Pitts gives players a good dressing down
I do not often agree with Leonard Pitts, but I cheer and salute him wholeheartedly for his Oct. 24 column in which he chastises the NBA "superstars" (read: churlish, infantile, gangsta rapper wannabes) who are upset with the new NBA policy regarding off-court dress. I say it is about time.
What I particularly appreciate is that Pitts, as a black man, has taken a stand on this issue, publicly spoken up and correctly labeled the claim that the dress code is racist as so much c--p and labeled it as what it is: "a total tempest in a teapot" precipitated by pampered, coddled athletes who have lost touch with reality.
Mike Crouch
Greensboro
Comments (6)
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I don't agree with Pitts very much either and don't remember him ever writing a column that didn't have something to do with race. He's a broken record so I ususally skip him.
I used to watch NBA when Jordan, David Robinson and other class acts were in the game. Now the NBA is just a bunch of overpaid whiny gangsta thugs with tatoos, earrings, and bad hair so I don't watch anymore. You don't see that mentality in the NFL, which I watch more than my wife cares for!
Posted on November 4, 2005 9:11 AM
I didn't read Pitts' article, so I may be off base on my opinion, but lets look at it this way...
How would any of us feel if we were told how we could and could not dress away from work? I don't think that the money made by the players, or celebrity status should factor into this. Away from work we should be able to dress as we please.
Posted on November 4, 2005 9:57 AM
Gaytony, your statement is incorrect. They are only required to wear business casual when engaged in team or league business.
http://www.nba.com/news/player_dress_code_051017.html
It's the same as if you go on a business trip for your company and meet with a client. Your company expects you to dress well and not wear a sleeveless t-shirt, big gold chains, and sunglasses inside the building.
Posted on November 4, 2005 10:29 AM
That makes sense. As I said I didn't read the article and took the LTE to mean the players were being made to dress a certain way away from work.
If the players are engaged in team or league business, they should conform to the dress code. That is part of their job and they are not away from work. That has only to do with business ethics. How can anyone construe that as racist?
Posted on November 4, 2005 10:36 AM
My guess is the reason this is construed as racist can be answered with a question:
When was the last time you saw a white NBA player dressed like a thug?
Posted on November 4, 2005 11:28 AM
Well Truth, my problem is that I fit into the gay man stereotype here, because honestly, I couldn't name any NBA player, white or black if you paid me! LOL
Posted on November 5, 2005 2:52 PM