Random Thoughts
It's Patriots Rookie Haircut Time
As hazing rituals go, the Patriots' annual haircut humiliation of the rookies is a middle-of-the-road affair. Not as creative as the Katy, TX cheerleaders "bleeping" in their pants and making the freshmen girls wear it on their heads. Not as hilariously degrading as Dustin Pedroia's Hooters outfit or Jonathan Papelbon's Barbie backpack. But not as flat-out stupid as letting a bunch of pasty-faced frat boy virgins sexually humiliate you so you can become their "brother." Here are the only pictures that seem to be available at the moment:
(No. 5: Kevin O'Connell, No. 62: Ryan Wendell, No. 18: Mathew Slater. O'Connell gets the "Dewey Oxberger.")
(Wendell sports a "Vanilla Ice" fade and Slater has a "Pre-Electric Chair" buzzcut.)
(No. 85: Jonathan Stupar gets a "Hellboy.")
Terrence Wheatley got off easy with the "Male Pattern Baldness" look but he doesn't look happy about it.
If anything, I think this year's edition was tamer than in years past. Shawn Crable's is actually cool, looking like his Michigan Wolverine's helmet. And for Jerrod Mayo, the team observed the "Laurence Maroney Rule" which states "First round draft picks who are ironclad locks to be stars in the league will have their dreadlocks left alone in favor of shaving their eyebrows." Joe Torre should take note.