Would Bob Marley’s mug be plastered on countless dorm rooms if he were sans dreadlocks?
Possibly.
Would the Predators have been able to throw Arnold around and hunt the Aliens as though they were pheasants without the dreads?
Debatable.
Would Sampson have been able to slay an entire Philistine army with a donkey’s jawbone had he been without the flowing locks?
Certainly not.
As the NFL aims to eradicate the ever growing manes some players are sporting, what words would describe a clean shaven player such as Troy Polamalu? Standardized, homogeneous, conforming, bland.
For all you Madden gamers out there, how excited were you the first time you saw cyber Ricky Williams truly look like his real world counterpart, complete with flowing dreads?
For me, the Dolphins’ running back went from a generic character to the bruising power runner he once was. Cutting the dreads out of the NFL will mean that players will lose their individual flair.
Not only would a rule banning hair from flowing out of the helmet remove the spice and intimidation factor from some of the players, but it could also be discriminatory.
Dreadlocks are often worn as a religious symbol. Some US businesses have had to pay dearly for discrimination against such hairstyles.
In 2006, FedEx settled charges brought by seven couriers when they were fired because they would not cut their hair. These couriers claimed their dreadlocks were a religious statement protected under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Likewise, Greyhound had pay out $33,500 to a man dismissed for his dreadlocks in 2002.
Imagine if every player in the NFL wearing dreadlocks was paid $33,500 because of discrimination. You would see a baldy like Matt Hasselbeck stock up on Rogaine to take advantage of this particularly sweet deal.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discrimination based on such characteristics as race, religion, and national origin.
Some players in the NFL are of Pacific Island descent such as Troy Polamalu, Samson Satele, and Haloti Ngata. These hairstyles are reminiscent of those worn by the warriors of the region to demonstrate their masculinity.
When beauty pageants were first held in Samoa, the winner was determined by who had the longest hair. Taking away these players’ hairstyles is disrespectful to their culture.
Mandating short hairstyles in the NFL is another example of old, white owners getting together and dreaming up ways to remove the “thug” image from the game a la NBA with the dress code rules.
Sure they will call this a safety issue, but nothing is stopping players from cutting their own hair, like Ricky Williams and Edgerrin James. These two running backs grew tired of defensive players yanking them down by their hair.
Players with hairstyles that flow out of their helmet realize the risk and do not need curmudgeons to tell them how to manage their appearance.
Interestingly, the dreadlock style was incorporated in the Rastafarian religion in contrast to the hairstyles of whites. Even the word “dreadlocks” comes from the independence struggle in Kenya as the British who fought the rebels dreaded seeing the locks in battle.
Just as it must have been terrifying to be ambushed by dreadlocked Kenyan rebels, it must be frightening to try and tackle Marion Barber and his dreads, or stay in the pocket knowing a crazed Troy Polamalu is coming around the blindside at full speed.
These players’ hairstyles not only allow fans to recognize their favorite players, but it is also a fantastic intimidation technique.
More importantly, these hairstyles take years to grow and are an expression of culture, religion, and national origin.
The NFL would not be a better league without the crazy hair. In fact, the league would start to resemble the players at Wimbledon with their conforming, all-white tennis outfits.
Besides, the NFL has much larger issues to tackle than a little unruly hair such as concussions, caring for retired players, and of course, Pac-Man Jones.
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6 months ago
"More importantly, these hairstyles take years to grow and are an expression of culture, religion, and national origin."
Are you kidding me, I could care less how long the hair is. But to say that it is expression of culture, maybe for a few but for the most of them it is a hair style. CAN WE SAY HAIR EXTENTIONS?
I'd like to know what cultural expression Robert Gallery of the raiders is trying to express. And as far as Rasta, most of these guys never left the neighborhood that they lived as kids for the exception for college and the pros, let alone from any of the islands. I see it as a hair style that should be left to the players discretion. You are right that the white status quo are just looking for anything they can find to lay down the nfl law.
6 months ago
As of now, hair that comes out of the back of a player's helmet is considered part of their uniform. Therefore, an opposing player can treat it as if it were a jersey(pull it as hard as possible) in order to bring that player down. I haven't done much research on this "hair-covering-the-name" rule being contemplated, but I don't think it's a terrible thing. In my heart, I think the players should have to deal with it themselves; if they want to risk it, go for it. But I wouldn't complain if the rule were to be accepted.
6 months ago
Personally I hate the rediculous long hair in the NFL, its one thing to have something coming out of the back of your helmet its another to have the crazed hair of Troy Polamalu or Domata Peko. When Polamalu got an interception against the Chiefs and Larry Johnson literally pulled him down by his hair I figured it serves him right. However I understand that its the players hair and what he does with it is his own business. I also recognize as fan who can't readily identify every player not on his home team, I get bothered when I can't see that players name because its covered by his hair. I also have a problem with anyone claiming religious reasons for the hair, I understand there are religions that grow their hair but i also know they dont just let that hair dangle in the wind the same way these players do. I also understand the cultural aspect of hair in the pacific island culture, but do you really believe Tory Polamalu is really celebrating his heritage? Domata Peko is another player who like Polamalu who draws hiw heritage from that part of the world, but his mop of hair is not a natural color. Are these players really trying to celebrate culture or religion or is this just one more way for them to get noticed?
6 months ago
My issue is that I think it is ridiculous for someone to tell another person how to wear their hair.
from 6 months ago
If they worked in a factory surrounded by dangerous machinery it wouldn't be so ridiculous would it? It would be dangerous not to tell employees to cut or tie up their hair. Its also dangerous in the NFL and destroys the image of the game because you can't the numbers or names of players. It is ridiculous to have uniforms that are useless because critical information is covered by long hair. They can tie up their hair for Pete's sake.
6 months ago
You're right, it is ridiculous.
But what is more ridiculous? The NFL telling players how to look during games, or the NBA enacting a dress code that stretches beyond the field of play?
Stern was praised by many for the dress code and it's effort to "clean up" the NBA, but it may have set a dangerous precedent for how much a pro sports league can dictate their athletes' appearance.
But the article makes a good point by bringing up suits won by people in other lines of work, ruling that the employer couldn't dictate hairstyle.
In that way, maybe we can compare the athlete to the Greyhound employee in this way: Stern can enact a dress code, in the same way that the Greyhound employee has to wear a company uniform. But, the NFL making players chop their hair off would be unacceptable, based on the Greyhound-based standard.
For some reason, I don't think this rule will come to pass. I think there will be too much dissent from fans of these players, and probably the NFLPA.
My personal opinion is that I don't care - I just want to see the guys play. I do think they should be able to look however they want, so I see no reason for this rule.
What I've always wondered is why no one grabs a guy like Marion Barber by the dreadlocks to throw him to the ground. To me, he's giving himself more area to tackle, but no one takes advantage.
Maybe the players have an unspoken code about hair-tackling.
6 months ago
Spoiled millionaires.....If your work place has rules about appearance..you follow them or find another place to work. I know lots of employers that tell their employees that they need to get a haircut. When you are in the public representing a company, they have a right to choose how they are being represented. Everyone is sooooooo concerned about individuality...Guess what? It is a TEAM game. If you have a need for individual expression, stay away from team games....Be a bowler. Spare me the cutural/religious argument...It is all about style..Or at least someone's perception of style. If you feel like you just HAVE to have your dreads...tuck them up inside your helmet...
6 months ago
I like how you don't pull any punches, Mr. Author. Just kidding, but I don't think you can risk a rule like that, even if it is unclear why a player has that hairstyle. If the NFL makes it very clear that it is a safety issue and not an "image" issue, then maybe I won't have a problem with it. Keep writing articles brother.
6 months ago
The hair is a style thing for most players - not religious, not a hearwarming cultural tribute. And it is about intimidation. But frankly, too many players have saturated that fashion statement by now. I'm a Packers fan and I can't tell if Atari Bigby or Al Harris broke up the last play.
6 months ago
While you are spot on and there are plenty of reasons for the NFL to not be doing such a stupid thing.
Are you kidding me?
Is the NFL for real? I mean who cares why they wear the hair they way they wear it. It ISN'T part of the uniform in the aspect that it's part of the player. Okay sure other players can use it to tackle them, but the player that is rowing their hair out understands that.
It's not part of the uniform. They aren't writting God Bless America or Tillman 40 on their sneakers or anything. They aren't taking a sharpie to their helmet and writing FREE MIKE VICK all over it.
It's their freaking hair.
Whether they are growing it out for religious beliefs, personal reasons or just for the hell of it... What does it really matter? It's hair, leave the men alone.
6 months ago
If a business has a legitimate reason to not allow long hair, they won't lose a lawsuit. If a person is simply fired because of appearance then it is discrimination. The NFL has legitimate reasons to not allow people's hair to hang down. Professional and safety issues. These players are issued uniforms but in some cases the uniforms are not effective because players names and numbers are not visible. Players could could suffer a serious injury if another player yanks on their hair. NFL players are among the fastest and strongest men in the world.
That is a little different than FedEx firing people simply because they didn't like their appearance. Get your legal facts straight. I will agree that it would be immoral to force a player to cut his hair. The NFL will accomodate players by allowing them to tie their up. They are just simply considering setting a rule to ban hair covering names and numbers of uniforms. I don't see anything wrong with that.
6 months ago
The legal facts are as straight as can be. FedEx fired the workers wearing dreads for their appearance. They had to settle. Greyhound fired a man for his appearance. They had to settle.
6 months ago
To you the religious argument may be rediculous, but fortunately all you can really do is write about it. We are given the right under the laws of the land to be spared from religious persecution. I fully support the players, like Atari Bigby, who claim that dreads are a part of his rastafari religion. My employer has a dress code that includes accessories, i follow it. They have no right to say what my physical body looks like. Hair is not an accessory.
6 months ago
"And as far as Rasta, most of these guys never left the neighborhood that they lived as kids for the exception for college and the pros, let alone from any of the islands."
Rastas belong to a religion just like Catholics. All that practice the Catholic way do not live in Italy do they? No. Then why would you think these players have to be living on an island to be Rastas? Please stop the ignorant talk. PLEASE!
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