Friday, November 04, 2005

Sports Guy's NBA Preview

Part II is here. I don't care enough to link Part I. I did like this part:

1. Why did the NBA institute a dress code?

Because David Stern is a genius, that's why. During the busiest sports month of the year (October), the NBA managed to steal mainstream media attention away from the baseball playoffs, the NFL season, college football, the NHL, 'Survivor,' 'Amazing Race,' the debut of the 'Adam Carolla Project' on TLC, Franz Ferdinand's new album, Kate and Tom's immaculate conception, the first photos of the Federline-Spears baby, Jimmy Snuka's triumphant return to the WWE ... you name it, the NBA dress code overshadowed it. You couldn't ask for better publicity heading into a season.

Which brings me to my point: They could have announced this decision in July, August or September. Instead, they waited until October ... as if they didn't know it would turn into a racial issue (what isn't a racial issue at this point?), or that some players would react poorly, or that millionaire dopes like Marcus Camby would demand a stipend for new clothes, or that Cuban would dress like a homeless man in retaliation. Come on. It was brilliant, it worked, it got people talking and it's just another reason why David Stern should be running the country some day.

(Imagine Stern as president after the New Orleans debacle? You know he would have come up with some convoluted way to knock FEMA off the front pages, something like 'President Stern announced today that members of Congress would have to wear white wigs when they were in session like everyone did back in the late-1700s, explaining, 'It's time this country went back to its roots. ... what, you have a problem with America celebrating its roots?'')

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Stern is a genius. It wouldn't surprise me if they rename the NBA Championship trophy after him - The only significant thing about Larry O'Brien is that in a previous job he had his office at the Watergate building broken into. Stern, as much as Jordan, saved the NBA, and continues to keep it afloat today. Love him or hate him its true. Looking professional is not a racial thing - its just looking professional.