Eric Boggs
The OHIO Podcast recently took a lighthearted detour into unexpected territory during a remote episode filmed from the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. Host Eric was quick to address what’s become a bizarre yet recurring subplot in Buckeye Nation: the question of whether Ohio State head coach Ryan Day dyes his beard.
The conversation reignited after OutKick’s Clay Travis released a video, humorously (and somewhat seriously) declaring that any man who dyes his beard is inherently untrustworthy. Travis claimed that a dyed beard contradicts the rugged masculinity a beard is supposed to represent, even going so far as to draw comparisons to a dark-bearded Santa Claus turning into a shady figure no child would approach. He concluded his rant with a hardline take: “Men do not let other men dye their beards.”
In response, Eric delivered a spirited rebuttal, challenging the underlying assumptions of Travis’s critique. He questioned the relevance of beard color to character, pointing out that every former player who has spoken about Ryan Day has described him as a trustworthy leader and mentor. The idea that facial hair coloring could somehow undermine that legacy struck Eric as not only absurd, but oddly insecure. He described the obsession with Day’s beard as “weird metrosexual jealousy,” suggesting that such preoccupations say more about the critics than the coach.
The conversation didn’t stop there. Christina Day, Ryan’s wife, chimed in on social media, plainly stating, “I have known Ryan Day my entire life and he has never once dyed his beard. Move on to the next narrative.” The mic-drop moment from the coach’s wife had fans applauding and further undercut Travis’s commentary.
Eric also took a jab at Travis’s own appearance, humorously comparing him to the model on a Just For Men box, playfully questioning the authenticity of Travis’s own grooming choices. To top it all off, Eric pointed out the irony in Travis’s Santa Claus analogy, noting that many professional Santas actually bleach their beards to appear more trustworthy and authentic—completely flipping Travis’s argument on its head.
The podcast closed on a nostalgic and comical note as Eric invited fans to relive the moment he himself dyed his beard black after losing a bet when Ohio State won the national championship. The gesture, he explained, was in full support of Ryan Day and a testament to following through on a promise—even if it meant embracing a dramatically darker look on live YouTube.
This episode, while cheeky and full of humor, served as a reminder that sports fandom can be both fiercely loyal and wildly entertaining. And while beard color may never impact a game score, it sure does ignite some colorful debate.
