Playoff Beards

[NJDfan1711]

This will probably be long-winded, but maybe some will enjoy it.  

I have a pretty full and rather scruffy beard at the moment.  I have actually had one for the last 15+ years or so, pretty much from the time facial hair started appearing on my chin, upper lip, and eventually cheeks, neck, and everywhere else.  Now not everyone is able to grow a beard, but most can, and it's an exciting time when you're a teenager and it starts to come in.  It makes you feel older, feel cooler, all that good stuff.  At least it sort of did for me.  And for whatever reason, I liked the way my face looked with a beard.  

With that said, I was too young and didn't have facial hair when we won our first two cups.  During our third, I was starting to accumulate more hair on my face, but not enough for a playoff beard.  Years later, when I was 20, I met and dated a girl 10 years older than me, and I kept my facial hair going, partly because I still liked it, but also probably because I wanted to look her age and not seem so young and out of place.  During the beginning of our relationship the Devils made the playoffs a few times, but never on deep runs, and I never took the playoff beard too seriously.  Then 2012 hit.  She and I had gone back to school at nights (working full time 8-5 during the day) to get our Bachelor's degrees together, and to get the last two years of our four year degree, it took 3 1/2 to almost 4 years, because we could only take about 2 classes at a time since we were working during the day.  At that time it had been 10 years since our last Cup, and we had not had many successful playoff campaigns since, so I went all-in.  I didn't shave completely at the start of the playoffs, but I stopped shaving entirely once they began.  I had a neatly trimmed beard  and sideburns in early April, and just let it roll from there.  The end of May rolls around, we're obviously still in the playoffs, and now we are set to graduate with our Bachelor's.  It was a proud moment and several years in the making, so I wanted to look professional, but I also wasn't going to jinx what was turning out to be a really enjoyable season.  On the day of the ceremony, we had friends and family with us in the auditorium to watch us walk across the stage and receive our diplomas.  At a party for us later that day, I will always laugh and remember the conversation my then mother-in-law had with her boyfriend...  "Her: Wasn't it great seeing them walk?", her boyfriend replies: "I saw Angela, but where was Greg?" - she responds "He was right behind her", and his response was, "The dude with the beard?".  I'll never forget that, because 2012 was a great year, and as disappointed as I was when I shaved off my beard that made me unrecognizable to family members and it took me about 20 minutes to do so, that run was so exciting, so worth it, and I was so committed.  

Fast forward 6 years later, and we haven't had any playoffs since that time.  I am no longer with that woman.  I have not shaved my face completely and have had some form of facial hair since I was 18 years old.  I went from growing a goatee where it didn't full connect or wasn't that thick, to now having many grays and whites in my beard from age, stress, and just life in general.  Like I said before, I have always had some form of facial hair probably to look older, and who knows, maybe to hide my face.  I have no idea if I'm a good looking guy or not, and I'm not really "rebooting" myself or my image just because I'm a single guy again, and I never really cared what anyone thought of me, but if I ever did, it's safe to say I care even less now, so I'm going to completely shave my face on Sunday.  I'll probably look 14 and might get ID'd in bars again lol, but I'm all-in again this year, and it feels so good.  I might only get to keep this rolling for two weeks and probably won't have much of a thick beard if we happened to get bounced early, but who cares.  The point is that we're here, we get to do this again, we get to live this again, and I can't wait.

So...now that I'm done telling stories...do any of you do the playoff beard?  Will you shave completely?  Do you normally rock a beard and will just keep your usual one going?  Do you have a job where you're not supposed to have facial hair and/or required to keep it neat and tidy?  Will you tell them to f*ck off?  I started a job 6 months ago and work in an IT department of only 3, and my co-workers probably have no idea what they're in store for re: what I will look like if we happen to make it past the second round, but I don't care. They're going to understand what takes priority.  

I've been following the Devils since about 1992 when I still lived in New York.  I was 5 years old, and I can remember going downstairs sitting on the floor of the living room and watching the Devils highlights on TV from the night before.  My first jersey was actually #31 Chris Terreri, and I still have it to this day. We last won the Cup when I was 17, just a kid.  We may not win the Cup this year, but I have been through a ton of sh!t in my life in the last decade, and I really needed some Devils playoff hockey this year.  It's the first year since I joined this site that we've made the playoffs.  I'm ready to enjoy it with you fellas. 

Let's.  fvcking.  Gooooooooooooooooooooo!

[RunninWithTheDevil]

Last time we won the cup I was 13, last time we made the finals I was 22 with a weird/patchy half-pubescent peach fuzz beard. I can now grow a full beard. I am now very excited to do so for hockey. 

[NJDfan1711]

Just now, RunninWithTheDevil said:

Last time we won the cup I was 13, last time we made the finals I was 22 with a weird/patchy half-pubescent peach fuzz beard. I can now grow a full beard. I am now very excited to do so for hockey. 

fvck yes. That's what I'm talking about.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I grew a beard for the last Super Bowl (six weeks)...then because I was in Florida and was overheated one day and very sweaty, I decided to shave it off the day of the game (that morning)...Pats lost (that's my team), and I felt like a dope for doing it.  I then shaved for the next few weeks, but did like the bearded look, so I've grown it back (my daughter was initially not a fan but kinda likes it now).  I had a proper beard trim at the barber about a week ago (I keep the upper cheeks and neck areas clean on my own)...I may shave it off again come summer, not sure.  Toyed with the idea of starting over for the playoffs, but I'm going to just keep it.  Lots of gray in mine (I have a lot of gray hair too), but I dig that, so it's all good.

[NJDfan1711]

15 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I grew a beard for the last Super Bowl (six weeks)...then because I was in Florida and was overheated one day and very sweaty, I decided to shave it off the day of the game (that morning)...Pats lost (that's my team), and I felt like a dope for doing it.  I then shaved for the next few weeks, but did like the bearded look, so I've grown it back (my daughter was initially not a fan but kinda likes it now).  I had a proper beard trim at the barber about a week ago (I keep the upper cheeks and neck areas clean on my own)...I may shave it off again come summer, not sure.  Toyed with the idea of starting over for the playoffs, but I'm going to just keep it.  Lots of gray in mine (I have a lot of gray hair too), but I dig that, so it's all good.

Good stuff.  I don't grow the beard for the Mets or the Giants.  I know some other sports and athletes have started to embrace it and do it as well, but to me it is/was/always will be a hockey thing.

9 minutes ago, Martyisth3b3st said:

I grew a playoff beard in 2012. I was in college and I was finally able to grow "somewhat" of a beard. It was patchy as hell but it got the job done.

I usually sport a neatly trimmed ~ half inch long beard all year round. I'll be growing this one out until the Devils lose. 

Shave it all and start from scratch on Sunday

[bostondevil11]

Losers I have been growing my beard since 1995.  It is just one long black hair under my chin.

[mfitz804]

I don't grow a playoff beard, that's for players on the team IMHO. 

[NJDfan1711]

1 minute ago, mfitz804 said:

I don't grow a playoff beard, that's for players on the team IMHO. 

Then why do you sometimes wear a jersey?  Just sayin' 

[mfitz804]

1 hour ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Then why do you sometimes wear a jersey?  Just sayin' 

It's more than sometimes. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

23 hours ago, Kinkyisth3b3st said:

I grew a playoff beard in 2012. I was in college and I was finally able to grow "somewhat" of a beard. It was patchy as hell but it got the job done.

I usually sport a neatly trimmed ~ half inch long beard all year round. I'll be growing this one out until the Devils lose. 

I was one of those guys who could grow a beard when I was 15, lol...but didn't fully commit to actually growing one until this year.  From 30-40, I did the lower lip/chin patch...it took me a full month to get used to not having it once I finally let it go.  I was clean-shaven/stubble for the last seven years (I shave once a week due to skin irritation if I shave too often).  Even now I almost "forget" that I now have a beard...I'm still getting used to it.

[mfitz804]

I was lazy this weekend and have one going. Does that count?

[thecoffeecake]

This afternoon was the first time I've been totally clean shaven in 4 years (and that last time was attributed to a broken razor attachment that forced it). I've been saying all this time I won't be clean shaven again until we're in the playoffs. Well, we're in, and I am.

I was 19 when the last run came around, and my beard was pretty disgusting, but I didn't touch it all playoffs. I actually got lazy and didn't shave for about a week after we lost, and after the ensuing drought, I'll be sure to avoid that. 

I often let my beard go for weeks and weeks, but I'm hoping I'll be able to see what I can do in two months now. 

[Devilsfan118]

Much like Nico and Bratt, I probably can't grow much of a playoff beard.

Unlike Nico and Bratt, I'm 28 years old.

I'm a real manly man, I know.

Edited April 12, 2018 by Devilsfan118

[NJDfan1711]

On ‎4‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 12:02 AM, mfitz804 said:

I was lazy this weekend and have one going. Does that count?

It does.  I hope you kept it going.

14 hours ago, thecoffeecake said:

This afternoon was the first time I've been totally clean shaven in 4 years (and that last time was attributed to a broken razor attachment that forced it). I've been saying all this time I won't be clean shaven again until we're in the playoffs. Well, we're in, and I am.

I was 19 when the last run came around, and my beard was pretty disgusting, but I didn't touch it all playoffs. I actually got lazy and didn't shave for about a week after we lost, and after the ensuing drought, I'll be sure to avoid that. 

I often let my beard go for weeks and weeks, but I'm hoping I'll be able to see what I can do in two months now. 

That's not that far off my situation, in terms of always having a beard and usually only grooming it every week or so.  I clean shaved on Sunday, got my haircut yesterday and my barber trimmed a little of what stubble had grown in since - I was a little pissed at first and didn't expect it, but as long as it's before puck drop for us and technically prior to the playoffs start for us, then it's all good

13 hours ago, Devilsfan118 said:

Much like Nico and Bratt, I probably can't grow much of a playoff beard.

Unlike Nico and Bratt, I'm 28 years old.

I'm a real manly man, I know.

It doesn't matter what it looks like, as long as you participate. 

[mfitz804]

4 hours ago, NJDfan1711 said:

It does.  I hope you kept it going.

That's not that far off my situation, in terms of always having a beard and usually only grooming it every week or so.  I clean shaved on Sunday, got my haircut yesterday and my barber trimmed a little of what stubble had grown in since - I was a little pissed at first and didn't expect it, but as long as it's before puck drop for us and technically prior to the playoffs start for us, then it's all good

It doesn't matter what it looks like, as long as you participate. 

 

[NJDfan1711]

8 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

 

Well played sir, well played.

[mfitz804]

50 minutes ago, NJDfan1711 said:

Well played sir, well played.

I will admit I find that commercial way funnier than it probably is. 

"Your mom!!!"

[andy]

I started my Playoff beard on Sunday.  Hope it's around for a long time.

[thecoffeecake]

Round 1, game 2: I look less like a teenager than I did on Thursday.