← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · BlueBonnet
Thread ID: 20704 | Posts: 16 | Started: 2005-10-20
2005-10-20 04:26 | User Profile
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| Pacers' Jackson Criticizes NBA Dress Code Oct 19 10:45 PM US/Eastern [URL="http://www.breitbart.com/cgi/email_story.cgi"][IMG]http://www.breitbart.com/images/envelope.gif[/IMG] Email this story[/URL] | [IMG]http://img.breitbart.com/images/ap.gif[/IMG] |
By CLIFF BRUNT
Associated Press Writer
INDIANAPOLIS
Indiana guard Stephen Jackson believes the NBA's new ban on bling- bling is racially motivated, but says he will abide by the rules.
The NBA has announced that a dress code will go into effect at the start of the season. 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. Jackson, who is black, said the NBA's new rule about jewelry targets young black males because chains are associated with hip-hop culture, and he said the league is afraid of becoming "too hip-hop." In protest, he wore four chains to the Pacers' exhibition game against San Antonio on Tuesday night. Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce agreed that the new rule targeted young, black players. "When I saw the part about chains, hip hop and throwback jerseys, I think that's part of our culture," Pierce said. "The NBA is young black males." Philadelphia's Allen Iverson also was critical of the new rule, which the NBA made teams aware of in a memo Monday. "I feel like if they want us to dress a certain way, they should pay for our clothes," he said. "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 still going to help the image of the league at all." Added Golden State guard Jason Richardson: "They want to sway away from the hip-hop generation. You think of hip-hop right now and think of things that happen like gangs having shootouts in front of radio stations. Richardson added that nicer clothing wasn't necessarily the best way to determine the character of the players. "You still wear a suit, you still could be a crook," Richardson said in Oakland, Calif. "You see all what 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. So, it's not what you wear, it's how you present yourself." Jackson defended his actions on Wednesday, but said he won't allow his feelings to cause a distraction once the regular season starts. "They don't want your chains to be out, all gaudy and shiny. But that's the point of them," he said. "I love wearing my jewelry. But I love my job. I love playing basketball more than I love getting fined and getting suspended." Jackson said he had enough problems last year, when he was suspended for 30 games for his role in the November melee between Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans in Auburn Hills, Mich. "You have to listen to the people who employ you," he said. "The people who are paying us make the rules. You need to abide by the rules or don't work. I want to work." Pierce, who said the matter should have been brought to the players' association for a vote, said there are times he may not follow the rule. "I dress how I feel anyway," he said. "I think I'm just going to continue to dress how I feel. I think there's some days I may take a fine." Jackson first made his displeasure with the new rule a public matter on Tuesday. He said he hasn't heard from the league office, and doesn't expect to. "I still have freedom of speech, don't I?" he said. "I didn't disrespect anybody by saying it, so I can say what I want to say." [IMG]http://img.breitbart.com/images/g_dot.gif[/IMG] Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
2005-10-20 05:30 | User Profile
They're right - it is racist! Bring back the bling!
2005-10-20 12:15 | User Profile
You can take them out of the jungle but ...
2005-10-21 00:14 | User Profile
[quote=BlueBonnet][URL="http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/19/D8DBG9H8H.html"]http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/19/D8DBG9H8H.html[/URL]
| Pacers' Jackson Criticizes NBA Dress Code Oct 19 10:45 PM US/Eastern [URL="http://www.breitbart.com/cgi/email_story.cgi"][IMG]http://www.breitbart.com/images/envelope.gif[/IMG] Email this story[/URL] | [IMG]http://img.breitbart.com/images/ap.gif[/IMG] |
By CLIFF BRUNT Associated Press Writer
INDIANAPOLIS
Indiana guard Stephen Jackson believes the NBA's new ban on bling- bling is racially motivated, but says he will abide by the rules.
It may be, after all. Consider who buys tickets. Mostly rich white people, as few others can afford them, a Spike Lee here and there aside.
So, NBA want to avoid alienating its audience. The players don't care, they feel entitled to their audience. The audience, if they are voting with their feet and not buying tickets and the insane prices these days, need to be appeased to get them to come back.
OK, image is one approach. Attempt to create the illusion of players being "a bit like us" (the 6'9" and amazing fadeaway jump shot bits aside) by dressing them up in suits like their semi wealthy ticket buyers.
So, the Allen Iversons of the world, though not mental giants by any stretch of the imagination, may be sort of right when they say it is "a race thing." The hypocrisy of complaining about all this, of course, is that
Them "other" folks (to Iverson and other malcontents) pay their ludicrous salaries. Bite the hand that feeds you, and you may go the way of the ABA.
AE
2005-10-21 02:22 | User Profile
I guess the NBA is tired of multimillionaires dressing as punks and bums while representing the teams. This dress code is only racist like laws against theft are racist.
It's a help, but still not enough to get me to watch the game.
2005-10-21 15:06 | User Profile
[quote=Angeleyes] So, the Allen Iversons of the world, though not mental giants by any stretch of the imagination, may be sort of right when they say it is "a race thing." This policy [I]is[/I] obviously 'targeted at blacks.' That is because it is the blacks that are dressing like idiot thugs. Instead of crying racism, perhaps the 'ballers should ask themselves why this policy is apparently necessary to get them to show a modicum of professionalism. Of course, no such self-examination will be forthcoming.
2005-10-21 15:33 | User Profile
From now on, if the NBA wants to help market their league better, it should outlaw its players from speaking to the media other than yes and no answers. The PC world would go nuts if it knew some of us can tell a person's race just by reading what they say in print. Num sayin'?
2005-10-21 16:01 | User Profile
[QUOTE]Them "other" folks (to Iverson and other malcontents) pay their ludicrous salaries. Bite the hand that feeds you, and you may go the way of the ABA.[/QUOTE]
I am in favor of re-establishing the ABA & the AFL for that matter.
What I am refering to will be known as the African Bassetball Association & the African Football League.
Look at this as nothing more than outsourcing our entertainment industry. With the pro teams in Africa there will be no need to build unafordable staduims, thus freeing up scarce funds for upkeep of vital infrastructure.
With the advances in telecomunications, you could still follow the antics of "your" favorite thugs, only you may have to rename some of the teams - "We have an exciting game tonite folks, the Khartoum Canibals vs the Rawandan Rapists live tonite on APES" (APES = African Professional Entertainment Sports)
We could get rid of the embarassments that are the pro athlete today, while giving Africans a much needed boost to their economies.
2005-10-21 17:24 | User Profile
[quote=Blond Knight]I am in favor of re-establishing the ABA & the AFL for that matter.
What I am refering to will be known as the African Bassetball Association & the African Football League.
Look at this as nothing more than outsourcing our entertainment industry. With the pro teams in Africa there will be no need to build unafordable staduims, thus freeing up scarce funds for upkeep of vital infrastructure.
With the advances in telecomunications, you could still follow the antics of "your" favorite thugs, only you may have to rename some of the teams - "We have an exciting game tonite folks, the Khartoum Canibals vs the Rawandan Rapists live tonite on APES" (APES = African Professional Entertainment Sports)
We could get rid of the embarassments that are the pro athlete today, while giving Africans a much needed boost to their economies.
This is an awesome idea. Perhaps we can get Farakahn to start advocating this as well.
2005-10-24 21:28 | User Profile
I remember watching a day-time espn show in the airport last week discussing this topic. A couple obvious thoughts struck me.
Even if the dress code is targeted at blacks specifically, how exactly is it "racist?" Do you mean that there is actual hatred of blacks that has motivated this measure? The dress code is a correction by the free market: attendance and tv ratings are at an all time low for the NBA, so remedies are necessary, marketing changes, etc.
The real issue here is the haphazard use of the word "racist." I real racist, or even someone like myself who is not interested in black dominated sports (not racist, kinist), does not watch the NBA, period. It is a boring product on the court and a disgusting product off it. A real racist doesn't give a damn about the dress code unless it is a body-bag.
Watch out now David Stern and all you Jew sports-marketers, the "racist" fiasco that you have created is coming back to bite you in the ass.
2005-10-25 21:14 | User Profile
This dress code is far from racist. I'm all for freedom of expression through what we wear, but c'mon. An employer has a right to restrict what their employees wear for the good of the busineeses profit and reputation.
2005-10-26 13:16 | User Profile
how much does a ticket to a nba game cost iam from europe and just wonder
2005-10-26 21:14 | User Profile
A lot of places it's about $40 for a seat in the upper deck, but it can be up to $1,000 for court side seats.
2005-10-27 09:19 | User Profile
thats the prices for going to fotball here aswell that is the big teams of course
2005-11-01 15:15 | User Profile
[quote=H.A.L.2006] Watch out now David Stern and all you Jew sports-marketers, the "racist" fiasco that you have created is coming back to bite you in the ass.
to what racist fiasco are you referring here?
what struck me about the whole ordeal is that several players who spoke out against the policy were missing something critical: it's human nature to judge based on appearance.
allen iverson said something to the effect of "don't judge me based on my clothes, get to know me for me." dude, we wont ever know you. such an impractical statement. anyway, what's funny is that the same dudes calling this "racist" wear the expensive suits when it's convenient for them.
2005-11-01 17:21 | User Profile
So apparently dressing in a suit is now considered racist? Give me a ****ing break here!
Oh well, since Ive never been a big fan of the NBA(much less basketball), I really dont care.