11: Sean Doolittle’s Beard and Explaining Percy Harvin

Beard enthusiasts John Moe and the Oakland A's Sean Doolittle discuss facial hair, relief pitching, and not cracking under pressure. Later he welcomes author Aaron James, who has a book that might help us understand Percy Harvin.

Sean Doolittle is one of the many bearded members of the Oakland A’s, but his deserves recognition for its wiry, ginger glory.

Fellow beard enthusiast John Moe talks to Sean about things that aren’t beards, too, like recovering from a brutal loss to Kansas City in the 2014 American League wild card game and how he handles the pressure of relief pitching.

John also ponders the case of the traded-again Percy Harvin, who has garnered a reputation as being kind of an asshole.  Appropriately, he welcomes Aaron James, UC Irvine professor of philosophy and author of Assholes: A Theory.  (Yes, someone has literally written the book on assholes.)

ALSO MENTIONED:

Who would win in a fight: Sean Doolittle’s beard (ZZ Top’s Nephew), or Dustin Ackley’s beard (Baby Santa Claus)?
The rabbit hole of beard culture.
An appreciation of/sports obit for Steve Nash, pensive misfit.
Alien baby Sam Cassell.
“Assholisticness.”
The glee with which public radio host John Moe says “asshole” a number of times without getting put in FCC jail.
The European Rugby Champions Cup and what are probably a number of mispronunciations.