Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Cry me a river

When my high school wrestling team visited other schools our coach insisted that we all wear ties and sport coats. We weren't all exactly affluent, but we all managed to comply.

Apparently that's too much to expect of NBA players - some of them are moaning about a dress code.

One jackass said that the NBA players ought to be paid for the clothes they needed to wear to meet the standards - you know, as if they were underpaid. Sheesh, the real issue is the ostentatious and classless display of wealth.

Another complained that it was aimed at "young black men". Well, it might have more impact among them for sure. But IMO it's aimed at anyone with no class, for the excellent reason that the league has an image problem. If these hyperprivileged individuals want to continue to appeal to mass audiences they ought to realize that while maybe we tolerate individual "gangstas" getting rich, we don't need a league full of wannabes. Heaven forbid that our nation's youth should see a bunch of young black men looking sharp in reasonably traditional dress.

Oh yeah, we heard the obligatory BS that...well, let them say it - "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. So, it's not what you wear, it's how you present yourself." If they really believe that, then what's the problem with abiding by the new rules?