Your son is set for the big tryout. You must decide if he needs to chop the locks.
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Haha, this is a funny poll. My son's college coach said "no long hair on this team". Within a few days, son and several other players got super short buzz cuts and started a trend. Not trying to make brownie points, but demonstrating they were serious. Two years later, my son still sports that cut during baseball season (fall and spring). I think the perfect baseball haircut is whatever the coach wants, at least at the college level! 
On the other hand, my younger son who is a college freshman music major (guitar) now has hair longer than mine!
On the other hand, my younger son who is a college freshman music major (guitar) now has hair longer than mine!
The perfect baseball haircut is known simply as the...
ANTI-MAGGLIO...with highlights of the ANTI-WEAVER.
ANTI-MAGGLIO...with highlights of the ANTI-WEAVER.
I'm afraid I'm the last one anyone would ask. Basic Training (called Beast in Colorado Springs and Plebe Summer in MD) pretty much dictated the length of the hair. Good thing both boys have pretty "unoffensive looking heads"...
My personal feeling? Cut the hair. Most head coaches are in their 30 or 40 or 50 somethings. I once had a boss who would always say, "know your audience". I think most coaches these days would lean towards the conservative side... and why even add a shread of doubt as to "the coachability" of a kid? Flame away folks... I didn't write the rules... I interview hundreds of people a year, and when someone comes into my office, if I can't get past a tatoo, a crazy hair style, a pair of unshined shoes.... I ask if my customers might do the same? Why risk it?
Guess fruit doesn't fall far from the tree...
CadDAD.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar
eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it."
Anonymous
My personal feeling? Cut the hair. Most head coaches are in their 30 or 40 or 50 somethings. I once had a boss who would always say, "know your audience". I think most coaches these days would lean towards the conservative side... and why even add a shread of doubt as to "the coachability" of a kid? Flame away folks... I didn't write the rules... I interview hundreds of people a year, and when someone comes into my office, if I can't get past a tatoo, a crazy hair style, a pair of unshined shoes.... I ask if my customers might do the same? Why risk it?
Guess fruit doesn't fall far from the tree...
CadDAD.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar
eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it."
Anonymous
MAGGLIO spelled backwards is OIL GGAM. Which perfectly describes his hair after 9 innings. And what about that red beard on the Card player during the playoffs? Is that right? These players are too soft today! What happened to the good 'ol days when quarterbacks wore hosiery and men were men?
Nameth me one quarterback that ever wore hosiery...one...just one. Bet you can't.
That's good Bum...OIL GGAM...I just imagine that...OIL GGAM...clogging up the strainer in the shower room...yuck!
That's good Bum...OIL GGAM...I just imagine that...OIL GGAM...clogging up the strainer in the shower room...yuck!
quote:Originally posted by AcademyDad:
...a pair of unshined shoes...
Shoes? You're kidding us...right? Since when did shoes become required for a job interview?
quote:"He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it."
Anonymous
I'll let you know who said that...Mr. Anonymous is actually Guy "One Eye" Fry. "One Eye" was his nickname before he tried to study that solar eclipse...that stunt cost him his only good eye.
1976.... the country was in a pretty awful mess economically. WIN (whip inflation now), gas lines, post VietNam and Watergate.
Weyerhauser showed up in Missoula for job interviews with the graduating senior class. There were 35 people in the waiting room (someone later said for maybe one job as an intern), and I was the only one in the room with a coat and tie on (c'mon... I said 1976). One of the treehuggers I had gone to school with for 4 yrs was across from me and said, "who the he## are you trying to impress wearing a tie? If they like me, they'll hire me for who I am..."
My response to him was "yeah, you"re probably right... I must be over dressed"...
I think he's still pulling on the green chain in Klamath Falls...
Know your audience...
CadDAD
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having
left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph."
MAXHEADROOM
Weyerhauser showed up in Missoula for job interviews with the graduating senior class. There were 35 people in the waiting room (someone later said for maybe one job as an intern), and I was the only one in the room with a coat and tie on (c'mon... I said 1976). One of the treehuggers I had gone to school with for 4 yrs was across from me and said, "who the he## are you trying to impress wearing a tie? If they like me, they'll hire me for who I am..."
My response to him was "yeah, you"re probably right... I must be over dressed"...
I think he's still pulling on the green chain in Klamath Falls...
Know your audience...
CadDAD
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having
left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph."
MAXHEADROOM
How'd we do with that WIN program? I think Reagan put the final nail in that problem.
If your tree hugging friend is still pulling on the green chain in Klamath Falls it certainly isn't with Weyerhaeuser...they skedaddled awhile back didn't they?
Know your audience...good advice.
If your tree hugging friend is still pulling on the green chain in Klamath Falls it certainly isn't with Weyerhaeuser...they skedaddled awhile back didn't they?
Know your audience...good advice.
Give 'em The Zimmer!!
Yup. And Ordonez spelled backwards is Zen Odor. I thinks.
Every tryout should have an on-site barber, part of the deal, where 6'2 multisport star linebackers are trimmed down to proper baseball size, 5'11 middle infielders whose dreadlocks reseed the infield a.k.a. The Rookie.
gotwood, I'd nameth one but these days there are no quarterbacks, just guys who flip to T.O. for the real glory.
Every tryout should have an on-site barber, part of the deal, where 6'2 multisport star linebackers are trimmed down to proper baseball size, 5'11 middle infielders whose dreadlocks reseed the infield a.k.a. The Rookie.
gotwood, I'd nameth one but these days there are no quarterbacks, just guys who flip to T.O. for the real glory.
Neatly trimmed hair will neither offend nor distract anyone.
Magglio's jheri curls, Belliard's alternating bozo-do and cornrows, Spezio's imperial --- may not offend or distract the coaches either. Then again, they might. What would be the point of risking it?
People see better than they think. If a shaggy or extreme haircut says Trouble to a coach, he may pay attention to your talent.
Magglio's jheri curls, Belliard's alternating bozo-do and cornrows, Spezio's imperial --- may not offend or distract the coaches either. Then again, they might. What would be the point of risking it?
People see better than they think. If a shaggy or extreme haircut says Trouble to a coach, he may pay attention to your talent.
Bum:
Close enough for me...sounds better that way...more descriptive!
quote:Originally posted by Bum:
And Ordonez spelled backwards is Zen Odor.
Close enough for me...sounds better that way...more descriptive!
quote:"know your audience"
This is one of those life lessons that kids have a hard time grasping for obvious reasons. In one ear we say "be your own man" and now in the other we say "blend in". This is a touchy topic because you don't want to be percieved as a hypocrate. There's a message that has to be sent that says in order to be your "own man" there are situations in life where you need to step back and conform in order to realize your dreams. As wierd as it may seem you are still being your "own man" because YOU are making that choice of conforming.
Wow rz...I'm going to make my choice and state..."you made perfect sense and made a very good point...thanks."
My son's HS coach is pretty tolerant about hair, and his school is not particularly conservative. He tried out for an elite team once with his long locks and the coach (an old school guy) just couldn't get past the boy's hair and told him to come back when he got it cut. Thought he wasn't serious enough. Taught him a lesson about appearances that all my harping failed to do. Next team tryout he had it cut and made the team--actually a much better one than the previous.
Grew his hair over a few months toward end of summer season, and his school fall ball coach teased him, but there was no real penalty other than the nickname "shaggy".
Now, we are off to our first college prospect camp this weekend and he asked to visit the barber. I thought he'd come out with a little trim, but he had two inches removed. I haven't seen his neck or ears in a while! He's a cute guy when you can see his face.
Glad to see the message that other coach who sent him packing gave him sunk in deep. I say get the cut.
Grew his hair over a few months toward end of summer season, and his school fall ball coach teased him, but there was no real penalty other than the nickname "shaggy".
Now, we are off to our first college prospect camp this weekend and he asked to visit the barber. I thought he'd come out with a little trim, but he had two inches removed. I haven't seen his neck or ears in a while! He's a cute guy when you can see his face.
Glad to see the message that other coach who sent him packing gave him sunk in deep. I say get the cut.
rz1 I agree 100%. 
I'll admit when I was my son's age I was shaggier than Ordonez. Secretly, I like Magglio's hair but some prep coaches today want that uniform look, and I understand the mindset: look crisp, make 'em think they're going up against strong TEAM and not a group of individuals. It's modern war-paint. Plus, in a weird way today where kids are told over and over again to act and be special, conforming is counter to their culture.. non-conforming if you will. A paradox!
I'll admit when I was my son's age I was shaggier than Ordonez. Secretly, I like Magglio's hair but some prep coaches today want that uniform look, and I understand the mindset: look crisp, make 'em think they're going up against strong TEAM and not a group of individuals. It's modern war-paint. Plus, in a weird way today where kids are told over and over again to act and be special, conforming is counter to their culture.. non-conforming if you will. A paradox!
You want a real paradox? Let your eyes feast on these ... 
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Zen?....Aren't we treading dangerously close to Karma here...
44
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quote:Yup. And Ordonez spelled backwards is Zen Odor. I thinks.
Zen?....Aren't we treading dangerously close to Karma here...
44.
And treading dangerously close to odor too!
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My answer is make the million dollars FIRST, then you can wear the hair any way you want...nobody got there by the hair they got there by executing consistently....
44
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My answer is make the million dollars FIRST, then you can wear the hair any way you want...nobody got there by the hair they got there by executing consistently....
44.
quote:Originally posted by observer44:
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...nobody got there by the hair
I think Jim and Tammy may disagree with you on that point 44.
quote:I think he's still pulling on the green chain in Klamath Falls...
Uh, I don't think so, Academy Dad. They don't allow logging in Oregon these days.
quote:Uh, I don't think so, Academy Dad. They don't allow logging in Oregon these days.
Of course they don't allow logging in Oregon. That would be too logical.... it is where the trees are...
Instead of greenchain, maybe he's on a chain gang. (Chaingang... isn't that a city in China? I know my wife thinks that Cooking and Cleaning are both cities in Guangdong Province ... boy am I in trouble now...)
cadDAD.
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In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb" .
quote:In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb" .
I hate to have to correct you twice in one day, AcademyDad, but this is incorrect, too!
Rule of thumb was a woodworking rule, not a wife beating rule.
Yes he should show up with a nice cut. Off the collar and the ears. Something like Eckstein.
As a college coach of twenty years, I can say with all sincerity that though I prefer short haircuts and a clean, conservative look, I had a player with long hair who was perhaps the best role model and team player of any player I have ever coached. He was a part-time player who gave 100% all the time. I'm certain that if I asked him to cut his hair he would have done so, but there was no need.
In high school my sons coach got on him about wearing his hair to long. After that, every year he wore his hair short. After the last play-off game his senior year he decided that not only was he going to not cut his hair but he was not shaving until he had to go off to college and college baseball.
Three weeks before we drop him off he cuts his hair and shaves. Gets to college with his short hair and all the upper classmen baseball players have long hair and some with beards. New head coach walks into first practice and divides the players up. Mostly freshman on one side and a really scruffy group on the other. Coach starts practice with only the clean cut group and does not address the others. About thirty minutes into practice he walks over and tells the other group, I only coach baseball players and those look like baseball players and points at the freshman. Day 2 of practice all of the boys practiced. All the clean shaven and short haired boys that is
Three weeks before we drop him off he cuts his hair and shaves. Gets to college with his short hair and all the upper classmen baseball players have long hair and some with beards. New head coach walks into first practice and divides the players up. Mostly freshman on one side and a really scruffy group on the other. Coach starts practice with only the clean cut group and does not address the others. About thirty minutes into practice he walks over and tells the other group, I only coach baseball players and those look like baseball players and points at the freshman. Day 2 of practice all of the boys practiced. All the clean shaven and short haired boys that is
gotwood, lolol.. Tammy and Jim are enough to scare the bejesus out of anyone on Halloween!
YEAH, If I cut and paste Jim and Tammy to my front door.
I might be able to save my Holleween candy for myself.LOL
EH
I might be able to save my Holleween candy for myself.LOL
EH
Rob Kremer....
"I never made a mistake. I thought I made one once, but was mistaken...."
cadDAD
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"His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free."
UNKNOWN
"I never made a mistake. I thought I made one once, but was mistaken...."
cadDAD
************************************************
"His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free."
UNKNOWN
It seems that we've looked at the hair issue from the perspective of the 40/50ish coach and/or parent who thinks short hair is an athletic look. I think there may be a reason that is often overlooked but potentially is a very important in developing a "team".
I can barely remember a day in October of 1977 when I stood in a line of Naval recruits in Orlando FL. There were tall guys, short guys, skinny guys, muscleheads, redheads, blonds, brunettes, and a lot of freaks. All individuals without focus or direction. As the line disappeared into a small room we were full of apprehension, my turn, and 1 minute later 3 years of shoulder length hair was on the ground in a pile of other hair. 1 hour later 80 individuals were lined up and to the man it was our first feeling of being a team. We looked like a team, acted like a team, and respected each other as a team. The only thing that changed in that hour was the one thing that initially differentiated us from one another and that was our parent given hair.
After bootcamp, in our advanced schooling, I studied psychological issues in respect to mind games and the military. It was there that we were told that while the haircut was a "health" issue, it also served as a subconsious team building excersise that was never discussed but always understood.
While we often look at short hair as a "clean cut" issue, everyone should look back at some of the influential coaches in their past and I'll bet there was some military behind their madness.
This is just a thought that I can't explain and out of the blue just ran through my head. I don't really know where it came from.
I can barely remember a day in October of 1977 when I stood in a line of Naval recruits in Orlando FL. There were tall guys, short guys, skinny guys, muscleheads, redheads, blonds, brunettes, and a lot of freaks
. All individuals without focus or direction. As the line disappeared into a small room we were full of apprehension, my turn, and 1 minute later 3 years of shoulder length hair was on the ground in a pile of other hair. 1 hour later 80 individuals were lined up and to the man it was our first feeling of being a team. We looked like a team, acted like a team, and respected each other as a team. The only thing that changed in that hour was the one thing that initially differentiated us from one another and that was our parent given hair.After bootcamp, in our advanced schooling, I studied psychological issues in respect to mind games and the military. It was there that we were told that while the haircut was a "health" issue, it also served as a subconsious team building excersise that was never discussed but always understood.
While we often look at short hair as a "clean cut" issue, everyone should look back at some of the influential coaches in their past and I'll bet there was some military behind their madness.
This is just a thought that I can't explain and out of the blue just ran through my head. I don't really know where it came from.
"...we've looked at the hair issue from the perspective of the 40/50ish coach and/or parent..."
"...while the haircut was a "health" issue, it also served as a subconscious team building exercise"
RZ1, a very thoughtful and thought-provoking post!
I mentioned above that my son's college coach does not want long hair on his team and that quite a few players responded with buzz cuts. The coach is a younger guy, early 30s. But he absolutely values and promotes the "team" attitude, and after reading your thoughts above, I think it all fits together. This youngish coach took over the team partway through my son's freshman year, and the next two years has brought in LOTS of transfers and greatly enlarged the roster. That could be a recipe for divisiveness and attitude problems, but my son reports that this year's team is one of the most cohesive he has ever played on. All the new coach's recruited players seem to have "team player" attitudes (besides being good players). I am starting to see the connection!
"...while the haircut was a "health" issue, it also served as a subconscious team building exercise"
RZ1, a very thoughtful and thought-provoking post!
I mentioned above that my son's college coach does not want long hair on his team and that quite a few players responded with buzz cuts. The coach is a younger guy, early 30s. But he absolutely values and promotes the "team" attitude, and after reading your thoughts above, I think it all fits together. This youngish coach took over the team partway through my son's freshman year, and the next two years has brought in LOTS of transfers and greatly enlarged the roster. That could be a recipe for divisiveness and attitude problems, but my son reports that this year's team is one of the most cohesive he has ever played on. All the new coach's recruited players seem to have "team player" attitudes (besides being good players). I am starting to see the connection!
RZ1, I joined the Navy in 1976.. on the bicentennial. I know exactly what you're describing. Did they have the barber shears attached to a vacuum? Ours did. I can still feel the hair literally sucked off my head. Weird!
MN-Mom, a lot of us parents were around during the "hippee" days of the 60's, 70's, and even 80's. I personally don't care about hair length or style, that's perhaps more cultural than indicative of character.. but having said that, besides the team-building aspect which RZ1 describes..a great point..there is also a psychological component. Opponents worry more when facing a uniform-looking TEAM rather than a collection of individuals. It's why the shark gets confused in a school of fish. It's why the blitzkrieg worked. There's just a feeling of being outnumbered. Or a feeling that "this team means business".
P.S. So far my poll is pitching a 24-0 shutout in favor of the shears.
MN-Mom, a lot of us parents were around during the "hippee" days of the 60's, 70's, and even 80's. I personally don't care about hair length or style, that's perhaps more cultural than indicative of character.. but having said that, besides the team-building aspect which RZ1 describes..a great point..there is also a psychological component. Opponents worry more when facing a uniform-looking TEAM rather than a collection of individuals. It's why the shark gets confused in a school of fish. It's why the blitzkrieg worked. There's just a feeling of being outnumbered. Or a feeling that "this team means business".
P.S. So far my poll is pitching a 24-0 shutout in favor of the shears.
LOL Just found this.... anyone that knows me knows I can't stand the hair on Ordonez, Weaver, RS Damon..... CUT IT!!!! As a mom and a baseball fan, don't like the long locks!
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Woodman...
How did you get that lovely Halloween picture of my wife and I in costume! You were at that party too? Let me guess, you were the Stanford Tree....
44
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Woodman...
How did you get that lovely Halloween picture of my wife and I in costume! You were at that party too? Let me guess, you were the Stanford Tree....
44.
44:
Nope... you guessed wrong.
I went as a Douglas-fir Tussock moth. Normally I would have trimmed it's tussocks...ran out of time to get it cut!
Nope... you guessed wrong.
I went as a Douglas-fir Tussock moth. Normally I would have trimmed it's tussocks...ran out of time to get it cut!
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Geeze Woody, can't you come up with something original...
44
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Geeze Woody, can't you come up with something original...
44.
You know 44, in about 700 hours of observation, 21 species of birds were identified as suspected and/or observed predators of tussock moth larvae or pupae.
Next year I'm coming as one of those birds...then I can feast on all of those folks that you and I both know will be coming as Douglas-fir Tussock moths...whadda ya' think 44... dya' think it'd be a good idea?
Next year I'm coming as one of those birds...then I can feast on all of those folks that you and I both know will be coming as Douglas-fir Tussock moths...whadda ya' think 44... dya' think it'd be a good idea?
When my son was speaking to a coach going through the recruiting process about uniforms etc.
Coach said, the team will have short hair, clean shaven and you will all wear your uniforms as uniforms. Meaning, everyone will look alike. Not half the team with pants up, half with them down, who has them pulled over their spikes, who's are in their spikes etc. etc. As is often seen when you watch a summer of baseball. MLB is guilty of this. I guess if you watch enough on TV, there are times when some of these guys look terrible. (remember the Red Sox, Thank God you don't have to see them in the WS often.
During the summers, we always told the boys that we would appreciate them being clean shaven. It was their choice but it was also the managers choice as to who was in the line-up that day. It is about life's lessons and preparing them for the future more then it is about W's.
They were told, everytime you take the field, it's a job interview. That has been discussed above.
Coach said, the team will have short hair, clean shaven and you will all wear your uniforms as uniforms. Meaning, everyone will look alike. Not half the team with pants up, half with them down, who has them pulled over their spikes, who's are in their spikes etc. etc. As is often seen when you watch a summer of baseball. MLB is guilty of this. I guess if you watch enough on TV, there are times when some of these guys look terrible. (remember the Red Sox, Thank God you don't have to see them in the WS often.
During the summers, we always told the boys that we would appreciate them being clean shaven. It was their choice but it was also the managers choice as to who was in the line-up that day. It is about life's lessons and preparing them for the future more then it is about W's.
They were told, everytime you take the field, it's a job interview. That has been discussed above.