NBA Dress Code

When I first heard what the new NBA dress code was my first thought was that Larry Bird in his playing days wouldn't have been up to code. Bird wore nothing but sweaters (with no collared shirt underneath). Most people say that the dress code is aimed at black players and they are right. The NBA has a thug image problem. There's no denying that.

I've heard some players complain that the dress code is an attack on their "culture". WTF? Every business has a corporate culture and if you want a payceck you adhere to the rules of that culture. Its that simple. I'd like to go to my business appointments in the summer in shorts and sandals but if I did - I'd get fired. And if I got fired for that would people suggest I was an idiot or complain that "the man" was attacking my culture?

Mark Cuban hits the nail on the head when he says that this was an issue that should have been handled by teams at the team level.

Its funny how the media likes to talk about the fundamentals of the players on the court being lacking, the real lack of fundamentals is in the teams’ executive suites. When a team is unable or afraid to communicate their message or iniative to their front office or players, or when they know they have a problem they are afraid or unable to deal with, they ask the Commissioner to create a league wide edict. This is a convenient out for the teams. Its not their fault that the players have to do this, its the league’s fault. To the Commissioners credit, he knows he can easily take the hit for something so simple in concept.

Unfortunately there isnt much the league can do to legislate against lousy team management. Its there and its not going anywhere. But as in any business, the business is only as strong as it weakest link.

Which takes us back to the dress code.