<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Ben Wallace will be allowed to wear his signature headband this season.</p> "We still have a no-headband rule," coach Scott Skiles said. "I just left it up to the guys who have been here if they wanted to make an exception for Ben. I was fine with it. They were fine with it." That a piece of fabric could elicit questions and expend brainpower felt odd on the eve of a season in which the Bulls are expected to challenge for the Eastern Conference title. But the fact that, 11 months removed from Wallace's insubordinate act of wearing a headband during a game, everybody encircled for a group hug underscored the harmony that defined the end of last season and should continue in the franchise's 42nd season. "I think it takes a coach who is willing to adapt a little bit and listen to his players, understanding the big picture is winning," general manager John Paxson said. "Scott's one of the best coaches in the league. There's no doubt in my mind. And he's able to adapt. It's really a non-story. But the fact that Scott has looked outside maybe a personal belief, there's nothing wrong with that." Never mind that the rule, which drew national headlines last November when Wallace brandished the forbidden fabric at a road game in New York, also was said to be appreciated, if not encouraged, by club chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Just know this: The 1996-97 Bulls won 69 games and an NBA title eight months after Rodman's dog wore a muzzle. Who's to say this team can't follow a similar progression from headbands to harmony? "I think we have as good a shot as anybody," Wallace said. "This isn't about a headband. It's about us being ready to play basketball. "We had a lot of different faces in camp last year. We were young and didn't know what to expect from our young guys. This year we know what those guys are capable of doing. Continuity helps a lot. You have guys who have been in the trenches together before." Wallace won an NBA title with a Pistons team that featured continuity. Thankfully, that word got bantered about even more than "headband" Monday night. "There's no doubt this is the most continuity we've had in awhile," Paxson said. "I've always felt comfortable with that. You can make the criticism that we didn't throw crazy stuff out there this summer. But we still won 49 games last season and our young players, their best basketball is still in front of them. I think you can gain confidence from continuity."</div></p> LINK</p>
Good, players don't wear the headbands for their actual purpose, so what's the big deal? Look like morons anyway.</p>
