The case for retiring Matt Bonner’s number

[Splits]

The case for retiring Matt Bonner’s number (https://www.poundingtherock.com/2018/1/10/16871268/matt-bonners-number-15-should-be-retired-san-antonio-spurs)
After all, they retired Bruce Bowen’s...

By Jeph Duarte (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Jeph%20Duarte)@jeph_duarte (https://www.twitter.com/jeph_duarte) Jan 10, 2018, 6:00am CST

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Dyx6Wp56PqSa8qgf1GqfIUcW5hU=/19x267:1786x1420/1200x800/filters:focal(756x1206:1044x1494)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58268805/492691754.jpg.0.jpg

This week marked the one-year anniversary from when Matt Bonner (http://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/21772/matt-bonner) “announced” his retirement.

DMRon2NL0vM

Although Bonner made his announcement in a tongue-and-cheek fashion, there is an argument to be made. And I made it a year ago:

I created a petition to Retire Matt Bonner #15 (https://www.change.org/p/spurs-com-retire-matt-bonner-15?recruiter=668857100&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink) for fans to sign.

Here’s a little of what I wrote:

“Matt Bonner dedicated a decade of his career to the San Antonio Spurs (http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/san-antonio-spurs). He is one of only 6 players to have 10 consecutive years with the Spurs and only 1 of 8 to have 10 at all.

Currently, all of the other players -who have retired- have had their numbers hanging in the rafters.

With the Spurs, it is not just about the numbers and statistical contributions. One cannot log into the history books the impact Bonner made on locker room culture as well as Spurs fandome and San Antonio culinary and arts culture. He became a San Antonion.

But if the ALL TIME stats are what are important:

1st- Bonner ranks #1 in Spurs history for turnover percentage at 7.1%

2 NBA titles with Spurs (2007, 2014)

3rd- Effective Field Goal % .571

4th best Offensive Rating 118.1

4th in both 3-point attempts and 3-point goals leading to Bonner being

5th in 3 point % at .413

8th in games played at 632

and

10th in True Shooting % .584

I truly believe Matt Bonner deserves consideration for having the #15 retired and hanging proudly from the rafters.”

No one spread the floor like Bonner and had the ability to go kamikaze on defenses that didn’t take him seriously.

Matt’s immersion into San Antonio’s music scene, culinary culture, city events keep him in the public eye. As a Sour his continued contributions to the Spurs System in the gym, in the television studio, and in the arena have endeared him to the patrons of the city he calls home

Thus far, only one person has signed the petition: ME!

Andrew Monaco hasn’t signed it. Ric Renner, Bill Land, Sean Elliott, even Matt himself haven’t signed it. I have put it out on Twitter, Facebook, and through email. Admittedly, I don’t have many Twitter followers, I don’t really use Facebook and most of my emails go into people’s junk folders after years of band gig announcements. Still and all.

What do you think? Should the Red Mamba be hanging from the rafters? Honestly, I believe only San Antonio would honor a player of Bonner’s stature. But then, this is San Antonio.


:worthy: Pounding the Cock

[MaNu4Tres]

Jeph Duarte.

/ Thread

[LaMarcus Bryant]

Z5-U-1TWj2U

Skip to the 9:00 mark.

[Spurtacular]

Spread the floor in 2014 WCF Gm 6 and 2015 Finals Gm 5, tbh.

[TheGreatYacht]

Spread the floor in 2014 WCF Gm 6 and 2015 Finals Gm 5, tbh.
Nobody on the Thunder was worried about that pasty scrub.

Thank god Diaw went mini-Lebron

[twincam]

No case, thank you.

[hooperflash]

We gave him a job with FSSW, be happy.

[TheGreatYacht]

The amount of white privilege showcased here :lol

"GAVE the Spurs 10 years of his career" not the other way around LOL. Poor guy had to make $28,000,000 to sit in the bench, warrior. Haven't even brought up how the Spurs even spoon fed him a post-basketball career.... now fanboys want his jersey retired for his 5 points and 2.9 rebounds bc "I mean, they retired Bruce's jersey. A black"

Only Pounding the Cock :lmao

[Chinook]

Bonner doesn't deserve to have his jersey retired, but he is one of the most influential players in NBA history.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

If number 6 is up there, anyone's jersey can be.

[jermaine]

Saaaaay, I've always been a high Matt Bonner fan. I'd love for this to happen

[LittleCriminal]

If number 6 is up there, anyone's jersey can be.

jeezus I totally forgot about number 6..lol

At that time he was the best PG the spurs ever had.
So I can see why they hung his number.

But after the emergence of #9,
all they need to do is turn the #6 banner upside down.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Bonner is the man, F the haters but :lol at his jersey being retired.

[LittleCriminal]

https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/500x/46543158/no-unanimous-decision-hung-jury-case-dismissed.jpg

[Seventyniner]

jeezus I totally forgot about number 6..lol

At that time he was the best PG the spurs ever had.
So I can see why they hung his number.

But after the emergence of #9,
all they need to do is turn the #6 banner upside down.

:lol Well done.

[K...]

I think the year before the team moves to Seattle we should retire all the role players,

[sananspursfan21]

He was my favorite red headed, white, 6'10 power forward :toast

[Proxy]

https://nbcprobasketballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/bonner-e1484282077465.jpg?w=610&h=343&crop=1

putting this somewhere in the arena would be great

[wildbill2u]

Bonner was a blue-collar type of role player. He brought his sandwich of the week to work every day and did the best he could. He was valuable in that role. And he apparently was a very positive member of the team off court as well.

All that being said, he may deserve to be a Spur for life by getting a job with the organization, but not a jersey in the rafters.

[daledondale]

http://gif-finder.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/LeslieDavidBaker.gif

[LakerHater]

If number 6 is up there, anyone's jersey can be.

[Spurtacular]

Nobody on the Thunder was worried about that pasty scrub.

Thank god Diaw went mini-Lebron

Superior specimen and doughnut diet, tbh.

[Spurtacular]

He was my favorite red headed, white, 6'10 power forward :toast

Not Bertans?

[weeks]

Case dismissed

[sananspursfan21]

Not Bertans?


He was my favorite red headed, white, 6'10 power forward :toast

:)

[Dex]

_W4EFrpP3qI

[Brazil]

Matty is hilarious tbh... I miss him... great guy, great teammate

Spurs don't do stuff like the others I'd love them to retire his number

[DAF86]

This is what happens when you set the bar pretty fucking low, tbh.

The number 6 jersey should be retiring with Ginobili, tbh.

[Dverde]

If they retired his number they should remove it during the playoffs. It should disappear like he did.

[Louae]

while i like bonner. his number should not be a candidate for retirement

[UZER]

Pop Sandusky loved him some Bonner.

[lefty20]

I'd do it just to piss off his haters here, tbh.

[Dex]

As a person, I always liked Bonner. Nice guy, seemed pretty funny, played his role and never complained.

As a player, I hated him when he was getting a bigger role than he deserved, but he was a good guy to bring off the bench when needed. Still kinda pissed they kept him over Butler (who very well could've helped the Spurs against the Clips in '15), but it is what it is.

Obviously, he was with the Spurs for a long time and two 'ships, although he played a minor role in both of them (WCF 5 & 6 notwithstanding).

But I feel like the bar should be higher for a retired jersey. Retiring his jersey would be an insult to the likes of Gervin, DRob, and Duncan. Elliott has a great story and was big in 99, Bowen was instrumental to 3 rings, and at least AJ hit his big shot to clinch the Spurs first title.

If Bonner's accomplishments qualify him for the rafters, who's next? Green's been around a while. Mills is going on 7 years. Are we going to retire them too? The Spurs will start running out of playable numbers.