History was made on Friday when the New York Yankees altered a decades-long facial hair and grooming policy to allow their players to sport “well-groomed beards” moving forward.
While some would say such a pivotal moment in the organization’s history warrants a press conference, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith would not.
Smith, a self-proclaimed Yankees fan, went on a brief but scathing rant on Friday about the Yankees hosting a presser over facial hair despite their barren trophy case in recent history.
“I interrupt this SportsCenter right now—a 20-minute press conference over facial hair? What a disgrace! I can’t believe it,” Smith said. “I’m a Yankees fan, you know I’m a die-hard Yankees fan, I’m trying to keep my cool, you understand what I’m saying? But I mean damn you ain’t won a World Series title since 2009, you haven’t been to one until last year when you got walked by the Dodgers, and is the reason there was a press conference?”
On one hand, Smith makes a fair point. On the other, hearing Hal Steinbrenner announce the end of what could be thought as a totalitarian policy against beards—one dating back to the 1970s—was as shocking as any other seismic event in the club’s recent history.
A new era for the pinstripes begins today, and not even Smith can ruin it.
