Is Mark Cuban good for the NBA?
By: LOREN NELSON - Staff Writer
YES | ∞
By: MICHAEL KLITZING - Staff Writer
NO
When you see Mavericks owner Mark Cuban making an obnoxious clown of himself during an NBA game, he's typically dressed like Joe Anyfan, decked out in a team logo T-shirt or jersey to go with his jeans and sneakers.
Just give him a few years and that will all change.
If Cuban still owns the Mavericks a decade from now ---- which he will, because that's the only real claim to fame for this sad attention addict ---- he'll be clad in a white jumpsuit, gold chains and dark glasses that he'll wear indoors.
Get ready to start hearing about the glory and tradition of the Mav-ah-ricks, because this guy is on the fast track to becoming Al Davis version 2.0.
Sadly, the process at work here is irreversible. Once a sports owner starts to think people care about him and not his team ---- and once a few slack-jawed columnists start to offer him affirmation ---- he's never going to want to give up his share of the spotlight.
Look at George Steinbrenner's self-important statements to the press after every Yankees three-game losing streak, Jerry Jones standing prominently on the Cowboys sidelines at the end of games or Davis coining catch phrases and moving his Raiders on a whim.
Following professional sports would be a lot less annoying if it weren't for these grandstanding billionaire blowhards trying to snag a piece of America's unhealthy cult of celebrity.
Cuban is a star in the same way Paris Hilton is a pop culture icon. He's become famous because he's a wealthy person who decided he wanted to be famous.
Aside from opening up his checkbook to buy the Mavericks ---- a team that already sported a young superstar centerpiece in Dirk Nowitzki, incidentally ---- this dot-com yuppie hasn't actually accomplished anything of note in the world of sports. Yet we all know his name, which I suppose was his primary intent.
Bravo.
Trouble is, now Cuban thinks we're all slobbering in anticipation of his next petty baseline tirade. Or blog entry. Or pro wrestling cameo. Or satellite radio show. Or reality series. Or fast-food related publicity stunt.
So soak it up, Mark. Go ahead and jump around, scream at the refs and make obscene gestures at opposing fans while you're still young and considered eccentric.
But beware. There's an all-polyester wardrobe with your name on it, monogrammed in big letters for all to see.
Just wait, baby.
Contact staff writer Michael Klitzing at mklitzing@nctimes.com.
Hi, Mark. I've heard you spend your mornings scanning the Internet and reading the latest stories posted about you. Sorry, then, about the ranting of my counterpart in this debate. (He's off his meds again.)
He says you're an egomaniac. I say you're an eccentric.
He says your outlandish antics divert attention from the more worthy players. I say most of the blinged out millionaires in today's me-first NBA are as interesting as ear wax.
He says you act like a spoiled brat. I say, well, sometimes you do act like a doofus.
He says soda, I say pop.
As always, we agree to disagree.
But how can anyone argue that, as owner of the Dallas Mavericks, you're not good for the NBA?
I like that you sit courtside in jeans and T-shirts.
I like that you rail on the refs and are a royal pain in commissioner David Stern's backside. I like that you're willing to spend your Mt. Everest of cash ---- are you up to $2 billion yet? ---- on endless perks for your players ---- each locker is decked out with a flat-screen, DVD player and PlayStation 2 ---- and freebies for the fans.
I like that, with your square head and permanently tussled hair, you resemble Ernie from Sesame Street.
Most of all, I like your passion. Man, you love the games. You love winning 'em even more.
The haters say they want to hurl when they see you run on the court and slap players' backs and butts after big wins. Last I checked, there's nothing wrong with showing your emotions. Or being a fan.
Most owners have the personality of a dung beetle.
They are buttoned down and tight fisted. You have to pry nickels from them with a crowbar. They're more worried about parking revenues than winning percentages.
These are the same billionaires who extort stadiums from taxpayers and quietly load moving vans in the wee hours of the morning. Don't ever become one of those.
You're a computer geek with business savvy and gambler's mentality. You're a hoops fanatic who owns a team. There's nothing about all that not to like.
Even your blog (www.blogmaverick.com) isn't bad, although topics such as click fraud and keyword arbitrage interest me about as much as pocket lint.
You admit that you, "Love to rip on sportswriters." No problem. I love to rip on sports owners. Most of them, anyway.
Thanks for reading, Mark, and continued luck in the playoffs.
Contact sports editor Loren Nelson at (760) 740-3551 or lnelson@nctimes.com.
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Clair wrote on Jun 6, 2006 12:54 PM:If looking at "good for the NBA" from a business perspective the answer has to be yes. The fact that articles are being written debating Cuban only proves that Cuban has gained the NBA more interest. Prior to the Mavs being in the NBA elite, many people would tune in to Mavs games just to see Cuban's antics. Yes, he is a pain to David Stern, but even Stern would admit that Cuban has generated an additional interest to the NBA.
TEX wrote on Jun 10, 2006 6:42 AM:Mark Cuban is exactly what every Professional Team needs and thats an owner who cares. His managers, players and everyone involved with the Mavericks know that they will be taken care of because Mark Cuban Cares and is very involved with his team. Other owners should try to emulate what he does and we wouldnt have the whinning and crying from these professional players about how much money they want or the playing time they deserve.
Why? wrote on Jun 10, 2006 8:55 AM:Did he get rid of Steve Nash?
TEX wrote on Jun 14, 2006 12:38 PM:Mark Cuban is still a business man and Steve Nash and Micheal Finley were both traded because of the financial benefits the Dallas Mavericks would get.
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