MARK MY WORD: CHILDREN'S ATTIRE WON'T MEET NFL DRESS CODE

There's nothing like a musical to make you feel good about the '50s.

Americans love the decade. How else can you explain why we love all those singing, leather-jacketed greasers and their Pink Ladies?

I was around back then, but I was too young for leather jackets, greased hair and hot rods.

I didn't care about Elvis. I grew up in the rock 'n' roll 1960s. So did Joni.

But we love "Grease." Even our children like the musical-turned-movie. We have the movie on videotape.

Becca and Bailey love the songs. So, of course, we had to take them to the "Grease" road show the other night at the Show Me Center.

Eight-year-old Becca wore her cheerleading costume, the one Joni made for Halloween. If you're going to cheer for Rydell High you might as well do it right.

Bailey, age 4, went as herself.

Both girls wanted to dance the night away. Bailey, in particular, couldn't sit still.

She spent the evening doing gymnastics on her parents' laps and generally wiggling around like a Mexican jumping bean, but at least it was in keeping with the music.

Human beings are amazing creatures. At Bailey's age, it's tough to sit still.

In her view, the best thing about a chair is that you can climb on it, up it, around it, and all over it.

There's no reason to sit upright when you can view the world upside down.

Of course, Becca has trouble staying in her chair at times too. But she is old enough now to avoid the constant gymnastics of her sister.

Still, it's only when we become adults that we fully appreciate being seated.

Becca and Bailey, and, for that matter, practically the entire cast of "Grease" would have serious trouble meeting the National Football League's dress code.

Sean Gilbert of the Carolina Panthers was fined $5,000 the other day for violating the league's dress code by showing too much white on his uniform socks.

The violation came during a game against the San Francisco Forty-Niners who apparently had no trouble with keeping their socks on.

Gilbert said he was aware of the strict socks policy, but never expected to be fined for such an indiscretion.

This would never happen in baseball where poor dressing is a tradition, along with spitting.

I'm sure we'll breathe easier at night knowing that the sock police are out there in the National Football League keeping standards high.

No doubt, they would be horrified to see Becca's and Bailey's socks, which often are discarded around the house like so many referees' flags. Clearly, this would not meet NFL dress code.

Both Becca and Bailey also like sandals, which are banned in the National Football League along with bobby socks.

You're not allowed to sing like Danny Zuko either. But then life's not perfect.

Sometimes, you just have to let your children kick off their shoes and socks, and take the penalty.