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     I'm on the e mail list of a group of former MSU football players working to get Brad Van Pelt's number 10 retired.  This week marks the one year anniversary of Van Pelt's death at the age of 57.  He last played at MSU in 1972 and went on to 14 great NFL seasons with the New York Giants.

     I've been sent charts comparing Van Pelt's achievements with those of Bubba Smith and George Webster, former Spartans whose numbers have been retired. 

     So what do I recommend?   I recommend numbers not get retired in the first place.  Jerseys in the rafters make for a better solution which is what North Carolina does for all of its basketball stars.  With retired numbers, feelings get hurt-- people agree and disagree whose numbers should and should not be retired.  And jerseys can be useful for recruiting-- promise recruits they can wear the number of a former super star at the school.

     I have no idea if Van Pelt's number will ever be retired-- he is in the MSU athletic hall of fame among six others where he is enshrined.  I don't know who makes the decision.  I don't know if it's a big problem.  But I know 40 football players are working to keep up the pressure on MSU to try and make it happen.  It would have been more effective had the movement been in earnest when Brad was alive.