A reader writes:
Given your rigorous defense of facial hair on the Dish, I though you might find the concept of the "Playoff Beard" amusing. Since the hockey playoffs can last for two months, depending on how your team performs, it's traditional for hockey fans to stop shaving for the duration. Here in Pittsburgh the phenomenon is pretty popular and there's even a charity based around it dubbed Beard-A-Thon. You get the satisfaction of seeing your beard grow in proportion to your team's success, and if they lose you get the psychological validation of shaving off whatever bad mojo resulted in defeat. Next time somebody's giving you flak about having a beard you can prove that facial hair is a bonna fide sports-related cultural phenomenon.
Players do it too.
(Photo: Rick Stewart/Getty Images, Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)