11/05/24
July 22, 2005
According to Slate, men don't wear jock straps any more: And football players don't wear cups! Good lord, people-- is this true? What about the flopping, and the helmet impacts, and the things I can't even imagine? What are you thinking?
I've never known anyone to wear a J-strap without a cup inserted. Shit, I thought that was the point. Tighty whiteys take care of....other considerations.
posted by garfield at 12:20 PM on July 22, 2005
My fencing coach in college herniated himself after someone tagged his privates with the tip of a foil (oddly enough - he'd later go on to date this woman). I never fenced wo a cup after hearing that story.
posted by kokaku at 12:42 PM on July 22, 2005
First, flip flops. Now, jock straps. I'm waiting for the big sports bra story.
posted by graymatters at 12:44 PM on July 22, 2005
Tim what's his name, who wrote The Dark Side of the Game, wrote about his first day at practice with his first NFL team. He was putting on his cup and everybody else told him that he'll lose a lot of speed with that thing on. The first thing that every rookie notices about the NFL is the speed of the game. So, I guess if you want to keep up (lest you get creamed), you don't wear that thing. *shudder*
posted by NoMich at 12:48 PM on July 22, 2005
I'm waiting for the big sports bra story. you're a little late.
posted by goddam at 01:39 PM on July 22, 2005
I, for one, will never forget the excruciating pain I experienced once during a helmet-to-scrotum collision on the football field, and I will also never forget how many times after that I said to myself, "Thank God I had a cup on!" Never forget, there's a substantial difference between temporary pain and permanent loss of functionality.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 01:48 PM on July 22, 2005
Apparently, in football (aka soccer), not everyone wears a cup.. (the link in the thread is not exactly safe for work..)
posted by blarp at 02:29 PM on July 22, 2005
Confession - I never wore either in any sport: baseball, football, soccer or lacrosse. And I saw the most horrific groin injury I ever care to witness while on a lacrosse field. In lacrosse?! That's complete madness! If there was ever a sport designed to render men infertile, it's lacrosse. Luckily, I played defense and was typically dealing out the punishment instead of receiving it.
posted by LionIndex at 02:41 PM on July 22, 2005
I've witnessed, on more than one occasion, a cup's structural integrity compromised via direct impact from a steel-cored lacrosse ball. I've witnessed accidental groinal impalement resulting in pole-vault-type air travel. I've 'caught' a pitch from an uncle who was trying to improve my stick skills. My advice: wear a cup.
posted by garfield at 03:12 PM on July 22, 2005
Yes, we had a player in another sport get hit hard enough to crack his cup in half. All the same, they didn't use 'em in baggataway, so neither do I. Never could convince the coach to let us use a human head for a ball though.
posted by yerfatma at 03:15 PM on July 22, 2005
kokako: My wife used to fence, and along with other female teammates, would quite cheerfully aim for the goodies in cross-gender bouts if the guys were too stupid to wear appropriate gear. Good for a one-hit win.
posted by rodgerd at 05:00 PM on July 22, 2005
Wow. I can't imagine having unprotected tackle sticking out there with lax balls and the like flying around-- I had no idea there was such a fine line between sacrificing for performance and tragic emasculation. Being a man sounds like sort of a bummer.
posted by sakana at 06:54 PM on July 22, 2005
I've played soccer for decades, and can only ever remember one player wearing a 'cup'. Cricket, however, seems to bring out the old 'one ball left' jokes. While no adult male would ever go out to bat without a 'box' (as they are referred to) as standard equipment, my junior cricket teams were often short of gear and we would happily play with no gloves, one pad on the leading leg and no other protection. But before puberty, you don't know much better. Afterwards, you don't know much more, either.... but you have more respect for the damage that may be caused.
posted by owlhouse at 07:41 PM on July 22, 2005
Confession - I never wore either in any sport: baseball, football, soccer or lacrosse. And I saw the most horrific groin injury I ever care to witness while on a lacrosse field.