Courtesy Vancouver Sun:

Rob Murphy has never been to Kazakhstan, and has no intention of doing so in the near future. But the Borat look that has triggered a rash of bushy, lip caterpillars in the B.C. Lions organization now has a cause that touches the heart of the team’s left tackle.

Murphy initiated a previous upper lip grow-op when he was a member of the San Francisco 49ers in 2004 and carried the idea to the CFL this season, challenging Lion teammates to grow moustaches as a variation of the NHL’s annual playoff beards.

“Hockey is No. 1 in this country, and everyone grows playoff beards,” Murphy says. “This is just kind of our spin on it. Let’s grow some facial hair, but not beards. That’s kind of how it started.”
Lion offensive lineman Rob Murphy is spearheading moustache movement among players and fans.View Larger

The Lions moustache mania, however, caught the attention of Alan Bedingfield, a charitable organizer from Vancouver who is involved with the Movember Foundation, an annual world-wide event started in Australia that raises awareness of men’s health issues, particularly prostate cancer. “Movember” is a blend of “Moustache” and “November,” a month-long competition in which men raise money through sponsorships by going Borat. More than 250,000 men worldwide are involved in this year’s grow-a-thon to benefit organizations such as the Canadian Prostate Research Foundation.

They’ll be joined by an additional 30,000 men, women and kids wearing stick-on moustaches at Sunday’s West Division final at BC Place, a game in which Mo Mania is being incorporated into the Lions’ pre-game street party on Beatty Street.

According to Bedingfield, more than 22,300 Canadian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, and 4,300 die of the disease.

“A lot of people don’t realize that prostate cancer in men is more prevalent than breast cancer in women,” Bedingfield says. “I think the male ego gets in the way. Women are such great ambassadors for their cause, and we’re trying to get men to do the same.”

Murphy can appreciate where Bedingfield is coming from. He lost his grandfather, Walt Burian, to prostate cancer a few years ago in Syracuse, N.Y. Burian was 64.

“He was from the generation where men were men,” Murphy says. “Men internalized their problems and would only go to a doctor when it was too late. I’m encouraging men to get checked out for prostate or testicular cancer at the first sign of trouble and don’t be ashamed. When I was asked to jump on board the Movember Foundation, I did it in a heartbeat. Any time you can couple a great organization with something that’s good for men across North America, and the world, it’s a wonderful opportunity. And seeing 30,000 moustaches in the dome Sunday is going to be great for prostate awareness and our team.”

Five finalists from a Lions Internet moustache growing contest will receive a pair of tickets to the West Final, plus an autographed Rob Murphy jersey and game ball.