Richardson against NBA's new dress code By JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer October 20, 2005 OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Jason Richardson wants to keep wearing his gold chains, and the Golden State Warriors guard believes the NBA's new dress code takes aim at black players in the league. He's calling for the players' association to fight the new wardrobe rules announced this week that will go into effect when the season kicks off next month. ``They want to sway away from the hip-hop generation,'' Richardson said Wednesday night, before the Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns in a preseason game. ``You think of hip-hop right now and think of things that happen like gangs having shootouts in front of radio stations.'' Richardson, who describes his style as ``different'' and says he won't be caught as a ``copy cat,'' left the Oakland Arena wearing a camouflage zip-up sweatshirt, a long necklace with a diamond-encrusted triangle at the end, and a beige cap slightly tilted to one side. ``One thing to me that was kind of racist was you can't wear chains outside your clothing,'' he said. ``I don't understand what that has to do with being business approachable. ... You wear a suit you still could be a crook. You see all that happened with Enron and Martha Stewart. Just because you dress a certain way doesn't mean you're that way. Hey, a guy could come in with baggy jeans, a do-rag and have a Ph.D. and a person who comes in with a suit could be a three-time felon.'' Players will be required to wear business-casual attire when involved in team or league business. They can't wear visible chains, pendants or medallions over their clothes. Some players already acknowledge they probably will face fines for breaking the rules on occasion. ``I feel like if they want us to dress a certain way, they should pay for our clothes,'' said Philadelphia's Allen Iverson. ``It's just tough, man, knowing that all of a sudden you have to have a dress code out of nowhere. I don't think that's going to help the image of the league at all. ... It kind of makes it fake. The whole thing is fake.'' The NBA announced Monday in a memo to teams that a dress code will go into effect at the start of the season. Saying players must dress in ``business casual'' attire, the league banned items such as sleeveless shirts, shorts, sunglasses while indoors, and headphones during team or league business. The edict also requires players on the bench not in uniform to wear sport jackets, shoes and socks. Richardson doesn't object to that part of the rule. Warriors coach Mike Montgomery believes players should look ``like a member of a basketball team'' while on the bench. ``The other area is certainly an area for debate,'' Montgomery said. ``We'll just have to see it plays out. I understand both sides of the argument.'' Continued
First of all let me just say that it is business casual, I dont know what the big deal is. Second of all, you dont see people at work wearing bling outside of their clothes, that just is not professional looking at all. I can understand both sides. I dont like the fact they are implementing a mandatory dress code, but at the same time I see how they would like their employees to look more professional. Players should want to look professional IMO... I say quit the b1tching. If you dont like it, go find another job... Why dont the player just dress up in their uniforms if they want to be casual looking. That way they dont have to wear a suit.
I mean, on the bench, sure. While arriving to and leaving from work? I don't think so. I mean, when is it off work for them? Right after the game? Or are they never off during the season, once they become NBA players.
This whole dress code issue can be made out into all sorts of things, but it's primarily for business purposes, I believe. It can be construed as racial or an age difference issue (NBA is mostly young and all black). How else can you market a game to people of all ages and backgrounds when it's so heavily dominated by the hip-hop culture? At the same time, shouldn't players be able to wear what is comfortable and not have to deal with what ignorant people think? Hip-hop isn't about glorified crime, gangs and violence but it's often used as a platform to show how tough it was growing up poor in a dangerous environment, trying to survive and then suddenly making it through on top. People just wear the hip-hop style such as chains, do-rags, jewelry, baggy clothes to represent those roots. For others who grew up somewhere else nicer and sport the fashion, it's just something trendy, individualistic, and comfortable. But the bottom line is, people can't tell the difference, they see just the environment and not the individual. Then you got these thugs like Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson that will definitely act gangsta on the court. It just gives the league a bad name because they make the most attention in the media and they definitely show they come from those environments where it's not too classy or gentleman like. It fueld a stereotype. Not all stereotypes are true, but in Oakland, stereotypes can turn out true if you get caught in wrong area a bunch of times. People sporting tats, doo-rags, and chains aren't the most friendly people in the world even though there are many that just like the style. It's like Dave Chapelle's standup comedy joking about women who dress scandalous. <font color="Navy"> "Just because I'm dressed this way, does NOT make me a ho'!" . . . which is true gentlemen, just because they dress a certain way, doesn't mean they are a certain way, don't ever forget it But ladies, you must understand that that is F-ing confusing. That would be like me, walking around the streets in a cop uniform. Somebody might come up to me "Oh! Thank god. Officer, help us! Come on, they're over here, help us!" And I'd say "Oh! Just because I'm dressed this way, does not make me a police officer!" You understand what I'm saying? It's like, all right ladies, fine! You are not a ho' . . . but you ARE wearing a ho's uniform, I'll tell you that S- right now. . . . misunderstandings can happen.</font> So yeah if you dress like you're from "the hood", people will associate you with all the negative things coming out of the hood. This is regardless of who you are or what you stand for or how you really act in regular society. What really put this issue over the top was the whole Pacers/Pistons fight between fans and players. It was definitely lop-sided judgement because the Detroit fans started it, but professional athletes should know never to attack the fans unless in self defense. They should just let security do their job and remove the violator, but they escalated it by handling it like somebody would do if they were in the streets or the lawless old wild west.
John Thompson had some great quotes about the issue. "Somebody in life's in charge — and it ain't always you," Thompson said. "That's the biggest lesson that [Stern's] teaching." It's what former Georgetown coach John Thompson calls "unintended education." Thompson was in charge at Georgetown. He had a dress code that applied to everyone — even a freshman with a troubled background named Allen Iverson. "I'm in favor of Stern's new rules strictly for the byproduct: It will be good for black kids to see black professionals dressed professionally. They should associate that with success, because in all reality they stand a much better chance of landing a well-paying job that requires them to wear wingtips rather than an NBA career wearing Nikes." - Joe Adande LA Times writer | Full article
You know the media pawns it off a certain way, but a lot of the higher paid players need a reality check to humble themselves. There's too many guys that don't know how privileged they are and they take it for granted and act like they're being exploited. On top of that, they are in a position that makes them a potential difference maker in society because of their influence and status. There needs to be more guys like Cliff Robinson, Adonal Foyle, Reggie Miller, Grant Hill and Calbert Cheaney to show the young cats in the league how to act like grown men and be more than just a player. All the skill in the world can't earn respect if the professional athletes don't act professional. Which is unfortunate for Nick Van Exel who is very generous off the court and very talented on the court, but is a locker room cancer when the team is losing or he's having differences in opinion. I guess he's that competitive where not being in a winning environment is a life and death situation. I guess there are circumstances considering he's near retirement age, and he's trying to be close to his son as he can since Nick the Quick never had a father that was there for him.
NBA is a cooperation which tries to make a profit as long as the law allows. And, NBA players are employees who are hired by NBA. I think many NBA players forgot about those simple facts. NBA has an image issue. How many times do we hear casual fans saying that NBA players are thug, when in reality, there are just as many thugs in other sports. But, whenever similar problem happens, NBA always get bashed far more than other sports. For example, certainly Detroit-Indiana brawl was probably the worst incident between fans and players, but similar incidents do happen in baseball time to time, yet those are not nearly bashed like NBA. That's one of the reason why Stern is trying to install more professional dress code to NBA. While current hip hop culture in NBA added certain flavor, it also drove away many average fans, who doesn't understand those cultures, and it's not a good news for their current and potential profit. If current flavor favors NBA profit, Stern will do whatever it takes to squeeze every cents out from it. Also, NBA is trying to go global and if you think average people in US don't understand hip hop culture, there is no way for people in China or mideast will accept that culture. Yes, dress code does attack current black culture, but that's because of business matter, not the racial matter. Heck, Stern raised NBA from the dead marketing guys like Magic, Jordan and number of black players...
I think this change of rules is not that big of a deal. People just look for reasons to complain about.
It's pretty straight forward... if you're representing your company, dress accordingly. This doesn't mean when people are out and about they can't dress the way they want. Only for company sponsored events. That's not too much to ask.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">It's like Dave Chapelle's standup comedy joking about women who dress scandalous. <font color="Navy"> "Just because I'm dressed this way, does NOT make me a ho'!" . . . which is true gentlemen, just because they dress a certain way, doesn't mean they are a certain way, don't ever forget it But ladies, you must understand that that is F-ing confusing. That would be like me, walking around the streets in a cop uniform. Somebody might come up to me "Oh! Thank god. Officer, help us! Come on, they're over here, help us!" And I'd say "Oh! Just because I'm dressed this way, does not make me a police officer!" You understand what I'm saying? It's like, all right ladies, fine! You are not a ho' . . . but you ARE wearing a ho's uniform, I'll tell you that S- right now. . . . misunderstandings can happen.</font> </div> I was thinking of the exact same joke, especially after reading Richardsons comments.
I like this quote from Murphy when asked about his attiree (which was sweats and a T-Shirt): "For my business, this is casual." I dont mind the players wearing whatever they like, I can understand a dress code during games but players should be able to wear whatever they want on plane trips, during practice, etc. I personally dont see anything wrong with baggy pants, a giant t-shirt, and a chain if thats what they want to wear. I think Stern just wants to market more toward middle-upper class people who are generally bigger fans of baseball and football.
I understand wearing suits while on the bench but when you are on a plane or something. Thats annoying. Players want to relax and wear the clothes they want.To be truefull, to me it doesn't matter if a player wears a short or a suit. It's not a big deal for me.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AnimeFANatic:</div><div class="quote_post">sweatpants and a t-shirt are much much more comfortable than wearing a suit</div> Apparently Troy Murphy is in agreement with you. I will third this statement.
on the bench, yes, wear a suit...after the game, who really cares?? it's only an occaisional TV shot that captures them at this point anyway. Iverson is an idiot for wanting them to buy his clothes, that's rediculous i admit...also, what the hell is j-rich talking about, "i think its racist that they wont let us wear chains on the outside of our clothes"??? yeah, that's real racist alright. these guys have the best fawkin job in the world, and they bitch about very minor details that people in the 'real world' dont question...but after the game, on their way home, who gives a sh!t what they wear??? i understand what stern is trying to accomplish, i appreciate the effort, but this is rediculous. now when artest gets in a fight, he'll get blood stains on his armani...BFD!
Whether they are in game or out of the game, they still represent NBA as long as they do stuff with NBA such as interviews. If Stern said they should wear suit and tie 24/7, yeah that would be ridiculous. But, as a player and an employee of NBA, they still represent the team and NBA as long as they do team related business, and I don't think it's asking much...
Imagine all of the team riding on the bus in suits, now thats a sight to see. It's gonna suck for them to change out of suits before game and into them after the game. They run for 48 mins then they change back into suits? Talk about uncomfortable. After running for 40+ mins, last thing I want to change back into is a suit.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AnimeFANatic:</div><div class="quote_post">Imagine all of the team riding on the bus in suits, now thats a sight to see. It's gonna suck for them to change out of suits before game and into them after the game. They run for 48 mins then they change back into suits? Talk about uncomfortable. After running for 40+ mins, last thing I want to change back into is a suit.</div> As I said in another thread, these players' work environment isnt an office, its a gym. Business suites just arent convenient or comfortable. I think alot of people just want NBA players to wear suites because its what they have to do everyday. If your boss said no more suits or formal clothing required and you did that for a year and then out of nowhere he makes everyone wear suites and ties again. Do you think everyone is going to say "Oh, well thats what the offices across the street do so I have no problem with this sudden change in policy." No, people are going to question it and challenge the new dress code, thats what the NBA players are doing. It sucks to dress up every day when it isnt convenient, I had a Spanish teacher who made us dress up every Tuesday in a dress shirt, tie, slacks, and dress shoes. Its just uncomfortable, especially when I wear jeans or shorts with a t-shirt everyday. Then during PE we would have to totally undress and change into comfortable gym shorts with a t-shirt, 45 minutes later, we would have to put on the dress clothes again and wear the mfor the rest of the day sweating from a PE class. Its a minor inconvenience to most but the change is so suidden and Stern hasn't given any really good reason as to why he made the change. Just imagine you were still in school (assuming there wasn't a strict dress code), how would you feel if the principle imposed a new rule that everyone had to wear dress clothes everyday?
