K-State Countdown: Ranking the best vintage coaching apparel ever worn by Bill Snyder

Editor’s note: In an effort to provide sports content while college athletics are on pause nationwide because of the coronavirus pandemic, beat writer Kellis Robinett will spend some time this summer ranking some of the best and worst games, moments, players and anything else that comes to mind in the history of Kansas State athletics. If you have a suggestion for a future K-State Countdown, let him know by sending an e-mail to krobinett@wichitaeagle.com

During the late stages of his coaching career, Kansas State fans could just about always count on coach Bill Snyder wearing a windbreaker on the sidelines.

His game-day fashion was so consistent that it became easy for Manhattan children to dress up as Snyder on Halloween. Anyone who had access to a purple windbreaker, a headset and a pair of glasses could pull off the look with ease when they went trick-or-treating. Lots of candy, from approving adults, tended to follow.

But Snyder didn’t always wear a windbreaker while he was coaching the Wildcats.

Fashion styles change from decade to decade, and Snyder was the head coach at K-State for nearly 30 years. Believe it or not, his choices in gameday gear changed drastically throughout his Hall of Fame tenure.

Which ones were the best and most memorable? With that question in mind, let’s take a look back and rank some of Snyder’s best fashion choices.

Last week: The 10 best professional athletes in the history of K-State sports.

10. The purple coaching polo

Before the days of Nike Dri-FIT clothing, college football coaches had to wear cotton polos that looked like they belonged in the clubhouse more than on the gridiron. But Snyder found a way to make them work on the sideline. The Wildcats won a lot of games while he wore this style of shirt. He clearly had the attention of his players.

9. The bowl windbreaker

There are few things Snyder loved more than bowl games, and he proved it throughout his second stint with the Wildcats by wearing windbreakers that showed off different bowl patches. One of the most entertaining parts of Saturdays in Manhattan used to be looking to see whether Snyder was rocking an Alamo Bowl windbreaker or a Cotton Bowl windbreaker. It’s unclear whether he wore them out of superstition, comfort or some other reason, but they were a hit with fans ... and bowl representatives.

8. The two-tone windbreaker

There was something nice and simple about the white-and-gray windbreaker that Snyder wore almost exclusively during the final few years of his time as K-State’s coach.

7. The rain gear

Few articles of clothing make a football coach look more like a football coach than rain gear. This all-purple ensemble had the Wildcats ready to go before a memorable victory over Tennessee at the 2000 Cotton Bowl.

6. The running shirt

Snyder could easily win his age division at the Manhattan half marathon that bears his name while wearing this vintage polo, along with his favorite Nike Cortez shoes.

5. The colorful windbreaker

Why did K-State’s football coach need gold stripes on his windbreaker? No idea. But they sure looked good. The raised collar is what really made this look.

4. The straw hat

Even on sunny days, Snyder usually liked to show off his hair at K-State football games and practices. But there was a time during his first stint with the Wildcats that he occasionally wore a hat. And not just any hat. A straw hat! Much like most of what he tried as a coach, he pulled it off.

3. The suit

Sadly, Snyder never wore a suit and tie during a real, life K-State football game. But he dressed up for nearly all of his press conferences and usually wore a suit during the Wildcats’ spring game. It was a great look that helped him stand out as an old-school coach in the world of college football.

2. The white sweater

It’s a shame Snyder abandoned sweaters during his second stint as K-State’s football coach. This old-school white sweater was quite the fashionable look, especially over the top of a purple polo. Maybe it didn’t hold up against the wind of the Flint Hills.

1. The 90s coaching polo

They should hang the picture you see written above these words in The Louvre. It’s breathtaking. For those of us that have a soft spot for ‘90s fashion, there are few better looks than a cotton polo that features three different colors and diagonal stripes.

Every time this photo has popped up in one of my stories or on my Twitter timeline over the years, readers always respond with messages stating that they would pay any price for these polos. The shirt looks good on both Snyder and a young Brent Venables.

The vintage three-line hat, worn by several K-State assistants in the background, completes the look. The next time the Wildcats host a retro game, Chris Klieman and his coaches should consider wearing an updated version of these shirts.

This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "K-State Countdown: Ranking the best vintage coaching apparel ever worn by Bill Snyder."

Kellis Robinett

The Wichita Eagle

Kellis Robinett covers Kansas State athletics for The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star. A winner of more than a dozen national writing awards, he lives in Manhattan with his wife and four children.