How much is Brian Wilson's beard worth to him? We may soon find out.
According to Radar Online, a razor blade company called 800Razors.com is negotiating a deal with Wilson to shave off his signature facial hair. But Wilson's people — doing an excellent job representing their client, quite frankly — are asking the razor maker to at least match the reliever's major league salary with the Los Angeles Dodgers this season. Wilson is set to earn $1 million this year.
Big payday or not, isn't it really time Wilson shaved that thing off? It was fascinatingly quirky during the San Francisco Giants' 2010 World Series run. It added some color (literally, considering the amount of dye Wilson put into his beard) and personality to the postseason, something that's often refreshing in baseball.
But that was three years ago. Wilson and his beard are a cartoon now. We're no longer laughing with him; we're laughing at him. That is, if we were still laughing. How many of us are doing so? Plus, how many other major league ballplayers have grown ridiculous beards? Wilson doesn't even stand out anymore.
Granted, the beard is in a different uniform now (though that black matched the Giants' togs nicely, as opposed to Dodger blue). If Wilson is able to get batters out more than a year after Tommy John surgery and help the Dodgers close out the NL West, that mop hanging down his chin will be taken a bit more seriously.
Really, Wilson will get the last laugh if he's able to cash it in for $1 million (or more — which his representatives may be angling for). If he accepts 800Razors.com's offer, he'll also become the company's "brand ambassador." Perhaps he'll be the shaving equivalent of Captain Morgan or The Most Interesting Man in the World.
Oh, wouldn't that be fun to watch. Let's hope any such commercials don't run during the playoffs.
By the way, would Wilson get any more money if The Machine did these razor commercials with him? It doesn't appear that 800Razors.com is in the body-trimmer business, but maybe the company can expand into that area. Or are razors and a man with a leather mask a combination that really shouldn't be explored?
