No facial hair policy... Yay or Nay?

[HondaCop]

Just wanted to stir the pot a bit and hear what's everyone's current stand on the Yankee's No Facial Hair strict policy?

Personally, I think I agree with keeping the whole looking professional atmosphere but at the same time, why not loosen it up a bit. I think change is good and this might be something that the Yankees could use in order to lighten up the mood around the clubhouse.

What you guys think?

[snapple]

Just wanted to stir the pot a bit and hear what's everyone's current stand on the Yankee's No Facial Hair strict policy?

Personally, I think I agree with keeping the whole looking professional atmosphere but at the same time, why not loosen it up a bit. I think change is good and this might be something that the Yankees could use in order to lighten up the mood around the clubhouse.

What you guys think?

You CAN make polls. I like the beard policy. The Red Sox looked like a bunch of homeless people this offseason.

[DrNick]

I could not care less what they look like. Just hit the ball, catch the ball, and pitch the ball.

[longtimeyankeefan]

If Wilson does not want to sign with the Yankees because of his beard, so be it.

Personally, I thought the Red Sox team this seasons should have been called the Neanderthals, since that was what they looked like.

[HondaCop]

I see people criticizing how the Red Sox players looked but as long as my team is winning championships, i couldn't care less how they looked.

[Nome]

I like winning, but you can win as many games with no facial hair and shorter haircuts as you can with beards down to your ankles. I vote for the neat look. And while we're at it, I also vote for the players to appear in public in suits and ties or at least sportjackets and slacks.

IMHO of course

Andy

[Bub]

I'm old school. I like the neat, professional-looking, clean shaven, well-dressed Yankees we've grown accustomed to. Not that scruffy facial hair has anything to do with winning, but if that's what it took to win I'd vote no. Baseball fans that aren't Yankee fans generally hate the Yankees, but they also admit it's an organization with class, and if there's anything I don't want compromised it's class. I'd rather have Bobby Meacham playing short.

[Zimmers' Helmet]

I see people criticizing how the Red Sox players looked but as long as my team is winning championships, i couldn't care less how they looked.

Exactly.

As I mentioned in another post - this isn't the 1950's anymore. Doctors, lawyers, judges and cops can sports beards - why shouldn't athletes? We have members of this team tattooed from tip to tail to the point that they look like human billboards, but a beard or goatee is inappropriate? C'mon...

[pjfan]

I'm old school. I like the neat, professional-looking, clean shaven, well-dressed Yankees we've grown accustomed to. Not that scruffy facial hair has anything to do with winning, but if that's what it took to win I'd vote no. Baseball fans that aren't Yankee fans generally hate the Yankees, but they also admit it's an organization with class, and if there's anything I don't want compromised it's class. I'd rather have Bobby Meacham playing short.

So, if somebody came to you and said that the Yanks would win the next 3 WS, but 6-7 guys would have to have beards, you'd say no?

Ok then.

[YankeePride1967]

I see people criticizing how the Red Sox players looked but as long as my team is winning championships, i couldn't care less how they looked.

This. Would you rather have players looking like the Red Sox, but have their team and farm system. Or be neatly shaven and have ours.

[Sparky]

This. Would you rather have players looking like the Red Sox, but have their team and farm system. Or be neatly shaven and have ours.

I want both.


Actually, I would be OK with beards IF they are required to be TRIMMED!!. Same with the hair. TRIMMED. Look respectable and professional. Then perform. With the millions they are getting paid, it's the least they could do.

[LongtimeNYYFan]

I, too, am old school. I like the current policy. Cleanly groomed and neatly dressed on the road. During the WS I wondered what ZZ Top was doing in Red Sox unis.

This picture is disturbing:



BTW....was there ever even any interest in Wilson by the Yankees? I never heard he was on the team's wish list.

And for what it's worth, on the MLB Network yesterday afternoon, they said they had a report that the story about Wilson not playing for the Yankees because of the beard was just a joke. I can't find a link to that, however.

[Big_E]

I like the tradition. I thought the Red Sox looked like rejects from "Duck Dynasty". And it put more emphasis on the stupid facial hair, than the ballgame.

[NYYDragoon]

As I mentioned in another post - this isn't the 1950's anymore. Doctors, lawyers, judges and cops can sports beards - why shouldn't athletes?

It depends on who your boss is. There are plenty of occupations that have dress/attire codes.

At any rate, there's a huge difference between neatly trimmed facial hair and the unkempt face jungles that Brian Wilson and the Sox have. I have no issue with the Yanks banning that.

[YankeePride1967]

I want both.


Actually, I would be OK with beards IF they are required to be TRIMMED!!. Same with the hair. TRIMMED. Look respectable and professional. Then perform. With the millions they are getting paid, it's the least they could do.

Would I prefer that they be trimmed? Of course, but if Miguel Cabrera wanted to come to the Yankees but found out he grew an out of control beard, I wouldn't turn him away just because he has a wild looking beard.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

It depends on who your boss is. There are plenty of occupations that have dress/attire codes.

At any rate, there's a huge difference between neatly trimmed facial hair and the unkempt face jungles that Brian Wilson and the Sox have. I have no issue with the Yanks banning that.

There are less and less of those occupations - the idea of getting the best talent is trumping these kinds of concerns in a lot of industries. Completely agree with you, though -- I was repulsed by the Red Sox look, but most people with facial hair know how to groom.

All this said, it feels to me like this comes across as another way that the Yankees are out of touch with a part of their fan base, similar to the new stadium. I don't see this as the kind of policy that helps grown and diversify their fan base, or keeps them relevant with younger fans.

[SLURPEE]

Outdated rule. Who cares if a player wants a beard? The no long hair policy is stupid too.

[Hitman23]

I think they should be able to do what they want. I think the policy is outdated.

[THEBOSS84]

Exactly.

As I mentioned in another post - this isn't the 1950's anymore. Doctors, lawyers, judges and cops can sports beards - why shouldn't athletes? We have members of this team tattooed from tip to tail to the point that they look like human billboards, but a beard or goatee is inappropriate? C'mon...

Pretty much this. A tattoo sleeve looks a lot worse than some facial hair.

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

Pretty much this. A tattoo sleeve looks a lot worse than some facial hair.

QFT. I think many of the guys on the Red Sox looked pretty unappealing with those Grizzly Adams beards. But they sure looked pretty good having a championship parade, and ruling guys out of consideration for the roster because they grow beards, even really bad looking beards, seems silly to me. And as THEBOSS says, it seems beyond silly considering the team has no similar policy about ridiculous tattoos, which imo are a lot more unappealing.

[35Knucklecurve]

As long as it's kept neatly trimmed, I don't see why a player should not be allowed to have facial hair, whether it's a mustache, goatee or beard. Sometimes I wonder if Wilson thinks his outrageous bird's nest is helping him by distracting hitters.

What I cannot tolerate, however is a player with his cap on sideways. It looks totally unprofessional. You get paid millions of dollars to play a game and you can't do it without looking like you should be on a street corner in "'da hood" for 3 hours?

[montrealer]

Stupid rule............

[Black Sabbathia]

I say YAY and I say that as someone who at the moment is growing a big bushy winter beard and generally hates to shave

The Yankees set a standard of excellence. I personally don't want to see a bunch of cavemen in pinstripes. Leave that to Boston

Neither here nor there, but what are your favorite "skirting the rules" moments from Yankee players? I really enjoyed Giambi's mustache and just slightly too long sideburns

[JDPNYY]

No beards. Shave their heads as well. Gardner shaves his head and he's super fast. It would be great if the current Yankees got rid of that wind resistance and got faster.

[Black Sabbathia]

What I cannot tolerate, however is a player with his cap on sideways. It looks totally unprofessional. You get paid millions of dollars to play a game and you can't do it without looking like you should be on a street corner in "'da hood" for 3 hours?

CC is gonna kill you for that

also, the Yankees had no interest in Brian Wilson anyway, zero, and if you actually read the quote in context it was just Cashman making a joke with his dry sense of humor that seems to go over people's heads. I can't believe people are running with this like it's something, but oh well, the media loves to make stories out of thin air