BY ALLLIE DAVISON  |   Wharton High

Hipster. Athlete. Do you ever use these words in the same sentence?  •  Not usually, if you adhere to the stereotype. Hipsters are so antimainstream they should hate athletes, because athletes often shine under the bright lights of the playing field.  •  Key word: should, because even the worlds of these two seemingly polar opposite types can collide. Hipster-athletes. We know that sounds weird. Just keep saying it, and you’ll get used to the idea.  •  To help you, here are three who qualify as hipster-athletes, sort of sporting oxymorons we can imagine sipping lattes while reading Shakespeare while preparing to rock the field in front of thousands.

Tim Lincecum
San Francisco Giants pitcher
Lincecum breaks the macho baseball mold, with his long, feminine brown hair that is usually shielded by his staple hipster beanie when he isn’t on the mound. (Actually, on the field he looks pretty hip, too, see above.)  At almost every press conference, Lincecum rocks the flannel in a variety of plaids, addressing the media with a smirky smile. Living in San Fran, he is the ideal role model for every underground baseball boy who wants to wear a scarf or hipster who wants to test the waters of a sport.

Sean Avery
Connecticut Whale (New York Rangers farm team)
One enduring stereotype about hipsters is that they enjoy ticking off people in cocky, fashionable ways. Avery’s career has been exactly that. Voted by fellow hockey players as least favorite player, Avery’s prime goal has been to irritate the media, with attitude and unrealistic answers during news conferences. No matter how unlikable he may be, though, it’s hard to deny that this man can dress. Mixing edge with classic has been his signature: thick-rimmed glasses, brightly colored plaid flannel and mad-at-the-world air.

Amar’e Stoudemire
New York Knicks center
In a game that prides itself on glitz, glam and flash, basketball would probably be the sport least watched by hipsters. Stoudemire, though, is a pioneer in hipster chic in the NBA locker rooms, and many others such as LeBron James and teammate Carmelo Anthony have followed suit. A firecracker on the court and a gentle giant in person, his fashionable ways (both  sartorial and personable) are to be emulated. With thick-framed  glasses, tailored suits sometimes in patterned fabric with a bow tie, and fly kicks, Stoudemire works the misunderstood hipster angle.