Muleskinner

Issue date: 11/3/05 Section: Opinion

So, this is what it has come down to in the world of professional sports.

The NBA, perhaps the worst product in the entire sports world this side of NASCAR, is attempting to repair a failing image by changing the leagues dress code policy.

No longer are jersey's, sneakers, and gaudy necklaces allowed on the sideline, but instead, the players must now sport a new business casual look as the league attempts to erase its hip-hop image.

In a way, it's a good start. But what Commissioner David Stern and the rest of the league don't realize is it doesn't matter whether the players are wearing business suits or bathing suits, the sport is suffering because the diluted talent pool has made the game unwatchable.

As a kid, I remember watching the once proud NBA with regularity. In the glory days of the Bulls, Celtics and Lakers, the league donned such stars as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, just to name a few.

The glaring difference between those three and the NBA as we know it today is those players all completed at least three years of college.

Instead of being coaxed into the league by instant wealth and stardom, these players understood the value of a college education, both on and off the court.

In the classrooms, they were developed mentally, while on the court they actually learned how to shoot, pass and defend; three elements that have somehow escaped the "new" NBA.

Maybe we, as the media, are to blame for some of this. Always looking for the next big story, we tend to look beyond the college ranks to find the next great basketball player before he even hits puberty.

ESPN was broadcasting LaBron James' high school games when he was only a junior.

These players are lured by the attention and fanfare that, when received at that age, can be confusing and misleading. No thought is given to life after basketball or a sufficient plan B in the event of injury.

The idea of a college degree and being part of something rich in tradition such as college basketball isn't even an afterthought as they sign the big contracts and endorsement deals.

This influx of underdeveloped talent also has an adverse effect on the college game. Teams cannot recruit for the long-term because they never know how long they will have their top-level talent.

With most players leaving after one to two years, the programs suffer and so do the players as they enter the business world not mentally or socially equipped to handle the pressures of the NBA stage (see Ron Artest).

I agree with the league the image must be cleaned up, but the dress code is not where to do it.

Until the league imposes age restrictions on players, they will have to deal with the monster they created because judging by the attendance, no one else will.

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