Around the Hornet: Hairy Situation

Hair has been an essential part of history since the beginning of time. From mullets and flat-tops, to afros and faux hawks, hair has always been around .

Outrageous hairstyles have been slowly popping up around the sports world in the past couple of years. Long, curly hair has become as normal as a buzz cut but many believe these new hair-dos are unacceptable and unprofessional for athletic world.

Players like the Pittsburgh Steelers' Troy Polamalu and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Manny Ramirez are some of the athletes that have let their hair grow out to well beyond their shoulder blades. Although these athletes should maintain a certain level of professionalism, teams and leagues should not be deciding the appearance of their athletes. 

Athletes are looked at as heroes and icons by many all across the world. From their sportsmanship on the courts and fields to the way they dress off of it, everyone notices an athlete's appearance. Because of the exposure these athletes receive, some feel that the athletes should have  their attire regulated to a certain point.

New York Yankees' Johnny Damon was well-known for his long beard and shoulder length hair in 2005 with the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees started a media frenzy when they had Damon change his appearance after his acquisition in 2006. The Yankees are well known for having certain appearance standards for their players; include a certain length of hair along with a clean shaved face.

The Yankees are an example of a team that feels like they can take away a player's rights as an American. Not only should Damon have had his hair at any desired length, but he should not have been forced to conform by shaving his beard and cutting his hair.

Fullerton College's linebacker, Filipo Tuala, is the Hornets' very own Polamalu, when it comes to hairstyle. The 6-2, 225-pound sophomore has hair that hangs a good 7 inches outside of his helmet as he flies around the field. His hair doesn't seem to pose a problem  on the field.  

The National Football League proposed a rule in 2007 that wouldn't have allowed players' hair to cover their last names on their jerseys. The rule would also prevent hair grabbing during tackles in a game. Polamalu had previously felt the pain of having irregularly long hair on more than one occasion prior to the proposed rule. Polamalu last had his hair pulled by Kansas City Chiefs' running back, Larry Johnson, back in 2006.

Ramirez was also told to cut his hair in 2008 upon arrival in Los Angeles. No further action was taken towards Ramirez getting a haircut, but he seems to pay for his locks daily. Ramirez's dreadlocks wrap around the side of his head and smack him in the face every time he swings.

The momentary blindness isn't enough for Ramirez to cut his hair, just as the pain isn't enough to persuade Polamalu for a cut.

Other leagues should take after the National Basketball Association and just not worry about an athlete's hair. Cleveland Caveliers' Anderson Varelao is a 6-11, 260 -pound walking cartoon character. His hair has never been a problem and that's the way it should be.

After all the controversy and lessons learned, players continue to let their hair hang low. Even with all the opinions and proposed rules, players don't seem to care and neither should the fans. Everyone has the right to decide on their looks and no one has the right to say otherwise. The fans should stop worrying about athlete's appearance and refocus on what is happening on the field.