What's with all the tights lately?

[BMiller52]

Rip can wear it because if he breaks his nose again he's going to have to have serious surgery on it.

I've seen a lot of people say "the league will remove tattoos and cornrows now" and that's-well-it's not true.

 

[Bricklayer]

Bibby will soon have to remove his tattoos.

Stop that.

You can only try to play that angle so many times before somebody -- namely me, steps in and calls B.S..

Here, again, is the VERY easy to comprehend line, if one is willing to comprehend it of course:

The NBA does not regulate things which stretch into a player's personal life. They do not regulate tattoos, because you wear your tattoos year round, on or off the court. It does not regulate hair, because you wear your hair on or off the court. It does not regulate the way players dress once they leave the arena to go home. It DOES however regulate what players dress like WHILE ON THE JOB. Clothes that are put on specifically to be shown off in the NBA's arenas on the NBA's time.

Very clear line. Very simple line. Not hard to get.

 

[bozzwell]

Stop that.

You can only try to play that angle so many times before somebody -- namely me, steps in and calls B.S..

Here, again, is the VERY easy to comprehend line, if one is willing to comprehend it of course:

The NBA does not regulate things which stretch into a player's personal life. They do not regulate tattoos, because you wear your tattoos year round, on or off the court. It does not regulate hair, because you wear your hair on or off the court. It does not regulate the way players dress once they leave the arena to go home. It DOES however regulate what players dress like WHILE ON THE JOB. Clothes that are put on specifically to be shown off in the NBA's arenas on the NBA's time.

Very clear line. Very simple line. Not hard to get.

While you are right about separation of NBA and personal life, and NBA being careful to stay on the right side of "job/life" when regulating dress codes it is hard not to see the hipocricy.

Fact: There are no dress codes and rules in Euroleague where players strive to look like a cover of GQ magazine.

Fact: There is dress code for NBA players not because NBA cares what players wear while sitting out games or when playing (in addition to the uni). For all that Stern/NBA care players could wear turds on their head if that was acceptable to sponsors. Sponsors would not care if players wore turds on their heads if that was helping sell their product and enhance their image. It's the "public" at home or in the arena, watching NBA games who does not want their progeny to be unduly influenced by certain "look".

NBA is perfectly within their rights and is handling the issue correctly (as you described). Sponsors are perfectly correct in their desire to see return on their investment. It's the attitude at home/arena that bothers me.

 

[slugking50]

From Merriam Webster Online:

Main Entry: 1uni·form
Pronunciation: 'yü-n&-"form
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle French uniforme, from Latin uniformis, from uni- + -formis -form
1 : consistent in conduct or opinion <uniform interpretation of laws>
2 : having always the same form, manner, or degree : not varying or variable
3 : of the same form with others : conforming to one rule or mode : [SIZE=-1]CONSONANT[/SIZE]
4 : presenting an unvaried appearance of surface, pattern, or color <uniform red brick houses>
5 : relating to or being convergence of a series whose terms are functions in such manner that the absolute value of the difference between the sum of the first n terms of the series and the sum of all terms can be made arbitrarily small for all values of the domain of the functions by choosing the nth term sufficiently far along in the series

 

[thesanityannex]

Stop that.

You can only try to play that angle so many times before somebody -- namely me, steps in and calls B.S..

Well, it was B.S. to start with. So I'm not surprised someone finally called it on me. I was only using it as a stretch of an example of what could happen if "the man" keeps stepping in ala 1984. Thought Police. Big Brother. Orwellian.

 

[bozzwell]

Well, it was B.S. to start with. So I'm not surprised someone finally called it on me. I was only using it as a stretch of an example of what could happen if "the man" keeps stepping in ala 1984. Thought Police. Big Brother. Orwellian.

Well, I am sorry to see that we lost another brother (comrade) to "the man". You shouldn't give up so easily.

 

[Bricklayer]

While you are right about separation of NBA and personal life, and NBA being careful to stay on the right side of "job/life" when regulating dress codes it is hard not to see the hipocricy.

No more hipocrisy than I, as a lawyer, being required to dress up.

Obviously if all lawyers were self-regulating and striving to look as sharp as possible at all times, no need for a dress code. As is: dress code. Not hypocrisy. Just business.

Your issue would appear to be more with the concept of "looking sharp" in the first place. But that's a much larger sociological question. And really one that has no real solution. Groups always self-identify. The most do-ragged tatted up baggy jeaned cat on the streets is just as much in uniform as the guy in the suit. Just a question of what he's trying to say with his uniform compared to what the guy in the suit is trying to say. And for the NBA, on or off the court, they are trying to say "professionals".

 

[bozzwell]

No more hipocrisy than I, as a lawyer, being required to dress up.

Obviously if all lawyers were self-regulating and striving to look as sharp as possible at all times, no need for a dress code. As is: dress code. Not hypocrisy. Just business.

Your issue would appear to be more with the concept of "looking sharp" in the first place. But that's a much larger sociological question. And really one that has no real solution. Groups always self-identify. The most do-ragged tatted up baggy jeaned cat on the streets is just as much in uniform as the guy in the suit. Just a question of what he's trying to say with his uniform compared to what the guy in the suit is trying to say. And for the NBA, on or off the court, they are trying to say "professionals".

I kind of just explained half of my case before wandering off. NBA is cashing in on individuals being superstars and performing individual feats despite NBA being team sport. Now, when that individualism spills over into something that does not look good - or sell good - for NBA is when the lines are drawn. At least that is my impression.

Unlike you and I, most NBA fans are not on their respective team's forum's on Sunday afternoon posting their thoughts/opinions in anticipation of tonights game. They are more casual observers who tune in to see great athletes and maybe they have one team that they stick up for at the office water cooler. But they will spend 60 bucks on the uni for their junior (and even more on the latest Nikes). So, there is some hipocricy there - be an individual (like AI and KG) and not bland business-person (like Pedja ) so that we can move this stuff, but don't be too individual.

 

[tyrant]

a comment used on mavtalk.com.

"players are gonna have to eventually start wearing suits and ties on the basketball court"

this is getting beyond rediculous. some players wear the freaking tights because it keeps thier body temperature stable. for others it may help prevent injury. and for those who wear them just as a fashion statement should be no one else's concern. this league needs a new commisioner. stern is getting on everyones nerves.

 

[VF21]

What's beyond ridiculous is the lengths some fans are going to try and equate this to anything more than what it is...a notice from the league management stating what THEIR employees can and cannot wear WHILE performing their job duties.

This idea that players should be allowed to wear whatever they wish is just naive. And saying if they want to wear tights as a fashion state "should be no one else's concern" is ridiculous.

Using exaggeration to try and prove a point only works when there's a point worth proving. In this case, there isn't...

And, for the umpteenth time, players who have a medical reason for wearing the leg warmer or tight/tights will still be able to do so. As far as the "it keeps their body temperature stable" comment, that's rich. Players put on additional clothing while OFF the court. They don't need it on the court. They're hopefully moving enough to keep warm.

 

[tyrant]

next its gonna be no wrist bands, then all black or white tennis shoes, then no beards longer than 1 inch, then their gonna have to shave their leg hair. im not the only one sick of stern and his dumbfounded guidelines

 

[VF21]

^^And that alone proves my point better than anything I could possibly say.

 

[tyrant]

VF21. you have your opinion and everyone else has theirs. no one's opinion is more significant than the nexts'. if i think stern's rules are dumb then fine. if you compliment his decisions then have at it. have at it all day long.

 

[Padrino]

next its gonna be no wrist bands, then all black or white tennis shoes, then no beards longer than 1 inch, then their gonna have to shave their leg hair. im not the only one sick of stern and his dumbfounded guidelines

hehe...this is what we call a slippery slope argument in my logic/critical thinking class. its an argument from fallacy. in other words, its not a good argument because it doesn't actually say anything. you haven't given a reason as to why david stern shouldn't disallow tights on the basketball court. i'm not taking a side on this issue either way, cuz i just don't care, but i am pointing out that you're utilizing a common fallacy in your argument, and you should instead actually back up your position rather than simply refuting other people's arguments without proper grounds.

 

[bozzwell]

next its gonna be no wrist bands, then all black or white tennis shoes, then no beards longer than 1 inch, then their gonna have to shave their leg hair. im not the only one sick of stern and his dumbfounded guidelines

That's where you're wrong. Wristbands and headbands are OK because sponsors manufacture them. When Nike has a Bonzi like of leg warmers, leg warmers will be OK too.

Same thing happened in Soccer in Europe 10-15 years ago.

The guidelines are not dumb, they are there to protects NBA's business interests. All major sports are essentially monopolies and they use that fact to squeeze out every last cent that they can. Wearing non-sanctioned clothing items on the NBA court is not just breaking the "rules" it is also providing advertizing for such items manufacturer without NBA getting a cent from it.

 

[acisking]

And yet Rip Hamilton can wear a plastic mask on his face long after his injury has healed...
~~

That is an extremly good point...Rip's face mask has absolutely no medical value to him at this moment and quite frankly he looks like something from a Friday the 13th movie with it on.

I know C-Webb for one has continually reported to the media that the presence of tights has really helped his knees. So there is no question that it has medical value. As for those who, for reasons unknown to me, choose to wear tights as a fashion statement...one only needs to point to the countless headbands, wristbands, ridiculous Varejao-esque hairstlyes to prove that any ban of tights is simply unjustified in comparison to the overwhelming number of fashion-only items worn by players.

 

[D-Mass]

That is an extremly good point...Rip's face mask has absolutely no medical value to him at this moment and quite frankly he looks like something from a Friday the 13th movie with it on.

What about injury PREVENTION? Rip's mask is no different than a player wearing a knee brace to feel more secure about an old knee injury.

Do we have nothing else to worry about? Has it gotten out of hand? I don't even notice this stuff when watching a game! It seems to me that if you start regulating some of these things, there is absolutely no place to draw the line. There will always be "what about..." questions, and THAT will be far more annoying than a few leg tights that will simply disappear in a couple of years anyway.