Biggest Hair in Sports. Evah.

February 24, 2005 5:00 PM

Biggest Hair in Sports. Ever.Australia and New Zealand recently played a Twenty20 cricket match in Auckland - the first time this shortened version of the game (it only take four hours to play) has been played in New Zealand. To celebrate the occasion, the New Zealand team (for some unknown reason) spent the weeks before the game going retro: growing 70s style moustaches and sideburns, and wore their much-maligned beige uniforms that the one day team used to wear in the 80s. When the team took to the pitch in front of a capacity stadium, the crowd was suitably rapturous in their appreciation of the efforts made. Has a bigger mop of hair ever taken to a field or court in a professional sport, anywhere, ever?
posted by noizyboy (55 comments total)

Dude, Randy Moss?
posted by Wulfgar! at 5:07 PM on February 24, 2005

A 20 overs game??

Of course, it won't catch on in India, which is where the main audience is. Indians can't slog for shit.

I guess cricket has to move on. Probably the 2006 or 2010 World Cups will be the last tournament for 50-overs cricket.
posted by Gyan at 5:09 PM on February 24, 2005

Oscar Gamble had a bigger 'fro and still managed to wear a baseball cap. Ben Wallace has mighty hair and mighty air. Valderrama has a nice 'fro.
posted by Frank Grimes at 5:11 PM on February 24, 2005

Its a bummer because I think there's something quite cool about a five day test match. I like the limited overs tournaments but it isn't quite the same game.

A 20 over match is barely enough time to get drunk and streak the field.

Nice hair though!
posted by fenriq at 5:12 PM on February 24, 2005

Sportshair.
posted by casu marzu at 5:12 PM on February 24, 2005

Dude, the 70's?
posted by gnutron at 5:13 PM on February 24, 2005

I am in awe of that Oscar Gamble pic.
posted by noizyboy at 5:17 PM on February 24, 2005

fenriq: Its a bummer because I think there's something quite cool about a five day test match.

Only if certain teams are playing: Australia, South Africa, West Indies. Maybe: Pakistan, India, New Zealand.

The thing about all current forms of cricket (barring this new one) is that true cliffhangers are rare. The best one-day game has already been played: SA vs. Aus, 99 World Cup semifinal.
posted by Gyan at 5:18 PM on February 24, 2005

Ronny Turiaf
posted by casu marzu at 5:19 PM on February 24, 2005

I was about to say, the ABA could've stood for the Afro Basketball League, although truth be told Bill Walton probably had the most embarrassing follicular configuration of the era.
posted by jonmc at 5:23 PM on February 24, 2005

To celebrate the occasion, the New Zealand team (for some unknown reason) spent the weeks before the game going retro…

I'm guessing the inspiration for going retro was because the organizers decreed that retro uniforms would be worn for the game. Remember the tight, baby-poo brown shirts the New Zealanders used to wear?!
posted by uncanny hengeman at 5:28 PM on February 24, 2005

You forgot to label it as a New Zealand Hairald link.
posted by Shane at 5:32 PM on February 24, 2005

the organizers decreed that retro uniforms would be worn for the game

That was part of the 'for some unknown reason' bit of it. The Beige Brigade has been a popular phenomenon over the last couple of years, but getting the actual cricketers back out there wearing the old fashion disaster, well, there's still a certain amount of 'why?' in my book.

Having said all that, it was a great night, despite the loss.
posted by noizyboy at 5:34 PM on February 24, 2005

I was about to say, the ABA could've stood for the Afro Basketball League

That would have been a neat trick.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:36 PM on February 24, 2005

Yeah, some friends and I went to this match, and every so often there'd be this roar of cheers when nothing spectacular had happened in the actual game. It turned out it was the spectators cheering whenever the guy with the hair was fielding near them.

It was pretty cool.
posted by Wataki at 5:36 PM on February 24, 2005

No one mentioned Dr. J from the 70s?

Dr. J owned the fro.
posted by mathowie at 5:37 PM on February 24, 2005

World Cup Hairdo Shockers!
posted by dhartung at 5:44 PM on February 24, 2005

Dr. J is prominently featured in gnutron's link.

He owned the ABA and NBA, too.
posted by casu marzu at 5:51 PM on February 24, 2005

Maybe they're emulating Boston's tactic for winning the Series?
posted by incomple at 5:51 PM on February 24, 2005

I'm really upset that they lost.

(and incpomple, I'd love to show you my "It must be the hair" t-shirt featuring the monotone faces of damon, ramierez, and pedro in red on blue... sort of looks like communist propoganda, but all the better!)
posted by themadjuggler at 6:31 PM on February 24, 2005

Maybe they're emulating Boston's tactic for winning the Series?

If so, it's not working.
posted by noizyboy at 6:31 PM on February 24, 2005

(or I could butcher your name)
posted by themadjuggler at 6:31 PM on February 24, 2005

...but getting the actual cricketers back out there wearing the old fashion disaster, well, there's still a certain amount of 'why?' in my book.


'Cos the Beige Era was the last time the NZ cricket team was any good?
posted by Sonny Jim at 6:40 PM on February 24, 2005

Looks what you'd get if you crossbed Justin Guarini with a koala bear...
posted by jonp72 at 6:40 PM on February 24, 2005

D'oh! I meant crossbred.
posted by jonp72 at 6:42 PM on February 24, 2005

Cos the Beige Era was the last time the NZ cricket team was any good

Big call. Did they ever get to the ODI #2 ranking in the world (as the current team is)?
posted by noizyboy at 6:56 PM on February 24, 2005

Seriously, there's got to be somewhere I can get one of those uniforms, right?
posted by betaray at 7:07 PM on February 24, 2005

noizyboy, 1992 WC under Crowe was probably NZ's high point.
posted by Gyan at 7:11 PM on February 24, 2005

Come now. Surely the NHL isn't so dead, or so unloved, that we can't remember the Calgary Flames defenseman Mike Commodore and the 'do that nearly devoured Tampa Bay?
posted by wolftrouble at 7:34 PM on February 24, 2005

1992 WC under Crowe was probably NZ's high point.

the beige was long gone by then, wasn't it?
posted by noizyboy at 7:41 PM on February 24, 2005

Seriously, there's got to be somewhere I can get one of those uniforms, right?

Indeed there is.
posted by noizyboy at 7:43 PM on February 24, 2005

Moochie

Norris

Trying everything he could to get Stevie Franchise to pass him the ball.
posted by srboisvert at 8:08 PM on February 24, 2005

My brother was at this match. It was his first cricket match ever, fancy that?
posted by splatta at 8:15 PM on February 24, 2005

Gyan, you're probably right. My knowledge of cricket has been waning every since I left South Africa back in '93, great, great matches back then. Jonty Rhodes (my image of a South African Peter Pan if there ever were one), Darryl Kullinan, Cronje before he was shamed, the Kirstens, Allan Donald playing against Mark Greatbatch (a fantastic sporting name if there ever were one) and the Kiwis, the Aussies with Shane Warne and that Tazmanian batsman who's name escapes me now.

Some of the best nights of my life were spent staying up all night drinking whiskey with my flatmate's boyfriend during the test series in Australia and then in New Zealand (or maybe it was the other way around?).
posted by fenriq at 8:29 PM on February 24, 2005

fenriq: that Tazmanian batsman who's name escapes me now

David Boon?
posted by Gyan at 8:46 PM on February 24, 2005

yeah, Boonie! And Merv Hughes, of course. Now they are real athletes.
posted by gaspode at 8:53 PM on February 24, 2005

Dude, Fletch? (6'5", 6'9" with the Afro)
posted by kirkaracha at 9:38 PM on February 24, 2005

The match was retro to commemorate the famous underarm bowling incident.
posted by Wataki at 9:58 PM on February 24, 2005

Has a bigger mop of hair ever taken to a field or court in a professional sport, anywhere, ever?

You have apparently never heard of professional basketball.
posted by Ynoxas at 10:11 PM on February 24, 2005

Afrotastic: Big Hair of the ABA.
posted by euphorb at 10:58 PM on February 24, 2005

And here I always thought it was extreme skier Glen Plake.

(But I guess you meant team sports?)
posted by HTuttle at 12:30 AM on February 25, 2005

In the 1970s, Wolverhampton Wanderers had a defender called George Berry. I understand he's bald these days.
posted by salmacis at 12:38 AM on February 25, 2005

Retro NZ trucker caps?! Awesome, noizyboy.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 1:00 AM on February 25, 2005

If I had hair I would so totally grow mine out like Hamish Marshall. Me digs the white man's fro.
posted by psmealey at 6:06 AM on February 25, 2005

Only if certain teams are playing: Australia, South Africa, West Indies. Maybe: Pakistan, India, New Zealand.

- I think it is a little unfair to leave the English out of that grouping. Not long to wait before we have to endure another humiliating ashes defeat at the hands of the dastardly aussies.
posted by johnnyboy at 6:17 AM on February 25, 2005

behold the taffro.
posted by johnnyboy at 6:20 AM on February 25, 2005

got to agree johnnyboy. England are second in the world Test rankings after the Aussies. India and Sri Lanka are third and fourth. West Indies have been rubbish for several years and are terrible to watch.

Gyan has some other very peculiar views about cricket.
posted by johnny novak at 6:50 AM on February 25, 2005

The best one-day game has already been played: SA vs. Aus, 99 World Cup semifinal.

Oh yeah, and he also seems to have a time machine. (It was one of the most exciting one day games I've seen, but hard to say it will be the best ever).
posted by johnny novak at 6:54 AM on February 25, 2005

johnnyboy,

he's just copying Duncs

And they should be playing together again in time for the Scotland game (by which time Colin should be in the pack too).

I think that hair is vastly underrated by coaches in sport.
posted by couch at 7:29 AM on February 25, 2005

Ah yes, the mighty triumvirate (colin, duncan and of course adam) and associated dodgy haircuts that form the cornerstone of the revitalised welsh pack. Looking forward to another weekend of rugby on the box.
posted by johnnyboy at 8:03 AM on February 25, 2005

Ogilthorpe!

Bill Goldthorpe, who the 'Slapshot' goon "Ogie" Oglethorpe was based on, also had quite a 'do, even for the '70s. Here he is in 2003, hair a little shorter.
posted by Pdubby at 11:42 AM on February 25, 2005

johnny novak: England are second in the world Test rankings after the Aussies. India and Sri Lanka are third and fourth. West Indies have been rubbish for several years and are terrible to watch.

Gyan has some other very peculiar views about cricket.

Oh yeah, and he also seems to have a time machine. (It was one of the most exciting one day games I've seen, but hard to say it will be the best ever).

I haven't followed cricket since WC '03. No TV coverage, here in the States*. England 2nd in the world?? WTF? I don't think the semifinal can be beat. No time machine required.

*Don't have DISH or DirecTV or whatever.
posted by Gyan at 12:04 PM on February 25, 2005

You did notice that the news stories said the soccer players were wearing wigs, did you not?
posted by dejah420 at 12:29 PM on February 25, 2005

You did notice that the news stories said they were cricketers, not soccer players?
posted by salmacis at 3:48 PM on February 25, 2005

only one news agency (rediff) claimed they were wearing wigs, and they were incorrect.

it was all natural.
posted by noizyboy at 2:55 PM on February 27, 2005