Posted by ESPN.com's Mike McAllister
HONOLULU -- See the fellow to the right?
He no longer looks like that.
Patriots guard Logan Mankins made a promise in August that he wasn't going to shave until his team lost a game. Five months later, he was well on his way to nailing down the lead role in any Grizzly Adams remake.
But after the Patriots lost to the Giants in Sunday's Super Bowl, it didn't take long for Mankins to shed his facial hair.
"I did it that night after the game," he said. "I got on the [team] bus. I had my beard trimmers in my bag, so I just did it on the bus."
Considering the, er, bushiness of the beard, it must've taken awhile, right?
"Not really," he said. "Just a couple of minutes. I've got some good beard trimmers."
Of course, what won't go away as easily is the disappointment of coming so close to producing the greatest season ever, only to see it disappear thanks to the Giants' last-minute touchdown.
Perhaps Mankins and the five other Patriots playing this week will use the Pro Bowl as a cathartic experience, a chance to get back in action -- even in an exhibition-type environment -- instead of stewing in some darkened room, replaying the game and mulling over what could have been.
"You sit there," Mankins said. "You wish it would've gone your way. But you can't change it. Life goes on.
"It's nice to be out here with a lot of great guys. But I'd still rather have won."
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