As most of you know, the Boston Red Sox have made facial hair an incredibly important part of their culture this year. Beards have become the most significant symbol of camaraderie for a team that has somehow found its way to the World Series after winning just 69 games in 2012.
But less has been said about the design several of the Red Sox players have shaved into the back of their heads.
If you tune into the World Series on Wednesday night, you might notice three lines shaved into several players’ heads just above the left side of their necks. Mike Napoli, who is shown above, has the design on the back of his neck to go along with his legendary beard. Outfielder Daniel Nava is also on board.
Jake Peavy, who joined the Red Sox at the trade deadline, went all-in on the bonding symbol almost immediately.
So what does it mean? We assumed it was another way for the players to show their loyalty toward one another, but Paul Lukas of Uni Watch explained exactly what the design signifies in his World Series preview on Tuesday. The three lines represent the team’s unofficial motto, “Three Lines, 2 Chainz, One Goal.”
The “Three Lines” obviously refers to the symbol itself. The team’s “One Goal” is to win a championship, which it is four wins away from accomplishing. And “2 Chainz” refers to a rap artist who sings the song “I’m Different.” According to Lukas, the Red Sox blast the song in their clubhouse after victories. Here’s the music video for the song, which contains some NSFW language.
So there you have it. A lot of people have grown to hate this Red Sox team because of their gimmicks. If you’re one of them, this will probably make you dislike them even more. If you’re someone who loves to see a bunch of grown men having a beard competition and shotgunning beers to celebrate, you’re welcome.
