who has worked for the same employer (and only that employer) for 45 years.

[Sophomore Jinx]

1 hour ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

 

Not much to say about this fellow that hasn't been said over the years but people all these years later do underestimate and overlook his scoring.  His 88 points one season was the Canucks record until that was just barely surpassed by Patrik Sundstrom and then Pavel Bure came along.  He also retired as the Canucks career record holder in pretty much everything...games, goals, points, etc.  If he didn't have the career record for assists and PIMs he was very close (probably a photo finish at the time with Tiger, Snepsts and Butcher for PIMS and Gradin for assists).  Since he got passed by Linden for the career numbers, people didn't really talk about his career totals and team records much anymore...but he once held them.  And the number of Canucks who have scored 88 points in one season is still extremely short.

 

There are notable stories to how he both gained and gave up his captaincy.  Kevin McCarthy was the team captain in 1982 and was injured and (along with Rick Lanz on the blueline) missed the entire playoffs.  Smyl was just named the temporary captain for the playoffs because they needed somebody.  It was more rare back then to have things like a whole season without a captain the way teams do it now while dawdling about the decision.  Anyway, Stan put on the C and the Canucks went to the final.  When the playoffs were over, the organization decided to leave the C on Stan's jersey and Kevin McCarthy was (understandably) insulted.  He didn't pout or anything but quietly asked for a fresh start elsewhere.

 

In 1991 or so when Stan Smyl was getting healthy scratched, he insisted upon relinquishing the captaincy because he felt it wasn't best for the team to have the C on the jersey of someone who wasn't an everyday player.  The guy put the team first in pretty much every way since the day he was drafted.

 

 

I had the great fortune to see the "Steamer" and those others live many, many times. He was the gasoline that drove the team engine back then....the epitome of hard work, class, and toughness...and his offensive skills were definitely underrated.

 

What a cast of characters, seeing the "Tiger" glide on his hockey stick half way down the ice after scoring a goal, or Snepsts with his great sense of humour (one of his nicknames was "Indian", can you imagine that?!? Different times for sure)

 

Sundstrom was as smooth as silk, and Gradin was the original Sedin twin, so slick, he was a great passer and he could score too...and a very humble guy also.

 

After high school, I had season tix from early to late '80's, IIRC they were under $500 per year haha...I remember single game prices were $9/$11/$13 for upper "Green", mid "Blues", and lower "Red" seats in the old Coliseum...they also had cheaper "SRO" seats too...and at every game I would buy the game program, full of stories, stats, etc. for $1 (there was only "Sports Page" on tv or those for info, no internet or tech back then!)...great times.

Edited December 12, 2023 by Sophomore Jinx

[Kevin Biestra]

1 minute ago, Sophomore Jinx said:

I had the great fortune to see the "Steamer" and those others live many, many times. He was the gasoline that drove the team engine back then....the epitome of hard work, class, and toughness...and his offensive skills were definitely underrated.

 

What a cast of characters, seeing the "Tiger" glide on his hockey stick half way down the ice after scoring a goal, or Snepsts with his great sense of humour (one of his nicknames was "Indian", can you imagine that?!? Different times for sure)

 

Sundstrom was as smooth as silk, and Gradin was the original Sedin twin, so slick, he was a great passer and he could score too...and a very humble guy also.

 

After high school, I had season tix from early to late '80's, IIRC they were under $500 per year haha...I remember single game prices were $9/$12/$15 for upper "Green", mid "Blues", and lower "Red" seats in the old Coliseum...they also had cheaper "SRO" seats too...and at every game I would buy the game program, full of stories, stats, etc. for $1 (there was only "Sports Page" on tv or those for info, no internet or tech back then!)...great times.

 

Yeah even the tickets back then were cool.  They would sometimes have a nice crisp picture of game game action between the Canucks and the other team as the main part of the ticket with the seat number and all that at the bottom.

 

Sports Page was great...especially in the 90s with the Shorthouse / Randorf / Taylor etc. lineup.  I've never really seen anything like it since.  It was like three parts sports highlight show and one part Kids in the Hall.  Back then local stations would produce some pretty creative or quality stuff.  Like there was that TV station King in Seattle that had its own Saturday Night Live sketch show Almost Live every week.  Can't really picture any kind of local station going to that kind of trouble nowadays.

[Coconuts]

5 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

According to online records, Smyl's number was retired in November 1991, where it hung alone for just over 17 years before Trevor's number 16 was retired (in December 2008).  Naslund's was retired not even 2 years later.  I think it says a lot when none had come before, and it took so long before the next one went up.

 

Not to mention the level of dedication he put towards the team.  Basically his whole adult life!  It's not every day that you find someone who has worked for the same employer (and only that employer) for 45 years.

 

Over the years I've argued that the Canucks standard for jersey retirement is too low for my liking, if I had my way we'd only have four numbers retired: Smyl, Linden, and the twins. There's an argument for Naslund but I was never on board with Bure, I've been around enough to learn about his impact on the franchise but I'm of the opinion that he lacked the longevity as a Canuck to end up in the rafters. 

 

Smyl was the first in the rafters and his jersey being in the rafters has to be considered within the context of the time. @Kevin Biestra spoke to his impact, he held most Canucks records at one point and was our all-time greatest Canuck when he retired. Smyl benefits from being the first in the rafters, in a way he set the standard for jersey retirement going forward. 

 

Linden went on to surpass him on a number of fronts, and was arguably the greatest Canuck when he retired as well. The twins went on the surpass Linden, doing things that no players had ever done as Canucks. The longevity of these four players combined with their community contributions, their contributions to the organizational culture (to this day), combined with what they did on the ice deservedly has them in the rafters. 

 

Nazzy comes up a bit short for me tbh, but if I had to pick between him and Bure I'd have him in the rafters. But there are legit arguments for Naslund. 

 

Bure was a dynamic talent who almost certainly contributed to the Canucks staying in Vancouver, but he was only here for seven seasons and some of those were cut short. Two of those seasons combined, the 94-95 and 95-96 seasons combine for 59 games played. He has the numbers and the point per game numbers, but for me he lacks to longevity of the others and that's the deciding factor for me. 

[Sophomore Jinx]

1 minute ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Yeah even the tickets back then were cool.  They would sometimes have a nice crisp picture of game game action between the Canucks and the other team as the main part of the ticket with the seat number and all that at the bottom.

 

Sports Page was great...especially in the 90s with the Shorthouse / Randorf / Taylor etc. lineup.  I've never really seen anything like it since.  It was like three parts sports highlight show and one part Kids in the Hall.  Back then local stations would produce some pretty creative or quality stuff.  Like there was that TV station King in Seattle that had its own Saturday Night Live sketch show Almost Live every week.  Can't really picture any kind of local station going to that kind of trouble nowadays.

Excellent points, the tickets were very cool, and always different images/colours...I had a bucket full of stubs, I saved them all but along the way through several moves in my life, they were unfortunately lost...and Sports Page was sooo good, I was always wondering if I liked Randorf or Taylor better, they were both amazing...your analogy was spot on btw. The King Seattle stn. was cool too for sure. 

[Kevin Biestra]

6 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

Over the years I've argued that the Canucks standard for jersey retirement is too low for my liking, if I had my way we'd only have four numbers retired: Smyl, Linden, and the twins. There's an argument for Naslund but I was never on board with Bure, I've been around enough to learn about his impact on the franchise but I'm of the opinion that he lacked the longevity as a Canuck to end up in the rafters. 

 

Smyl was the first in the rafters and his jersey being in the rafters has to be considered within the context of the time. @Kevin Biestra spoke to his impact, he held most Canucks records at one point and was our all-time greatest Canuck when he retired. Smyl benefits from being the first in the rafters, in a way he set the standard for jersey retirement going forward. 

 

Linden went on to surpass him on a number of fronts, and was arguably the greatest Canuck when he retired as well. The twins went on the surpass Linden, doing things that no players had ever done as Canucks. The longevity of these four players combined with their community contributions, their contributions to the organizational culture (to this day), combined with what they did on the ice deservedly has them in the rafters. 

 

Nazzy comes up a bit short for me tbh, but if I had to pick between him and Bure I'd have him in the rafters. But there are legit arguments for Naslund. 

 

Bure was a dynamic talent who almost certainly contributed to the Canucks staying in Vancouver, but he was only here for seven seasons and some of those were cut short. Two of those seasons combined, the 94-95 and 95-96 seasons combine for 59 games played. He has the numbers and the point per game numbers, but for me he lacks to longevity of the others and that's the deciding factor for me. 

 

 

Yeah I would probably have Bure and Naslund as very high level Ring of Honour guys myself.  Basically like where Luongo is at.

 

There was a real rush to retire Naslund because the Twins were about to surpass him in the next year or two as the Canucks statistical career record holders and the strongest case for retiring his jersey was going to vanish.  Anyway...neither Bure or Naslund in the rafters bothers me but it also isn't necessary.  I found it a bit odd to go all the way with them as retired jerseys (and even to fast track Naslund) when there are still several guys who belong in the ROH that can't get a fair shake.

 

Personally I have Snepsts very close to a jersey retirement and possibly above Naslund and Bure in that regard.  He was kind of like the original Smyl, the original city's favorite son, the original face of the franchise.  When the Canucks won the Campbell Bowl in 1982, Stan Smyl wouldn't skate out to accept it unless Snepsts went with him.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Kevin Biestra

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

2 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

Over the years I've argued that the Canucks standard for jersey retirement is too low for my liking, if I had my way we'd only have four numbers retired: Smyl, Linden, and the twins. There's an argument for Naslund but I was never on board with Bure, I've been around enough to learn about his impact on the franchise but I'm of the opinion that he lacked the longevity as a Canuck to end up in the rafters. 

 

Smyl was the first in the rafters and his jersey being in the rafters has to be considered within the context of the time. @Kevin Biestra spoke to his impact, he held most Canucks records at one point and was our all-time greatest Canuck when he retired. Smyl benefits from being the first in the rafters, in a way he set the standard for jersey retirement going forward. 

 

Linden went on to surpass him on a number of fronts, and was arguably the greatest Canuck when he retired as well. The twins went on the surpass Linden, doing things that no players had ever done as Canucks. The longevity of these four players combined with their community contributions, their contributions to the organizational culture (to this day), combined with what they did on the ice deservedly has them in the rafters. 

 

Nazzy comes up a bit short for me tbh, but if I had to pick between him and Bure I'd have him in the rafters. But there are legit arguments for Naslund. 

 

Bure was a dynamic talent who almost certainly contributed to the Canucks staying in Vancouver, but he was only here for seven seasons and some of those were cut short. Two of those seasons combined, the 94-95 and 95-96 seasons combine for 59 games played. He has the numbers and the point per game numbers, but for me he lacks to longevity of the others and that's the deciding factor for me. 

 

I take the slightly opposing position of:

- Bure's number should have been retired before Naslund's (if Naslund's number was to be retired)

- Naslund's body of work - while impressive - does not warrant a number retirement

- Luongo's number should be retired as well, on a shared basis with Kirk McLean (same or separate banners)

 

I agree that the Sedins should have their numbers retired, given their body of work and their HoF recognition.

 

Rationale:

- Bure is in the HHOF and that gives him a leg up on Naslund

- Bure's style of play created excitement, you came to expect something extraordinary to happen every time he touched the puck

- Luongo and McLean both had impressive careers as our backstoppers and their recognition should go above that of a simple RoH entry - plus much of Luongo's HoF-worthy career was the result of his time with the Canucks.

 

The only spot where I draw the line on HoF being automatic consideration for number retirement with the team is that Mark guy who never should have worn our jersey.  

[Coconuts]

2 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

 

Yeah I would probably have Bure and Naslund as very high level Ring of Honour guys myself.  Basically like where Luongo is at.

 

There was a real rush to retire Naslund because the Twins were about to surpass him in the next year or two as the Canucks statistical career record holders and the strongest case for retiring his jersey was going to vanish.  Anyway...neither Bure or Naslund in the rafters bothers me but it also isn't necessary.  I found it a bit odd to go all the way with them as retired jerseys (and even to fast track Naslund) when there are still several guys who belong in the ROH that can't get a fair shake.

 

 

They've fumbled the ROH a bit, which isn't to say I take issue with anyone they've put in there thus far, it just seems like something that gathers dust when there are several players they could be putting up and honoring. The ROH was a unique idea, they should be utilizing it more.

 

But yeah, the Nazzy bit was a weird one, I think very highly of him but I don't that retirement as necessary. I'm not gonna argue it isn't deserved, he ticks the boxes I look for (perhaps just not as much as I'd like). 

 

Bure was a strange one because he's largely been distant from the organization for ages. There are other franchises around the league who have great players who didn't end up getting retire too, I view him as a high ROH guy myself as well. Felt like his retirement was a bit of an Aquilini pet project. 

 

Part of my only having Smyl, Linden, and the twins in the rafters also boils down to my feeling we have too many retired numbers in the rafters for a franchise that's never won a championship.

[Coconuts]

2 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

I take the slightly opposing position of:

- Bure's number should have been retired before Naslund's (if Naslund's number was to be retired)

- Naslund's body of work - while impressive - does not warrant a number retirement

- Luongo's number should be retired as well, on a shared basis with Kirk McLean (same or separate banners)

 

I agree that the Sedins should have their numbers retired, given their body of work and their HoF recognition.

 

Rationale:

- Bure is in the HHOF and that gives him a leg up on Naslund

- Bure's style of play created excitement, you came to expect something extraordinary to happen every time he touched the puck

- Luongo and McLean both had impressive careers as our backstoppers and their recognition should go above that of a simple RoH entry - plus much of Luongo's HoF-worthy career was the result of his time with the Canucks.

 

The only spot where I draw the line on HoF being automatic consideration for number retirement with the team is that Mark guy who never should have worn our jersey.  

 

If Lou had stayed longer I'd agree, but his loyalties were a bit too shared for me 

 

Should be in the ring though, absolutely

 

The other bit is he shares that number with McLean, who's a Canuck great in his own right, it's easier to just have them both in the ring 

 

I understand your argument for Bure, but the HHOF doesn't really impact my Canucks tinted lens when it comes to jersey retirement, in part because of his contributions in Florida helping him get in in the first place 

 

Ideally Bure and Naslund would have been ROH but I don't make these decisions  

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

3 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

boils down to my feeling we have too many retired numbers in the rafters for a franchise that's never won a championship.

 

Maybe something needs to be created that provides a category between number retirement and RoH recognition?  Though, I'm not sure how that would work.

[Kevin Biestra]

3 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

I take the slightly opposing position of:

- Bure's number should have been retired before Naslund's (if Naslund's number was to be retired)

- Naslund's body of work - while impressive - does not warrant a number retirement

- Luongo's number should be retired as well, on a shared basis with Kirk McLean (same or separate banners)

 

I agree that the Sedins should have their numbers retired, given their body of work and their HoF recognition.

 

Rationale:

- Bure is in the HHOF and that gives him a leg up on Naslund

- Bure's style of play created excitement, you came to expect something extraordinary to happen every time he touched the puck

- Luongo and McLean both had impressive careers as our backstoppers and their recognition should go above that of a simple RoH entry - plus much of Luongo's HoF-worthy career was the result of his time with the Canucks.

 

The only spot where I draw the line on HoF being automatic consideration for number retirement with the team is that Mark guy who never should have worn our jersey.  

 

 

I personally view Hall of Fame and jersey retirements as almost irrelevant to each other.  Great players like Larry Murphy, Mike Gartner, Dino Ciccarelli, Dave Andreychuk etc. are Hall of Famers but bounced around so much they never developed deep roots in any one city.  Papa was a rolling stone, wherever he laid his hat was home...

 

On the other hand a guy like Ken Daneyko in New Jersey isn't a Hall of Famer and not terribly close to being one either, but he played all 20 of his NHL seasons as a New Jersey Devil and very much ought to be in the rafters.  For me the Hall of Fame makes its decisions and that doesn't have a whole lot to do with whether a player had the longevity and character and contributions to a given team to belong up in the rafters.

 

Bure and Luongo didn't bounce around like Larry Murphy...but they basically had half of their career in Vancouver.  And in Bure's case that was half of a pretty short career.

 

I've always felt that Kirk McLean and Roberto Luongo deserve the same treatment.  #1 in the rafters for their achievements combined is fine.  There's something about #1 though where it's the sort of thing I might only retire if someone like Terry Sawchuk or Jacques Plante wore it in one city for all or almost all of his entire career.  You're literally taking "the goalie's number" out of circulation forever.

 

[Coconuts]

5 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

Maybe something needs to be created that provides a category between number retirement and RoH recognition?  Though, I'm not sure how that would work.

 

Yeah, that's a tough one

 

They could always put up statues of players outside the arena or something

 

My bar for retirement is definitely higher, but there are several Canucks who could easily be put into the ring, a few probably play for us now in Boeser, Demko, and Miller (if the first two extend) 

 

Pettersson and Hughes are the only current Canucks I view as having a shot at jersey retirement 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Coconuts

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

1 minute ago, Coconuts said:

They could always put up statues of players outside the arena or something

 

And have their heads shit on for time eternal?  

 

That would be my reason for not having a statue of me made - or if there was a reason for someone to make one for me (not that I have a career worthy of one) I'd make sure it was an INDOORS ONLY statue.  

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

 

 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]