From AOL news

Updated: 05:34 PM EDT
Richardson Against NBA's New Dress Code
By JANIE McCAULEY, AP



Getty Images
"You wear a suit you still could be a crook. You see all that happened with Enron and Martha Stewart," says Jason Richardson.

OAKLAND, Calif. (Oct. 20) - Jason Richardson wants to keep wearing his gold chains, and the Golden State Warriors guard believes the NBA's new dress code takes aim at black players in the league.

He's calling for the players' association to fight the new wardrobe rules announced this week that will go into effect when the season kicks off next month.

"They want to sway away from the hip-hop generation," Richardson said Wednesday night, before the Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns in a preseason game. "You think of hip-hop right now and think of things that happen like gangs having shootouts in front of radio stations."

Richardson, who describes his style as "different" and says he won't be caught as a "copy cat," left the Oakland Arena wearing a camouflage zip-up sweatshirt, a long necklace with a diamond-encrusted triangle at the end, and a beige cap slightly tilted to one side.

"One thing to me that was kind of racist was you can't wear chains outside your clothing," he said. "I don't understand what that has to do with being business approachable. ... You wear a suit you still could be a crook. You see all that 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."

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.

Some players already acknowledge they probably will face fines for breaking the rules on occasion.

"I feel like if they want us to dress a certain way, they should pay for our clothes," said Philadelphia's Allen Iverson. "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 going to help the image of the league at all. ... It kind of makes it fake. The whole thing is fake."

The NBA announced Monday in a memo to teams that a dress code will go into effect at the start of the season. Saying players must dress in "business casual" attire, the league banned items such as sleeveless shirts, shorts, sunglasses while indoors, and headphones during team or league business.

The edict also requires players on the bench not in uniform to wear sport jackets, shoes and socks. Richardson doesn't object to that part of the rule.

Warriors coach Mike Montgomery believes players should look "like a member of a basketball team" while on the bench.

"The other area is certainly an area for debate," Montgomery said. "We'll just have to see it plays out. I understand both sides of the argument."

Indiana guard Stephen Jackson, who like Richardson is black, agrees that the policy is trying to keep players from expressing their hip-hop style. Celtics guard Paul Pierce also shares that sentiment.

"I dress how I feel anyway," Pierce said Wednesday night in Boston. "I think I'm just going to continue to dress how I feel. I think there's some days I may take a fine."

In protest of the policy, Jackson wore four chains to the Pacers' exhibition game against San Antonio on Tuesday night. Jackson defended his actions 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."

Richardson has always liked to express himself with his funky attire. Now, he knows he will be wearing his suits much more often _ noting "I've got a nice collection of suits."

He doesn't mind the league mandate for "cleaning up" the bench, but believes a large number of players make their way to and from their cars out of the public view, so they should be able to wear what they want in those cases.

"You're expressing yourself, expressing your identity. It's taking away our self expression. I like to dress and change it up," Richardson said. "Some of them have religious meanings behind their chains, others have personal messages behind their chains. Some guys just like to wear them. I think that was an indirectly racial."

Associated Press Writer Cliff Brunt in Indianapolis and AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.


10/20/2005 05:46:05


Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.


AOL had a poll that asked if you think it is Racist ? Do you?

I voted no, and out of 100, 000 voters so far, 73% say NO as well. I think Professional players of any sport be as it states "Professional" , and I think it should apply to dress, conduct and the likes.
Just , my opinon of course.
Tell us what you think.

 

fuck

 

Its stupid they are even fighting this..Actually there are only a few that even dress "like a thug" Iverson, S. Jackson and the young guys. The veterans always show in suits anyway so I don't see why it would be a big deal. Those that complain are just straight ignorant. They make a gazillion dollars and are bitching about wearing a chain.

 

they should be professional, it had to be done in high school and college

 

and they want a stipend for suits they make toomuch money the way it is

 

For me it really depends on what their interpretation of "suit" is cus when I see some in flourescent purple pimp daddy suits or some bizarre pattern suit, I'd rather just have them in Sean Jeans instead.

But if I were to vote I would say emphatically wear a suit, its not a racist thing its a business thing.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Indiana guard Stephen Jackson believes the NBA's new ban on bling-bling is racially motivated, but says he will abide by the rules.







This thread may need a move to R&P eventually...

 

i think mj always wore a suit, just businesslike

 

mj was class all the way :greatestever:

 

Opps, I read the poll question too fast and clicked yes. No, I say NO.

 

Last time I checked it wasn't an all black league nor was this new rule made specifically for black players.

The race card is thrown on every issue that matters to black American it gets old really really quick.

 

Just wear the freakin suit already, it really isn't about you (NBA players) its the image your boss (Stern) wants to sell to the audience. For 1/2 hour in each direction coming & going from the game its not the end of the world to look like a professional.

 

Thats just ridiculous that he's even bitching about it. Always gotta pull the race card . Ignorant ass mofo's.....You make 20billion dollars a minute, overpaid like no other, shut your mouth and wear the damn suit

 

It's all about image. And it does have some race/stereotype play going on. Players in any sport that dress like a gang member reflect bad on that sport, & how many white guys do you see dressing like that?
They are paid so much $$ & are bitching cause they suddenly feel THEY don't have freedom. They represent a professional sport they need to wake up & see this.

 

they would have a better argument if they called it sexist.

 

Don't these players bitching realize that 90% of jobs out there have dress codes? Oh wait, they have never had "real" jobs.

 

The NBA is a joke.......they are trying to clean up their image to draw more white collar fans. Hope they lose all their current fan base.... what ever is left. You go to a game what kind of music do you hear HIP HOP. Do white the white collar fans wear NBA jerseys? Didn't they promote the game NBA BAllers? bling bling

 

I think they are blowing this out of proportion. It's not like they're being asked to wear suits.

 

Come on now.. you guys arent' thinking about the big picture here...

how are players like Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby going to feed their family's if they have to buy a suit?!?

 

I can see how it can be deemed racist. Not too many whites wear due-rags or large chains or whatever. It is a gang thing, but also a black thing, which is very easily mixed. edit: I voted no

 

Stephen Jackson is just ignorant... He lived in projects and sold crack before he was an nba player...

 

funny thing is, in a interview last year sprewell said he has 1,300 custom tailored suits now just finding an NBA team that wants him is the question!

 

They should just suck it up and wear suits, just like every other sport. On personal time they can wear whatever thugwear they want.