Apropos of my review of Real Men Knit, check out ESPN Gameday’s profile of Boise State football’s Ian Johnson:
What a refreshing, positive gender image. This guy is the real deal. He’s got talent and heart both on the field and with his hooks, and he’s equally comfortable with himself for exercising each skill.
NCAA rules prohibit him from advertising, but he can sell his beanies to anyone who contacts him via word of mouth. Anyone have his contact information?
UPDATE: A couple people wrote to let me know that the NCAA has stepped in to prohibit Johnson from selling any of his crocheted goods at all. Check out this very disheartening snip from this article:
And just in case the young man’s spirits weren’t low enough, the NCAA decided to stop in and take away his main source of income, which happens to be crocheting hats and scarves. And not only can he not make any money from them, he can’t give them to charity, either. The NCAA has a star running back on their hands who is able to crochet, and willing to give hats and scarves to charities, and they’ve stepped in to stop the practice. I think they should have commissioned him to crochet Boise State’s uniforms for next year.
I’ll bet if you went to BSU’s website you could search the student directory and get his email.
[...] tried desperately to profile him for the Sports Issue but were rebuffed. Sniff. Still, the video’s well worth a [...]
[...] Any more of this, and people just might call it a movement. (See also Real Men Also Crochet.) [...]
I found an article on his crocheting that provides an E-mail that he can be contacted at in order to purchase hats.
the site:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/360/story/58188.html
the e-mail:
bigez05@hotmail.com
I hope you can get ahold of him!
I think it’s great that he crochet’s….. for pleasure, for income, and for charity. I think it’s wrong of the NCAA saying that he can’t sell the items he makes, even by word of mouth. Worse yet, that he can’t even donate what he makes to chairty. Why can’t he at least donate what he makes to chairty ? What in the world is wrong with that ? He should be able to do whatever he wants to do with it. What’s the differance between crocheting and selling the items made from working some place for a few hours each day, weekend what have you and being paid minimum wage ? Heck, most folk don’t even pay minimum wage for the crocheted items that we make. I mean come on…. a hat could take 2-3 hours depending on how complicated it is, hour large it is, if it’s a double sided roll brim hat, etc. Are they going to pay you a minimum of $15-$20 for a hat ? That’s not even what you should really charge… you’re suppose to charge what it cost for materials X 4. That would equate to $20-$25 (minimum) for the roll brim (it’s a double sided/reversible hat) hat I’m talking about… most folks aren’t going to pay that, now are they ? Anyhow…. Like I said… I think it’s great that he crochets, and that it’s wrong that the NCAA has put restrictions on him and his lively hood and chairty work like this.
im a closet crocheter, and i havent even been picking up a hook or anything but i cheer on privately those who deem the hook a necessary item my mom crochets like a lot more than the average bear, and im sure not knocking that…its just that i dont want to wear it especially…the crocheted booties are ok, just not hats or anything like that…i dont give a rats patootie who crocheted the damn thing but i give support because its an art form and im all for art i draw and paint when i can get the materials…so thanks for listening to me…sorry about the hats just cant stand them.
tom odaniels
Not only did they stop him from selling what he makes, but they have prohibited him from donating his work to charity.
I’d give my knitting needles to guess that the powers that be are only concerned with the non-macho image he is projecting to the public, forgetting that it’s a POSITIVE image.
Just what I’ve always said, American Football should be banned.
i don’t understand why they did this
I am thinking about taking up crocheting because I heard that it is a good way to relax. I love the fact that Ian is making beanies for everyone plus the fact that he can whip one out in 45 minutes is great.
Ok I admit I don’t much care for football. My son in law loves it to extreams.
But after watching this video, I do like this guy a lot.
Good for you Ian and god bless your mother.
Linda
http://www.knitting-n-crochet.com
[...] Check this video out: http://briansawyer.net/2007/01/03/real-men-also-crochet/ [...]
Damn, I wish I could crochet that fast! More power to him– I wish I could get my hubby to pick up the hook again.
He’s a high profile football player. They probably looked at it from a marketing/business angle. Is he crocheting for business reps and agents? I doubt that, but the NCAA seems to think he might be, which could lead to a “major” endorsement deal from Lion Brand Yarn or being summoned by Vanna Whites people for lunch. I say let the kid/man get his money. But you know how “the man” rolls. Ha! Just learned to crochet myself! Wifey got me started, it’s addictive. Looks like my video games will collect dust! HAHA!
Am retired RN and can say it IS GOOD FOR YOU TO CROCHET, lowers your heart rate and your BP and is the neuro equivalent to meditation makes for great alpha waves. So enjoy! And someone report the NCAA to the politically correct police. There is NEVER anything wrong with anyone donating the fruits of their labor (esp if it’s artistic) to CHARITY. JUST THINK how much $$ they could get for these hats for Haiti earthquake victims or even just Donate them to Haiti since they have lost Everything and hats, even beanies, keep the sun off in the tropics!
For Pete’s sake. Let the man donate them to a charity if he wants to!!! Big Corporations, government etc are getting to big for their pants telling us what to do with what we make/do in our “off” time at home!!
For Pete’s Sake, the NCAA has no legal grounds to stand on when they try to infringe upon a crafter selling the product of their labor … as long as Ian doesn’t market the beanies as official Boise U then he can make blue white and orange beanines and scarves all day long and sell them anywhere he wants as long as it is not on school/stadium property.
For some reason, this makes me feel that the NCAA is looking at Ian as ‘property’ rather than the fine, upstanding young man he is.
This attitude by the NCAA is an OUTRAGE!
You go, man, you go! There is a huge crochet crafter community on the internet and we are all behind you and your crafting 100%. Just let them try to take you to court … the law is on your side!
[...] http://briansawyer.net/2007/01/03/real-men-also-crochet/#comment-13456 [...]
I see nothing wrong with the man making the hats. They don’t own the colors just the logo. Look at the closenees between Minnesota’s and U of M’s colors and Logo. Because one calls them Maize and Blue and the othe Blue and Yellow or gold no one complains about that. If he was selling them on campas I could see their might be a problem with the store owners on campas. Now do we need a amendment giving us the freedom of color like we have for the freedom of speech.
This is so wrong on so many levels. I think the “men” at the NCAA need a lot of email, phone calls, what ever about this. Only a man afraid of his masculinity would prohibit something like this.
On my way to see who I can express myself to, not that they will listen. Maybe if enough of us do it it could help?
Thanks for posting this Brian, I would never have known about it if it wasn’t for a link in the craft gossip email.
Deborah
NCAA does have a legal right to prevent this. The school’s colors and logos/mascots are protected by licensing. Since he isn’t paying the licensing fees, he can’t legally profit from the product. I doubt it has much of anything to do with the ‘unmanly image’ it portrays.