Yesterday I took to task the American Mustache Institute for what I perceived as an unforgivable omission of Jason Campbell as deserving mention on their Best Sports Mustache of All Time list. Hogs Haven reader Black Ops and AOL Fanhouse's Sportz Assassin did their part and voted. My complaint was that there were less noteworthy athletes listed, as well as imperfect mustaches. Jason Campbell has a killer 'stache, or so I thought.
One of the great advantages of blogging is that it loves a dialogue more than, say, a newspaper. The Washington Post and the Washington Times have better things to do with their time than publish their internal mustache semantics debate. I don't have anything better to do. I don't have any reader(s), either, which really means there aren't any editorial restraints on what I can write about. If I want to start a fight over Jason Campbell's mustache, I can do so. And if the American Mustache Institute wants to bravely join me in that worthwhile discussion, I am all too happy to oblige. Posted below, with their permission, is the official response to my post from AMI:
We at the American Mustache Institute have read your complaints and fully appreciate your vigorous disagreement with the ommissions you suggest. However, Jason Campbell, as Billy Dee Williams-smooth as he may be, would never be considered as he also sports hair on his chin thus nullifying his candidacy. A true 'stache - a delicious 'stache - is one that needs no complimenting chin hair.
That being said, we would welcome a Washington-based write-in campaign as our executive director is a D.C.-area native who moved to St. Louis to found AMI so its campus would be within close proximity to the world's largest mustache - the St. Louis Arch.
Maybe a Mike Flanagan write-in effort? How about Rick Dempsey? But no Campbell - we need 100% real man and real 'stache.
But the debate is tremendous and worthy. The best sports mustache is an important cultural discussion. Because as we all know - a mustache is a terrible thing to waste.
While I appreciate the attempt, AMI is clearly trying to lose me in flattery. I'm a big fan of Billy Dee Williams. For most reader(s), Williams is most famous for his work as an actor, specifically in this ageless classic that continues to wow viewers today: