The NBA announced this week that it will require all players on official team business to conform to a strictly enforced dress code or face fines from the commissioner’s office. League commissioner David Stern announced the guidelines of the plan this week which include the banning of jewelry worn outside of clothing, t-shirts, athletic gear, and sneakers. Players may not dress without a sport coat, dress slacks, and hard shoes while on official NBA business. This includes arriving and departing from games, press conferences, and sitting out games in street clothes on the bench.

The new plan, which is a huge departure from the formerly non-existent dress code, has been met with anger, and defiance by many NBA players. Some have even claimed that the new plan reeks of an underlying racism. Some NBA players have claimed that the new plan is an attack on their culture. Allan Iverson voiced his displeasure by saying that "I feel that this is who I am, I dress to make myself comfortable" and added "I really do have a problem with it. It's not fair". Stephen Jackson the Indiana Pacers guard went even further when he said that he found the ban on jewelry "a racist statement".

Stephen Jackson’s statement on its face is a ludicrous one. There is no cultural reason rich black athletes wear extremely expensive Jewry that has to do with their skin color. The athletes that wear chains, and flaunt expensive jewelry (in all sports) are not representing black culture. They are very blatantly using their affluence to make a statement about their economic class. It may just be that many of today’s NBA stars are black and from poor backgrounds. But many people from lower class backgrounds when they become rich make the same sorts of statements with expensive cars, clothes, food and other symbols of affluence. So the ban on jewelry clearly is not a racist statement as some believe, but in terms of the overall effect of the new dress code there certainly are issues of cultural insensitivity, and the NBA has a credibility problem it is going to have to deal with.

The NBA wants it both ways. They want the athletes to soar through the air dunking’ on each other, then stare mockingly as they run up the court at their vanquished foes. They want NBA stars tattoos to be visible, and they want America’s youth to identify with players like Allan Iverson in the league because of his brash anti-authority persona. Because it makes them money. The NBA sells jerseys, shirts, tickets to games and other merchandise because the youth of America can identify with the way Iverson looks, acts and talks. The problem with the leagues policy is that they have embraced this image of the NBA for so long since the so called good guys of basketball retired, Jordan, Bird, Magic, that this is who the league is now, and forcing a dress code down NBA players throats is going to do nothing to fix the real problems with the league. Additionally to that the NBA has embraced the youthful, in your face attitude for so long by letting high-schoolers come into the league and giving them gigantic contracts without teaching them to be basketball players after learning to become men.

The NBA has a credibility problem with its players for these reasons. On the one hand they encourage the face and attitude of toadies league, while a t the same time handing down restrictive rules of dress that seek to Madison Avenue the players. This is the way they dress, and it is obviously the way they feel comfortable. For the NBA to decide this and hand it down so swiftly is culturally insensitive the cultural backgrounds of many current NBA players. And since the day any of them were drafted they were not encouraged to become smoothed out and acceptable by fans, coaches or marketers. The outlaw baller is part of the feel and allure of the NBA for a lot of America, especially young people. This is a large part of the revenue base for the NBA. Now if on the other hand the league office, and commissioner David stern are truly interested in fixing the flawed NBA produce then that is a different story. Worry more about the on the court product; when and where its televised, the quality of play around the league and think less about what rich, aloof, NBA stars are wearing around their necks to and from games.

With the New Orleans Saints ownership openly flirting with moving to San Antonio permanently, the city's Mayor Ray Nagin blasted the talks that would capitalize on the Big Easy's misfortune that resulted from hurricane Katrina force and terrible aftermath. The mayor Mr. Ray Nagin is urging the Saints to remain in New Orleans. If the team is determined to leave the city and relocate permanently, the mayor has come out and said that he feels the NFL owes the city and Saints fans another team with the same name, colors, and logo. He has urged the NFL to adopt a plan very similar to that used when Cleveland Brown’s owner Art Modell abruptly picked up and moved the franchise to Baltimore in the late 1990's.

The very fact that New Orleans ownership is openly debating a permanent move to another city is deplorable. Only a week after hurricane Katrina's aftermath was fully realized and it was determined that Saints home games would have to be relocated this season and maybe for years to come ownership began discussing possible permanent relocation to San Antonio; albeit in hushed tones.

So what is the city left to do? The majority of a once great city has been destroyed beyond recognition, thousands have died and been forced from their homes and now one of the only things that may give residents anything to distract them from their plight may be slipping away, and fast. New Orleans Saints fans better pay attention this season and root for the home team like this season may be their last, because it very well might be, or get really into college football and drive to Baton Rouge every Saturday to see LSU play. Otherwise there may not be any football to watch in the state of Louisiana for a long, long time.

The Joe Torre saga continues. Almost a week after his Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs by the Angels there is still no word from the Yanks skipper about what his plans for next season will be. The very popular, and successful Yankee manager has not made any comments to the media or front office personnel regarding what his plans for next season may be. With Lou Piniella looking for work as a manager team brass would like to hear from the skipper so that the team can pursue him as next seasons manager. The New York Daily newspapers are already in Joe Torre watch mode, and have begun to put up a counter for the days that have passed since he last spoke to the media. The New York Daily News has a “waiting for Joe to appear” day 4 clicker already running and no one seems to be talking, or tipping their hand as to the Yankees managers future with the club.

GM Brian Cashman has also been laying low and has not made any statements regarding his plans for the upcoming season. The GM’s contract expires this year and it is still unclear whether the boss would like him to return, or if he wants to promote one of his Tampa yes men to the GM position. If cashman is bot retained it would be another mistake by the big boss man in the Bronx, (I mean Tampa). Cashman has consistently put together quality teams with Steinbrenner breathing down his neck. Just look at the pitching staff he put together this season in the face of injuries and inconsistency from big ticket singings like Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano, not to mention supposed staff ace Randy Johnson. Cashman should without a doubt be retained as GM. But the boss is still fuming over another early round exit in this years playoffs may be in the mood to get rid of valuable pieces to his past championship team puzzle. Starting by axing cashman is not the wise choice however. Especially considering that he will most likely promote from within and vault one of his Tampa guys into the position of General Manager. Which for Yankees fans is not good news at all. This would mean that the boss would have even more control over player personnel decisions than he already does with Torre, and Cashman as buffers in NY. With a new GM here comes more old, broke down pitchers and star position players that only know how to compile statistics and don’t know how to perform in crucial situations and win playoff baseball games, (A-ROD). The boss would be making a big mistake if he continues down this path of quick fixes by letting Cashman walk, and by severing ties with manager Joe Torre. His Yankee organization needs more voices like theirs in the mix if they are to regain preeminence in the sport and return to the World Series anytime soon.

In case anyone thought the Chicago White Sox were lucky to get a win on a fluke play by the home plate unpire in game 2 and were not for real, they answered all doubters with a stellar performance in last nights 5-2 win over Anaheim. The pitching staff is hitting on all cylinders with consecutive great outings by Buehrle, and garland. Both pitchers threw complete games in games 2, and 3 respectively, the defense has been sharp, and the lineup is doing just enough to scratch out enough runs to win ballgames. This is shaping up to be a tremendous American League Championship Series with tow temas locking horms and not backing down one inch. Both of these teams have adopted their managers personality and bring that aggressiveness out onto the field with them everytime they play. I look forward to continuing to see a great playoff series where the viewer will see great playoff baseball come alive; great defense, solid pitching performances and clutch hitting all make this a series to pay close attention to as these teams fight to get into the World Series.

Randy Johnson signed in the offseason to be the Yankees big game pitcher came up short again last night. The Big unit came up very small in last night game 3 loss taking the mound on a rainy, cold night and lasting only three innings before being pulled by manager Joe Torre. Johnson, counted upon to be the rock of this shaky pitching staff, once again delivered a poor performance in the teams most important game of the season. He allowed 9 hits and 5 earned runs and lasted just three innings on a wet night in the Bronx. He had complained before game 3 that on days he pitches at yankee stadium the fans don't make enough noise, either positive or negative. When he was pulled by Torre in the third inning of last nights game he got his wish, only maybe he had something different in mind than being serenaded my boos from a rain soaked crowd of angry Yankee fans.

This loss last nuight leaves the Yankees in a very difficult spot if they are going to advance to the next roind to face the AL Central champs, the Chicago White Sox. Chicago defeated last seasons world seruies champions last night in Boston with an inpressive 5-3 victory in Boston, clinching a spot in the AMerican League Championship Series. The White Sox are playing very well at the most crucial point in the season. They have adopted the aggressive personality of their eccentric manager Ozzie Guillen, and will be a formiddable opponent in the ALCS. This White Sox team has no big stars like the Yankees or Angels, but they pitch well, field superbly, and find ways to win close ball games.
It is my prediction that the aggressive moves made by Guillen, and Angels manager Mike Scioscia will be the difference in sending the two men into direct confrontation in next weeks ALCS. The perfect use of the squeeze play by both managers showed an aggressive and tenacious personalty that has rubbed off on both temas respectrively. With a man on third base in the Seventh inning, Scioscia saw an opportunity to put the game even farteher out of reach by putting down the bunt signal, and the squeeze was on. The play worked to perfection, the angels gotr another run and what was left of the crowd at Yankee stadium let out a collective groan as they sat back agian in thei wet seats only to endure another bittere playoff loss to the Anaheim Angels.

Prediction: Angels-White Sox ALCS, Chicago wins in six

The Yankees go into game 3 tonight of the Amerian League Division Series needing their supposed ace randy Johnson to come up big, or the teams season is likely over. The Big Unit has been spectacular since being tossed Sept 16 against Toronto in the second inning for arguing balls and strikes, and they will need him to continmue on this roll if the Yanks are to make it to the next round of the playoffs. Over his last three starts Johnson, who struggled for much of the season, has been dominant. Johnson's late seaseon surge was instrumental in the Yanks stretch run for the playoffs. He has gone 3-0 posting a 1.69 ERA in his last three starts. Over this run Joghnson has performed like the ace he was touted to be, and has filled the stopper role on this shaky Yankees pitching staff. In his best and certainly most important start of the season he pitched magnificently: going 7 1/3 innings on October 1st against the Red Sox at Fenway, leading the way for the Bombers as they clinched their eighth consecutive division title. This is the pitcher yankees fans hope to see on the mound toningh as they file into the stadium for game 3 against the Angels. This is a must win for the Yankees tonight. A strong performance could catapult them into a win in game 4 without having to return to the West coast: but a loss with their big dog on the mound could be disastrous to the Yanks hopes of making it to the world series.