Wayne’s World

Dressing like a Millionaire Republican in the NBA- and Life!

Edition Three

As the author of the new Amazon.com #1 Best-Seller “Millionaire Republican: Why Rich Republicans Get Rich- and How You Can Too!” I was very interested and excited to hear of NBA Commissioner David Stern’s new edict for NBA players: dress like a gentleman or get out of the league. More importantly, I was amazed at the howls of protest from Commissioner Stern’s multi-millionaire NBA players- who complained bitterly that the new rule was a burden- both emotionally and financially. Yes, NBA stars earning millions of dollars per year are complaining about the emotional and financial cost of having to dress up! How ridiculous, how short-sighted, how ignorant- and most importantly, how just plain wrong. My new book Millionaire Republican is about the mental and emotional mindset and attitude required to become a success, and eventually a millionaire in life. The title “Millionaire Republican” refers to the fact that the majority of wealthy Americans- CEO’s, millionaires, high-income earners, business owners, stock owners, property owners- are Republicans. But what’s important is not how they vote, but rather how they think! The way you think will determine your level of success in life- whether you are a winner or loser, rich or poor, survivor or thriver, dependent (on big government or bosses, landlords, unions, etc) or independent. Or as I put it, Democrats RENT, Republicans OWN. The key to this millionaire mindset and attitude is modeling. To become successful you must model the very people who are already successful. To become a millionaire, you must think, act, talk, and dress like a millionaire- long BEFORE you ever become one. Well millionaires have a uniform- just like NBA players and other sports stars. That uniform is a suit and tie. Successful businesspeople dress like gentleman (and ladies). Go to any law firm; any Wall Street firm, any real estate firm, any major American corporation. Go to any business lunch in an upscale restaurant. What you will see is men and woman dressed in the uniform of business- business formal or in some cases, business casual. But in all cases, the men dress like gentleman (since NBA players are all male, this story is about the way men dress). They dress like winners. They convey their smarts, success and serious intent with their uniform. Dressing for success is a key part of success- whether you like it or not. People (especially potential employers, clients or business associates) will judge you and hire you based on the way you look. That look must meet certain standards and norms of society. That look includes suit, dress shirt and tie, or dress jacket with casual turtleneck or dress shirt without a tie. What that look does not include is dressing like a hood, gangster, mobster, ex-inmate (or future inmate). The good news is that anyone is free to dress like their favorite gangster in MTV rap videos- afterall, America is a free country. The idea of “free speech” includes dressing how you want. You can wear a dozen gold chains around your neck, body piercings, and tattoos all over your body. You are free to speak in broken English or street slang. You can do all of that because this is a free country and you have free will. But you can’t do that AND get hired! Not unless you were born lucky enough to stand 6’10”, weigh a perfect 275 Ibs, and run the 100 yard dash in 9 flat. Not unless you were born with a cannon for an arm, or can hit others like thunder, run like a gazelle, or possess hands as quick as lightening.

  This is not just a black versus white issue (although most NBA players are African American, and the corporate world is predominantly white). It is not just a young versus old issue (although most NBA players are in their twenties and most NBA execs and owners are middle-aged). It is a poor vs. rich issue. NBA players may not realize it, but they are lucky- they have been blessed by God with height, speed, quickness and talent that can only be described as beyond the reach of mere mortals! So the rules of business and life do not always apply to them. If you can dunk a basketball, or clog the middle of an NBA court, how you dress and how you speak are just not important to your career. But the key word here is “your.” With those kind of one-in-a-million “lottery” skills, your dress is insignificant. You can make millions- if not tens of millions of dollars- no matter how you choose to dress. But millions of other poor (and yes, black) kids cannot afford that luxury. Young African American kids- and increasingly all American kids- want to model their attire and attitudes after their NBA heroes (as well as the gangster rap stars they see on MTV). But those kids are being led down a path of despair, destruction, pain and failure (see the victims left behind in the streets of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina). Millions of poor inner city kids that dress like NBA stars, do not get paid like NBA stars. The result is their choice of jewelry, tattoos, gangster attire and casual gym-wear will only qualify them for menial jobs sweeping streets, cutting meat or gutting fish at 3 AM in a freezing market, cleaning offices, or delivering pizzas. Is that a positive thing? Should an entire generation of kids be condemned to the worst and lowest paying jobs that society offers simply because they were taught the wrong lesson by their favorite sports star? Should young adults with eager and open minds be taught that looking, acting and dressing like a gangster or inmate is the way to achieve success? Is that good for society, or those kids? The answer of course is a resounding NO! If you fail at becoming a sports star, but continue to dress and act like one, your dress and attitude will be held against you.

Dressing like a gangster or inmate qualifies a few dozen lucky souls to earn millions in the NBA lottery, and a few dozen more in the music and movie business (also a lottery more dependent on luck than education or business skills). But the wrong dress and attitude condemns all the millions of poor and black kids left behind to a lifetime of poverty. That kind of dress and attitude leaves these young Americans feeling hopeless, helpless, aimless, clueless, powerless and dependent (on bosses, big government, entitlement programs, unions, landlords and Democrat politicians). Those are never traits associated with success or a fulfilling life. As I point out in “Millionaire Republican” those conflicting ways of thinking are the reason Democrats rent, while Republicans own. Yes there are a few exceptions to the rule (rich Democrats), but they consist of super-human athletes and trust fund debutantes (see Paris Hilton, John Kerry and Ted Kennedy). The rest of us mere mortals know there is a price to be paid to go from S.O.B. (I’m a Son of a Butcher) to CEO and self-made millionaires. That price includes hard work, ambition, drive, hunger, discipline, sacrifice, commitment, tenacity, and the never-say-die mindset of a Millionaire Republican!

One P.S. to this story. Millionaire Republican really boils down to one thing: ownership. The central theme of my book is to own your own business, thereby becoming your own boss. If any of these NBA superstar cry-babies really wants to dress any way they want and chooses to refuse to comply with the new NBA dress code, their choice is simple and straight-forward: leave the NBA and start your own business (or in this case, your own league). If you can do it, if you have the chutzpah (as we say in New York), good luck and God Bless. More power to you! But until you become the boss, you have no choice but to comply with the rules set by your boss- just like every other employee in America. That boss writes your check- he or she has the right to determine how you should dress to protect the image of his or her company (in this case the NBA). Once you’re the boss, you can set the rules- you can dress and act any way you’d like. That’s the true beauty of the Millionaire Republican message. True success and power are only acquired thru ownership. Becoming an owner allows anyone to set their own course, establish their own rules, and control their own destiny. The Republican message is all about ownership and control. There is nothing racist about that message- ownership is an equal opportunity employer. Anyone of any race, creed, sex or religion can own. That is what makes America such a great place to live. That is why millions of immigrants risk their lives and freedom to come here. Their dream is to own and control their destiny. Those immigrants understand and appreciate the power of the American Dream. It is still alive and well. Perhaps someone should explain that to the stars of the NBA! Dress codes (and codes of conduct) are as American as applie pie. They work- they are good for business, society and generations of kids with a dream. If you don’t like the dress code, get another job or start your own league. Beat the NBA at their own game. But if you’re not willing to do that, and if you want to keep collecting those $20 million dollar checks- SHUT UP and buy a suit.

Editors Note: Wayne Allyn Root is a professional sports handicapper dubbed by the media as “America’s Handicapper” and “The Face of Las Vegas Gambling.” His predictions and analysis are available at www.WinningEDGE.com. His new TV show “King of Vegas” will debut on Spike TV in mid-January. Wayne will Co-Executive Produce and star. “King of Vegas” will crown the greatest gambler in America and award him or her with a cool million dollars. Wayne’s new book Millionaire Republican hit #1 Personal Finance Best-Seller status at Amazon within 5 days of publication. It is available at bookstores everywhere and www.MillionaireRepublican.com.