Otto Rips Bently's Request

Last month, a request by the Saints' Reggie Bush for deviation from the NFL's uniform numbering system was denied by the league. Lost in the hype surrounding Bush's quest to wear No. 5 on his back, however, was a similar overture by Browns' center LeCharles Bently involving No. 00, which was made famous by Oakland Raiders' great Jim Otto.

The league's policy, adopted in 1973, prohibits the use of double zeroes by any player. And through some rather callous comments made last week at a Raiders' golf tournament benefiting Special Olympics, Otto made it clear he wants his playing number to remain in mothballs.

"To let him wear my number, that I built into a legacy, all it takes is one ounce of coke up his nose and that legacy is gone," Otto said last week in Livermore at a Raiders' golf tournament benefiting Special Olympics.

"I don't know who he is. I played 15 years with the Raiders. He's played, what, three or four years in New Orleans? What kind of legacy would he give double zero? I don't think he should wear it and I don't think anyone in the NFL should wear it."

An argument can be made for or against Bentley wearing double goose eggs. But Otto's comments are ripe with arrogance. Yes, he is an NFL legend. But his career does not merit a league-wide retirement of his number when the likes of Jim Brown, Walter Payton, and Jerry Rice haven't received similar consideration. The current system will keep the number shelved for now, but not because Otto is deserving of the distinction over other NFL greats.

And regardless of whether or not it was Otto's intent to imply Bentley is a drug abuser, he owes the man a public apology for even suggesting such a thing.

We hear a lot about the selfishness of today's athlete. Apparently some of yesterday's ball players are afflicted with the same condition.