Well, let me tell you somethin’ about this here jersey number 6 in football. Now, I ain’t no expert, but I’ve seen a thing or two in my day, and I’ve heard folks talkin’ ’bout it around.
This number 6, it ain’t just any old number, ya see. It’s like, you know, when you got that one hen that lays the best eggs? That’s what this number 6 is like in football. It’s special, got a real important job to do. They say that number 6, he’s the one that sits back there in the middle of the field. They call ’em a “deep-lying” somethin’ or other…midfielder, I reckon. Sounds fancy, don’t it? But all it means is he’s the guy holdin’ down the fort.
He’s like the mama hen watchin’ over her chicks, makin’ sure nobody sneaks in and steals ’em. He’s gotta be tough, gotta be smart, gotta be able to see the whole field and know what’s happenin’ before it even happens. He stops the other guys from gettin’ through. Just like those mean old roosters tryin’ to get into the henhouse. And he gives the ball to them other fellas, the number 8s, so they can score.
They say sometimes there’s just one of these number 6 fellas, and he’s got two number 8s up front helpin’ him out. Like a little family, workin’ together. It’s like when you got your kids helpin’ you out on the farm, each one with their own chores to do.
- He’s gotta be strong as an ox.
- He’s gotta be quick as a rabbit.
- And he’s gotta be smarter than a fox.
Then I heard somethin’ ’bout this other football, the kind with the pointy ball. They use numbers, too, but it’s all different. They got numbers for each spot where the players stand. It’s like givin’ each chicken a different name based on where they like to roost. Makes it easier for the folks watchin’ to know who’s who and what’s what. And those game men in the stripes, they make sure the players are standin’ in their right spots. Like keepin’ chickens in their coops! This fella Diggs, playin’ for Seattle, he’s wearin’ number 6, too. They say he’s a good one.
Now, I heard somethin’ else, too, ’bout this jersey number 6. It ain’t just football, though. It’s that game where they bounce the ball and throw it in a hoop – basketball. Seems like everybody’s wearin’ a little patch with the number 6 on their shirts. It’s like when we all wear our Sunday best to church, showin’ respect. They’re doin’ it to honor some fella named Bill Russell. Must’ve been a real important guy, a real good player, to get that kind of treatment. They say he won a whole bunch of them championships, eleven of ’em! That’s like winnin’ the blue ribbon at the county fair eleven times in a row. Must’ve been somethin’ else.
This Bill Russell, he wore that number 6 his whole time playin’. Played for a team called the Boston somethin’ or other. That’s a long time to be playin’ a game. Like tendin’ to the same garden year after year. Must’ve loved it somethin’ fierce.
- This Bill Russell fella, he was a champion, they say.
- Won more prizes than you can shake a stick at.
- And he wore that number 6 the whole time.
And now they’re sayin’ nobody else can wear that number 6 in that bouncy ball game. It’s like retirin’ your best milk cow, lettin’ her live out her days in peace. They’re doin’ it to honor that Bill Russell, showin’ how much they respected him. It’s a big deal, I reckon. They don’t do that for just anybody. This fella was important. I think he did somethin’ special for people, too, not just playin’ that game. Somethin’ about rights, civil rights. Well, that’s important. Treatin’ people right, that’s what matters.
I remember one time, they changed the look of them shirts them 76ers boys wear. Made ’em red, mostly. They always changin’ things up, tryin’ somethin’ new. Like paintin’ the barn a different color just for a change of pace. Keeps things interestin’, I suppose.
So, this jersey number 6, it’s more than just a number, ya see. It’s got a lot of meanin’ behind it, ‘specially in that basketball. That number is all about that Bill Russell. And in football, that number 6 is your tough guy, holdin’ down the middle. It’s a good number, I reckon. A number with a story to tell.
Anyways, that’s all I know ’bout that number 6. It’s just what I’ve heard folks talkin’ ’bout. Hope it makes some sense to ya. It ain’t always easy to explain these things, but I tried my best. You know, it’s like tryin’ to explain to a chicken why the sky is blue. They just don’t get it, but it’s still there, still important in its own way, just like this number 6.
