Tomorrow, when the AFC and NFC championship games are played, four men will be coaching in one of the biggest games of their lives. But they certainly won't be dressed for the occasion. Rather, they will be wearing sweatshirts, parkas, turtlenecks, polos and any other casual apparel that has his team's logo on it. They will look more like the fans in the stands than authoritative figures. That's too bad, because it wasn't always this way. 

 Then and now.

Grainy films reveal that Dallas coach Tom Landry and Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram used to lead their teams into playoff games donning three-piece suits or a blazer and slacks. They looked serious, like they were dressed to take care of business.

Even though a spot has been reserved for him in Canton Ohio, Bill Belichick does not quite give off the same image. Each week, he looks like a vagabond in his hooded sweatshirt with a large New England Patriots logo emblazoned on the front. In fact, you start to feel sorry for him until you remind yourself that it is Bill Belichick, winner of three Super Bowls.

In the same year the NBA told its players to dress up or be fined, the NFL ordered its coaches to do the opposite. Mike Nolan, the San Francisco 49ers coach, publicly said he was planning to wear a suit and tie on the sidelines this season. It seemed like a great idea to bust out some "old-school" threads. But the NFL wasn't too keen on Nolan's idea, because Reebok, which supplies all of the clothing for the league, wasn't happy with it. Reebok doesn't make suits, dress shirts or ties, after all. They do manufacture jumpsuits, t-shirts and polos with team logos that apparently sell like hotcakes. And it's a money-making business when it comes down to it. 

But the NBA seems to get along fine without having their coaches dress like slobs. Since 1981, the Association has made them wear suits or sport jackets. They look sharp, and Miami Heat coach Pat Riley seems proud of the fact he gets to wear Armani duds on the bench. The NBA, which is ultra-conscious of how it markets its product, apparently doesn't need the coaches hawking the apparel it sells in stores. Neither does Reebok, which is the exclusive supplier of team uniforms and warm-ups. Not many fans are going out of their way to copy the look of Larry Brown and Scott Skiles, after all.

So, when it comes down to it, it's obvious that the NFL is really calling the shots here. They don't want their coaches looking presentable on the sidelines. They'd rather have them act as models for the apparel the league and its clothing supplier are selling. Dan Reeves wore a suit for a number of years before switching to a polo when he was with the Falcons. Former Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Tice sported a tie and sweater until he began wearing a turtleneck. They were both encouraged by the NFL to make the switch as team apparel became more marketable. But by forcing the coaches to comply with a casual dress code, the NFL looks silly. And on Sunday, just like every other week, so will the coaches.

When Norv Turner was fired by the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday, the number of NFL coaches who have received pink slips this season climbed to seven. Add #### Vermeil's resignation from Kansas City into the group that got canned and a quarter of the league's teams now have head coaching vacancies. That's a lot of openings.

In a world where instant gratification is the norm, what has taken place in the last few days is not very surprising. Coaches have short lifespans and they know they are on a tight leash unless their names are Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick. And while there should be some sympathy extended toward the magnificent seven that got axed, don't feel completely sorry for them. They will likely coach another NFL team and stink it up there as well.

  Nine Lives

There is not a league more paradoxical when it comes to the hiring and firing of coaches than the NFL. The same organizations that are quick to get rid of one coach go out and rescue another from past failures. Look at Turner. In seven seasons with the Washington Redskins, he won one playoff game and never led the Capital Gang to a record that was better than 10-6. Yet, four years after Turner finished out his last days in Washington, Oakland owner Al Davis hired him to turn around the Raiders. In his haste to get rid of Bill Callahan, who led the franchise back to the Super Bowl in the first of his two seasons at the helm, Davis seemed to forget the fact that Turner had a losing record under an equally meddlesome owner, Daniel Snyder. In fact, Turner had won less playoff games in his seven years in Washington than Callahan had in his two seasons in Oakland.

Four years earlier, a similarly perplexing move was made by the Miami Dolphins when they hired Dave Wannstedt, a coach that had worn out his welcome in Chicago by 1998.  In his six seasons in the Windy City, the best record the Bears could post was 9-7. Rich Kotite might have done better. But Wannstedt's past failures didn't dissuade the Dolphins.  They put the franchise in the his hands, hoping that he could rekindle the winning ways of the Don Shula era. The result: one playoff win, one AWOL running back and lots of controversy in five seasons.

It wouldn't be the least bit surprising, however, if Wannstedt was mentioned as a possible replacement for one of the seven coaches that were fired. At least he won a postseason game. Butch Davis' name is floating around and he hasn't even done that. Neither has Wade Phillips, who is a possible candidate for the Green Bay job. Surely, the rolodexes for NFL general managers extend beyond ten names. Then again, maybe Ray Handley is primed for a comeback.

Brett Favre has a tough decision to make, but it appears as if commentators and reporters want to make it for him. At the end of his fifteenth season in the NFL, Favre must decide if he will hang up his helmet and cleats or continue a career that has been nothing short of remarkable. However, the question about whether Favre will retire has not been raised by the quarterback himself, but the media who have watched him take the field on Sundays.

 Still Kicking.

Each year, star athletes who are nearing the end of their careers are nagged by reporters about their futures. As a result, a private, personal decision concerning retirement becomes public. In many cases, these athletes are pressured into putting away their jerseys and waving good bye to the fields, courts, stadiums and arenas they once called home. And that is wrong. Players who are past their primes are constantly reminded of Willie Mays dropping a fly ball with the Mets, Johnny Unitas playing out his last days in a Chargers uniform or Rickey Henderson struggling in the minors.

They are told by reporters that they wouldn't want to go out like that. But most of the media and commentators have never been in their shoes. They don't know what it is like to be in their positions or how much these guys really have left in the tank. For every Arnold Palmer, there is a Julio Franco or Roger Clemens. Clemens, who was was believed by former Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette to be nearing the end of his career in the mid-90s, led the majors in ERA last season. He is hardly a pity case.

Neither is Favre. Favre did not have a good year this season, but it is hard for a quarterback to have success when he has a weak offensive line and an unstable backfield with a group of running backs who keep going down with injuries. Not many signal callers in the NFL would be thriving in that situation, especially some of the younger quarterbacks in the league. Joey Harrington has been nothing short of terrible in his four-year stint with the Detroit Lions. Kyle Boller hasn't been much better with the Balimore Ravens. Nobody is calling for them to retire, even though they have not even come close to reaching the level of success that Favre has.

The only reason why Favre is being forced to answer questions about his future is that he is a veteran and is regarded as one of the best at his position. If Favre's skills have really diminished to the point that he can no longer effectively run the offense, Green Bay would find a way to bench him. It's that simple. Even Knicks center Patrick Ewing was run out of New York. The fact is that Favre is capable of playing and making up his own mind. He does not need outsiders deciding for him. But that is what happens to players who have made an impact on their sport. It is the price they pay for getting old while still being considered great.