The Bold, The Beautiful, The Bennetts

The Bold, The Beautiful, The Bennetts

Im not sure who was more excited about the Bears 31-26 triumph over the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday, me or baby Bennett. Not only did the win improve the Bears record to 8-3 and solidify their position atop the NFC North standings, but it also served as a breakout game for 3rd year pro Earl Bennett who had 4 catches for 56 yards and two HUGE touchdowns. Since Bennett Tipper was born on November 13th, the Bears have won three straight games against Minnesota, Miami, and Philadelphia, and have entered the discussions of legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Lets just hope Bennett Tipper's luck, and Earl Bennett's emergence, continue this Sunday against Detroit.

(Football or Bennett?)

MO Bros of the Day - The Washington Capitals

Close to 150 NHLers across 14 teams have decided to grow a mustache for Movember and help change the face of men’s health. The Washington Capitals are leading the way with seven participants – Karl Alzner, John Carlson, Jason Chimera, John Erskine, Mike Green, Matt Hendricks and Jeff Schultz – who have combined for 11 goals and 14 assists in the month, including four of the Capitals’ six game-winning goals.

7 Mustaches, 6 Game-Winning Goals, and a 10-4 Record for the Month. Some say its talent, others coaching, I say its the MOs.

MO-gress Day 24

Each day I am getting closer and closer to realizing my dream of becoming the Natty Boh logo.

Yanni - Official 2010 Movember Mo Mentor

From the Movember Foundation's Website: “We here at Movember were beyond excited to learn that we had support from one of most iconic men in the world (wi

th one of the most iconic Mo's) -- Yanni.

A Mo Mentor is one who epitomized the core principle of this year's campaign theme, the Modern Gentleman. Yanni couldn't be a more obvious choice and we look forward to all the inspiration and motivation he will provide our Mo Bros and Mo Sistas.

A Grammy nominated, top-selling adult contemporary artist in more than 20 countries, Yanni is still associated with his iconic moustache. Although he shaved it a few years ago, he is bringing it back for Movember and men's health.

Check out the video below and let Yanni know how honored you are to have him in the global movement to change the face of men's health- one moustache at a time.”

YANNI VIDEO

MO Bro of the Day - Zygmunt “Zygi” Wilf

After 1,781 Days (statistic courtesy of www.firechilly.com) as the Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings, former Lame-MO of the Day, Brad Childress, has been fired by arguably the most powerful mustache in professional football, Zygi Wilf. While I have always been one to champion the success of my fellow Mo Bro, Childress has always been more of a beard guy (something strictly condoned by the Movember Foundation’s Grooming Guidelines), and it comes as no surprise that neither the Vikings fans nor the Ownership wanted to see Childress reach 1,782 days as the Head Coach.

So today we salute Zygi Wilf. We salute his ascent to the top of the NFL food chain, and we salute his decision to tell Childress that his Mo has got to Go.

Is there a better story of a man achieving the American Dream than Zygi Wilf? Born in Germany, Wilf’s parents are Holocaust survivors from Poland who immigrated to the United States in the early 1950’s, settling in Hillside, New Jersey. After a brief stints as a used car salesmen (where Zygi is believed to have first donned a MO) and as an attorney, Wilf joined the family business and became head of one of the company's subsidiaries, Garden Commercial Properties. Wilf grew the company from four shopping centers in Northern New Jersey to over a hundred properties, including several large malls, while also owning 30,000 apartment units around the country.

And the pinnacle of Zygi Wilf's accomplishments?, Purchasing the Minnesota Vikings in 2005 and becoming the only known mustached majority owner in professional football.

MO Bros of the Day - Bill Swerski's Superfans

Bill Swerski's Superfans

In honor of tonight's game between Da Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins, I'd like to pay tribute to today's MO Bros of the Day, Bill Swerski's Superfans. This recurring Saturday Night Live sketch first appeared on January 12, 1991 starring Joe Mantegna as the show's host Bill Swerski, along with Chris Farley as Todd O'Connor, Mike Myers as Pat Arnold, and Robert Smigel as Carl Wollarski.

Known for their love of Beer, Polish Sausage, and outlandish predictions, Mike Myers character, Pat Arnold, once predicted that the Bears would win their game by a score of 28 to negative-7. When asked how a team could end up with negative points, Pat replied, "Ditka'll find a way."

Lets hope that Lovie Smith will find a way tonight against Miami as da Bears look to cement their position atop the NFC North Standings.

DA BEARS ... DA BEARS, DA BEARS, DA BEARS

MO Bros of the Day - The Cast of Disney's The Three Musketeers

Today we honor the well groomed cast of Disney's 1993 classic of the The Three Musketeer's featuring the star studded cast of (drum roll, please):

Charlie Sheen - Aramis

Kiefer Sutherland - Athos

Chris O'Donnell - D'Artagnan

Oliver Platt - Porthos

Despite my desire to shout D'Artagnan at the top of my lungs every time I enter a room, it is hard to argue my (and my mustaches) likeness to Oliver Platt's character Porthos. Although the Movember Gala Party (see a link to a video of last year's party on the right) is still another three weeks away, Porthos is making a strong push to become my costume for this years event.

Upon its release on DVD, Disney summarized the epic classic stating that, " It's the action-packed tale of three loyal swordsmen (Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt) who are joined by an eager recruit (Chris O'Donnell) to protect the King of France. Together, the foursome battle enormous odds in their attempt to defeat an evil royal advisor (Tim Curry) and a seductive envoy (Rebecca De Mornay) plotting to overthrow France's crown -- fighting against both time and scores of enemies! You'll cheer out loud when these exciting muskeeteers face danger, fun, and adventure at every turn - proving they are the greatest swashbucklers who ever lived!

MO-gress Day 17

I wouldn't be suprised if people started shouting "D'Artagnan!" when they saw me in the streets.

Lame MO of the Day - Brad Childress

It is with great pleasure that I announce today's Lame MO of the Day, Brad Childress, who solidified his status as today's Lame MO after the Vikings embarrassing loss to my beloved Chicago Bears this past weekend. A popular pick by many to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, the Vikings now own a pitiful 3-6 record (3 games behind division leaders Chicago and Greenbay).

Childress has at his arsenal arguably the leagues best RB, last years offensive ROY, the NFL’s sack leader from a season ago, and a handful of pro bowl lineman on both sides of the ball. Oh and I forgot to mention, the Gunslinger, Brett Favre, the leagues all time passing leader operating under center. And what do the Vikings have to show for this talented roster? A 3-6 record, a coach with a TERRIBLE mustache, and more news about lewd photos of their quarterback and former WR Randy Moss than about the team’s actual product on the field.

This has lead to the creation of such websites as http://firechilly.com/ and
http://givechildresstheboot.com/. And even twitter followers have decided to join in on the Childress bashing: http://twitter.com/firechildress

To make matters worse, Brad Childress has been completely out coached this season by his fellow mustached brethren (and former Punt, Pass, and Kick champion) Andy Reid ending any debate about who has the most powerful mustache in the league.

Bring back the beard Brad because the MO has got to go.

Mo Bro of the Day - Bennett David Tipper

(Queue the Chicago Bulls intro music)

At 1 foot 5 inches, and 7 pounds 13 ounces, out of Boston, Massachusetts, BENNETT DAVID TIPPER!

I am thrilled to announce that this past Saturday my brother and his wife welcomed their second child into the world. What an amazing experience it was to see the look of joy on my brother and sister-in-law's faces as they held baby Bennett for the first time. I'll also never forget the image of my little niece Colbie kissing the photo of her baby brother after Russ and Marth texted us a picture of Bennett minutes after he was born. Im very excited for Russ and Marth, and pumped to be a "HUNKLE" to Bennett. (There are varying definitions of the word Hunkle. I would argue (and Im sure you all would agree) that it means a Handome Hunk of an Uncle, though my brother has been pushing hard for HUGE Uncle. Hunk or Huge, Im excited for the newest addition to the Tipper clan).

While Bennett may not have a mustache (YET), he does have a full set of hair and the potential to become a serious Mo Bro. It is hardly coincidence that he was born during Movember, and I'll be sure to ask my brother if he finds the fabled mustache birthmark on the little guy. Until then, I present you an artists rendering of what Bennett will look like next Movember.

United States Army Grooming Standards

Each of the military services impose grooming standards on their military personnel, as part of their Dress & Appearance or Uniform regulations. For the United States Army, grooming standards are contained in Army Regulation 670-1:

".....Males will keep their face clean-shaven when in uniform or in civilian clothes on duty. Mustaches are permitted; if worn, males will keep mustaches neatly trimmed, tapered, and tidy. Mustaches will not present a chopped off or bushy appearance, and no portion of the mustache will cover the upper lip line or extend sideways beyond a vertical line drawn upward from the corners of the mouth. Handlebar mustaches, goatees, and beards are not authorized. If appropriate medical authority prescribes beard growth, the length required for medical treatment must be specified. For example, “The length of the beard will not exceed 1/4 inch.” Soldiers will keep the growth trimmed to the level specified by appropriate medical authority, but they are not authorized to shape the growth into goatees, or “Fu Manchu” or handlebar mustaches..."

Take that beards, goatees, Fu Manchu's and handlebars. Just goes to show that the mustache is the most dominant facial hair of all. If the U.S. Army supports the growth and maintenance of the MO, you should too.

MO Bro of the Day - David Robinson "The Admiral"

Today we salute David Robinson not only for his phenomenally well groomed mustache and basketball prowess, but also for his service as an officer in the United States Navy. Widely considered to be one of the greatest centers in NBA history, David Robinson, nicknamed "The Admiral," spent 16 seasons in the NBA, winning two championships as a member of the San Antonio Spurs and two Olympic gold members as a member of the "Dream Team."

Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1987, Robinson was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the first overall pick. However, he did not begin his 16 year NBA career until 1989 when the Navy excused him from the final three years of the normal five year commitment. Despite being nicknamed "The Admiral", Robinson's actual rank upon fulfilling his service commitment in the Navy was Lieutenant, Junior Grade - although I think we can all agree that "Lieutenant, Junior Grade," doesn’t have the same ring as "The Admiral."

Movember on the iPhone!

Many of you have heard me lament about my phone dieing from a freak "bed side table/water cup incident" the other week which lead me to upgrade to the iPhone 4. For those of you that know me well know that I am far from a techie (as demonstrated by the design of this blog and my inability to grasp concepts such as tweeting), but since the "freak bed side table/water cup incident" forced me into a new phone I have taken the opportunity to explore all that it has to offer. I now have a subway map, an app that gives me the location of the nearest restroom, and no excuse to conveniently screen calls and text messages.

I also now have a Movember application on my phone that allows me to track my MO on the GO. One of the features of the App allows you to take a photo of your mo-gress each day and at the end of the month it creates a stop-motion video of your progress.

My MO-Gress

(All Smiles on Day 10)

For more information on the Movember iPhone App check it out here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/movember-mophone/id399327522?mt=8

MO Bro of the Day - Mr. Belvedere

I would like to meet the “author” of the Mr. Belvedere Wikipedia pagewho claims that “Mr. Belvedere was never a phenomenally popular show; the show did not rate in the Top 30 shows in any of its six seasons …was quietly canceled in 1987, but was brought back due tohigher-than-expected fan interest.”

Never a phenomenally popular show?! Tell that to the Emmy voters whoawarded Mr. Belvedere the 1985 Emmy Award for Outstanding LightingDirection for a Series. Tell that to former MLB player, sportscaster, comedian, and actor Bob Uecker who starred in the series for the duration of its six season. And tell that to yours truly who has modeled his ENTIRE mustached appearance after America’s most celebrated butler.

MO Bros of the Day - November 8, 2010

In the spirit of the Marathon, I would also like to celebrate my first Mo Bros of the Day:

Delfo Cabrera

The Argentinian legend won the 1948 Olympics in London with one of the most impressive mustaches in Olympic history. Delfo is also credited with pioneering the mustache’s presence in distance running for years to come.

Frank Shorter

While many credit Frank Shorter’s gold medal winning performance in the 1972 Munich Olympics for igniting the running boom in the United States, Frank deserves the most credit for paving the wave for future distance runners to do the mustache dash.

Haile Gebrselassie

One of the most celebrated distance runners in recent years, Haile announced his retirement from the sport after dropping out of this years marathon. While the sport will certainly miss Haile, no one in the running world will forget him setting a world record in 2008 with a beautifully manicured MO.

Steve Prefontaine

Although Prefotnaine “Pre” was not a marathon runner, I couldn’t help but include him in the celebration of the Mustaches of Marathons. And frankly, how many people really knew that Pre wasn’t a marathoner runner? Until a couple of quick google searches a minute ago, I definitely would have been in that category.

MO-Ments - November 8, 2010

In·spire- Verb - to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural inspiration.

This may come as a surprise, but I have never been one to enjoy distance running. I never enjoyed it as a spectator and certainly not as a participant. With a number of friends entering this year’s race (and with the help of my roommates 9:00 AM wakeup call of Spice Girls and other Mid-90s glam bands) I made my way up to Sessions on 73rd and 1st to partake in the Marathon festivities. With a Cowbell in one hand and a beer and "Way to Go … Timmy Co" sign in the other, I spent the afternoon cheering on runners and brushing up on my Danish by shouting Vi Elsker "I Love You" to every running dawning the flag of Denmark(even with my horrible pronunciation I was able to steal a couple of fist pumps and winks from the Danish runners). The atmosphere and energy surrounding the event easily surpassed any NESCAC sporting event that I had attended (with the possible exception of the annual Old Rocking Chair Classic football game between Hamilton and Middlebury), and a friend of mine who had run the marathon compared the feeling of coming over the bridge to that of a National Championship game.

A big congratulations to Sean Delany, Timmy Cohan, Billy Haire, Kirk Jones, and Lizzie Gotimer for their accomplishments on Sunday. In particular I want to congratulate Delaney for being the fastest of the 9 Delaney's to register for this years Marathon edging out the next closest Delaney by 13 minutes with a time of 03:11:32, and to Timmy Co for beating former NY Giants WR Amani Toomer by nearly 45 minutes. I also want to credit the five runners mentioned above for inspiring me to get back on the horse (in this case the elliptical) and motivating me to do my best Tony Little impersonation at the gym tonight.

"You can't get back on that horse unless you fall off" -

Phil Dunphy

MO-Ments - November 4, 2010

It pains me to admit, but this year instead of going into Movember clean shaven I decided to get a headstart on my 'MO and grow out my beard a week before November 1st. It was my hope that when the first of the month came around I would have a great "foundation" for my mustache and that I would avoid the awkward comments that I received last year from friends and co-workers who in the early stages of my 'MO thought that I had forgotten to wipe off my upper lip after eating a sugar donut.

While I have succesfully avoided references to my inability to wipe my upper lip after eating, people have found new ways to more awkwardly comment on my proud patch of facial fuzz. Four days into Movember, and my favorite questions/comments so far have been "did you bleach your 'Mo for your Halloween costume?" or "is your moustache dyed blonde?" Despite my admiration for Larry Legend and his Mid-80s 'MO JO, I did not dress up like the fabled Celtic for Halloween and I did not dye it blonde.
Although I boast a full head of maticulously side-parted brown hair, my facial hair is as blonde as the legend himself. Having experimented with peformance enhancing facial hair products in the past, I may have to give into the temptation to "look so natual, no one can tell, JUST FOR MEN GEL" and transform my look from Bird to BRAWN.

Like Lebron James' Decision. Stay Tuned.

The Birth of Last of the MO-hicans

After much trial and error (with unfortunately much more error than trial) the Last of the MO-hicans blog has been born in honor of the Movember Foundation and their efforts to raise money and increase awareness about cancer. The funds we raise during our moustache journey go directly toward the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LIVESTRONG). Whether it is a loved one, a close friend, or simply an acquaintance, we have all been affected by the perils of cancer one way or another. Please use this blog as way to track (laugh at) my attempt to once again grow a moustache and visit my MOspace to make a donation by clicking on the following link: http://us.movember.com/mospace/230743/

Thank you in advance for your support.

Together we can change the face of men's health.