Comments on: Biggest Hair in Sports. Evah.

Biggest Hair in Sports. Evah.

noizyboy — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:00:08 -0800

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?

By: Wulfgar!

Wulfgar! — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:07:01 -0800

Dude, Randy Moss?

By: Gyan

Gyan — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:09:50 -0800

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.

By: Frank Grimes

Frank Grimes — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:11:30 -0800

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.

By: fenriq

fenriq — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:12:32 -0800

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!

By: casu marzu

casu marzu — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:12:49 -0800

Sportshair.

By: gnutron

gnutron — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:13:12 -0800

Dude, the 70's?

By: noizyboy

noizyboy — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:17:53 -0800

I am in awe of that Oscar Gamble pic.

By: Gyan

Gyan — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:18:46 -0800

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.

By: casu marzu

casu marzu — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:19:13 -0800

Ronny Turiaf

By: jonmc

jonmc — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:23:22 -0800

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.

By: uncanny hengeman

uncanny hengeman — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:28:58 -0800

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?!

By: Shane

Shane — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:32:07 -0800

You forgot to label it as a New Zealand Hairald link.

By: noizyboy

noizyboy — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:34:39 -0800

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.

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:36:34 -0800

I was about to say, the ABA could've stood for the Afro Basketball League That would have been a neat trick.

By: Wataki

Wataki — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:36:35 -0800

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.

By: mathowie

mathowie — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:37:40 -0800

No one mentioned Dr. J from the 70s? Dr. J owned the fro.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:44:57 -0800

World Cup Hairdo Shockers!

By: casu marzu

casu marzu — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:51:01 -0800

Dr. J is prominently featured in gnutron's link. He owned the ABA and NBA, too.

By: incomple

incomple — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:51:09 -0800

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

By: themadjuggler

themadjuggler — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:31:08 -0800

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!)

By: noizyboy

noizyboy — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:31:32 -0800

Maybe they're emulating Boston's tactic for winning the Series? If so, it's not working.

By: themadjuggler

themadjuggler — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:31:45 -0800

(or I could butcher your name)

By: Sonny Jim

Sonny Jim — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:40:25 -0800

...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?

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:40:53 -0800

Looks what you'd get if you crossbed Justin Guarini with a koala bear...

By: jonp72

jonp72 — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:42:02 -0800

D'oh! I meant crossbred.

By: noizyboy

noizyboy — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 18:56:06 -0800

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)?

By: betaray

betaray — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:07:30 -0800

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

By: Gyan

Gyan — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:11:43 -0800

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

By: wolftrouble

wolftrouble — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:34:15 -0800

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?

By: noizyboy

noizyboy — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:41:17 -0800

1992 WC under Crowe was probably NZ's high point. the beige was long gone by then, wasn't it?

By: noizyboy

noizyboy — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 19:43:47 -0800

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

By: srboisvert

srboisvert — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 20:08:00 -0800

Moochie Norris Trying everything he could to get Stevie Franchise to pass him the ball.

By: splatta

splatta — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 20:15:32 -0800

My brother was at this match. It was his first cricket match ever, fancy that?

By: fenriq

fenriq — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 20:29:01 -0800

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?).

By: Gyan

Gyan — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 20:46:35 -0800

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

By: gaspode

gaspode — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 20:53:32 -0800

yeah, Boonie! And Merv Hughes, of course. Now they are real athletes.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 21:38:40 -0800

Dude, Fletch? (6'5", 6'9" with the Afro)

By: Wataki

Wataki — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 21:58:07 -0800

The match was retro to commemorate the famous underarm bowling incident.

By: Ynoxas

Ynoxas — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 22:11:30 -0800

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.

By: euphorb

euphorb — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 22:58:23 -0800

Afrotastic: Big Hair of the ABA.

By: HTuttle

HTuttle — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 00:30:05 -0800

And here I always thought it was extreme skier Glen Plake. (But I guess you meant team sports?)

By: salmacis

salmacis — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 00:38:57 -0800

In the 1970s, Wolverhampton Wanderers had a defender called George Berry. I understand he's bald these days.

By: uncanny hengeman

uncanny hengeman — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 01:00:28 -0800

Retro NZ trucker caps?! Awesome, noizyboy.

By: psmealey

psmealey — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:06:26 -0800

If I had hair I would so totally grow mine out like Hamish Marshall. Me digs the white man's fro.

By: johnnyboy

johnnyboy — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:17:08 -0800

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.

By: johnnyboy

johnnyboy — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:20:18 -0800

behold the taffro.

By: johnny novak

johnny novak — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:50:53 -0800

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.

By: johnny novak

johnny novak — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:54:52 -0800

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).

By: couch

couch — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 07:29:25 -0800

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.

By: johnnyboy

johnnyboy — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 08:03:34 -0800

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.

By: Pdubby

Pdubby — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 11:42:28 -0800

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.

By: Gyan

Gyan — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 12:04:37 -0800

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.

By: dejah420

dejah420 — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 12:29:22 -0800

You did notice that the news stories said the soccer players were wearing wigs, did you not?

By: salmacis

salmacis — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 15:48:13 -0800

You did notice that the news stories said they were cricketers, not soccer players?

By: noizyboy

noizyboy — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 14:55:11 -0800

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