Is it only hair?!

quote:

Originally posted by fenwaysouth:
2013 Parent,

My two cents....Ask your son what school(s) he is most interested in. Have your son go to their website or attend a game to see how their players wear their hair.

If it looks like this, he may have some work to do.


njbb - these guys ARE wearing hats!

Great advice, do some homework.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, the mohawk is a pretty common style these days with different variations.

Parents also need to stop worrying so much about this stuff, I know it's hard, but I would be far more concerned with grades, skill, etc. than son's haircut. Coaches are pretty cool and understand that most kids want to be in style with their peers. I would much prefer that cut to no cut at all.

.



.

quote:

Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
Again, we disagree. I wasn't commenting on the word prejudice or how it was used.

Really? That was the very subject of the conversation you quoted.

quote:

Originally posted by seattlestars16:
Lets remember the recruiting is a two way street. The player is also recruiting schools. If he is talented enough to be recruited by one school than he is likely talented enough to go to a number of schools. You should be evaluating them as much as they evaluate you. Who is the coach how does he wear his hair and dress, did he graduate is he married and have kids or is he divorced three times with five kids by five mothers does he graduate his players does he act like Bobby Knight or John Wooden. dont go anywhere you cannot be yourself to a degree. You will not be happy. If you want to be a supuer freak maybe Barnuym abnd bailey has a team.

Huh?

Coaches recruit players, it's not the other way around. This is college baseball, not football.

.

Sorry if I wasn't clear Matt. I meant to be more general with my comment.

.

quote:

Originally posted by Stats4Gnats:

You may believe whatever you want, but prejudice and bias comes in many forms and have many meanings. Because the meaning you’ve chosen seems diminished, it doesn’t mean the same is true in every case for everyone.

I understand what you are saying, but I believe you could have chosen a more appropriate or applicable term.

As I said earlier a bad haircut/style should not pose a big issue provided the player is dependable, respectful and can play well.
For the teams I've had over the years, rest assured I did not care what race they were, or what they looked like, so long as they could help the team win.

quote:

Originally posted by Vector:
I understand what you are saying, but I believe you could have chosen a more appropriate or applicable term.

There is no more appropriate or applicable term than prejudice. That is exactly what this is.

.

Here is one definition of prejudice...

Any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.

We all exhibit prejudice, favorable or unfavorable, to some degree or other. We wouldn't be human if we didn't.

.

We had a former college coach and recruiting coordinator tell us that if he had two players with similar skills and academics that he would always go with the player that had shorter hair, more conservative uniform style (no baggy pants) and no facial hair.

He also told us that if a player was on the small side, facial hair worked against him, he figured the player was done growing.

When you are in front of college coaches, keep it conservative.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt13:

There is no more appropriate or applicable term than prejudice. That is exactly what this is.

My goal was never to get into a tit for tat over the semantics/definition of words. I am merely pointing out that using words like prejudice to describe ones potential aversion to grooming/hairstyles is not befitting the word and diminishes it's meaning.

Regardless, we are certainly off the topic at this point.
I hope the OP councils his son to use good judgment in the recruiting phase because you would never want to close the door on a potential opportunity.

quote:

Originally posted by Vector:
My goal was never to get into a tit for tat over the semantics/definition of words. I am merely pointing out that using words like prejudice to describe ones potential aversion to grooming/hairstyles is not befitting the word and diminishes it's meaning.

You would be incorrect, and your two points are contradictory.

quote:

Originally posted by Vector:
I understand what you are saying, but I believe you could have chosen a more appropriate or applicable term.

Ok, then I apologize for not consulting a Thesaurus, trying to pick the most appropriate word for your taste, each time I type something.

quote:

As I said earlier a bad haircut/style should not pose a big issue provided the player is dependable, respectful and can play well.

Actually, given those attributes, “a bad haircut/style” shouldn’t pose any issues what-so-ever.

quote:

For the teams I've had over the years, rest assured I did not care what race they were, or what they looked like, so long as they could help the team win.

But you aren’t the only coach in the country. While thankfully the number of those who are racially biased diminishes every year, I assure you there are many who still profile players using other things.

quote:

Originally posted by Stats4Gnats:

Ok, then I apologize for not consulting a Thesaurus, trying to pick the most appropriate word for your taste, each time I type something.

There is no need for an apology, nor did I expect one. I just believe PG's comment would not warrant prejudice being attributed to it. It also happens to be a pet peeve of mine because nowadays so many people throw around similar words (racist, Nazi, etc.)to describe innocuous behavior.
As I pointed out in a subsequent post, if someone is going to tolerate the drama that a Rodman type player might bring, there had better be a huge upside. I think most coaches and employers would feel the same way when trying to glean what a unusual looking stranger would bring to the table.

quote:

Originally posted by Stats4Gnats:
Actually, given those attributes, “a bad haircut/style” shouldn’t pose any issues what-so-ever.


But you aren’t the only coach in the country. While thankfully the number of those who are racially biased diminishes every year, I assure you there are many who still profile players using other things.

I honestly believe any coach short of a true racist would tolerate someone even if they did not care for them, so long as they produced.
Lets face it, most coaches jobs are on the line, so if player X can help the team win, they will put up with aspects of that player they do not care for.

That said an unknown quantity will be less likely to make the team if they make a poor impression before the kid can be fully assessed.

.

"That said an unknown quantity will be less likely to make the team if they make a poor impression before the kid can be fully assessed."

B-I-N-G-O!



.

Would dreadlocks and tattoos make a poor first impression on a coach?

woody, my sister used to comb her hair over, put my moms glasses on and try to talk like Cousin Itt.

.

Tried to talk like Cousin Itt ? Was she ever successful?



.

Case 1: The player has really disrespectful hair, but is good enough to be worth it.
Then any decent coach already knows everything he needs to know about that player before the he ever sets foot on coach's practice field.

Case 2: The player is a walk-on surprise phee-nom who comes out of nowhere, with disrespectfully bad hair, but blows the coach away with his amzaing talent, and then the coach says, "Son, with an arm like that you can wear pig-tails and date my daughter for all I care!"
Congratulations, you did it...you defied the odds and, along the way showed all the shallow people out there that true talent has a higher purpose in sports than self-serving prejudice and superficial judgement. Cue the sappy music, and roll film...

Case 3: For everyone else with a disrespectful haircut:
Coach, with precious little time to hope for episodes of delicious irony, depends on his PREJUDICE to eliminate players who don't have enough sense to realize that uniforms are called that for a reason, and that most successful coaches have a history of maintaining team discipline. Coach realizes he might be taking a small risk that he's overlooking a diamond in the rough by dismissing players this thick-headed, but he's willing to take that chance so that he can get back to recruiting known prospects from the scouting data...

Cousin Itt rules!

.

Hey...Itt can hit!



.

Favoritism, Prejudice, whatever word someone wants to use actually does exist I suppose.

When it comes to coaching or recruiting, there is a definite prejudice in favor of those with the most talent.

I might "prefer" clean cut, short hair, no tattoos, no jewelry on my players, but my prejudice or favoritism is based on talent.

BTW, back to the original question... I've seen Mohawk style haircuts that I would consider clean cut. I've seen Mohawk style haircuts that are so wild they are scary.

Actually I don't care for the word prejudice when used in baseball. I'm sure it exists, but when the word prejudice is used, people automatically think race, religion, etc., rather than hair style. Some might not like long hair, earrings, tattoos, etc., some might not like white or black shoes, some might prefer steak over lobster, some might like football more than baseball. Some might like plaid over stripes. Prejudice seems to be too strong of a word to describe those preferences IMO.

Most coaches prefer talented, hard working, intelligent, clean cut, polite kids who will run through a wall to win a game. You can have a wild haircut, wear all kinds of jewelry, have many tattoos and still become a valedictorian.

Coaches might "like" the way one looks better than another, but they "want" the one who has the most talent.

I pretty much think Wragarm is right on. If your talent is obvious you can get away with more then others except at some schools, which probably wouldn't be good fits anyway.

If you are one of the thousand's of kids hoping to catch a break and be noticed, trust me, it's your efforts and results you want them to notice, not your hair.

Like it or not, many of those who have made Mohawk's a known hair style are known not for talent but for wanting to be different or symbolize brashness. It's not for me and in a baseball sense, know your audience, I doubt it's for most College ball coaches who would want their players to fall in line with the rules of the program they have created. It does give a different impression then a buzz cut which gives an different impression then swimmers messy hair which gives a different impression .....

Kind of interesting to me to observe how the HSBBW seems to have evolved over time.
The DIII CWS just ended..without a single mention, thread or post on the site.
The DII CWS is ongoing with little to no mention.
The DI Regionals start tomorrow with some mention on Monday/Tuesday, most surrounding a Big Ten selection.
The MLB draft is next week, with no mention.
Contrasted with what used to generate vigorous and wonderful discussion items at this time of year, the biggest there is for college baseball, the current most popular topic on the site seems to surround questions of whether and what type of bias and prejudice might exist in college recruiting... for hair cuts?

Marietta repeated as the DIII National Champion, coming through the losers bracket in the Regional and CWS.

.

How do those Marietta players cut their hair?



.

Woody, I can't tell, can you?

PREFACE: I'm only kidding, but has anyone talked to Derek Holland today?

.

How ever they wear their hair didn't seem to affect their earning that big trophy!

.

These days there are so many different "wild" hair styles out there that once the coach meets the player I think it will depend on his personality and ability to mesh well with the team over what his hair looks like. Right?

quote:

Originally posted by Allen Sportswear:
These days there are so many different "wild" hair styles out there that once the coach meets the player I think it will depend on his personality and ability to mesh well with the team over what his hair looks like. Right?

If you see two players of equal ability and one looks like the All-American kid next door and the other looks like a freak, who do you approach first?

It's not a matter of what any of us think should be right. It's a matter of why place yourself in a position where any coach might rule you out based on appearance?

My son shaved off his ear lobe length long wavy hair in high school down to a #2 based on the coach had a #2. It turned out the coach snapped at three players trying out to get a hair cut before tomorrow. They started with a negative impression on the coach.

Some coaches are old school. Why eliminate their programs by looking odd to them?

It seems to be common to refer to two players being equal. I'm sure I have used "all things being equal" myself.

However, if you really think about it, how often are there two players that you consider equal? One id almost always better than the other. Close... Yes... Equal... No. I would always find reasons to choose one over the other.

That said, if I had to choose btween two players that were close in ability, would I choose the one that had slightly less ability based on his superior appearance?

I think I would still choose the one that was slightly better and try to change his appearance.

A couple years ago there was a pitcher from Florida that had hair that hung half way down his back. It really looked unusual. He commited to one of the nation's top college programs and was drafted in the first round. I think he still wears his hair that long.

Can your haircut be important? Yes, I suppose it could sway some people. That's enough reason to change the hair style. However, if you don't have the necessary ability, the haircut isn't going to make any difference. I think what people are saying, is why take the chance of turning off any potential opportunity based on something you can control.

Once your part of the team your going to wear your hair the way they want you to wear it..

quote:

Originally posted by PGStaff:
It seems to be common to refer to two players being equal. I'm sure I have used "all things being equal" myself.

However, if you really think about it, how often are there two players that you consider equal? One id almost always better than the other. Close... Yes... Equal... No. I would always find reasons to choose one over the other.

That said, if I had to choose btween two players that were close in ability, would I choose the one that had slightly less ability based on his superior appearance?

I think I would still choose the one that was slightly better and try to change his appearance.

A couple years ago there was a pitcher from Florida that had hair that hung half way down his back. It really looked unusual. He commited to one of the nation's top college programs and was drafted in the first round. I think he still wears his hair that long.

Can your haircut be important? Yes, I suppose it could sway some people. That's enough reason to change the hair style. However, if you don't have the necessary ability, the haircut isn't going to make any difference. I think what people are saying, is why take the chance of turning off any potential opportunity based on something you can control.

You're talking about top draft choices. Many kids competing for D1 opportunities are no better than a hundreds of other players. I believe it would be foolish to risk appearance being an issue.

quote:

Originally posted by njbb:
Once your part of the team your going to wear your hair the way they want you to wear it..

That's right. wait until signing and grow it anyway you want. If the coach doesn't like it he'll tell you. But you're already in.

As the parent of a 2013 looking to play in college, I highly encourage all 2013s to tat up, color their mohawk, and get a piercing or two.

[my son wears a #2 buzz cut]

I can't believe that this topic has gone 4 pages, let alone I am responding.

Common sense would be that your player present himself well whatever the situation. This would include everything from his appearance to how he hustles on the field, to how he relates to his teammates, his coaches, his performance, etc.

I doubt very much that a coach or a scout is going to rule out a player with better skills over another with less because of his hair style.

For college coaches, your HS GPA is probably more important than your haircut.

njbb is correct, once you make the team, they will determine how you look.

Twotex,
that was funny.

.

I wonder what standards Coach Neaton Trymm has for hair? He runs the program at Barber College.



.

Since we're talking about appearances and this thread has a lot of life to it, let me open another can of worms. I see a trend that concerns me. I have noticed all too often ball players dropping their baseball pants in the parking lot to change into some more comfortable shorts. Maybe I am just old fashioned but I would think this lacks the decorum that most college scouts would deem appropriate. Thoughts???

quote:

Originally posted by TPM:
I can't believe that this topic has gone 4 pages, let alone I am responding.

Common sense would be that your player present himself well whatever the situation. This would include everything from his appearance to how he hustles on the field, to how he relates to his teammates, his coaches, his performance, etc.

I doubt very much that a coach or a scout is going to rule out a player with better skills over another with less because of his hair style.

For college coaches, your HS GPA is probably more important than your haircut.

njbb is correct, once you make the team, they will determine how you look.

Twotex,
that was funny.

I can't believe it either, and some of the discussions have been rather interesting.

Apparently "mohawk" was a poor word choice, but I think most people eventually realized what I meant.

Regardless, 2013 will keep his buzz cut as usual. His performance on the field, GPA, and ACT should all represent him well.

I don't think a recruiter cares one bit if a kid changes his pants in the parking lot. What does that have to do with anything. Coaches care about talent not when and where he changes clothes.

I don't think I'd want my son playing for a coach who cares about changing his pants. What other petty stuff will he take into consideration in his evaluations once he's on campus?

I think it takes quite a bit of self-confidence to walk around with a mohawk. I see that as a plus. The Bryce Harper Mohawk may be accepted now as somewhat fashionable, no big deal, but I always give the kid with blue spikes sticking out of his head a thumbs up.