Cry Me A River

It seems the NBA has just handed down an edict specifying that players must now appear in "business casual" dress whenever appearing in public on league or team business. This is apparently not going over well with many of the players. Here's one of my favorite quotes from the linked article from one Allen Iverson: "I feel like if they want us to dress a certain way, they should pay for our clothes. It's just tough, man, knowing that all of a sudden you have to have a dress code out of nowhere."

Man, I know how tough it is. Where I work, they have a business casual dress code too and make us adhere to it almost everyday (we get weekends off) for 40 hours a week. I can only imagine what torture it must be have to dress up a little for the few press conferences or public appearances you get. And making you pay for the clothes yourself! That is just unfair, especially on your salary. You make, what, $500,000 a year? Probably more actually. So I can't imagine how they can expect you to buy your own clothing (oh, except everyone where I work buys their own clothes on not even a 1/10 of your salary. I wonder how they manage?).

Here's the deal, guys. You are the representatives of your employer. You are the ones that determine the image of the organization as a whole. When you are on their time, they make the rules. The NBA has decided they want to present an image of professionalism and respectablity instead of that of a bunch of adolescent thugs. Now perhaps this image doesn't reflect reality, but nonetheless that is what they want to present, and that is their right. And this is what they pay your excessive salaries to do.

It isn't racism, like Jason Richardson seems to believe, it's just business. Otherwise every corporation in America would be guilty of civil rights violations. The NBA isn't a charity organization reaching out to let anyone who can dribble a basketball express themselves. They are a business. And you are their employees. Maybe your high school basketball coach didn't give a damn what you looked like off the court before you got recruited. Guess what? You aren't in high school any more. Welcome to the real world.

It isn't like they are asking a lot. They want you to look presentable when you are representing them. If this is too much responsibility for you, perhaps it is time to change professions to something a little more your speed. Maybe flipping burgers at the local Burger King? Oh, wait, they make you wear a uniform there too...