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<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Ray Nitschke<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n I’ve been watching a lot of the NFL Network lately.\u00a0 It beats watching the news<\/strong> and it provides me with some people for whom to root.\u00a0 That alone distinguishes it from the news channels.\u00a0 There is a segment on the NFL morning show titled, “The Fit List”, short for outfit. \u00a0Each week they profile players, not for their accomplishments on the field, but for the sartorial splendor exhibited on the way into the game.\u00a0 Yes, before the first whistle is blown, players are lauded for their achievement in wearing designer pants<\/strong> and carrying Gucci briefcases. Last week there were some particularly wild ‘fits’, and I couldn’t help but wonder what the old-time players – Ray Nitschke, Mike Ditka, Dick Butkus, et al – would think about the emphasis on designer clothing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Deion on draft day<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Today, players are judged on their “drip”. Football drip is all about how players look and carry themselves,<\/strong> from their clothing and accessories to their overall personal style.\u00a0 It is also known as having swag, sauce, or style.\u00a0 The focus on football fashion can be traced back to the intersection of hip-hop and sports culture. In the 1990s, hip-hop music began to grow more popular with athletes around the country, and many started to embrace similar fashion styles associated with what they saw their favorite artists wearing. Baggy clothes, gold chains, and other flashy accessories became more mainstream, creating new, unique, and bold looks<\/strong> that would eventually become known as “sauce” or “swag”.\u00a0\u00a0Eventually, football players like Deion Sanders started to incorporate their own personal touches into their game-day fits, both on and off the field. As a result, football swag became an essential part of the culture of the sport.<\/p>\n Tyrod Taylor<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n As off-putting as this focus on fashion can be to hard core football fans, there is some sense in it for the players.\u00a0 Most of the well-dressed athletes now have stylists<\/strong> who negotiate contracts with clothing and accessory companies. Tyrod Tayor, for example, the back-up quarterback for the New York Giants, has teamed up with high-end boutique Jeffrey, where fans can shop his Sunday looks \u2014 ranging from a Gucci jacket and YSL jeans to a Balenciaga sweatshirt.\u00a0 His stylist says, \u201cWe\u2019ve created revenue without him ever throwing a ball<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 In a sport where the average career lasts less than five years, it makes sense for these guys to make as much money as they can, as fast as possible.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Tablecloth<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n This season a lot of focus has been on the Kelce brothers, who could not be more dissimilar<\/strong> in their game day ‘fits.\u00a0 Travis has long been known for his wardrobe.\u00a0 In fact, when his mother was asked if she was disappointed that she never had a daughter, she responded, “No. I had Travis and he’s a fashionista.”\u00a0 Now that he has a famous girlfriend, there is even more attention to what he wears on game day and if there is a secret message<\/strong> in it.\u00a0 I’m not so sure there is.\u00a0 At times his outfit resembles something one might select blindly from a Goodwill bag.\u00a0 And sometimes he looks like a picnic tablecloth.\u00a0 But I’m sure he’s making money hand over fist, and good for him.<\/p>\n Jason being Jason<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n On the other hand, his brother, Jason, is more old-school<\/strong>.\u00a0 He was recently asked why he doesn’t up his pre-game look, to which he replied, “Some people go to play football, and some people play dress up. I don’t like to play dress up. I like to play football, alright?”\u00a0 He added that he had no interest in shopping or color coordinating<\/strong> his outfits with matching belts and shoes.\u00a0 Last week he also demonstrated that sometimes clothing is optional.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By Suzanne Sparrow Watson I’ve been watching a lot of the NFL Network lately.\u00a0 It beats watching the news and it provides me with some people for whom to root.\u00a0 That alone distinguishes it from the news channels.\u00a0 There is … read more![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/deion-sanders-211x300.png\")
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<\/a>I like to imagine what the notoriously tough Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi<\/strong>, would think of all this.\u00a0 Lombardi coached during a time when coaches wore suits and ties (and oftentimes, hats) on the sidelines and players were expected to dress similarly.\u00a0 Lombardi hated agents, preferring to negotiate with his players one-on-one. There is a legend (somewhat disputed but not by Lombardi) that he once traded a player within five minutes<\/strong> of that player even mentioning that he had an agent. It makes my hair curl to think what Lombardi might do when confronted with a player’s stylist.<\/em>\u00a0 I’m not sure there are enough four-letter words to encompass his thoughts, but it sure would be fun to listen in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"