Two stories on opposite pages of today's sports section of The Toronto Star couldn't help but catch your attention.
The first one explained why NHL hockey players aren't going to wear visors anytime soon despite yet another horrible near miss, in this case Leaf involving captain Mats Sundin, who was lucky not to have lost his eye when struck by a puck Wednesday night.
The other outlined how the National Basketball Association is imposing a dress code for players who sit in street clothes on the bench. They will not be allowed to wear 'do-rags, T-shirts or other outfits deemed inappropriate for the impressionable eyes of young fans. The new code will be imposed on players at court side and on the way in and out of arenas and in public appearances.
Soooooooo, let me see if I've got this straight. The NHL can't get a collective agreement with its players that mandates wearing a basic piece of safety equipment that could save a player's eyesight.
The NBA, on the other hand, has a collective agreement where players ceded management the right to impose the wearing of "business casual" attire, as a minimum standard, at all league functions.
What's wrong with this picture, besides everything?
The requirement for mandatory visors for hockey players is so logical that it defies belief that it has not happened yet. It should have happened in 1966 after Detroit Red Wing Doug Barkley lost the sight in one eye in a stick accident and had to retire.
This generation of players may want to foolishly risk their futures, but why don't they at least have the sense to use the grandfather clause so that new players joining the league are protected in future?
As for the NBA, they need a dress code ON the court. Why is Allen Iverson wearing Fat Albert's trunks all the time?
Do the players realize that their attire raises unfortunate images of droopy diapers in every parent watching a game.
Remember when hip hop was a Vince Carter travel to the basket rather than a clothing style that expresses a player's inner soul?
Comments (1)
Hey, I remember when football players used to cross the goal line and just put the ball down, like they had done it before. I remember when slamming the ball down was an outrageous TD celebration. Times have changed, my friend. But I will admit, I liked hockey better when no-one wore a helmet. I long for the days of Orr and Esposito, Bealiveau and Ullman. The next thing you kknow, todays's kids will start thinking they have better music than we did.
Posted by GDT | October 10, 2005 10:39 AM
Posted on October 10, 2005 10:39