NFL regulates player hair length

NEW YORK (AP)—Troy Polamalu might not have to worry about getting tackled again by his hair. At their meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., next week, NFL owners will consider a proposal to ban players from having hair flow from their helmets below their names on the back of their jerseys. That might affect Polamalu’s image, but help him on the field. Two seasons ago, the Pittsburgh safety with the long ponytail had his hair grabbed by Kansas City’s Larry Johnson and was thrown to the turf after an interception against the Chiefs. The rule banning long hair on the field was proposed by Kansas City. It does not require players to get haircuts, but does “require them to tuck it up inside their helmets,” said Atlanta president Rich McKay, chairman of the league’s competition committee. Polamalu is the best known of the players, most of them defensive backs, with hair flowing outside their helmets. Others include cornerbacks Al Harris of Green Bay and Mike McKenzie of New Orleans. Because the rule was proposed by a team, the competition committee did not take a position on it. It will be discussed Monday with a package of other rules.

If you're wondering why I am posting about football, a sport that I am very indifferent to, it's because I have long believed that some of the players hair was ridiculously long for a sport such as football. I also have thought it very mean of the other players to pull their long hair to bring them down. Urban Cowboy thinks it's totally fair because the hair is there and easy to grab and there are no rules against it. Ok, but what about integrity. Aren't we always taught that hair pulling (NFL) and biting (Mike Tyson) are "dirty" fighting methods? Well, anyway, I'm just saying that I think it's good that the NFL is now going to consider regulating the hair length (or hair showing outside the helmet) to prevent such dirty fighting. I mean, a lot of kids watch football and it's important for them to learn & understand that certain actions are not acceptable because they are not examples of good sportsmanship.