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OT: Stern wrong to turn back on hip-hop style
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bigpimpin
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10/22/2005  8:02 PM


The Rant
NBA's Stern wrong to turn his back on hip-hop style
Posted: Friday October 21, 2005 11:32AM; Updated: Friday October 21, 2005 12:23PM

I'm a sportswriter and therefore uniquely unqualified to comment on what the minimum sartorial standards of a professional adult should be. (Ever taken a good look at the NBA media corps? Milan is prêt à porter. Press row is prêt à manger.)

But David Stern's new dress code for players isn't really about looking stylish. It's about turning down the volume on the NBA's hip-hop image. It's about kowtowing to out-of-touch corporate sponsors. It's about hypocrisy. And while I don't fully agree with Stephen Jackson and other players who say it's overtly racist, I'm not going to dress them down for raising the point.

Stern is right about one thing: His league has an image problem. But benches full of injured-reserve guys in suits won't stop the NBA's drift away from the beloved-by-the-masses NFL and toward the niche-level NHL.

Fans watch the players on the court, not the ones on the sidelines, and the NBA is hurting because the games are artless and the personalities are dull. When fans flocked to the league in the 1980s and '90s, it had nothing to do with Magic, Larry and Michael wearing fancy suits. (Magic and Michael did, anyway.) Fans aren't stupid. Clothes don't make the man -- and more important, they don't make someone a better shooter or ballhandler or defender.

More than other sports, basketball thrives on -- and markets -- style and individuality, on and off the court. A generation ago, that meant a parade of fur raincoats and 12-inch lapels in NBA locker rooms, but no one thought Clyde Frazier was really a pimp.

Stern and his sponsor pals -- I'm sure they're the driving force behind this dress code -- need to realize that in 2005, baggy jeans, throwback jerseys and a sheikdom's worth of bling don't automatically mark Allen Iverson as a thug. (Sorry, bad example.) Corporate America should know better. I don't remember Snoop Dogg rolling in "business casual" for any of his many commercials.

The NBA usually is more than happy to cash in on hip-hop culture. (Anyone who thinks that's not what the dress code is aimed at is delusional.) Rap music blares in arenas, and visitors to the league's Web site are welcome to drop more than $100 on the throwback jerseys in the NBA Soul collection.

If Stern expects fans to listen to 50 Cent at games and spend like him afterward, then the commissioner should let players look like rap stars, too.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/stephen_cannella/10/21/the.rant/index.html


[Edited by - bigpimpin on 10-22-2005 8:03 PM]
"Anyone who sits around waiting to hit the lottery, whether basketball or real life, in order to better their position is a loser."
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bigpimpin
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10/22/2005  8:08 PM
I've seen players who don't personify the hip-hop style and still need to have something done about their wardrobe. At the same time, I've seen players who sport the more urban style and still look professional. And then there is Allen Iverson--the NBA's version of Tupac Shakur. heh
I don't care what a player wears, personally. But Stern, you are a HYPOCRITE, dawg
"Anyone who sits around waiting to hit the lottery, whether basketball or real life, in order to better their position is a loser."
bigpimpin
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10/22/2005  8:09 PM
i mean, you are a hypocrite, SIR.
"Anyone who sits around waiting to hit the lottery, whether basketball or real life, in order to better their position is a loser."
bigpimpin
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10/22/2005  8:18 PM





hahahahahahaha


DAVID STERN'S LIST OF TO-DO's:


Fine Mark Cuban
Find a new Michael Jordan
Europeanize the league
Create a Lebron vs. Carmelo atmosphere
Get someone, anyone to throw a cup of beer on Ron Artest
Implicate dress code and ban bling bling
Implicate all tattoo's must be removed
Ride Lebron nuts
Rid the league of cornrolls
Ban Ron Artest

"Anyone who sits around waiting to hit the lottery, whether basketball or real life, in order to better their position is a loser."
bigpimpin
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10/22/2005  8:41 PM




"Anyone who sits around waiting to hit the lottery, whether basketball or real life, in order to better their position is a loser."
fishmike
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10/22/2005  9:05 PM
NBA is the only league without a dress code. As for expressing yourself or your culture what job are you allowed to that in?
"winning is more fun... then fun is fun" -Thibs
YoungSpike
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10/22/2005  9:30 PM
fishmike said
"NBA is the only league without a dress code. As for expressing yourself or your culture what job are you allowed to that in?"

thats true u can't dress how ever you want at work, but i hate the new dess code because it tells players what they can and can not have on when they are on there way to there job. NBA players have uniforms that they change into when they are on the clock. imagine if your boss told you how to dress even on your way to work
matt
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10/22/2005  9:53 PM
If my boss paid me millions of dollars a year to play a game, I'd do anything. Let's be serious now; what's so hard about looking professional?
fishmike
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10/22/2005  11:37 PM
its not on the way to work, its when you travel. Its how you look when you get to work.

No.. my boss couldnt tell me how to dress on my way to work. But he could say "gee fish, this habit of changing from throwback jersey and baggy shorts into the business casual attire in the bathroom every morning isnt working out. It would be nice if your in the appropriate dress when you enter the building."
"winning is more fun... then fun is fun" -Thibs
daddynel
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10/23/2005  1:23 AM
funny how it was'nt about race when zeke implimented this rule on the knicks. these guys are millionaires, f'ing dress like one! i used to be a hood rat, and in a way i still am, but i know when not to be and dress the part. if i had a chance at making millions per year i don't think i'd balk at putting on a damn suit once in while.
Knight
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10/23/2005  11:33 AM
Posted by daddynel:

funny how it was'nt about race when zeke implimented this rule on the knicks. these guys are millionaires, f'ing dress like one! i used to be a hood rat, and in a way i still am, but i know when not to be and dress the part. if i had a chance at making millions per year i don't think i'd balk at putting on a damn suit once in while.

Not everyone is willing to sell out over money. They do dress like millionaires, NBA millionaires.
"He only went to Georgia Tech for one year, and that's an engineering school." -LB
BasketballJones
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10/23/2005  12:44 PM
I don't know what it means. Maybe it is an injustice. But if so, on the scale of injustices in this world, this one is insignificant.
https:// It's not so hard.
Knight
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10/23/2005  4:17 PM
Posted by BasketballJones:

I don't know what it means. Maybe it is an injustice. But if so, on the scale of injustices in this world, this one is insignificant.

It's like if someone from India played in the NBA and Stern ordered him not to be able to wear a turban after or before a game or on company time--but had to dress "business casual". It's insulting to the person from that culture.
"He only went to Georgia Tech for one year, and that's an engineering school." -LB
Armondaone
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10/23/2005  5:57 PM
Posted by Knight:
Posted by BasketballJones:

I don't know what it means. Maybe it is an injustice. But if so, on the scale of injustices in this world, this one is insignificant.

It's like if someone from India played in the NBA and Stern ordered him not to be able to wear a turban after or before a game or on company time--but had to dress "business casual". It's insulting to the person from that culture.

I am in full agreement with you. i think DS is trying to make these changes because of the palace fight but individualism is what made the NBA players one of richest sport athletes in america, thatis what makes little children want to be nba players. why does the nba gross so much money? why do we pay so much to watch these player play. we enjoy the product image that these players radiate. like knight said before just because its not apart of your culture doesn't mean you can take it away from someone else. DS didn't have a problem when these unsuited players were making the NBA a whole lot of money. didn't it seeem ironic that DS doesn't want the players to wear sports JERSEYS, then why does the NBA sell them. they are wearing the product you are trying to sell. free advertising. Isn't the NBA a BUSINESS, the more people see these products being wore by their favorite player would increase the sales of jersey. To me personally it seems like DS is trying to relate the palace fight to this dress code. as if ron artest wore a suit to the detroit game it definatly wouldn't have happened. just cause he has to wear a suit to his office doesn't mean players have to wear a suit to a gym. if DS gets his way with this when will he stop passing new rules. how about all player need to have hair no longer than a 1/4 inch. why didn't the nba tell bill walton, larry bird, dr.j to cut his hair when they played. how about micheal jordans hair was too short. how about david sterns hair is to grey for his job shoot fire him. the point is in the real world if you can perform your job it doesn't matter what you wear.

and as for the no do-rags does DS even know what a do rag is for or is it just because he fells intimidated by it. what happend when braodway joe wore a mink on the side line of a football game. nobody cared as long as he performed.

these players are entertainers for us fans. they let us dream of what we wish we had. i know that if i saw a player looking broke or average walking into the gym/arena i would be less interested in persuing that sport growing up. the flashy chains, watches,earrings thats what drives players to be better than average. yeah i know some of you are going to say the love of the game, the love of the game went out of the window as soon as people started paying players different saleries according to HOW MUCH MONEY CAN THAT PLAYER CAN MAKE ME IF HE PLAYS FOR MY TEAM. Yeah sounds about right?? some people in this forum talk as if this is an innocent sport. no everybody is out for themselves including players, coaches, owners, COMMISSONERS, media, if you somehow earn a living off of the players of a sport you are out for yourself and its not about the LOVE.

the fan that gets enjoyment out of cheering for a team, buying a jersey,... thats for the LOVE.

sorry for venting but lets call it what it is.



[Edited by - armondaone on 10-23-2005 6:03 PM]
Solace
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10/23/2005  6:36 PM
There's a huge difference between attire that must be worn for religious reasons and attire that is worn BY CHOICE.
Wishing everyone well. I enjoyed posting here for a while, but as I matured I realized this forum isn't for me. We all evolve. Thanks for the memories everyone.
sebstar
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10/23/2005  6:47 PM
In a superficial sense, there is nothing wrong with Stern wanting to implement a dress code. The problem I have is that this mandate can be traced back to ignorance and is in large part motivated by thinly-veiled racism. There is an undercurrent at work here.

How many times have you heard people say that they have given up on the NBA because it is a “Thug league.” Of course young black male in the country is code for criminal activity; combine that with their salary and many players’ close association with hip-hop and you can tell that most of middle-America is bursting at the seams in anger.

To me this is Stern catering to racist notions by flexing on NBA players and showing that he can keep his “Negroes” in check. Just put a little spit and polish on him and in no time that boy will be quoting Limbaugh and watching O'Reilly!!! We'll make them safe, dont worry!

Besides, David Stern has like the biggest Napoleon complex in the universe.

And to Fishmike, you are not an influence to millions of people (or maybe I am assuming too much). Your style of clothes and skin color are not that which has been continally marginalized by the same sort of institution that is now outlawing what you like to wear.

I would hardly classify the NBA as a "job." Its not like they are accountants working at an office. Hell, I work at a paper and everyday is casual friday because it is consistent with the job description.

I'm not going to feel sorry for NBA players for a second, but there are social factors to consider.
My saliva and spit can split thread into fiber and bits/ So trust me I'm as live as it gets. --Royce Da 5'9 + DJ Premier = Hip Hop Utopia
Knight
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10/23/2005  10:21 PM
Posted by Solace:

There's a huge difference between attire that must be worn for religious reasons and attire that is worn BY CHOICE.


Religious beliefs aren't your choice? You can't privilege one person's personal beliefs over another just because one goes under the title of "religion".
"He only went to Georgia Tech for one year, and that's an engineering school." -LB
Solace
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10/24/2005  6:09 AM
Posted by Knight:
Posted by Solace:

There's a huge difference between attire that must be worn for religious reasons and attire that is worn BY CHOICE.

Religious beliefs aren't your choice? You can't privilege one person's personal beliefs over another just because one goes under the title of "religion".

You seriously know nothing about religion or have no respect for anyone's religion, do you? I don't know why I'm taking the bait, because this argument is getting bogus real fast. Once you choose to join certain religions, you do not have a choice to not wear certain attire. Doing it is a violation of your religion. Compare this to the chains example, where the players just don't like the decision and in ANY other PROFESSIONAL environment, the employer would have the right to say "don't wear chains", as long as it doesn't conflict with a recognized religion. That's how the system works. Players griping over this really need to grow up.
Wishing everyone well. I enjoyed posting here for a while, but as I matured I realized this forum isn't for me. We all evolve. Thanks for the memories everyone.
Knight
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10/24/2005  12:14 PM
Posted by Solace:
Posted by Knight:
Posted by Solace:

There's a huge difference between attire that must be worn for religious reasons and attire that is worn BY CHOICE.

Religious beliefs aren't your choice? You can't privilege one person's personal beliefs over another just because one goes under the title of "religion".

You seriously know nothing about religion or have no respect for anyone's religion, do you? I don't know why I'm taking the bait, because this argument is getting bogus real fast. Once you choose to join certain religions, you do not have a choice to not wear certain attire. Doing it is a violation of your religion. Compare this to the chains example, where the players just don't like the decision and in ANY other PROFESSIONAL environment, the employer would have the right to say "don't wear chains", as long as it doesn't conflict with a recognized religion. That's how the system works. Players griping over this really need to grow up.


No I have respect for religion and I have more respect for culture than you do--that's why I wouldn't implement a silly dress code. The point is, if you are going to separate business from personal life, then you can't be prejudiced against those who feel just as strongly about their culture as the religious person feels about his religion. To the person whose identity is inseparably tied up with his culture, his clothes are just as "necessary" to him as the religious person's attire. It doesn't matter how the system works, anyone who is doing what Stern is doing is wrong.
"He only went to Georgia Tech for one year, and that's an engineering school." -LB
Solace
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10/24/2005  12:36 PM
It doesn't matter how the system works, anyone who is doing what Stern is doing is wrong.

You summed it up right there. Translation: I don't like the decision, despite being a player making millions and millions of dollars, so I'm going to complain.

Find a PROFESSIONAL job where this argument would hold up in and we have a discussion. NBA players are paid professionals. Again, time to grow up.
Wishing everyone well. I enjoyed posting here for a while, but as I matured I realized this forum isn't for me. We all evolve. Thanks for the memories everyone.
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