Thibodeaux Helps Sooners Make the Cut

NORMAN, Okla. -- Calvin Thibodeaux always wants to help his teammates look good both on and off the field.

A top reserve at defensive end, Thibodeaux was having a solid year in 2004 until a knee injury against Kansas State prematurely ended his season. Despite being unable to contribute to the team's success between the sidelines, he still managed to find a way to help his fellow Sooners.

It seems Thibodeaux has pretty much become the team barber, tending to the hair of numerous current and former Sooner football players.

Thibodeaux said his interest in cutting hair began as a freshman. His main concern was keeping up his own appearance in the absence of his usual barber in his hometown of Houston.

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“I just wanted to keep myself up,” Thibodeaux said. “And my teammates had their barbers back home but couldn't find people here to cut it the way they wanted. I just decided to see whether I could do it or not.”

They say practice makes perfect, and Thibodeaux found several willing subjects.

“I just came up here and started practicing on peoples' heads,” he said. “I used to keep my edge up straight in high school but then I came up here and nobody could really cut. I saw people who were cutting and I figured I could do better than that so I just started practicing.”

According to teammate Bubba Moses, it did take some time for Thibodeaux to get the barber thing down pat.

"Tib is on point, but he has his days,” Moses said. “If you catch him tired after a workout, he'll make your head look like a stop-and-go route. He's improved, though, from when he started. When he first cut my hair, I was like man, what did you do?' I couldn't believe what he did to my head. Since then, he's bought some capes that he wraps around you and he's definitely gotten better. He's better than going to a barbershop."

Thibodeaux's practice has paid off. Joining Moses on the list of many current Sooners who have entrusted Thibodeaux with their “dos” are Jowahn Poteat, Marcus Walker, Larry Birdine, C.J. Ah You, Demarrio Pleasant and Adrian Peterson.

The only complaint he gets these days is about the temperature at his barbershop.

"He does all his haircuts in the garage. He's only got one fan and it's on him, so you get real hot,” complained Birdine. “He does a good job, though."

Despite his talent at helping his teammates looking sharp off the gridiron, it's on the field where Thibodeaux really wants his work to be seen this season.

Rehabilitating a knee injury is never easy, and the challenge of coming back and playing at a high level is as much mental as it is physical.

“It was kind of challenging coming back and starting over, but I've just been working hard. Everyone around me has been really positive and encouraging and made it easier to come back,” Thibodeaux said. “I just tried to get back there with the guys.”

Fortunately for the Westbury High School product, he was able to follow the example of several teammates like former quarterback Jason White and linebacker Lance Mitchell who suffered knee injuries and were able to come back and perform at the highest level.

“It was great being able to talk to those guys,” Thibodeaux said. “Anytime I had a certain type of feeling in my knee, I would ask them and they had been through it before. Seeing those guys come back and be successful on the field gave me a lot of confidence that I could do the same thing.”

Thibodeaux said he also benefited from being able to watch the last few weeks of the season from a distance.

“When you've got so much free time, you're able to observe things that you really didn't see at first,” he said. “I feel like I'm smarter. I just feel like I'm better prepared.”

Thibodeaux said he feels confident that all the hard work he put into strengthening his knee in the offseason will pay dividends on the field.

“I don't think it's an issue,” he said. “I'm able to do the same things I was able to do before. It feels good. It feels stronger. I'm ready to rock.”

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Sooner Feature by Brian Dude
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