Schelling

What do Darrent Williams (may he rest in peace), P.Diddy, Greg Oden, John Clay and Trevon Hughes have in common? The fro-hawk.

As detailed in a recent Seattle Times feature that is a must read, the fro-hawk is more than a hairstyle. It’s a statement. And athletes across the country are making a statement using the fro-hawk to show their creative side through the hair on their heads.

While billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban may have said “friends don’t let friends wear the fro-hawk,” I think Cuban is just jealous that he doesn’t look good in the fro-hawk.

You want proof that the fro-hawk is the way to go? Just take a look at the Wisconsin football players with their helmets off.

Clay, the Badgers’ running back, and defensive end O’Brien Schofield had a new design on the sides to go with their fro-hawks every week. Hell, even defensive end J.J. Watt got into the act at one point with what might have been the best look of any of them.

Of course, you can’t forget the UW men’s hoops squad. Hughes rocks the fro-hawk as well as anybody, while getting his inspiration from unexpected places.

If the “AT&T guy” on the Verizon Wireless commercial is even rocking the fro-hawk, you know there’s something to this whole craze. I mean, who doesn’t get their hairstyle advice from television commercials?

Even if you hate the fro-hawk, there’s no denying the flat top is outdated. I like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Scottie Pippen and NBA Jam, but I’ve moved on. Those rocking the flat top should too.

Holt

Sorry Schelling, but there is no such thing as “moving on” from NBA Jam. And call me old- fashioned, but the flat top will out-rock the fro-hawk every day of the week (and thrtwice on Sundays).

Sure, the biggest proponent of the flat top at UW is Ryan Evans, who is not a superstar by any means. But he sure does play some good defense.

Down in Milwaukee, rookie Brandon Jennings knows the ‘do works — he’s got a 55-point game to prove it.

And I’ll be honest: the main reason I dig hair you could balance a dining hall tray on is due to Patrick Ewing and the aforementioned NBA Jam. Because in truth, my only positive basketball memories involve that game; the rest are some combination of shots getting blocked into my face during a three-on-three league in fifth grade, and watching Kevin Garnett waste away as a member of the Timberwolves.

But back to that classic 1993 arcade-style take on basketball. I’ll never forget the cries of “Boom-shaka-laka” and “From downtown!” that game emitted — mainly when my douchebag friend who played as the Bulls (cheater) was destroying me. That, and the 16-bit digitized flat tops that populated the game.

I’ve always said that the true measure of anything is whether or not Will Smith approves of it. And according to a certain early ’90s TV show, the flat top is more than OK ok.

There’s a reason you yell “on fire” every weekend at beer pong — NBA Jam is an everlasting classic. Same goes for the flat top; if it was good enough for the Fresh Prince, it’s good enough for me.