Dressing for NFL press box

Nah, I got it.

 

First spring training game I ever covered I wore khakis and a button-down. Hall of Famer Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News was wearing shorts and sandals. I felt stupid and more than a little warm in the Florida heat.

 

Fashion a hat out of your newspaper and Magic Marker "Trainee" on it in big letters.

 

Just once, I want to wear this to a NASCAR race ...

 

Wear what you feel comfortable wearing.

There have been a lot of silly conversations in press boxes at games I've covered, but I can only remember two about what another reporter was wearing. First dude showed up in his surf shorts, tank top and flip flops. Another time, dude showed up in jacket and tie.

Moral of the story: If you don't stand out one way or the other, nobody will notice what you are wearing.

 

It's not an issue during football season, but I feel shorts are unprofessional, no matter how hot it is. I see it all the time in MLB press boxes. Jeans are fine. Just don't wear a white T-shirt with cigarettess rolled up in the sleeves and in your ears.

 

Thank you, Bruce martin

 

You'd only get to wear it once ...

 

If you dress like the janitor, you should expect to be treated like the janitor.

I was at a college game several years ago and a kid from the student paper showed up in cutoffs, sandals, baseball cap, a dress shirt with the sleeves ripped off and a tie.

The SID, to his credit, chewed the kid's ass about it and told him he wouldn't let him back in the box if he showed up like that again. On Monday he called the paper's advisor and told him about it.

 

All the more reason to cover preps.

 

1) You can never be overdressed. The guy wearing shorts and birks should have been justifying his dress to you. Whoever said if you dress like the janitor, you'll be treated like a janitor is correct. It's amazing how people around the stadium will respond to you differently if you're wearing a tie. That said, I think the dress code relaxes a bit in the summer, especially if you're covering baseball each day.

2) I have a friend who took his father to a fancy steakhouse for his birthday. The father liked ketchup on his steak. The meal comes and the dad asks for a bottle of Heinz. The next thing he knows, the head chef is at his table, asking if everything is OK.

 

I'm happy to agree with Happy Girl. I don't know when it became OK to wear shorts to an MLB game just because it's hot outside. It's a shame and a wonder that some people consider a polo shirt and jeans a little too dressed up.