Ben Gardner Loses Mullet, Cardinal Nation Weeps

Stanford used the month layoff between its final regular season game and Monday's Fiesta Bowl to get healthy, but the Cardinal will be without one key member of the defensive line: Ben Gardner's mullet.

Kevin Gemmell has the sad report from Scottsdale and a video interview with the now all-business junior. Gardner says he's less wind resistant and more aerodynamic since putting an end to the party in the back. Still, one has to question the timing of the change.

"I wouldn't say it's a bad omen," linebacker AJ Tarpley told reporters. "I hope not. I wouldn't want to put that kind of pressure on him."

Yeah, I hope not. A mullet isn't type of thing you can just grow back at halftime if things aren't going well. I may need to craft a Ben Gardner cut-out mullet before Monday.

And if you don't think this is big news, well, you're wrong: