[Lefty Noob]

Not to play devil's advocate here, but... nearly any employer on Earth can tell you to get a haircut if they think you're harming their corporate image. So why should the NFL be any different? Maybe they should be like other places of business and make the folks who want to keep their long hair use hairnets or something.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Not to play devil's advocate here, but... nearly any employer on Earth can tell you to get a haircut if they think you're harming their corporate image. So why should the NFL be any different? Maybe they should be like other places of business and make the folks who want to keep their long hair use hairnets or something.

Because most places that make you get a haircut, or wear a hair net, do it for health or safety reasons.

We have areas in our plant that you have to wear one, such as in the 3 or 4 "clean rooms." Our employees also have to keep that long hair in a ponytail at a minimum, but that is just to keep it out of presses or other dangerous machines.

Food service is another place that you would wear a hair net, but that is just to keep hair out of folks food.

I would be much more in favor of a rule prohibiting tackling by the hair, as discussed earlier.

I'd rather not restrict personal freedoms. But then again, I don't like the clauses in contracts that prohibit skydiving, bungee jumping, motorcycle riding, skiing, or any of the other "dangerous" hobbies.

I just think folks should be able to be themselves.

[Bette]

Bear with me. I am trying to work my way through this issue.
If you get grabbed by the hair and pulled down, its going to hurt, a lot. But I dont think I can see serious injury resulting from it. It seems to me that it would be like any thing else, you cant pull someone by the nose or poke them in the eye, and hair is part of your body. So maybe a penalty. If you dont care to get your hair pulled( and for the life of me I cant figure out why it doesnt happen more often) then cut it or something.
Image doesnt do it for me. If it was about image then Brett Favre should have kept clean shaven. That was a scruffy look, and yes, it worked for him and I have nothing against it.
This whole thing is like overkill to me. Its football. You cant take all the risk, all the danger out. Because then its not going to be football. Protect the qb and wr, no hits below the knee, those things I can see and endorse. But the hair??????

[legend]

If the 255 pound linebacker grabs you by the hair and yanks your head sideways as you are about to clear the end and breaks your neck, you would probably wish you had cut your hair. Why do you think this rule is being considered? They want to avoid such a tragedy, BEFORE IT HAPPENS. Because one is one too many. Or would you rather have it happen and then complain that the NFL allowed it to.

As for it being your own choice, I work every day with a guy who refused to wear a motorcycle helmet. He crashed and bounced his head and has been brain-injured since 1978 and in and out of every institution and mental health entity in the state ever since. All so he could express himself.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by legend

If the 255 pound linebacker grabs you by the hair and yanks your head sideways as you are about to clear the end and breaks your neck, you would probably wish you had cut your hair. Why do you think this rule is being considered? They want to avoid such a tragedy, BEFORE IT HAPPENS. Because one is one too many. Or would you rather have it happen and then complain that the NFL allowed it to.

As for it being your own choice, I work every day with a guy who refused to wear a motorcycle helmet. He crashed and bounced his head and has been brain-injured since 1978 and in and out of every institution and mental health entity in the state ever since. All so he could express himself.

I don't see the comparison between long hair and not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle. That's a stretch.

Bottom line, they can make a rule not to tackle by the hair, just like blocking in the back, or the horsecollar tackle.

Long hair doesn't hurt players, careless tackling hurts players. Going for the knees, horse collars, blocking in the back.

Just make a rule, and leave the players alone.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Phils20

I don't see the comparison between long hair and not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle. That's a stretch.

Bottom line, they can make a rule not to tackle by the hair, just like blocking in the back, or the horsecollar tackle.

Long hair doesn't hurt players, careless tackling hurts players. Going for the knees, horse collars, blocking in the back.

Just make a rule, and leave the players alone.

I like that idea... then again.... It's the whole rules crap that has brought the game down...

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by Quality88

I like that idea... then again.... It's the whole rules crap that has brought the game down...

True. But either way there might be a rule change. I'd rather have one that rules out the dangerous play, as opposed to telling these guys how to groom themselves. How dumb is that??

[NASCAR Gnome]

On a tangent regarding hair...

Our military does not allow long hair for men. My understanding is this tradition goes back to the time of Alexander the Great. While all the armies (and warring parties) would have no rules about hair length, Alexander commanded all his men to cut their hair short and close-cropped. Why?

In hand-to-hand combat, it wouldn't be uncommon for one guy to grab another guy's long hair and chop his head off! Long hair gives an opponent something to grab and short hair gives no such opportunity!

What it has to do with this discussion? Nothing really, I guess, but it's an interesting anecdote, isn't it?