StyleSpeak
checks out some sports stars whose game and hair styles have won them equal
adulation
Urmi
Chanda-Vaz
They
are the objects of millions of admiring eyes, and if a sportsman is stylish,
their fans take them to a grand new level of hero worship. There are many cases
in point. Super stylish Andre Agassi had as many screaming female fans as a pop
artist in his heydays, while father-of-four David Beckham still elicits sighs
of envy from men across the world. Men like this have set standards not just in
sports but also in trends. Here, we do a recce of the sportsmen who love to
show off their mane.
Troy Polamalu: America
NFL footballer Troy Polamalu’s unmistakable curls are as much his claim to fame
as are his football skills. Hair giant Pantene has even gone as far as insuring
Polamalu’s locks for a staggering $1 mn!! Apparently, the last time he got a
haircut was in 2000, when his coach told him he needed one. No wonder the man
has grown such a heedful of tremendous tresses!
Andre Agassi: The
shaven-headed Andre Agassi that this generation sees is very different from the
vibrant, long-haired tennis sensation that he once was. The eight-time
Grandslam singles champion and Olympic gold medalist was known as a flamboyant
sport star with a bushy mane. However, he admitted to the world through his
autobiography ‘Open’ in 2009, that his famous hair was a wig!
Dennis Rodman: Speaking
of yesteryear stars, retired American footballer Dennis Rodman was yet another
fashion-forward stars of the last generation. Rodman was equally notorious for
his fierce defence and rebound moves in basketball, as he was for his
brightly-coloured hair. Rodman’s colouful choices are reflected in the fact
that he later turned to professional wrestling and even television.
David Beckham: The poster boy of metrosexuality, David Beckham has had a no-holds-barred approach
about personal style ever since he began his career in 1992. Beckham’s
hairstyles have garnered as much media and public attention as his marriage to
pop star-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham, and endorsements. From
braids, to spikes, to undercuts to long hair, to a shaved head, there’s nothing
David Beckham hasn’t tried.
MS Dhoni: Back
home, the charismatic captain of the Indian cricket team, M S Dhoni, has
inspired many a young man. Before assuming captaincy and a generally sober
image, Dhoni was a powerhouse of talent with long, straightened hair. He,
perhaps singlehandedly, popularized the trend among young men, who rushed to
salons to get their Dhoni style hair.
Sreesanth: Sreesanth
is yet another Indian cricketer who antics, on and off the field, have drawn
much attention. The young sportsman is known for his fiery temper, but he does
have a cool sense of personal style. Though not too flamboyant, Sreesanth likes
to style his hair in different ways. His trademarks are easygoing spikes,
although he often also experiments with colour.
David James: 42-year-old
David James is a rather philanthropic man, who does a lot of charity and
pursues art in the time that he is not playing international football. But
James didn’t always have this image. Until a few years ago, he was actually
called the ‘Spice Boy’ for his bold, and often eccentric, choice of hairstyles.
While we aren’t complaining about a mellower James, we liked the Spice Boy
better!
Ronaldinho: This prodigious Brazilian footballer has
been the sports world’s darling for many years now. Apart from his
match-winning kicks, what endears him to fans is his cute buck-toothed smile
and who can forget those lovely curls? His locks were even auctioned in 2006
for the sake of charity. It is little wonder that each time he gets a haircut
or a new style, headlines are made.
Lasith Malinga: He
may have retired from test cricket, but no one has forgotten the swing bowling
action, that earned him the sobriquet ‘Slinga Malinga’. Another thing that is
hard to forget about the Sri Lankan cricketer is the eyebrows he raised when he
debuted his ‘curly hair with blonde highlights’ style during the World Cup of
2007. It has since then come to be associated as one of Malinga’s trademarks.
Taribo West: It
may not be wrong to say that Taribo West’s primary claim to fame is his hair,
although he has played professional football for Nigeria for some years, and
represented their team at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. West was often spotted
on field with weird or plain crazy hairdos, which were fodder for many articles
in the media.
Sergio Ramos: Spanish
footballer, Sergio Ramos, singlehandedly made the headband hot! The
golden-haired sportsman often had men and women swooning over his unique style
and choice of accessory, but has recently had his hair cut. Some even jokingly compare
this ‘event’ to Victoria Beckham being caught wearing flats!
Kevin O’Brian: Irish
cricketer and vice-captain, Kevin O’Brien, grabbed a lot of headlines in 2011
for scoring the fastest century at a World Cup. But this burly sportsman did
another eyeball-grabbing thing around the same time. He coloured his hair a
bold pink in support of the Irish Cancer Society. Although his girlfriend wants
him to get rid of it, he thinks it is lucky. Well, we think it is pretty.
