Why Star Quarterbacks Tend to Be Good Looking

Ever notice that star quarterbacks tend to be good looking, handsome? How often do you see a really ugly, or even slightly ugly, star quarterback? I swear, I have never seen a quarterback who looked like a nerd; you know, bald, thinning hair, a dorky face, just that geeky look. Why is that? Okay, there are a few exceptions. John Elway certainly was never handsome, not with those horse teeth and that misshapen mouth.

But when you imagine what would be an ugly face for a young man, this is not the face you see on quarterbacks. I'm not saying that every single high school, college and pro quarterback is good looking enough to be a GQ model. But, you must admit, nice-looking faces are much more common among quarterbacks than they are in the general population of young men matched for age.

I have a theory. People who are born with natural good looks get treated differently than people who are naturally homely. "People," here, includes children. Even beautiful babies get treated differently than ugly babies. It's been shown, time and time again, that attractive looks influence how people are treated. Good looking defendants in criminal trials are much more likely to be found innocent than are ugly ones.

Has there ever been a really successful recording artist who wasn't good looking? "American Idol" winners and finalists don't count. Look at Rihanna. Tell me her looks have absolutely nothing to do with where she is. Same with Shania Twain. And many others. This rule that female recording artists must be attractive isn't as strict for men: Look at Phil Collins, Lyle Lovett and Mick Jagger.

I'm not saying that Shania Twain, Leanne Rimes and Beyonce don't have talent. However, you can be sure that there are scores of equally talented, and more-so talented, singers out there who never got their big break, because they had homely faces. There are exceptions: Amy Winehouse.

Suppose two boys want to learn quarterback skills. One's handsome, and the other is ugly. Whom do you think will get more attention from coaches and older boys who are quarterbacks willing to help? The good looking lad will attract more help, more patient coaching, more eager older boys willing to teach them the ropes. The ugly boy will be left off on the sidelines. He'll be made to feel he doesn't have what it takes to be a good quarterback. The attractive boy will be told he's got a lot of quarterback potential.

If the handsome boy is a complete klutz, then it won't be long before he's booted off the field. But what if both boys not only have natural talent and speed, but both have these qualities EQUALLY? The ugly boy will still get the short end of the stick. But favoritism towards the goodlooking boy is not premeditated. Coaches don't hold meetings discussing, "Well, you know, Scott is pretty ugly. Let's pay more attention to Kenny because he's good looking." No, it doesn't pan out that way.

Instead, it's just the natural unfolding of events. People gravitate towards those with desirable physical attributes. The goodlooking kids get the best quarterback coaching, and hence, why few quarterbacks are ugly.

You may think this article is absurd, but hey, it was fun to write!