The # 5

#26
#26
whobethis16 said:
Find me the link that says he was an SI 1st Team All-American. Every single bio and information I found on him doesn't have that listed. Everything is consensus 2nd team. Also where it says the John Wooden is accepted.
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There's a Knoxville News Sentinel article that states John Wooden counts as 1st team, it's where the quote from Tom Satkowiak comes from in which UT acknowledged Lofton met the criteria.

In the November 21st, 2007 issue of Sports Illustrated, Lofton is named 1st team All-America. Screenshot_20220202-190232_Chrome.jpg
 
#27
#27
jackaro said:
The requirements are not arbitrary, they are there for a reason. Follow this link for a list of players that did equal or better than Lofton in their career at Tennessee. Should we retire all their jersey's as well? Lofton was a good player, a good man, was fun to watch and easy to root for but the standard for a retired number is, and should be, higher than what he accomplished.
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How much higher can it be than multiple year All-American, SEC PoY, SEC major record holder, top 4 in points scored in school history? The standard being much higher basically means no jersey would ever be retired for anyone.
 
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#28
#28
VolArmy74 said:
There's a Knoxville News Sentinel article that states John Wooden counts as 1st team, it's where the quote from Tom Satkowiak comes from in which UT acknowledged Lofton met the criteria.

In the November 21st, 2007 issue of Sports Illustrated, Lofton is named 1st team All-America. View attachment 432239
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So he was named an All-American before the season started? And there was no 11/21/2007 issue.

2000s
 
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#30
#30
TheMookieMonster said:
Chris Lofton might not meet the arbitrary requirements we set for the rules to be retired, but it’s hard to think of many more iconic players or guys who did more for Tennessee Basketball than Chris Lofton.

He did so much.
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Still my favorite basketball player to ever wear the orange.
 
#31
#31
whobethis16 said:
Tennessee Retired Jerseys

A student-athlete will be eligible for consideration if they achieve three of the five criteria listed below:

  • SEC Player of the Year
  • National Award (Player of the Year, Sullivan, or similar honor)
  • First-Team All-American
  • Career record holder in a significant category (as determined by the committee) at the UT, SEC, or national level upon completion of career
  • National championship during tenure
  • There is a nominating committee that will determine when an individual will be honored with a retired jersey, and any member of the committee can bring a nomination. The composition of that committee includes the Faculty Athletics Representative, Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics, the sport administrator of the selected sport, the media relations contact for selected sport or the associate athletics director/communications (or designee), and the senior woman administrator.
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Greatest shooter when covered in NCAA history. Yes that includes Curry.
 
#33
#33
jackaro said:
The requirements are not arbitrary, they are there for a reason. Follow this link for a list of players that did equal or better than Lofton in their career at Tennessee. Should we retire all their jersey's as well? Lofton was a good player, a good man, was fun to watch and easy to root for but the standard for a retired number is, and should be, higher than what he accomplished.
Click to expand...
Okay, from that link, which is a completely subjective "metric," 4 of the 6 people ahead of him already have their jerseys retired. That list has Ron Widby ahead of him, which is a joke, since he mostly played football. Only scored 576 career points. Reggie Johnson was a good player, but hard to argue he had a better career than Lofton. Lofton was a 4 time All-America (two 3rd teams, two 2nd teams), which I imagine hasn't been done often at UT if ever (Note only a Rivals 3rd team All-America as a Freshman). So according to the list he's certainly been SEC player of the year, still holds a major statistical milestone (Most 3 pointers in SEC history by a wide margin), arguably a first team All-America if you count the Wooden one, if not he would just have to be selected by a nominating committee.

Plus if you factor in his story like playing through cancer treatments and bring Tennessee basketball back into relevance, I would find it hard to believe a nominating committee wouldn't select him. I was hoping Admiral would be the last person to wear the #5, but obviously not. Also, again going back to your list, it seems pretty clear that Lofton is the 5th best player in UT history, with the 4 ahead of him having their jerseys retired. I see no reason to think that he shouldn't be on that list.
 
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#34
#34
rdk4121 said:
Okay, from that link, which is a completely subjective "metric," 4 of the 6 people ahead of him already have their jerseys retired. That list has Ron Widby ahead of him, which is a joke, since he mostly played football. Only scored 576 career points. Reggie Johnson was a good player, but hard to argue he had a better career than Lofton. Lofton was a 4 time All-America (two 3rd teams, two 2nd teams), which I imagine hasn't been done often at UT if ever (Note only a Rivals 3rd team All-America as a Freshman). So according to the list he's certainly been SEC player of the year, still holds a major statistical milestone (Most 3 pointers in SEC history by a wide margin), arguably a first team All-America if you count the Wooden one, if not he would just have to be selected by a nominating committee.

Plus if you factor in his story like playing through cancer treatments and bring Tennessee basketball back into relevance, I would find it hard to believe a nominating committee wouldn't select him. I was hoping Admiral would be the last person to wear the #5, but obviously not. Also, again going back to your list, it seems pretty clear that Lofton is the 5th best player in UT history, with the 4 ahead of him having their jerseys retired. I see no reason to think that he shouldn't be on that list.
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Wooden doesn't name a first team or second team. Mid season they name 30 players. At the end they pare the list to 10 players for the final AA team. UT recognizes that as 1st team and a school representative told the KNS that Lofton is eligible per Tennessee standards for the honor. Its just a matter of when.
 
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#36
#36
The Dog said:
If a ref told me that, I would shoot out of spite
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Widby was only a punter in football, he was a 3-time all-SEC and SEC player of the year, his senior year. Don't be dissing my fellow Fulton Falcon.
Edit: quoted the wrong poster, he we go
 
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#37
#37
rdk4121 said:
Okay, from that link, which is a completely subjective "metric," 4 of the 6 people ahead of him already have their jerseys retired. That list has Ron Widby ahead of him, which is a joke, since he mostly played football. Only scored 576 career points. Reggie Johnson was a good player, but hard to argue he had a better career than Lofton. Lofton was a 4 time All-America (two 3rd teams, two 2nd teams), which I imagine hasn't been done often at UT if ever (Note only a Rivals 3rd team All-America as a Freshman). So according to the list he's certainly been SEC player of the year, still holds a major statistical milestone (Most 3 pointers in SEC history by a wide margin), arguably a first team All-America if you count the Wooden one, if not he would just have to be selected by a nominating committee.

Plus if you factor in his story like playing through cancer treatments and bring Tennessee basketball back into relevance, I would find it hard to believe a nominating committee wouldn't select him. I was hoping Admiral would be the last person to wear the #5, but obviously not. Also, again going back to your list, it seems pretty clear that Lofton is the 5th best player in UT history, with the 4 ahead of him having their jerseys retired. I see no reason to think that he shouldn't be on that list.
Click to expand...
The Dog said:
Widby was only a punter in football, he was a 3-time all-SEC and SEC player of the year, his senior year. Don't be dissing my fellow Fulton Falcon.
Edit: quoted the wrong poster, he we go
Click to expand...
There we go.
Btw, that 576 points was in one year, probably his All-America year when he averaged 22 ppg
 
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#38
#38
The Dog said:
There we go.
Btw, that 576 points was in one year, probably his All-America year when he averaged 22 ppg
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"He was named a second-team All-American in basketball, and was also the SEC's basketball Player of the Year.[5] He scored 50 points in his last regular season game against Louisiana State University, finishing his college career with 576 points." - from his Wikipedia.

Edit: At the conclusion of his three-year basketball career under head coach Ray Mears, Widby ranked second on Tennessee's all-time scoring list with 1,432 career points (18.1 ppg). He was All-SEC 2 times, not 3 times.

Definitely a Tennessee HoF, but not for any one particular sport. Mainly the fact he lettered in 4 sports, and got drafted in 3 separate professional drafts.
 
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#40
#40
whobethis16 said:
Tennessee Retired Jerseys

A student-athlete will be eligible for consideration if they achieve three of the five criteria listed below:

  • SEC Player of the Year
  • National Award (Player of the Year, Sullivan, or similar honor)
  • First-Team All-American
  • Career record holder in a significant category (as determined by the committee) at the UT, SEC, or national level upon completion of career
  • National championship during tenure
  • There is a nominating committee that will determine when an individual will be honored with a retired jersey, and any member of the committee can bring a nomination. The composition of that committee includes the Faculty Athletics Representative, Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics, the sport administrator of the selected sport, the media relations contact for selected sport or the associate athletics director/communications (or designee), and the senior woman administrator.
Click to expand...


  • SEC Player of the Year
  • First-Team All-American
  • Career record holder in a significant category (as determined by the committee) at the UT, SEC, or national level upon completion of career

    Lofton was an All-American once, won the SEC POY, and is the career record holder for 3 pointers made.
 
#41
#41
rdk4121 said:
He was All-SEC 2 times, not 3 times.

Definitely a Tennessee HoF, but not for any one particular sport. Mainly the fact he lettered in 4 sports, and got drafted in 3 separate professional drafts.
Click to expand...

No. Widby was All-SEC in basketball EVERY one of his 3 years. In his sophomore year in 1964-65 he was 2nd team. The first team was Joe Newton (Auburn), Bob Andrews (Bama), Clyde Lee (Vandy), Dick Maile (LSU), and AW Davis (Tennessee). Widby was one of the 2 forwards on the 5-man second team. Now the all-SEC team is 8 players on the “First Team” and 8 players on the second team without consideration of their position.
 
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