Man, I Remember When...(part 2)

Man, I remember when head football coaches didn't (have to*) dress like equipment managers. Back in the day, for better or for worse, the Head Coach could wear whatever suited him.

Paul "Bear" Bryant Rocks His Plaid

Those were the days. I guarantee this guy (above) wasn't gonna let a shoe company tell him what to wear. Back then you could tell who was in charge by just glancing at the sideline. Nowadays, it might be difficult to pick the Head Coach out of a lineup that includes assistant coaches and trainers.

Phil Knight dresses Nick Saban

"Not sure if that's him, the guy I saw didn't have pleated pants?"


Surely, there is a happy medium. I mean, it's cool to look good and all, but the coach has to be comfortable as he patrols the sideline - after all, it's not a runway. Unfortunately, the effort to compromise between comfort and fashion has too often resulted in an ensemble like this:

Joepa Borrows a Player's Shoes

See detail below (if you can't see Joepa's Nikes on your phone.)

As it turned out, not all college football coaches shared the Bear's interest in fashion. In most cases it was a pedestrian desire for comfort that led coaches to eschew the confines of a sport coat and/or necktie. For a select few coaches though, having a full range of motion for their arms and upper body was a must.

OSU Legend Woody Hayes "coaches-up" a Buckeye player

Woody "objects" to a Clemson player's interception

"Not sure who gave me the forearm shiver...but it couldn't have been the old guy, right?"


I haven't gotten around to it yet, but "The" Ohio State football uniform may be the pole-sitter when I get around to listing the college football "Top 10."


Anyway, back on topic.


Fast forward 27 years and travel 2,109 miles from Columbus, Ohio to San Francisco, California.


How does that old saying go? "Money talks and bullshit walks?"

Well, right in the middle of Reebok's $250,000,000 deal with the NFL to be their exclusive merchandiser for all NFL apparel, in walks Mike Nolan.

In mid January 2005, Nolan, an 18 year NFL assistant coach, is hired as Head Coach of the San Francisco 49ers. While it remains unclear if Nolan discussed his intentions with respect to his sartorial aspirations, at any point during his interviews with then 49ers executives John York, Paraag Marathe and Terry Tumey, it soon became clear that Nolan intended to "dress for success." Setting aside smaller and less significant team-related issues such as these 2004 team stats: a turnover ratio of minus 19 (31st league rank); points per game allowed of 28.2 (32nd/last in the league); and a point differential of -193 (32nd/last in the league,) Nolan made wearing a suit during games a priority.

One small problem. Reebok's contract with the NFL stipulated that all coaches would be required to wear Reebok sportswear (IE: shirts; sweatshirts and other non-tailored jackets) during games. With the aforementioned issues set aside, Nolan sought a special exemption to wear a suit during games, in part as a 'tribute to his father and other great NFL coaches of his time.'  Reebok (and the NFL) possibly caught off guard by Nolan's vanity and displaced priorities, eventually agree to a compromise:

Nolan rocks an Armani, err Reebok Suit on the sidelines

Nolan is allowed to wear a Reebok (lol) manufactured suit for the team's 2006 home games.


Fast forward one more year.

Nolan's stint as 49er's Head Coach goes the way of most fashion trends and he is fired on October 20, 2007.

(The whereabouts of his Reebok suits are unknown.)