when i originally read the title, i thought you were having problems with it unraveling, but the fact that you intentionally removed it is pretty interesting.
One of the reason that the 23 was on there, was because MJ put the 23 on them when he played (which made them PE's)....So you had some PE by having the 23 on the and by removing that, now you just have retros...LOL That why it's 23's on some of the Jay's that came out, those were shoes he played in. Still you have to do what you feel.