Canadian Woes: Growing Playoff Beards

[bumstead27]

Well it's every Canadians favourite season. That's right it's playoff time. A time of excitement, victory and heartbreak. And for some a time of itchiness and irritation. With the much anticipated post season many dedicated fans and players refrain from any sort of shaving and let their facial hair grow free. Many see this as a time of freedom and an opportunity to be lazy and/or grow the beard they've always wanted. For others however such as me who are unable to grow a decent beard it is a time of dread and embarrassment, with the meagre attempt of your beard up against your Sasquatch of a defence partners winter wool.

I'm currently 5 days in and hating the the look and feel of my face. Past the itchy stubbly stage a few days ago and am now getting into the longer noticeably unkept stage. Don't like it very much and am also noticing my neck getting somewhat itchy. I usually shave every day or every other day for a bit of a break cause I like being smooth.

I miss the relaxation of shaving in the morning and the blissful scents of creams and soaps.

Let me know all of your experiences when it comes to growing a beard and what you guys think of hockey players somewhat quirky tradition

 

[Shave_Rat]

I've seen other sports where playoff beards are also done. I'd say whatever you have the ability to, just grow it proudly!

 

[adamchur]

I had my fair share of facial hair:
On and off I had a 'tache all through my 20's
I grew a George Michael style goatee in my early 30's - pencil thin with a thin line from my lower lip to my chin
In my mid 30's I grew a full beard- inch wide sideburns, inch wide along the jawline, slightly narrower from my 'tache to my chin, smooth between my lower lip and chin and smooth on my neck and below the jawline
I got rid of it 3 months later because a woman said she thought I looked about 50 - reason enough for me to go clean shaven again !!
I grew the 'tache again in my early 40's, but soon got rid of it again because it no longer looked right
I had a half inch wide 'landing strip' from my lower lip to my chin for 2 years, but got rid of it because I looked like a henchman from a Bond film
Now I've been clean shaven 3 years except at weekends, and enjoyed 18 months of DE wet shaving.
Different strokes for different blokes, but I've had enough of beards to last me a lifetime

 

[davent]

I've never understood doing anything just because everyone else is, hockey player or not, shave it off and do what you want!

I play hockey but would't grow a beard even though i can, just to remain the contrarian. Ever the outlier, should have been a goalie.

dave

 

[BadDad]

You gotta do what you want to do. If you don't like wearing a beard, just shave. There's no point in torturing yourself so someone else will think you're one of the "Cool Kids"...

 

[bumstead27]

It has nothing to do with trying to fit in. Has everything to do with superstition on my team. Last year we started out not shaving but then second round we all caved and started to shave. We then got a bunch of injuries and were swept. So this year we are taking no chances and nobody is shaving. I'm kinda the one enforcing it to so I definitely can't back out.

 

[BadDad]

Well, if that's the case than I recommend grabbing a small bottle of beard oil, gritting your teeth, and getting on with it...

As for beard growing experiences...I haven't had a trimmer near my beard in about 7 months. I love wearing a full, long, thick, heavy beard.

 

[bumstead27]

That's plan just gotta stick it out. Was just wondering if any others dislike beard growing as much as me. I'm sure it isn't bad when it gets long enough but getting it to that stage is frustrating

 

[NesOne]

This past November is the 1st time I've grown out my 'full' beard (always sported a circle beard, and have never shaved my mustache), I noticed the itchiness during the 2nd week, but it only lasted a few days. Like BadDad said, get some beard oil, and rub it in daily. That worked for me. Hang in there, and just try to not look at yourself in the mirror if you don't like how it looks

 

[davent]

It has nothing to do with trying to fit in. Has everything to do with superstition on my team. Last year we started out not shaving but then second round we all caved and started to shave. We then got a bunch of injuries and were swept. So this year we are taking no chances and nobody is shaving. I'm kinda the one enforcing it to so I definitely can't back out.

As to the playoff cave, it may have been a case of someone having washed their lucky underwear during the second run.

 

[BadDad]

That's plan just gotta stick it out. Was just wondering if any others dislike beard growing as much as me. I'm sure it isn't bad when it gets long enough but getting it to that stage is frustrating

If I didn't like growing a beard, I would shave every day, regardless of how much it didn't legitimately effect my favorite sport team's performance.

Forgive me, but I am neither a sports fan nor a superstitious individual.

 

[bumstead27]

As to the playoff cave, it may have been a case of someone having washed their lucky underwear during the second run.

Hahaha possibly. Don't they know that your jock is never supposed be washed :'D?