Retiring "numbers"

I read in Sunday's paper (registration is required) that the Wachovia center in Philadelphia hung banners, usually reserved for retired numbers of sports figures, for Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and other entertainers. They used the number of sold-out shows in the city's arenas on the banner. A few weeks earlier, I was listening to the Wing Bowl (a wing eating contest) on 610 WIP (the local sports talk station) and they announced they "retired" Bill Simmon's, otherwise known as El Wingador, "number" with a banner in the rafters. I think they used the number of times he won the Wing Bowl as his "number."

Isn't it a bit sad, that we (Philly) have resorted to "retiring" numbers of aging rock stars and wing-eating fat men. Twenty-some years without a championship. The most recent Philadelphia athlete to have his number retired is Reggie White, who enjoyed his championship season elsewhere.