How's this for Gestapo tactics? I say don't stop at the off-court events. Make NBA players wear the John Stockton short-shorts. Plenty of people think NBA players are undereducated college dropouts; what better way to dispel that idiotic stereotype than to show the fans a little brain?
I'm actually a little surprised that Der Fuhrer is disallowing players from wearing the NBA throwbacks that have made him so much money. Typically a league will force you to wear the apparel they're trying so hard to sell.
Oh, wait... maybe this is the official introduction of NBA Formalwear, featuring the finest Italian-made suits. That makes perfect sense.
I'm actually a little surprised that Der Fuhrer is disallowing players from wearing the NBA throwbacks that have made him so much money. Typically a league will force you to wear the apparel they're trying so hard to sell.
Oh, wait... maybe this is the official introduction of NBA Formalwear, featuring the finest Italian-made suits. That makes perfect sense.
posted by Jeff at
11:55 AM
6 Comments:
This is stupid beyond words. Leave it up to the individual owners.
Meanwhile- did you see that headphones are banned? something like 60% of NBA superstars wear them during the shootaround. There is no way this gets enforced. Note also that there's nothing in there banning tatoos. If I'm Iverson, I shave my cornrows and get a big "David Stern is a Jackass" tatoo on my scalp.
By
Alex, at 4:23 PM
Yeah, like Der Fuhrer wouldn't fine AI if he ever did that.
What he's asking isn't that outlandish when you look at things explicitly. Football, hockey and baseball teams regularly demand formal dress on the road, so it's not out of line for Der Fuhrer to ask his league to do likewise.
But again, that's the explicit appearance. The implicit appearance is to eradicate predominantly black behavior that bothers the league's predominantly white money men. That's so not OK I don't know where to begin. You can't just go around complaing about "the hippedy hop" and stuff, then force black players to live by the rules that white men have played by for centuries. Why not demand that all postgame press conferences be given in King's English? Same thing.
Assimilation to a norm is commonly referred to as "intolerance," or, in this case, racism. Black men, dress like me and you can have your money. It's only fair.
It may not have been Der Fuhrer's intent, but it sure doesn't look like it.
By
Jeff, at 5:30 PM
the part that I don't get more than anything is banning jerseys. As you pointed out, the NBA makes only about a zillion dollars from jersey sales, and you can't tell me that Joe 40 would be spending $500 on a Bob Cousy throwback jersey if he didn't see Kobe sporting one first. Plus, we all know that throwbacks have gone out of style, in favor of button down dress shirts. No respectable baller was going to go around in a throwback this year anyway. Except Mark Madsen. Cause, you know, he's White Oakley.
By
Alex, at 9:37 AM
Maybe it is racist, but I think you have to pick your battles. This policy inconveniences a few hundred people-- all of them fabulously-well-to-do.
Why not stick up for the minimum wage schmucks who are forced to buy business attire/suits without any compensation from their employer?
I get the feeling white middle america (WMA) is going to react to this outcry in the same way a lot of them did towards Kanye West's remarks about Bush: A millionaire entertainer playing the race card.
I agree with Kanye that Bush doesn't care about black people. But you can't just be right. You have to present your argument in a way relevant to the people you're trying to enlighten.
By
rusch, at 11:56 AM
I'm definitely not losing any sleep over millionaire basketball players having to wear suits. And it's presumptuous of me to brand this as out-and-out racism without hearing from someone who's directly affected. (This is a start, but you'll have to pardon me if I question whether ESPN's choice of opinions is as "divergent" as they do.) Maybe black folks don't care. Who knows.
But until then, I happen to agree 100% with Stephen Jackson. The Bling Ban is institutionalized racism. The rule exists specifically to attack black players. And though it doesn't seem like much of a fight, that alone doesn't mean they should have to endure it, whether or not they're millionaires. Being an NBA player isn't so much of a privilege that you should be forced to sell out your race. At what point do you stop and say "this is not okay with me"? I think it's better to draw attention to the issue however you can than it is to grin and bear it. I prefer Malcolm to Dr. King.
Then again, I also drop F-bombs at 12-year olds in movie theaters.
By
Jeff, at 2:46 PM
The more I think about it, the more I realize Stephen Jackson did the exact right thing in speaking his mind.
However, the unfortunate thing is that 'Bling Attire in the the NBA' temporarily becomes the forefront of the national racism debate. ...I suppose I can blame the media for this, since 'they' are more likely to do a story on a celebrity than a poor family in Gary, Indiana or southeast DC.
The whole story is dripping with irony, which is why it's so irresistable to media outlets... NBA players have fought their way to the top, racist America be damned, earning their part of the American dream. And YET, they are still held back by the man, David Stern himself.
...
On another note, it would be interesting to see the reaction if the WNBA started requiring its players to wear skirts, blouses, and makeup to all press conferences.
By
rusch, at 7:33 PM
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