NFL = No Flowing Locks

[mkapp]

From Yahoo Sports


NFL owners will consider the length of hair flowing from helmets


NEW YORK (AP)—Troy Polamalu might not have to worry about getting tackled again by his hair.

At their meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., next week, NFL owners will consider a proposal to ban players from having hair flow from their helmets below their names on the back of their jerseys.

That might affect Polamalu’s image, but help him on the field. Two seasons ago, the Pittsburgh safety with the long ponytail had his hair grabbed by Kansas City’s Larry Johnson and was thrown to the turf after an interception against the Chiefs.

The rule banning long hair on the field was proposed by Kansas City. It does not require players to get haircuts, but does “require them to tuck it up inside their helmets,” said Atlanta president Rich McKay, chairman of the league’s competition committee.

Polamalu is the best known of the players, most of them defensive backs, with hair flowing outside their helmets. Others include cornerbacks Al Harris of Green Bay and Mike McKenzie of New Orleans.

Because the rule was proposed by a team, the competition committee did not take a position on it. It will be discussed Monday with a package of other rules.

 

[b_mckendry]

Wow. If Al has to cut his hair that would be so stupid. His hair is sweet. I guess this means Bigby also.

 

[MassPackersFan]

Ridiculous. Maybe all players should be forced to be clean shaven and wear pin stripes too.

 

[cheesey]

The "NoFunLeague" strikes again!
Geez.....these guys must have nothing better to do. Who the heck CARES how long a guys hair is? It's not like they are CEO's of a major company, they are FOOTBALL PLAYERS!
This is just plain stupid in my view.

 

[gopackgo]

The "NoFunLeague" strikes again!
Geez.....these guys must have nothing better to do. Who the heck CARES how long a guys hair is? It's not like they are CEO's of a major company, they are FOOTBALL PLAYERS!
This is just plain stupid in my view.

It also prevents you from attending open tryouts, cheesey. It's a damn shame.

I don't think this will go through, but I'm wrong a lot.

 

[cheesey]

The "NoFunLeague" strikes again!
Geez.....these guys must have nothing better to do. Who the heck CARES how long a guys hair is? It's not like they are CEO's of a major company, they are FOOTBALL PLAYERS!
This is just plain stupid in my view.

It also prevents you from attending open tryouts, cheesey. It's a damn shame.

I don't think this will go through, but I'm wrong a lot.

I know.......i was gonna try out as the team's new corner. I mean heck.......if Ahmad Carroll (waiting for the gross photo to show up) can play on the team, why can't i???
But i'm NOT cutting my "Goldy Locks", so there goes my football career!

 

[BangTheDrum]

Fine by me... sorry but I'm not a fan of the long hair, watching Polamalu get reefed on years back was hilarious to me

 

[mkapp]

It should be up to the player. They just need to understand that they may get it pulled or ripped off - thats the risk they take. Personally I like the look of the long dreds, but am not a fan of Polamalu's fluff hanging out.

 

[Veretax]

First off this news is about a week old.

Secondly, I think the hair style shouldn't matter so long as the hair fits mostly up into the helmet.

Thirdly, it may also partly be an image thing. With all the recent arrests of guys like Chris Henry, Pacman Jones, et. al. the NFL may be trying to encourage its players to look like consummate professionals both on and off the field.

Personally I don't like the way this change is worded. When are they going to check this stuff? Probably before a game right? So if a player has his helmet knocked off during a game and puts it back on in a hurry is he going to get fined for not being able to take the time to get his hair in the helmet? Seriously, a lot of Helmets get blown off these days. I personally despise all the stupid hair hanging out of people's helmets, especially Polomalu but I'm also a realist, how on earth are they going to enforce this rule?

Beside's the NFL is a Team sport, why do guys feel they need to make a statement with their hair while in uniform anyways?

 

[Green_Bay_Packers]

Yeah but they dont need to cut it they just have to roll it up into there helmet

 

[cheesey]

First off this news is about a week old.

Secondly, I think the hair style shouldn't matter so long as the hair fits mostly up into the helmet.

Thirdly, it may also partly be an image thing. With all the recent arrests of guys like Chris Henry, Pacman Jones, et. al. the NFL may be trying to encourage its players to look like consummate professionals both on and off the field.

Personally I don't like the way this change is worded. When are they going to check this stuff? Probably before a game right? So if a player has his helmet knocked off during a game and puts it back on in a hurry is he going to get fined for not being able to take the time to get his hair in the helmet? Seriously, a lot of Helmets get blown off these days. I personally despise all the stupid hair hanging out of people's helmets, especially Polomalu but I'm also a realist, how on earth are they going to enforce this rule?

Beside's the NFL is a Team sport, why do guys feel they need to make a statement with their hair while in uniform anyways?

The "image" thing is stupid. If a person is a decent person, what difference does it make if he has long or short hair? Trust me........i have known MANY short haired clean cut people that were SNAKES.
Football being a team sport should have nothing to do with it in my opinion. Should they all shave their heads, to make them all look identical? Do you think that would instantly make guys like "Pacman Jones" or Ricky "Puffaway Daddy" Williams ideal citizens? Yup.......cut their hair and they becomes "Mr. Clean".
I just don't see any corolation between being a bad guy and hair length. There are plenty of decent NFL players with long hair or short hair.
Yes, i have long hair, and some people judge me for it. But if thats what they use as a basis for judging people, i feel sorry for them because of their shallowness. People judge because you have long hair, or are overweight, or don't fit their preconceived ideas.
Lets put all the NFL players in suits and ties on the field, instead of those gaudy violent looking uniforms. And make them carry a briefcase instead of a football to try to score a touchdown. Oh....and no tackleing.......they might soil their suits and make them look like dirty thugs. :roll:
Laugh......but it will probably come to that some day, in this mixed up PC world. Oh......they will stop keeping score too.......don't want the loser team to feel bad about themselves. And give EVERYONE a "participation Super Bowl trophy" at the end of each season!!! (I know Vikesrule wil be for this.....it's the ONLY way the Vikings will ever get a SB trophy!)
You know, this kind of garbage is going on in the schools already. It's just a matter of time before it works it's way up to the next level.

 

[PackFanWithTwins]

This is going to be called the Sampson rule. This is a conspiracy.

Most of the players with long hair are on D. Cut their hair and they will no longer hit as hard.

Offenses are a bunch of wimps. :lol:

 

[BlueMoose]

I miss having CBs with matching dreds. We used to call them Millie and Vanilli. Then Millie had to ruin it all by going to the Saints. We need to move Atari to CB to restore symmetry to the secondary. TM

 

[Veretax]

First off this news is about a week old.

Secondly, I think the hair style shouldn't matter so long as the hair fits mostly up into the helmet.

Thirdly, it may also partly be an image thing. With all the recent arrests of guys like Chris Henry, Pacman Jones, et. al. the NFL may be trying to encourage its players to look like consummate professionals both on and off the field.

Personally I don't like the way this change is worded. When are they going to check this stuff? Probably before a game right? So if a player has his helmet knocked off during a game and puts it back on in a hurry is he going to get fined for not being able to take the time to get his hair in the helmet? Seriously, a lot of Helmets get blown off these days. I personally despise all the stupid hair hanging out of people's helmets, especially Polomalu but I'm also a realist, how on earth are they going to enforce this rule?

Beside's the NFL is a Team sport, why do guys feel they need to make a statement with their hair while in uniform anyways?

The "image" thing is stupid. If a person is a decent person, what difference does it make if he has long or short hair? Trust me........i have known MANY short haired clean cut people that were SNAKES.
Football being a team sport should have nothing to do with it in my opinion. Should they all shave their heads, to make them all look identical? Do you think that would instantly make guys like "Pacman Jones" or Ricky "Puffaway Daddy" Williams ideal citizens? Yup.......cut their hair and they becomes "Mr. Clean".
I just don't see any corolation between being a bad guy and hair length. There are plenty of decent NFL players with long hair or short hair.
Yes, i have long hair, and some people judge me for it. But if thats what they use as a basis for judging people, i feel sorry for them because of their shallowness. People judge because you have long hair, or are overweight, or don't fit their preconceived ideas.
Lets put all the NFL players in suits and ties on the field, instead of those gaudy violent looking uniforms. And make them carry a briefcase instead of a football to try to score a touchdown. Oh....and no tackleing.......they might soil their suits and make them look like dirty thugs. :roll:
Laugh......but it will probably come to that some day, in this mixed up PC world. Oh......they will stop keeping score too.......don't want the loser team to feel bad about themselves. And give EVERYONE a "participation Super Bowl trophy" at the end of each season!!! (I know Vikesrule wil be for this.....it's the ONLY way the Vikings will ever get a SB trophy!)
You know, this kind of garbage is going on in the schools already. It's just a matter of time before it works it's way up to the next level.

First off, Its the NFL that's on this "image kick" not me, but however, did you know that in MOST team sports (think running, basketball, track and field etc.) that they are very strict on uniforms? They want everyone to look the same, but if there is a deviation, everyone that has that deviation has to be the same. Some really picky stuff. I don't know why it hasn't been that way in the NFL to tell you the truth. I've noticed that even shoes don't always match (and not just for kickers mind you) Maybe its different in football, but that's what I remember from when I ran Cross Country, and Track. Was a pain in the behind sometimes, because if one guy had different colored slickers that meant some of us didn't get to wear them or vice versa.

I'm of the opinion, that if they are going to make the rule, make them have to keep in in their helmet, otherwise leave it as is. That's wher eI stand, the article I read made it sound like they only wanted the hair not covering the name of the player or some crap like that.

 

[cheesey]

I didn't mean you Veretax.......i was speaking about the NFL. I'm truely sorry if you felt i meant it towards you. Maybe i didn't word it right.

Anyway........my feelings are that if they want to change the hair length thing, it should be towards new members of the NFL. Have a grandfather clause for the guys that have years in already. Then have it in all the new contracts, so that it's understood in advance that if you want to play in the NFL, you have to do that.
Think about it.......how often did we see Brett Favre clean shaven? Are they gonna say all players have to be clean shaven too? I guess they could.....and the way it's going, i bet that will be next.

 

[trippster]

Does not every corporation have a dress code? (as I sit here clean shaven, in a suit, typing this)

Of course they do. And most will not allow out of the norm looks, depending on who their customers are. Would I be taken seriously if I had hair like Cheesy? No. is it fair? no. Is it reality? yes.

Cheesy, I have a different opinion of you now than I did when I first saw your pic. (i know i am leaving this comment WIDE open).

We can get on the NFL all we want but the reality is that the NFL's customers are the corporates that buy advertising from the Networks. It is also the corporation that is the NFL to set the standards for all WHO CHOOSE to be a part of the league.

Keep in mind everyone, playing in the NFL is not a "right" regardless of your skills. Labor laws only dictate you have the ability to work, not in any chosen field mind you. I could wear jeans to every single interview in my field and I would never even get a second interview.

Image is perception. Perception is reality. Reality is not usually an accepted view of the world as we know it.

I accidently put my car key into my apratment door. When I turned it, the apartment started up. So, I took it for a drive. When the cop stopped me, he asked where do you live? I said, right here. (Steven Wright)

 

[wpr]

Personally I don't like the hair hanging down over the player's name but then I am just a little jealous.
If the NFL is worried about a player getting tackled by his locks then pass a rule that no one can hair tackle. They have so many other rules about when to bump or not bump, no horse collar tackling what's a chuck and so on, what is one more rule?
It is kind of funny in a way. Linemen will tape their jersey sleeves so that the defense can't grab the sleeves in order to get by the linemen. And now they are worried that a defensive player could get tackled by his hair.

 

[Zombieslayer]

More new rules:
1) bike helmets must be worn at all times.
2) must brush teeth twice a day, strictly enforced.
3) must wash hands after touching your face.
4) no kissing girls unless you get written permission from her parents
5) must tie shoes immediately after putting them on

Any violation will be a $10,000 fine and one week suspension.

 

[cheesey]

Does not every corporation have a dress code? (as I sit here clean shaven, in a suit, typing this)

Of course they do. And most will not allow out of the norm looks, depending on who their customers are. Would I be taken seriously if I had hair like Cheesy? No. is it fair? no. Is it reality? yes.

Cheesy, I have a different opinion of you now than I did when I first saw your pic. (i know i am leaving this comment WIDE open).

We can get on the NFL all we want but the reality is that the NFL's customers are the corporates that buy advertising from the Networks. It is also the corporation that is the NFL to set the standards for all WHO CHOOSE to be a part of the league.

Keep in mind everyone, playing in the NFL is not a "right" regardless of your skills. Labor laws only dictate you have the ability to work, not in any chosen field mind you. I could wear jeans to every single interview in my field and I would never even get a second interview.

Image is perception. Perception is reality. Reality is not usually an accepted view of the world as we know it.

I accidently put my car key into my apratment door. The apartment started up. So, I took it for a drive. When the cop stopped me, he asked where do I live. I said, right here. (Steven Wright)

Oh boy.....now i have to try to figure out if its good or bad.

Anyway........i know that some jobs require a certain "look". I have had a few of those jobs in my life, and i abided by the rules. Now, i'm disabled and let my hair grow because thats what i wanted to do. Do some look down on me for it? Yup. But thats there problem if they don't take the time to know me.....thats their loss. My wife likes my hair long. I have also found that my looks have opened up conversations with some people that would never have been caught dead talking about what we ended up talking about had i had the "cookie cutter" look. So there have been some good that has come out of it too. I keep my hair clean and well kept (except on days where i'm too sick to do so).
The NFL will do what it wants, reguardless of what i think.
I probably should have just stayed out of the conversation in the first place.

 

[wpr]

First off, Its the NFL that's on this "image kick" not me, but however, did you know that in MOST team sports (think running, basketball, track and field etc.) that they are very strict on uniforms? They want everyone to look the same, but if there is a deviation, everyone that has that deviation has to be the same. Some really picky stuff. I don't know why it hasn't been that way in the NFL to tell you the truth. I've noticed that even shoes don't always match (and not just for kickers mind you) Maybe its different in football, but that's what I remember from when I ran Cross Country, and Track. Was a pain in the behind sometimes, because if one guy had different colored slickers that meant some of us didn't get to wear them or vice versa.

I'm of the opinion, that if they are going to make the rule, make them have to keep in in their helmet, otherwise leave it as is. That's wher eI stand, the article I read made it sound like they only wanted the hair not covering the name of the player or some crap like that.

Veretax,
(this is a bit off topic) My son ran XC and it was a pain. He joined the local national guard unit while still in high school and his very weekend fell on the same weekend as the state finals. After a little discussion the guard commander agreed to let him compete with is XC team instead of coming to their weekend training session. The only thing they asked is for him to were his national guard t shirt as a sort of advertisement. He agreed to it only to find out that his XC coach would not let him as it was not a part of the team uniform.
My son was pretty upset over the whole issue as he had already made the commitment to the guard unit to do so. I spoke to his coach and we reached a compromise. He could wear the tshirt before the competition began but once the competition was underway (there were 4 races boys and girls; small and large schools) he had to take that tshirt off and wear the same tshirt as the rest of the team.

 

[trippster]

Love you in the conversation Cheesy? It would be downright un Packerforumish of you if you weren't part of it!

the NFL will do what it thinks is in it's best interest regardless of what any of us think. That being said, I am a little tired of the players not wanting any rules to abide by. no discipline to speak of. They are used to getting away with "exceptions" all their life.

While trivial, it is things liek this that I think add to the Pacman Jones of the NFL and also society.

 

[wpr]

Does not every corporation have a dress code? (as I sit here clean shaven, in a suit, typing this)

Of course they do. And most will not allow out of the norm looks, depending on who their customers are. Would I be taken seriously if I had hair like Cheesy? No. is it fair? no. Is it reality? yes.

Cheesy, I have a different opinion of you now than I did when I first saw your pic. (i know i am leaving this comment WIDE open).

We can get on the NFL all we want but the reality is that the NFL's customers are the corporates that buy advertising from the Networks. It is also the corporation that is the NFL to set the standards for all WHO CHOOSE to be a part of the league.

Keep in mind everyone, playing in the NFL is not a "right" regardless of your skills. Labor laws only dictate you have the ability to work, not in any chosen field mind you. I could wear jeans to every single interview in my field and I would never even get a second interview.

Image is perception. Perception is reality. Reality is not usually an accepted view of the world as we know it.

I accidently put my car key into my apratment door. The apartment started up. So, I took it for a drive. When the cop stopped me, he asked where do I live. I said, right here. (Steven Wright)

Oh boy.....now i have to try to figure out if its good or bad.

Anyway........i know that some jobs require a certain "look". I have had a few of those jobs in my life, and i abided by the rules. Now, i'm disabled and let my hair grow because thats what i wanted to do. Do some look down on me for it? Yup. But thats there problem if they don't take the time to know me.....thats their loss. My wife likes my hair long. I have also found that my looks have opened up conversations with some people that would never have been caught dead talking about what we ended up talking about had i had the "cookie cutter" look. So there have been some good that has come out of it too. I keep my hair clean and well kept (except on days where i'm too sick to do so).
The NFL will do what it wants, reguardless of what i think.
I probably should have just stayed out of the conversation in the first place.

C, We have always let you join in the conversation no matter HOW wrong you were why question it now?

 

[Veretax]

Personally I don't like the hair hanging down over the player's name but then I am just a little jealous.
If the NFL is worried about a player getting tackled by his locks then pass a rule that no one can hair tackle. They have so many other rules about when to bump or not bump, no horse collar tackling what's a chuck and so on, what is one more rule?
It is kind of funny in a way. Linemen will tape their jersey sleeves so that the defense can't grab the sleeves in order to get by the linemen. And now they are worried that a defensive player could get tackled by his hair.

So now the players with Long hair get an advantage because if you have long hair that's one less place you can be tackled. That doesn't solve the problem of long hair. And you can bet some guys are going to tackle you anyways penalty/fine or not.

First off, Its the NFL that's on this "image kick" not me, but however, did you know that in MOST team sports (think running, basketball, track and field etc.) that they are very strict on uniforms? They want everyone to look the same, but if there is a deviation, everyone that has that deviation has to be the same. Some really picky stuff. I don't know why it hasn't been that way in the NFL to tell you the truth. I've noticed that even shoes don't always match (and not just for kickers mind you) Maybe its different in football, but that's what I remember from when I ran Cross Country, and Track. Was a pain in the behind sometimes, because if one guy had different colored slickers that meant some of us didn't get to wear them or vice versa.

I'm of the opinion, that if they are going to make the rule, make them have to keep in in their helmet, otherwise leave it as is. That's wher eI stand, the article I read made it sound like they only wanted the hair not covering the name of the player or some crap like that.

Veretax,
(this is a bit off topic) My son ran XC and it was a pain. He joined the local national guard unit while still in high school and his very weekend fell on the same weekend as the state finals. After a little discussion the guard commander agreed to let him compete with is XC team instead of coming to their weekend training session. The only thing they asked is for him to were his national guard t shirt as a sort of advertisement. He agreed to it only to find out that his XC coach would not let him as it was not a part of the team uniform.
My son was pretty upset over the whole issue as he had already made the commitment to the guard unit to do so. I spoke to his coach and we reached a compromise. He could wear the tshirt before the competition began but once the competition was underway (there were 4 races boys and girls; small and large schools) he had to take that tshirt off and wear the same tshirt as the rest of the team.

Ugh that's exactly what I'm talking about, we went to a meet in the mountains and were running EARLY in the morning. a we had not coordinated our Slickers and found out we couldn't all wear them (some had blue some had black), I volunteered not to wear mine for the sake of the team, but I mean Gloves, if we were going to wear gloves or mittens they all had to be the same, caps the same way. It was just plain ridiculous. But it's a captive competition, you can't protest without losing your right to run, so what can you do? You do what the rule says. I'm sorry that happened to your son, I totally understand and I have been there. We are lucky that they didn't start cracking down on running shoes, because some guys needed different shoes do to pronating or something else.

 

[wpr]

Personally I don't like the hair hanging down over the player's name but then I am just a little jealous.
If the NFL is worried about a player getting tackled by his locks then pass a rule that no one can hair tackle. They have so many other rules about when to bump or not bump, no horse collar tackling what's a chuck and so on, what is one more rule?
It is kind of funny in a way. Linemen will tape their jersey sleeves so that the defense can't grab the sleeves in order to get by the linemen. And now they are worried that a defensive player could get tackled by his hair.

So now the players with Long hair get an advantage because if you have long hair that's one less place you can be tackled. That doesn't solve the problem of long hair. And you can bet some guys are going to tackle you anyways penalty/fine or not.

I know. Could you see a running back coming out in a giant puff ball of hair? He would have his hair hanging all over his shoulders (taped in place of course. Etc.

 

[Zombieslayer]

Heh. Maybe what some players should have is detachable hair. A would-be tackler goes in for the tackle and grabs the hair and it comes off like the tail of a lizard. The player goes on to get a TD.

Now, that would be cool.