Basketball Dress Code...

Yeah, this is an issue that is going to get talked about to death this year - which I think is doing the game a bigger disservice than if they just Iverson saunter around in his baggy clothes and chains. I mean, if you don’t like him, just root for someone else. Changing Iverson’s clothes will do little in changing his attitude, and fans aren’t stupid.

I don't think the NBA had an image problem because some players looked kind of disheveled. I think the NBA has an image problem because the talent of players has been diluted from having too many high school players getting rushed into the NBA or the increasing push for monster dunks to take importance over a well executed screen and roll.

But, I guess the NBA is just another "business" and many businesses have dress codes. So, if Stern thinks this is in the best interest of preserving his relationships with players and fans, so be it.

The only bit of the new rules that I think are potentially troublesome refer to the issues regarding the "chains" over the clothes. Depending on how crazy Stern goes in enforcing the dress code, I may be inclined to just think this is another new rule that isn't going to be enforced. It'll sort of be like that silly Salary Cap thing. It'll be inevitable that a guy like VC or Kobe will get caught in some pose with a reporter... and if Stern starts tossing around suspensions for this, I'm going to be very disappointed.

I also hope they don't create a committee of fashion police who fine people for wearing "ugly" clothes. Yeah, Shaq already looks funny - but if he gets penalized for it, I think Stern's going to have a tough time justifying his new dress code to anybody. Really, I think having the players looking more professional is a good thing. It just depends on how far they go in making sure everyone conforms to a utopian image of what that should be.

On top of this, the whole dress code seems poorly timed. The NBA just had its new labor relations with the Union addressed over the summer - and to just toss this in there right after a contract was signed seems rather underhanded. Stern should expect backlash from this, but such things are a topic for someone else to discuss. I just want to watch basketball and cheer for my players. I hope that will continue this season.