>>...
>>>>>Baseball players do it too. And like I said, it doesn't make a big difference, but it does make a difference, and I guess any little bit of an edge helps. I think 'footy' players don't do it because they want to be as recognisable as possible when they are rolling around on the ground holding their privates.
>>>>
>>>>Don't you mean "nursing their poor shins that the opposing player has lightly stroked with the laces in his boots while they were passing"
>>>>
>>>>So why don't rugby players use them? You can't call them wusses, and they're defo not worried about their loks
>>>
>>>Well, for crying out loud, those guys don't even wear pads. How smart can they be?
>>>
>>>Here's me ducking and running.
>>
>>Hey, I agree - they're nuts. Anybody who thrusts his neck into a ruck, gets cauliflower ears, calloused eyebrow ridges, broken nose, lost teeth in the name of sport is twopence-ha'penny short of a shilling.
>
>Well there you go. Now you know why they don't use eye-black under the eyes.
>
>By the way, I just found this reference
>

Thanks for the reference. The last word in it is an interesting qualifier, isn't it? ;-)