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Welker Sporting Rally Mustache For Playoffs

BOSTON (CBS)  - Always looking for a way to rally, athletes do some interesting things when it comes to playoff time.

Hockey players normally grow playoff beards.

Patriots receiver Wes Welker is heading down that road, but still putting use to his razor.

"That's a mustache," Welker told reporters Thursday afternoon, showing off his facial hair. "It seems to give you power, especially late in the season. I've been feeling it this week. Hopefully it carries through to (Saturday)."

The "Stache" was originally a joke on Twitter, which Welker just signed up for recently.

But @WesWelker has been sending out plenty of Tweets, and getting even more responses. When growing a mustache became a rally reality, Welker was far from being the only one to grow playoff facial hair.

Read: Levan Reid's Patriots Blog

Fans have been tweeting him pictures all week of their own mustaches. Gillette has even started a "Wear It Like Welker" campaign with a cutout mustache for those that are less fortunate in the facial hair department.

And for those who like to keep a clean shave, there are "Catching Passes & Growing Staches" shirts up for purchase on sportiqe.com. Proceeds of the t-shirt sales go to the Wes Welker Foundation to benefit at-risk youths in Oklahoma City, Welker's hometown.

Welker said his girlfriend is a fan of his new look, and hopes that Gillette Stadium will be "stached out" Saturday night.

Even his teammates are taking notice.

"It looks nice," guard Logan Mankins, who sports a fu manchu of his own. "It's filling in nice, so hopefully he can keep it going."

Anything is worth trying when it comes to breaking a three-game losing streak in the playoffs, right?

Tune in to the Patriots-Broncos playoff game Saturday night at 8pm on 98.5 The Sports Hub and WBZ-TV. Pregame coverage begins Saturday at 5pm with Patriots Preview on 98.5, with a special edition of Patriots GameDay on WBZ-TV at 7pm. After the game, stay tuned for Patriots Postgame on The Hub, and Patriots 5th Quarter on WBZ-TV.

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