NBA Players Are Babies

The NBA is instituting a dress code that is meeting a lot of resistance from the players. I can't believe what babies they are.

"The Hawks' Josh Childress is one of the players who thinks the NBA is "taking this thing too far."

"I understand where they're coming from. We all need to be neat and professional. But to ask us to wear suits everywhere, even at a hotel at 2 a.m. I think that's a bit much," Childress told the Journal-Constitution.

Allen Iverson told The Philadelphia Daily News he will fight any new dress code.

"I dress to make myself comfortable," Iverson told the Philadelphia Daily News. "I really do have a problem with it. ... It's just not right. It's something I'll fight for."

Childress told the Journal-Constitution that a dress code is something that should be phased in gradually.

"Listen, if they wanted to do this thing gradually I could understand that," Childress told the newspaper. "Say you want us to wear slacks and a shirt this year, and then next year add jackets and whatever. But to do it all at once is just more than I think is necessary, to just jump up and say wear suits or you get fined is nuts."

Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson, contending that a new ban on chains worn over clothing is "a racist statement" from the league, wore every long, diamond-studded chain in his collection Tuesday night as a protest.

Jackson voiced no opposition to the bulk of the "business casual" demands in the NBA's new dress code, but he described the jewelry ban as "attacking young black males."

"I think it's a racist statement because a lot of the guys who are wearing chains are my age and are black," said Jackson, 27. "I wore all my jewelry today to let it be known that I'm upset with it.

"I'll wear a suit every day. I think we do need to look more professional because it is a business. A lot of guys have gotten sloppy with the way they dress. But it's one thing to [enforce a] dress code and it's another thing if you're attacking cultures, and that's what I think they're doing."

"Denver's Marcus Camby said, "I don't see it happening unless every NBA player is given a stipend to buy clothes. Guys who haven't been wearing suits and don't own suits, it will be really hard to get them in time for the season."

Camby makes $9.3 million this season."

Unbelievable. I am busy trying to figure out how to support a family on one income, how to buy a car a year earlier than I intended and the poor players need a stipend to buy a suit. Well Marcus and company, as far as I am concerned you overgrown babies can quit and go back to the real world and make real world incomes and then talk to me about how hard it is.

Go dig a ditch, clean a toilet or work behind a desk and tell me if you'd rather be playing basketball. This whining makes me sick. In case you are wondering about the big bad evil plan, here are details.
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"On Monday, the National Basketball Association completed details of its new "business casual" dress code, which goes into effect Nov. 1, or opening night.

Though still vague in some areas, the final version of the dress code was toned down from an initial proposal that called for players to wear suits at all team functions, including games and flights.

The dress code, coupled with N.B.A. Commissioner David Stern's announcement yesterday that the league would start N.B.A. Cares, a vast public-service initiative, highlight the N.B.A.'s latest push to look a little less gangsta and a little more genteel.

Stern said that during the course of collective bargaining, "we decided that the reputation of our players was not as good as our players are, and we could do small things to improve that."

Stern added: "One has to do with signing autographs. Another has to do with, perhaps, how you present yourself at the national anthem. A third has to do with being available for season-ticket-holder events because we very much appreciate our fans and we very much want to become more sensitive to our ultimate consumer. And, finally, discussion turned to minimum dress code."

Players must adhere to the following requirements at all team or league functions: collared dress shirts or turtlenecks; dress slacks, khaki pants or dress jeans; and dress shoes or boots or "other presentable shoes" with socks, and no sneakers, sandals, flip-flops or work boots.

Players are prohibited from wearing headgear, T-shirts, team jerseys, chains, pendants or medallions. Sunglasses while indoors and headphones, except on the team bus, plane or in the locker room, are also banned.

Players who are on the bench during a game but not in uniform must wear a sports coat.

Both the player and his team will be fined for violating the rules, and repeat offenders could be suspended."