what's with all this hair?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by jchamp

People change the way that they look in order to do their job all the time. The military is the most obvious example but many civilian jobs require strict grooming and appearance standards, and most professional environments will at best look down on persons displaying poor grooming and hygeine habits. As an official I am expected to shave and maintain a conservative haircut, exercise and maintain a clean uniform, as well as a professional appearance when in uniform. I even work with officials who wear skin-colored armbands to conceal tattoos on their arms during games. We're all beholden to certain requirements for various reasons.

Entertainment professionals maintain strict diets, exercise, and alter their grooming or make other adjustments to their bodies because directors or some other person in authority demands it. Football players are just another breed of entertainment professional. As it is, they already spend a vast majority of their time training and conditioning their bodies and minds for their sport, to maximize performance and minimize personal risk. By having and maintaining long, flowing locks of hair, they slow their running--thus hampering their performance--and put themselves at risk.

I'm not saying it should be illegal. I'm just saying it's stupid.

Exactly. Nothing says the kid has to cut his hair, but it's pretty stupid to play with long hair.

Regulating the tackles based on hair would only encourage more players to grow their hair long, which would be a bigger safety risk, even with a rule in place.

[APG]

Originally Posted by jchamp

Entertainment professionals maintain strict diets, exercise, and alter their grooming or make other adjustments to their bodies because directors or some other person in authority demands it. Football players are just another breed of entertainment professional. As it is, they already spend a vast majority of their time training and conditioning their bodies and minds for their sport, to maximize performance and minimize personal risk. By having and maintaining long, flowing locks of hair, they slow their running--thus hampering their performance--and put themselves at risk.

I'm not saying it should be illegal. I'm just saying it's stupid.

I somehow don't think having long hair is slowing anyone in a football game at all. The only thing, performance wise, one could argue is being slightly easier to tackle from behind.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by APG

The only thing, performance wise, one could argue is being slightly easier to tackle from behind w/o getting a horse-collar penalty.

added a little something......

[Robert Goodman]

I think there's an actual example here at 3:24 -- Girl football player is fast and fun to watch! - YouTube -- but hard to tell because it's overcranked. It does look, however, like her head was pulled around. I don't see a flag coming out.

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Why? It's very easy for a tackler to avoid pulling someone's hair or beard -- at least as easy as avoiding pulling the face mask. Meanwhile, consider that the player is on the football field only a tiny percentage of his time; so he's supposed to change the way he looks during the entire football season just to conform with your idea of how he should look on the field? Besides, what difference does it make to the game how the players look? They have uniforms to tell the teams apart, that's all you need.

The way I see it, football is a violent sport. Period. Anyone that plays it at any level assumes all risk going into the deal. Bad stuff happens all the time - intentionally and unintentionally. Growing excessively long hair that sticks out of the helmet and flops around, even covering the number on the jersey in many cases, is going to be fair game for any would be tacklers that are desperate to make a play.

It is what it is. Don't like it, don't grow it.

[Steven Tyler]

I saw Larry Johnson of the Chiefs tackle Troy Polumalu by the hair on an interception return, and he was flagged for it, but on the other hand it saved a touchdown. Also saw Marion Barber grabbed by hair, and no call. Barber did shorten the locks by several inches before the next game.

Is there a certain rule regarding weaves as to real hair.................

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

I saw Larry Johnson of the Chiefs tackle Troy Polumalu by the hair on an interception return, and he was flagged for it, but on the other hand it saved a touchdown. Also saw Marion Barber grabbed by hair, and no call. Barber did shorten the locks by several inches before the next game.

Is there a certain rule regarding weaves as to real hair.................

I have seen twice Polumalu grabbed by the hair in a tackle and I did not see anyone flagged for it. It is not illegal in the NFL and it is not illegal anywhere else in the other levels. I even remember how it was talked about by the media to not be illegal when Polumalu was pulled by the hair.

Peace

[Altor]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

I saw Larry Johnson of the Chiefs tackle Troy Polumalu by the hair on an interception return, and he was flagged for it, but on the other hand it saved a touchdown. Also saw Marion Barber grabbed by hair, and no call. Barber did shorten the locks by several inches before the next game.

Is there a certain rule regarding weaves as to real hair.................

If you are referring to this play, Johnson was flagged because after the tackle was complete, he didn't let go and yanked Polamalu back up by his hair.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by Altor

If you are referring to this play, Johnson was flagged because after the tackle was complete, he didn't let go and yanked Polamalu back up by his hair.

Polamalu was rolling onto his feet, and then Johnson had a inadvertent yank on his hair.

[Altor]

Whether Johnson meant to do it or not is immaterial. The flag was not for the tackle, but for what happened post-play.

[DLH17]

It's football. It's violent. It's all about finding and exploiting every single weakness. If ya' don't want it grabbed, don't wear it. The only exception - your facemask.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by APG

I somehow don't think having long hair is slowing anyone in a football game at all. The only thing, performance wise, one could argue is being slightly easier to tackle from behind.

You're discounting both the sheer weight of the hair and the increased drag coefficient.