Official's Facial Hair

[som44]

I have a goatee and I wear glasses..does not seem to bother anyone..maybe I am just lucky and the people in NH overlook those things- nice to live in the
"Live Free or Die" State

[inigo montoya]

I had my goatee before I met wife and she would be pissed if I shaved it. It also makes me to look old enough to be possibly respectable - and without it I probably still look too young to be taken seriously. It is possible to be neatly-groomed and professional, and still have facial hair.

I also wear glasses. If I had to pick between wearing contacts, where something could happen at any second to cause me to be unable to see (even momentarily) and wearing the glasses, I would pick the eyeglasses. I've only ever heard one fan comment - "he already has glasses, so THAT'S not the problem" - but I don't know how coaches or the leaders of my association feel.

I'm not doing varisty yet, but I'm reasonably sure at this point that's a product of many things completely unrelated to my grooming habits (experience, skill, lack of attendance at association training camp, no field clinic yet). If it eventually keeps me out of varisty games, then so be it. I can live with it.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by inigo montoya

I've only ever heard one fan comment - "he already has glasses, so THAT'S not the problem"

Davism for glasses remarks:

"Hey ref - want to borrow my glasses?"

"Why? They're not doing you any good."

[Welpe]

I don't work basketball but...

Originally Posted by inigo montoya

If I had to pick between wearing contacts, where something could happen at any second to cause me to be unable to see (even momentarily) and wearing the glasses, I would pick the eyeglasses.

That's precisely why I wear contacts. I'd be up the creek if my glasses broke or fell off my face during a play. At least if I lose one contact, I can still see out of one eye. The only time I've ever had an issue with contacts is when I wrestled in school. The gym was extremely hot, which dried out my eyes and I blinked them right out while being pinned.

[inigo montoya]

I didn't wear "soft" contacts but the harder "semi-rigid" kind for a while, so your experience may be very different. But when I did, I found my eyes much more susceptible to dust and dirt and other things getting into them, and having lenses occasionally move out of place. I also blinked more, and teared up sometimes for no reason.

Whereas in my 2nd year of officiating have never come close to damaging my eyeglasses.

[Welpe]

Ah, yes there is the difference. I've never worn hard contacts but my father made both for years. I know some people can't wear soft contacts but I can't see how anybody can wear hard contacts!

I'm also a klutz so anything I can do to reduce breaking things is a good thing.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by som44

I have a goatee and I wear glasses..does not seem to bother anyone..maybe I am just lucky and the people in NH overlook those things- nice to live in the "Live Free or Die" State

I thought you had to have a blond beard in the "Live Free or Dye" state.

[rsox34]

I live in Salem, NH. How about you?

[26 Year Gap]

At the camp I went to this summer, one guy showed up looking like he just got out of bed after sleeping for 4 days. Which meant about a 4 day growth of beard. Thought for sure since it was Friday night, that Saturday morning, it would be gone. Nope. Same thing Sunday. As he was leaving, he told me he got the strangest comment from the evaluators suggesting he should shave his 'beard'. Who am I to 'one-up' an evaluator at a camp?