Ever since the practice began in the 1980s by the New York Islanders, the “playoff beard” has now been expanded to various sports and has moved from a players-only tradition to include fans, as well. Playoff beard: A playoff beard
Ever since the practice began in the 1980s by the New York Islanders, the “playoff beard” has now been expanded to various sports and has moved from a players-only tradition to include fans, as well.
Playoff beard: A playoff beard is the practice of a National Hockey League player not shaving one’s beard during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The player stops shaving when his team enters the playoffs and does not shave until his team is eliminated or wins the Stanley Cup.
Ever since the practice began in the 1980s by the New York Islanders, the “playoff beard” has now been expanded to various sports and has moved from a players-only tradition to include fans, as well.
Why this brief lesson in grooming (or lack thereof), you ask?
Because for about 60 minutes in the wee hours of Friday morning, it seemed as if I would become re-acquainted with my razor much sooner than I was anticipating.
At the beginning of this World Cup, I decided to employ the time-honored tradition of the playoff beard for as long as the USA was still alive in the field. It hasn’t been all that long, but the mug shot above this column is already quite outdated.
Since buzzing my head earlier this year and now hoarding my shaving cream for what will inevitably be a weepy day, you can basically take all the hair on the top of my head and distribute it (somewhat unevenly) across the lower portion of my face and neck.
I figured I would have the new growth for more than just the group stage, as the USA seemed like the clear second-best team in Group C behind a world-class English squad. But after Slovenia, a nation of just two million citizens, continued to make runs in and out of our defense like it was a doggie door, it seemed like not even the vaunted beard could save the Americans from another embarrassing World Cup.
Then Landon Donovan sprang into action early in the second half, outmaneuvering his defender and attacking the goal. He dribbled and dribbled, then dribbled a bit more, with no reaction from the Slovenia goalie other than poorly-hidden terror.
From a very tricky angle, Donovan blasted a shot right over goalie’s face and breathed life into a team that had vowed to rebound from the 2006 debacle. He became the first player not named Clint Dempsey to score an American World Cup goal since 2002.
After that, the US saw blood in the water. It became the aggressive, tenacious team it has shown glimpses of throughout other international competitions. It was one wave after another, with Slovenia caught beneath the break, unable to catch its breath.
When Michael Bradley put in the equalizer off a perfectly-tapped feed from Jozy Altidore, he finished with an equally-perfect score into the top of the net over a charging goaltender, sending the crowd, the team, the bench and everyone in my bedroom (me) into a leaping frenzy.
The team kept coming from there, not satisfied with a draw and tasting one of the most historic comebacks in the country’s history.
Then, IT happened.
My beard was — temporarily — halted. A perfect free kick feed from Donovan into the box in the 86th minute landed right on the foot of Maurice Edu, who struck it forcefully but carefully into the left side of the net.
The script had been completed, at least for about a half-second. Then the inexplicable whistle was heard over the vuvuzelas.
The phantom foul that took two points away from the American side ended up not being truly devastating, thanks the hairy situation the British squad put itself in with a draw against Algeria.
It’s now simply win and advance for the USA. Outscore Algeria in Wednesday’s final match, the team moves into the knockout stage.
I hope they’re itching for a victory just as much as I am.
