OK so before anyone else starts – no, this isn’t a story of earth-shattering, life-changing significance. And yes, we do feel a little bit like Heat Magazine writing about it. Unless it causes a Samson-esque change in his abilities, Shaun White having his hair cut off should not really be news-worthy at all.

But there’s still something interesting about the fact that the man who is the biggest brand in snowboarding has decided to tamper with that brand, deliberately switching up his long-haired, guitar-burning rockstar image for something a little more clean-cut. Shaun White’s hair is such a huge part of Shaun the brand, that we’re almost surprised he was allowed to do this. Honestly, we’d be less shocked if Fidel Castro declared at the ripe old age of 86 that he was “over the whole beard thing.” I mean there’s less money riding on Fidel’s image for starters…

Anyway, it seems like the change was purely a matter of taste for the dude, so why not after all? Plus, he also did it to help publicise a good cause – Locks of Love, a charity that makes hairpieces for kids who suffer premature hair loss.