The moustache-growing idea is something Wes Lysack came up with. I know other teams do it — I think it’s a good team-bonding ordeal. It’s good for the team and it kind of brings everybody together.
On the flip side, there are a lot of guys in the dressing room who can’t grow moustaches. I’m one of them — I’ve got the Sidney Crosby playoff ’stache going. The thin moustache, so it’s not that great, but I’m trying.
You know what? I like the concept. What we’re looking at doing is we’re going to get dressed up in retro clothing, so bell-bottoms and moon-boots and tight T-shirts and we’re going to come to the game like that. And of course, we’re going to be rocking the moustaches for the game. It just takes us back — moustaches were a big thing in the ’60s and ’70s, so we’re just trying to roll with the whole retro theme and concept and just have fun with it.
Lysack is probably the most prepared as far as dressing retro. I think one year he got dressed up as John Travolta from Grease, so I think he’s already got his get-up. I think that’s why he came up with the idea. He wants us to go up to the consignment shop on 16th and buy bell-bottoms and tight tees.
I’ll say this, too — the best moustache right now is Randy Chevrier by far and away. He can grow one overnight. The best redneck moustache would have to go to Justin Phillips. He’s got the handlebars and it suits him perfect.
Tristan Black’s got a real good one. He shaved his beard to get to get the moustache — he said he hasn’t seen his chin in eight years. I respect him — he’s gone the extra step because he’s got the big pork-chop handlebars and the sideburns. They look outstanding.
Mark Kilam’s is outstanding. He almost looks like he should be part of one of those Mexican mariachi bands.
And worst moustache? I’m going to have to go with myself. I can’t stand it. I hate looking in the mirror every morning and seeing this dirt on my face. I can’t wait to shave it. As soon as the game ends, I’m going to run into the dressing room, I’m going to get my razor out and I’m going to take it off my face.
The problem with me is that I don’t grow a lot of facial hair. A lot of these guys, they’ve had beards for two weeks to get their moustaches, so it’s like their moustaches are hiding in the weeds and they bring it out at the last minute by shaving their beards. I don’t have that option.
Wes Lysack is one of the guys who grew a beard and then shaved to reveal a moustache. Drew Tate, Edwin Harrison, Tim O’Neill . . . most of the guys have done it. I like George Hopkins’ method — he’s got the moustache coming in right now and he doesn’t have to grow a beard first to hide it. I think it’s cheating to hide the moustache, but then again if I could grow a beard, I probably would have done the same thing.
There’s one more thing I have to say — Mike Labinjo, although he wants so bad to be a part of the moustache club for the game, the fact is he only grows about six hairs on each side of his moustache. He grows nothing in the middle and then he’s got six long, real stringy hairs coming own. It almost looks like a Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid moustache. So although he wants to take part, there’s no way Mike Labinjo will be part of moustache club come Sunday.
Burke Dales, #16
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>> Photo gallery of Stamps moustaches