With presidential campaigning already well ingrained with sludge-like maneuvers, Jim Nelson’s Letter from the Editor: Pep Rally 2012 comes right on time. Lightening the somber mood, Nelson puts a much needed mordant twist on the election as only he can.

GQ‘s September issue is typically regarded as thee style issue of the year [for men]. Although using an innovative scheme, the Gentlemen’s Quarterly staff recruited some of the National Football League’s most chiseled jocks — integrated them throughout the issue — and deemed it the NFL Kick-Off 2012 issue.

Tim Tebow and Cam Newton are the September cover boys.

Some of the league’s most promising rookies, such as: Trent Richardson, Robert Griffin III, and Morris Claiborne strap on The 10 Best Coats of the Season; while Detroit Lions Pro Bowl tackle, Ndamukong Suh, is profiled in an absorbing editorial entitled, He Didn’t Mean To Hurt You. DeMarcus Ware and Victor Cruz are among various other NFL-ers featured in the issue.

Unrelated to the gridiron, Manual: GQ Endorses highlights an intriguing figure, in Nike’s Tinker Hatfield. Hatfield is labeled The Michael Jordan of Designing Jordans. A must read for the sneakerhead!

The issue rounds out with a compelling article on The Secrets and Lies of Joe Paterno; contrasted by a feature of the Vegas superclub, Marquee, The Best Night…$500,000 Can Buy.

Singer Rita Ora makes a cameo on The Punch List.