If there’s anyone who looks worse on the sidelines, it’s Bill Belichick.
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Call me traditional or even old school when it comes to the appearances of National Football League head coaches.

Let me just say I am sick and tired of looking at Bill Belichick’s hoodie, let alone his weekly grimace he wears inside it. Overall, I’m sick of corporate America ordering the league to wear their threads.

Vince Lombardi looked the part of the leader that he was.

In honor of the Grammys and their own dress code (if you want to call everyone breaking that dictum as a “code”), we must take a look at what the NFL used to be and what it’s become – especially when we consider the appearance of coaches.

Where are the days when Vince Lombardi and George Halas roamed the sidelines in suits, ties, overcoats and fedoras? I guess those days are gone and won’t be back any time soon.

That’s because since the 1980s the league has agreed to allowing the NFL’s clothing supplier – for several years it was Reebok that required its clothes on the bodies occupying the sidelines of every stadium, from the head coach down to the water boy. Now its Nike calling the shots.

What it has led to is embarrassment that’s been taken to an all-new level by Belichick.

To me, it’s disgusting and lowers the league and its head coaches to the gang mentality. The more team names and colors the better.

Ok, who looks better, Dan Reeves (left) or Bill Parcells (right)?

I don’t know about you, but I miss the days of the coach who shows up and looks like someone who’s in charge, not the guy in the first row. Let the fans show their colors – that’s fine – but also allow the coaches to stand out like the person who is truly in charge.

We can probably blame Mike Ditka, who in the late 1980s started wearing sweaters with the team name blazing across the chest. Yeah, I know you remember those hideous sweaters. Though not quite as bad as Bill Cosby’s they led the league down this road of fashion trauma.

When fans started inquiring how they could get their own versions of the coaches’ bad taste, the light went on at the NFL offices – actually, it was the dollar signs that began popping up over everyone’s heads. It was a multi-billion dollar industry waiting to happen … and happen it has.

Called the Nike Elite 51, the company that has taken over this season as the official maker of NFL uniforms calls its uniform “a head-to-toe integrated system of dress.”

And it was the elite player representatives, including Jermichael Finley of the Green Bay Packers, who helped Nike with its unveiling today.

Here’s what Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitgerald had to say:

“With today’s game being about strength and speed, it’s extremely exciting to know that when I take
the field for the 2012 NFL season, I will be doing so in a uniform that is lightweight, fast and durable
while also providing the targeted protection I need. As a player, you want zero distractions on the field.”

Here is the full release issued by Nike today:

NIKE AND NFL UNVEIL NEW 2012 UNIFORMS WITH 32 NFL ATHLETES

Uniform Features Highly innovative, Lightweight Uniform System

NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 3, 2012) – Nike (NYSE:NKE) unveiled today its Nike Elite 51 football uniforms
for the 2012 NFL season – a head-to-toe integrated system of dress.

NFL players Victor Cruz, Ndamukong Suh, Larry Fitzgerald, Brian Urlacher, Ben Roethlisberger, Champ
Bailey, and Ray Rice were some of the athletes representing each of the 32 NFL teams joining Nike
President & CEO Mark Parker, Nike Brand President Charlie Denson and NFL Commissioner Roger
Goodell to unveil the highly innovative new uniforms.

“The NFL is one of the greatest sporting leagues in the world,” said Parker. “We know football demands
the best and we look forward to delivering performance innovation and style on the field, in the stands
and on the street.”

“The NFL is pleased to work with Nike,” said Goodell. “This relationship continues our commitment to
delivering fans worldwide the best sports and entertainment experience. We are looking forward to the
excitement and innovation Nike will bring to our game, players and fans.”

Designed and engineered from the inside out, the new uniform focuses on creating a system where the
baselayer, padding, jersey and pant work in concert. Lightweight padding is also integrated directly into
the crucial “hit zones” in the baselayer. New innovations include integrating Flywire technology into the
neckline to reduce weight and provide lockdown fit over pads, increasing sleeve articulation for better
range of motion, and integrating new four-way stretch fabrication to provide a streamlined shrink-wrap fit.

“With today’s game being about strength and speed, it’s extremely exciting to know that when I take
the field for the 2012 NFL season, I will be doing so in a uniform that is lightweight, fast and durable
while also providing the targeted protection I need,” said Arizona Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver Larry
Fitzgerald. “As a player, you want zero distractions on the field.”

Here’s the full release issued by Nike:

NIKE AND NFL UNVEIL NEW 2012 UNIFORMS WITH 32 NFL ATHLETES

Uniform Features Highly innovative, Lightweight Uniform System

NEW YORK, N.Y. (April 3, 2012) – Nike (NYSE:NKE) unveiled today its Nike Elite 51 football uniforms for the 2012 NFL season – a head-to-toe integrated system of dress.

NFL players Victor Cruz, Ndamukong Suh, Larry Fitzgerald, Brian Urlacher, Ben Roethlisberger, Champ Bailey, and Ray Rice were some of the athletes representing each of the 32 NFL teams joining Nike President & CEO Mark Parker, Nike Brand President Charlie Denson and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to unveil the highly innovative new uniforms.

“The NFL is one of the greatest sporting leagues in the world,” said Parker. “We know football demands the best and we look forward to delivering performance innovation and style on the field, in the stands and on the street.”

“The NFL is pleased to work with Nike,” said Goodell. “This relationship continues our commitment to delivering fans worldwide the best sports and entertainment experience. We are looking forward to the excitement and innovation Nike will bring to our game, players and fans.”

Designed and engineered from the inside out, the new uniform focuses on creating a system where the baselayer, padding, jersey and pant work in concert. Lightweight padding is also integrated directly into the crucial “hit zones” in the baselayer. New innovations include integrating Flywire technology into the neckline to reduce weight and provide lockdown fit over pads, increasing sleeve articulation for better range of motion, and integrating new four-way stretch fabrication to provide a streamlined shrink-wrap fit.

“With today’s game being about strength and speed, it’s extremely exciting to know that when I take
the field for the 2012 NFL season, I will be doing so in a uniform that is lightweight, fast and durable
while also providing the targeted protection I need,” said Arizona Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. “As a player, you want zero distractions on the field.”

In addition to the new fabrication and performance-led design, teams chose varying levels of design
changes reflecting their unique heritage. For example, the Chicago Bears chose to continue to honor
George S. Hallas, – the revolutionary player, coach and respected innovator – by enlarging his GSH
initials on the jersey sleeve. The Seattle Seahawks worked with Nike to re-design the entire design of
their uniform to honor the team’s Northwest roots, and also give a nod to the fans.

“Our brief was to provide players with everything they need and nothing more. We blended cutting edge technology and fabrications with more than 40 years of knowledge, craft and insight into the game,” said Nike’s Design Director for Football, Todd Van Horne. “We worked closely with the teams, listening to their needs and delivering the best options to serve those athletes.”

The agreement with the NFL gives Nike rights to be the official uniform supplier of the NFL for on field, baselayer, sideline and practice wear. Product for the 32 team uniforms is scheduled for pre-sale on April 15th onward on nikestore.com, NFLShop.com and individual team websites. Fans can buy jerseys starting April 26th via their team stores and starting April 27th at broader retail locations including Nike stores.

The Nike Elite 51 – A Completely integrated System of Dress – key features include:

LIGHTER –The Nike jersey and pant, wet or dry are lighter than previous versions
FLYWIRE TECHNOLOGY- Eliminates layers, reduces weight, and provides lockdown fit
ZONED MESH VENTILATION – Provides cooling zones for optimal thermoregulation
ZONED STRENGTH – High tenacity, stretch material, for light weight lockdown strength.
CUT FOR MOBILITY – Four-way stretch, hydrophobic materials enable range of motion wet or
dry.
STRETCH TWILL NUMBERS – Four-way stretch even on numbering system
CUSTOMIZABLE BASELAYER PADDING – Nike Pro Combat Hyperstrong baselayer with
integrated lightweight, Deflex padding offering customizable flexible protection.
DEFLEX PADDING – Lightweight, flexible impact protection integrated into top “hit zone” areas
ALUMINUM D-RING BELT – Aircraft-grade aluminum D-ring belt reduces weight.

The uniform also features the Nike Vapor Game Sock – a highly innovative sock designed specifically
for football. The knee-high design combines compression, Nike Pro inspired cushioning, mesh venting and structure precisely where needed.

The Nike Vapor Jet 2.0 Gloves deliver a lightweight, breathable and articulated fit combined with
innovative Magnigrip on the palms and between the fingers for a tacky grip suitable for all weather
conditions. The team logo is featured prominently on the palm when athletes interlock both hands.

The Nike Vapor Talon Elite cleat is designed to maximize speed with premium performance attributes
including adaptive traction, Hyperfuse construction and carbon fiber strength. Utilizing the best of Nike’s proven technologies, it provides lightweight traction and durability and a lockdown fit. Built for diverse ground conditions, the adaptive traction system utilizes on-demand forefoot talon cleats for multi- directional field movement.

For more information including multimedia, visit www.NIKEInc.com.

There are some NFL uniforms that just shouldn’t be considered fashion statements – the Seahawks, the Bills are just two that come to mind.

However, now that Nike is the official supplier of uniforms and other equipment for the NFL in 2012, we can’t help but notice that things, including new gloves will be unveiled at the Pro Bowl.

Take a look at the gloves as a teaser to what we can expect this coming season.