You guys doing the sharpie/paint deal remind me of back in the days of the Southwest Conference (NCAA -- Texas schools and Arkansas), Converse supplied the basketball officials' shoes, as they did with several other small college Texas leagues. Nobody seemed to like the Converse, though. The logo was like the old NBA officials wore before they went all black with the white chevron and stars. Because of the contract with the league, and free shoes to just about anyone that even thought of working a league game (I got two pairs in successive years), the SWC made everyone wear them.

So, a few guys took their shoes (mostly Avia 800s) to shoemakers and had them sew white leather converse logos into the shoes. One guy took a pair of 20-25 year old Riddell ripple soled shoes and did the same thing.

I think FB and BB shoes should be all black. Why should we have a logo on them? It cheapens the professional look. And, there is a lack of consistency among officials. Keep it neat and professional looking. No need for the cheap look.

You mean like all the guys in the NFL?

AMEN.. I use the Reeboks myself as I prefer the brankd over Nike or any other one. I think the white on them looks good.

I went with a pair of Reebok cleats last season because I wanted more traction. The shoes worked great for me and yes they do have a small "Reebok" logo on the sides (kind of a cross between silver and white in color), and the word "Reebok" on the back. I think the logo on the sides looks fine, but I'm going to use one or more of the methods suggested earlier to "black out" the "Reebok" word on the back.

BTW: I use a "Leather Lube" product on them that removes dirt and grime, helps keep the uppers in shape, and gives the shoes an overall nice shiny look.

Best Way to Hide the White
 

I tried many things over the years and finally found THE BEST solution - Rustoleum. Use the paint on, not the spray on. Paint the white parts, but make sure it dries real well, about a day. Then polish the entire shoe, including the parts you covered with Rustoleum. One hint, try to be neat about it. If you cover too much of the black part of the shoe with Rustoleum, it tends to take on a bright finish that is not obvious until your shoes get dirty or wet. I suppose you could paint the whole shoe, but I've never had the guts to try that.

I think the white on the shoe looks 'cheap' and unprofessional for an official. By definition, a "uniform" means ONE look for the entire crew. Does allowing white mean we can have 5 different logos on the shoes now? At least with all black, the shoes look alike.

Never tried to look like the NFL. Never want to compare HS FB and what we do to a league where winning is all that matters and drugs and egos are rampant. I don't need to sport a logo on my shoes in order to look good in the eyes of a sponsor.

Being professional does not require you to make a living at what you do.

Rich-
When you get your invite from the NFL, they will provide you with the shoes you will be required to wear.
However, until that day arrives, <b><u>all black shoes ARE the proper attire!</u>
Exception:</b> <i>Your entire crew purchases the exact same shoe!</i>