Am I the Only One Who Thinks Baseball Managers Wearing Full Uniforms is Absurd?
One of the most ridiculous things in sports is happening right under our noses. I don't understand why no one is talking about the absurdity of a professional coach wearing the same uniform as his players. I mean can you imagine if this was the case for all sports? Greg Poppovich wearing a full Spurs uniform pacing talking to the refs, trying to be taking seriously. Old, saggy, Pop with his team circled around him during a timeout, looking Tony Parker dead in the eye and telling him he needs to make the final shot, all while wearing essentially a tank top and baggy shorts. What if Bill Belichick had to wear full pads? Pacing the sidelines in a full Patriots uniform with his helmet on. Using his play card to block his mouth while he talks to his OC. Tight pants and cleats on, wearing some dumb number like "03" or something. Or imagine if pudgy Minnesota Wild coach Bruce Boudreau had to wear full hockey gear. Walking behind his bench with skates fully laced up and a stick in his hands. I understand that it's easier for baseball to get away with because they don't wear pads, but even soccer managers would look insane sporting full kits. Jurgen Klinsmann in a full USA kit shouting instructions to his team on the field, wearing cleats and shin pads.
Baseball has a lot of old traditions and values its old customs more than the other major American sports, but why this one? I'll admit that if tomorrow every baseball manager showed up to their dugouts wearing suits it would catch my eye. I'd definitely notice something was off, and it would take some time to get used to, but a year from now no one would bat an eyelash. I just don;t understand how no one talks about it. If Aliens came to Earth today and watched a single game from all 4 major American sports, I'm sure one of their questions would be 'why do the coaches in baseball wear the same uniforms as their players but none of the other sports?' To which I don't think anyone would have a viable answer. It's like one of those things that you do because you've been doing forever, but when someone asks 'why?,' you just respond, 'I don't know, It's just the way it's always been,' because the actual origins have been lost to history. I actually enjoy the absurdity of a 60 year old professional baseball manager has to wear a full uniform with a number - actually do they have to? - but I want the rule to be enforced at all levels. I want little league coaches to wear size XL little league uniforms to games. When I'm 40 I want to see my son's friend's dad wearing a full "DiMarre's Pastry Shop" uniform on a Saturday morning. The shame in that alone should weed out all of the half-ass, casual baseball dads from signing up so they can make their son the pitcher.
