# Why don't all sports managers/coaches wear suits? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 5, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965 "2009-01-05T17:52:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/1 "2009-01-05T17:52:19Z")
All (european style) football managers/coaches who want to be taken seriously wear a [suit](http://soccerlens.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/fabio-capello.jpg), or at least slacks and a [shirt](http://soccerlens.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fatih-terim.jpg) (two examples out of many, many more). As do most of them in hockey. And I think (from my limited experience) that most of them in the NBA wear suits as well. But why don’t american football ones? And why do the baseball ones wear the match dress? Just a minor squibble that’s been on my mind for a while now. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/2 "2009-01-05T17:57:02Z")
American football coaches used to wear suits, but the fashion changed gradually over the past 20 years and few do now. Baseball managers wear a uniform because the rules dictate they must do so if they wish to come onto the field. I believe the NBA coaches are constrained by a dress code that requires a suit or a coat and turtleneck. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/3 "2009-01-05T18:02:23Z")
Because they don’t want to wear it? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/4 "2009-01-05T18:02:56Z")
The NFL has (or had, I’m still googling) a dress code that requires the coaches to wear Officially Licensed Merchandise[sup]TM[/sup] with their team logo. Here’s a [link](http://hauteconcept.com/2007/09/05/nfl-coaches-to-wear-suit-and-tie-on-gameday/) to a news item from 2007, about Mike Nolan (coach of the 49ers) getting the rule changed to allow him to wear a suit. This being the NFL, it has to be an officially licensed suit. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/5 "2009-01-05T18:17:27Z")
Damn! That’s pretty strict rules, forcing the NFL coaches to wear OLM. And kinda cool about the baseball coaches. And **LOUNE** , why? Just because it looks so much better and more proper. Just compare [these](http://www.fotbollsexpressen.se/polopoly_fs/1.112634!defaultImage/1207310765.jpg) two [coaches](http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/gabriele_marcotti/01/19/england.eriksson/p1_eriksson_0119.jpg). Whom would you rather play for? (The first one is Sweden’s former national coach, Tommy Söderberg. The second one is England’s former, Sven Göran Eriksson) ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/6 "2009-01-05T18:19:52Z")
Mike Nolan is awesome. I love his sense of style. I think more coaches should wear suits; it’s friggin’ classy. The worst-dressed has to be Bill Belichick with his horrible cut-off hoody, linked below. [http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/2900/e9edd25a21a54d1fbb73676ui7.jpg](http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/2900/e9edd25a21a54d1fbb73676ui7.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/7 "2009-01-05T18:24:17Z")
Personally, I’d rather play for the guy who would drink a beer with me rather than the one who looks to be too snobby to drink beer. I think suits are presumptuous and a waste of money. Admittedly, I am probably in the minority. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/8 "2009-01-05T18:28:32Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Damn! That’s pretty strict rules, forcing the NFL coaches to wear OLM. > > And kinda cool about the baseball coaches. > > And **LOUNE** , why? Just because it looks so much better and more proper. > > Just compare [these](http://www.fotbollsexpressen.se/polopoly_fs/1.112634!defaultImage/1207310765.jpg) two [coaches](http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/gabriele_marcotti/01/19/england.eriksson/p1_eriksson_0119.jpg). Whom would you rather play for? > > (The first one is Sweden’s former national coach, Tommy Söderberg. The second one is England’s former, Sven Göran Eriksson) Which one has the better record? Which one works better with my personality? What they wear means nothing to me. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/9 "2009-01-05T19:02:11Z")
Baseball probably has it’s roots in the playing manager days.Football does not have that heritage . Old hockey days had the trainer come in for an injured goalie. I see them wearing a uni. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/10 "2009-01-05T19:05:21Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Old hockey days had the trainer come in for an injured goalie. I see them wearing a uni. This actually happened earlier this season. I cannot for the life of me remember which team or who the guy was, though. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/11 "2009-01-05T19:06:46Z")
Connie Mack wore a suit in the dugout, but it’s possible he didn’t go on the field, letting coaches talk to the pitcher. Either that, or he was grandfathered in. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/12 "2009-01-06T01:43:06Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Connie Mack wore a suit in the dugout, but it’s possible he didn’t go on the field, letting coaches talk to the pitcher. Either that, or he was grandfathered in. Connie Mack wore a suit and tie during games, but he had to stay in the dugout- if he needed to communicate with a player on the field, he sent a uniform-wearing assistant coach out to convey his message. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/13 "2009-01-06T01:50:17Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > This actually happened earlier this season. I cannot for the life of me remember which team or who the guy was, though. He played for the Penguins, I believe. It was a guy called up from a desk job in the organization… …Unless you’re thinking about something else. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/14 "2009-01-06T02:32:36Z")
Andy Reid ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-all-sports-managers-coaches-wear-suits/479965/15 "2009-01-07T05:24:41Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > He played for the Penguins, I believe. It was a guy called up from a desk job in the organization… > > …Unless you’re thinking about something else. Brett Leonard… he was the team’s webmaster or did some sort of work on their website. Compliance, maybe? _Googles_ [Ah, he was a “producer” for the Capitals’ website.](http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3770097) And his name is Brett Leonhardt. Going back to the OP’s question, American football coaches tend to run around a lot on the sidelines, not like football managers who sit pretty much the entire match except to yell at the referees. In baseball, as noted above, it’s just the (ridiculous) rule that managers wear uniforms. (Professional) basketball coaches do generally wear suits during games, for the record.