Should Cowboys fans “hate” or “celebrate” CeeDee Lamb getting #88?
When CeeDee Lamb announced that he will wear #88 for the Dallas Cowboys, the reaction by many fans came as somewhat as a surprise. The number 88 has a rich history with the Dallas Cowboys and it has become somewhat of a tradition for prominent wide receivers to wear that number. Drew Pearson was the original 88, followed by Michael Irvin, most recently Dez Bryant, and now CeeDee Lamb is the next man up to carry on the tradition. Much like the #10 is sacred with professional soccer players, #88 has a special meaning with the Dallas Cowboys. Being chosen to wear 88 is a huge honor for players and with that honor comes great responsibility and a lot of pressure. Why then are several Dallas Cowboy fans so upset that the newest edition to the club will wear that number?
CeeDee Lamb Dallas Cowboys Jersey
The biggest reason is that three generations of fans hold that number sacred and feel that it is worthy of being retired. Old school Cowboys fans associate it with Drew Pearson, fans from the 90’s: Michael Irvin, and for younger fans it’s Dez Bryant. Perhaps that last group are those who are the most conflicted. Maybe it is just too soon and maybe for several fans hoping for a Dez Bryant/Dallas Cowboys reunion this was the final nail in the coffin to kibosh that rumor. I get it, when Dez and Irvin got #88, there were a few years in between to buffer fans and prepare them for a new 88 to step in and carry on the tradition. With the memory of Dez still fresh on the minds of Cowboy fans and the constant rumors of him coming back it may in fact be too soon to embrace a new #88 for those fans.
Another reason could simply be cosmetic. I personally got used to the idea of having the whole WR room sporting numbers in the teens. Amari Cooper #19, Michael Gallup #13, and CeeDee Lamb #10. At least that was what he originally said his number choice would be until it was floated out by Jerry Jones that he should wear #88. Maybe Jerry pressured him or maybe Jerry just gave him the blessing because CeeDee Lamb did not want to disrespect the great Dez Bryant. Either way, with the choice of jersey #88 instead of jersey #10, Lamb will stick out like a sore thumb from the rest of the group.
Lastly, there is a contingent of fans that believe giving CeeDee Lamb #88 is not a great decision for him or for the team psyche. They may feel that wearing #88 puts too much pressure on the kid to perform right away. He was a first round pick and already has lofty expectations with his level of talent and playing for the high profile team that selected him. Why add to that pressure when there is already a lot of competition for targets with a talented group of wide receiver on the roster? Speaking of other receivers on the roster, is it disrespectful to Amari Cooper for the Cowboys to offer #88 to CeeDee Lamb when Cooper just got paid like a number one wide receiver?
Some of these arguments appear to make some sense but in reality a lot of fans are blowing this way out of proportion. If Amari Cooper wanted #88, he would have chosen it when he was traded to Dallas. Instead, he wanted to make his own mark. If the Dallas Cowboys were going to bring back Dez Bryant, they would have done so already. If Dez still wanted to come back, I am sure he would either work something out with CeeDee Lamb or just settle for another number. As for CeeDee Lamb, a guy who had an incredible career at Oklahoma wearing two different uniform numbers, I am sure he will succeed no matter what number is on his back. The bottom line is, he is a big time player who was given the honor of being the next #88. The fact that he embraced the challenge to live up to the legacy of that number should give Dallas Cowboys fans even more confidence that the team made the right decision by drafting him.
*Photo by Brett Elliott https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
** Photo by Kieth Allison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode
***Image by Korye Logan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/