Garvey's Ghost: Black Talk

That Dress Code Thing

So the NBA want's a dress code for it's players who are off court. Sounds good. The NBA want's it's employees to dress in suits and no doo-rags, sneakers or gold chains. I'll stop here and note that the aforementioned "no-no's" are clearly black/urban/Hip Hop dress.

According to the Baltimore Sun:

Now, the NBA is trying to change its image with a memo issued Monday that orders players to dress more boardroom than schoolyard. The "business casual" code means no T-shirts, no baggy jeans, no retro jerseys, no hats, no chains and no athletic shoes at team or league events. Players not in uniform at games must wear a sport coat and dress shoes.

hmmmm. Before I get into the approved uniform, I'd like to deal with some other issue, I didn't see raised here: There's a saying that people should dress appropriate for the job Thus, if you were seeking or working a construction job then one would be out of place and dressed inappropriately if you wore an Armani suit. In my own field, showing up in a suit is bad since I'm liable to be on the floor or carrying heavy, dusty computers around. You do not want to ruin an expensive dress shirt on that kind of job. I think the NBA should be looked at in the same way . The ball players are athlets, there dress code is shorts, sneakers, sweatbands, jerseys and other athletic wear. So it seems to me that with the exception of the Doo-Rags (which I personaly don't think should be worn outside but that's another story) and gold chains, the Atheletes who dress in such "atheletic/Hip Hop" clothes are in fact "dressed for the job."

In fact I would say that the athletes wearins Armani suits are in fact "out of uniform" and not "dressed for the job." The money people, the managers, etc. who are not Athletes should be made to wear suits to make sure they "stay in uniform." But even that presents a problem. See there's this CEO who insists upon wearing baggy pants, sweaters and sneakers in public and in his dailyh business. In fact he has a rather "bad" habit of wearing baseball caps, tilted to the side no less. Yet this CEO is not only taken seriously, but is considered one of the best CEO's in his business. Of course I speak of non-other than Russel Simmons. Def Jam or BMG have never even attempted to THINK publicly about Russel Simmons dress because Rusell Simmons has enough power and self respect to not be told how to dress by other people,. Hence I get to my position on this matter.

As Allen Iverson pointed out, The atheletes are grown men and can dress however they want, off court. It is only the fact of the 'high negro quotient" of the NBA that this even went anywhere. The fact is that when some cracka who lost his mind and tossed a drink at a player got served, the NBA was shook that the Negroes were attacking the good white folks and wants to regain control over the black cash cows.

Another obvious racial/cultural component is what is considered "appropriate dress".
Players not in uniform at games must wear a sport coat and dress shoes.
I have a problem with that too. So should one of the "negroes" show up courtside with a Abada, Grand Bubu, or Dashiki, I guess he'll be looking at a fine too.

Yes folks, this is in fact another power and control grab by the white folks in the NBA (and thier black side kicks) over black players. I think all the athletes should show up in whatever culturally appropriate "uniform" they choose and refuse to play until the management realizes that "captian" cracker days are done. You want a uniform, you want to single out urban wears, you come to the players and ask for a compromise. That's respect. Show some.