Your thoughts? I'll add mine once there are a few respondents.

Cuban is a whining, snivling cry baby... He thinks everything revolves around his team... pompus... disrespectful to authority.

Hell yeah he's good for the association!

Someone needs to challange the fat cats up top (especially on poor officiating).
He's a marketing genious... his influence in technology and media WOW for "bringing the message" has added a fresh new outlook in modern marketing concepts.

His teams success has finally put him in a position that he's no longer considered an upity young joke by league officials.
This could easily change if he doesn't show some restraint.

:thumb: to new youngblood ideas...even if he's a P.I.T.A (pain in the arse)

Having seen a few articles on TV and the Web, I have not found a reason to think he is anything but good for the game and sports in general. He loves his guys, does everything he can do for them, is very supportive of them all the time, and that thing he cooked up with the ref for April Fools' Day was absolutely priceless.

A good example of a self-made rich guy doing something he loves and gives something back to the city.

I come down on the side of "Good".

Overall I love how he challenges the league and tries to clean up the calls. But he goes too far. If we would have played Dallas then I would imagine we all would have disliked him by the time it was over.

While Bill Davidson is like the godfather, Cuban (to me) represents how we might react if our finances were greater.

Cuban is not bashful about his wealth, his intelligence or his over the top passion for his team.

He's not a really handsome guy, he's not the coolest guy, but he is living a dream and I can sympathize with his antics. Hell, if I had his resources, I would scream at the refs and act goofy in the crowd too. Why act serious when you have to answer to no one?

As an owner, he's made right move after right move. You could almost consider him the Joe Dumars of owners the way he amnestied Finley, let Nash go in FA, pushed Nellie to the front office to allow Avery to ascend.

He's taken what was a bad to mediocore franchise and put them in the title game, which contrary to what some may think, is a direct result of his ownership and passion for the Mavs.

I can see how he turns people off. But he's damn good for the NBA. He challenges them to improve the league. if you've never read his blog, you'll find it pretty interesting. He covers more than just himself or the Mavs, delving into business and technology.

http://www.blogmaverick.com/

I think he is good. With Cuban, the league becomes more human. Its not just corporations or mysterious white guys in the shadows. Here is a living breathing person who loves this game and loves this league. Does he do dumb crap? Hell yeah! That's what being human is!

As an owner, he's made right move after right move. You could almost consider him the Joe Dumars of owners the way he amnestied Finley, let Nash go in FA, pushed Nellie to the front office to allow Avery to ascend.

Okay, easy on the revisionist history. He made plenty of mistakes, overpaid plenty of guys, and eventually reaped the benefits of some moves that the now-underrated Nelsons actually made. Don was the one who put Avery in place to intern as the next coach, before Johnson and Cuban actually knew much about each other. (Granted, it was mostly because Nelson would rather be poolside in Hawaii than coaching or arguing with Cuban. Still, how many coaches ever nominated their own successor so visibly?)

I think the guy's a buffoon. But the league's history is full of buffoon owners, and that makes for good copy and hotter rivalries. After all, more wrestling fans turn out to boo the heel than cheer the hero.

I LOVE Cuban. He is to the NBA what Ron Jeremy (the real one, not Van Jeremy) is to porn.

He's the every man. The average guy. Joe Blow. Passionate fan turned billionaire. The anti-owner.

How many of you have ever dreamed of winning the lottery and then buying your favourite team? I know I have. I used to dream about buying the Montreal Canadians, and of course, naming myself the GM as well. It doesn't look that hard. I've done it on PS2 a million times. I've made the Lions a perennial Championship challenger.

I love Mark Cuban!

This is coincidental. I looked up the Mark Cuban story again today just to remember how he got so rich.

Here is the basic summary from Wiki...

Shortly after college, in 1982, Cuban moved to Dallas, Texas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas%2C_Texas) and found work with a new IBM PC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC) software dealer. He was fired for choosing to make a sales call to close a $10,000 software deal instead of opening the store on time. Cuban founded a new company, MicroSolutions (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MicroSolutions&action=edit), and was able to convince some of his previous customers to come along. The Microsolutions became a system integrator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_integrator) and reseller (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reseller) for companies such as Novell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novell), 3Com (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3Com), IBM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM), Banyan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyan), Apple Computer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Computer) and Sun Microsystems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Microsystems) and an early adopter of technologies such as Carbon Copy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_Copy), Lotus Notes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Notes), and CompuServe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CompuServe). One of the company's biggest clients was Perot Systems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perot_Systems). In July 1990, Cuban sold MicroSolutions to CompuServe, Inc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compuserve), then a subsidiary of H&R Block (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%26R_Block), for $6 million.


Cuban and fellow Indiana alum Todd Wagner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Wagner) still eagerly followed their college basketball team, and conceived the idea of broadcasting live games and events through the Internet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet). They began Audionet in 1995 with a single Packard Bell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packard_Bell) server and ISDN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISDN) line, which became Broadcast.com (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcast.com) in 1998. They achieved success by broadcasting sporting and corporate events much less expensively than with existing leased lines. By 1999, Broadcast.com had grown to 330 employees and annual revenues close to $100 million. With the stock market now in the midst of the Dot-com boom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot-com_boom), Cuban was able to sell the company to Yahoo! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo%21) for $5.7 billion in stock. After the sale, Cuban hedged his position in Yahoo in an attempt to avoid exposure to a market crash.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cuban#_note-0) According to Forbes, Cuban is reportedly worth $1.8 Billion.


All this makes me like him more. I mean, he would be rich anyway, but getting $5.7 Billion for a $100M a year company???? That is the luckiest timing I have ever heard of.

Most players in the league would love to play for the Mavs. Cuban takes care of the players. He is passionate about the game. He loves to win, and he is always looking out for his team.

I think he might get a little too involved in the day to day activities of the team. The owner in the huddle during time-outs is kind of over the top, but maybe it's just a Dallas thing.

I think he is good for the Association, the NBA. The game is something different to me. Jordan was good for the game. Magic was good for the game. John Wooden was good for the game. Isiah was good for the game, but he is bad for the Association.

All in all, I like him. I wish some young internet mogul bought the Pistons and wasn't worried about salary cap and lux tax.

Word.

by the way- before I get killed for the Zeke comment. I was kidding, but some would agree and it was a good illustration.

Quote from Robert Michael: "I wish some young internet mogul bought the Pistons and wasn't worried about salary cap and lux tax".

Heck with that; I just wish one of them would adopt me. :laugh: Then I could do as you suggest, among many other things :fingerscr !!!

Cuban is good for the Mavs and bad for the NBA.

Overall he's a good owner, although he's made plenty of mistakes both as a businessman and on the basketball side. He's innovative and ballsy. He's also obnoxious, tactless, and overinvolved.

He's elevated whining about the officiating to a new level. It's probably hypocritical of me to criticize him for that, since I frequently make similar criticisms, but I don't send them to the league office, and I am not an owner.

I'd take him over Davidson any day.

I think Cuban's level of involvement with the officiating is a bad thing for the sport. Sure, refs make mistakes, sometimes more than one against the same team in the same game, but I for one don't believe in grand conspiracy theories. Cuban should not be talking with the refs during the game. It creates the appearance of impropriety and lowers the overall level of respect that the refs must have to do their job. The Mavs are certainly welcome to send in all the tapes they want, but the organization and Cuban in particular should not be talking about it in public.

He's good for basketball. He's a whiner, yeah, but so are 90% of sports fans.

He's basically what any sports fan would be like if they owned a team, and he admits it. I'm not going to hate him for it.

My problem with him is he is on the floor and sits with the team during games. IMO that is a HUGE HUGE NO-NO for an owner. You are in the lockerroom before and after the game, at halftime, you do not need to be on the court. I'm sure the guy would have courtside season tickets if he wasn't the owner, but you bought the team, get your ass in a suite.

He also picks on certain players and teams he plays. He points out inconsistencies and sends tons and tons of video to the league office. This really wouldn't be a problem, but the fact that the officiating is so BAD in the NBA that 80% of the calls can go one way or another depending on how the ref feels that night. Cuban's harping can cause major changes in how his team/opponent is called. It's more of a problem with the league.

Do we just ignore the idiot refs and policies and completely crap officiating? Or do we point out when they screw up and maybe give certain teams an advantage by giving them a much easier time with certain calls?

Shaq was called drastically different from years past this year. They were ALWAYS fouls, but the refs never called them. Now suddenly they started calling them and Shaq was shocked. Do you blame the player for using that as a crutch? The refs gave it to him so he took it.

This suddenly turned into a referee rant so I'm gonna stop :doh:.

Cuban is great for the game. He cares. He is at the games rooting for his team talking to the players and he hired a great coach.

We could benefit from an aggressive and involved owner like him. No more hiring coaches because they have a pleasant personality. Who care if the owner and the coach can be pals? That's more important to Davidson than winning when all is said and done.

Okay, easy on the revisionist history. He made plenty of mistakes, overpaid plenty of guys, and eventually reaped the benefits of some moves that the now-underrated Nelsons actually made. Don was the one who put Avery in place to intern as the next coach, before Johnson and Cuban actually knew much about each other. (Granted, it was mostly because Nelson would rather be poolside in Hawaii than coaching or arguing with Cuban. Still, how many coaches ever nominated their own successor so visibly?)
I seem to recall Don's son being in line to be the next coach. I'm not sure where the AJ hiring came from.

Sure he's made mistakes, but it's not for lack of trying or passivity. For those that might wonder (and because it is pertinent to the inevitable Davidson/Cuban comparisons) the Mavs payroll is approx $40 million dollars in excess of the salary cap. Mark has not been afraid to pay for play. And yet the Mavs have not bought their way to the top. Daniels, Harris, and Howard are the future of this team. AND... you can see them play NOW!

The Mavs haven't bought their way to the top -- but not for lack of trying. Remember Cuban letting Dennis Rodman move in with him for a week? Or all their talk about how French star Antoine Rigedeau was going to put them over the top? Oh yes, they tried to win with their checkbook for a long time. That's why I react strongly about equating Cuban with Dumars, whose moves have been quiet, subtle, mostly efficient.

To their credit, the Mavs have drafted brilliantly. Everything seemed to change for that team the moment Josh Howard showed up, and they showed great patience holding onto Harris until he matured.

So Cuban is not bad for basketball. The only owner who is really bad for basketball is George Shinn, though the guys in Atlanta aren't doing the league any favors either.

Cuban, to me, is the antithesis of David Stern. That makes him good for the game. While Stern has a stick up his azz, Cuban takes that same stick and beats others over the head with it. However, Cuban perpetually puts his foot in his mouth. He said something derogatory about the Spurs' fans and their city and I felt that was uncalled for. In my mind, the Spurs have great fans and San Antonio is a nice city to visit. Indeed.

Cuban's plusses outweigh his negatives. I like his passion for his team, his unassuming dress, his visibility at the games, his candid postgame email comments, his bluntness, and so on. He is a colorful figure. Sometimes, he goes over the top, but so what. I'll take him in a heartbeat over the over-the-hill, dull and reclusive Davidson. I think he has many of the virtues of active and involved owners like Steinbrenner of the Yankees and Jerry Johnson of the Cowboys with fewer of the negatives.

Cuban was on David Letterman the other night. He was great. I love the guy. He's so down to earth and is nothing like you'd expect from a billionaire. He's not a fan of Donald Trump either.

However, Cuban perpetually puts his foot in his mouth. He said something derogatory about the Spurs' fans and their city and I felt that was uncalled for.

I think Cuban really does have his fan hat and his owner/spokesperson hat on at the same time.

I saw him on a talk show a few nights ago when he practically "na-na-na-na-na'd" Steve Nash by saying "We were so criticized when we lost Steve Nash to Phoenix, but we're in the Finals and he's watching on television" with a defiant little kid smirk. Maybe Cuban insists on continuing to enjoy one of the few rewarding aspects of being a fan, that you can act and feel like a little kid about your team. Be blindly Fan-atical.

If I were first a Pistons fan and second an owner, one of the not very nice remarks I would make about the Heat would be "Well, we just about fall asleep when we have to come play here. Everyone dressed in white, it looks like a mental institution, a church choir conference or a Sunni insurgency high holy day." I would say it to entertain me, other fans and get a laugh. It's politically incorrect as an NBA owner.

I think the remark about San Antonio was said in that kind of fan context.I mean truthfully if you saw last years parade after the Spurs beat the Pistons, you didn't think WTF is that lame manmade-looking canal they are calling a river? Did they not look ridiculous on those boats? It's Texas. Have a bar-b-q. It's not Venice Italy.

I could say it because I'm just a disgruntled Pistons fan. But Mark should send these kind of remarks to a celebrity spokesperson, someone outside the Mavs and have them say them. Then he could enjoy the sound bite as a fan, without impacting his ownership and organization status.

I think he's great for baskbetball. He's an original and loves the game of basketball.

From wire services article...

After Wade made another free throw following the timeout, Dallas guard Devin Harris missed a desperation heave. When the buzzer sounded, the Mavericks unleashed their anger.

Cuban, who was wearing the jersey of suspended forward Jerry Stackhouse, ran onto the court and screamed at official Joe DeRosa, then went to the scorer’s table and stared down NBA commissioner David Stern and other league officials. Cuban then went up the tunnel toward their aisle and kept screaming and staring.

Stern made his way out, but Cuban didn’t let up. Considering he’s been fined well over $1 million — including $200,000 this postseason alone — his tab could rise again before Game 6 in Dallas on Tuesday night.


Is he right? Maybe so about the calls. I sure didn't see a foul. But, is this the way an owner should behave, for the good of the league and for the good of the game? I don't think so. If he wants to act like a child he should do that in the privacy of his very own multi-zillion dollar home.

I feel like a stick in the mud, but I really do believe that people in positions of authority and in the public eye have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a way that we would like others to emulate. If Cuban can do this, why can't a tenth grader make the same fuss about a call in a game or about a homework assignment?

All right, I'm an old fogey, but if Cuban can't act like a grown-up ought to, he ought to get off the public stage.

I feel like a stick in the mud, but I really do believe that people in positions of authority and in the public eye have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a way that we would like others to emulate. If Cuban can do this, why can't a tenth grader make the same fuss about a call in a game or about a homework assignment?
All right, I'm an old fogey, but if Cuban can't act like a grown-up ought to, he ought to get off the public stage.

You've got a point. I always felt that way about Bobby Knight, who may have been a basketball genuis, but also struck me as a mean-spirited SOB. But professional sports is supposed to be entertaining too, and I think that Cuban brings some color and entertainment to the game. There is also something distinctly American about the rebel who challenges authority, the man who avoids pretense and political correctness, and the man who is not afraid to create controversy. I think Cuban embodies some of that.

With you on BK - out of control and unpleasant.

Anyway, there are ways to challenge authority without trying to stare down the commish in the stands after a game, with Cuban pretending he's some thug who is going to knock him silly with a straight right.

Cuban should have punched the commish in the face... politely. That is the only rational way to deal with this situation.

Cuban should have punched the commish in the face... politely. That is the only rational way to deal with this situation.

Alas, if only the game had been in Texas where you can carry guns into the arena.

Buck Harvey SA Express News gave a Spurs take on Cuban and his Monopoly Money and how it might affect the West next season:

But now he gets to do what he does best, which is close his mouth and open his wallet. Operating with the league's second-highest payroll this past season, Cuban will have to write a few more checks to keep his talent intact.
Knowing him, he will. Knowing him, he will do what the Spurs can't, what the Suns fear, what the Pistons struggle with.
Cuban can't buy class. But he can bid on everything else.
He has a Rodmanesque need for attention, which is why something about Game 6 was so glaring. ABC rarely showed Cuban, when cameras usually can't get enough of his angst during dead-ball moments.
Was this done in good taste? Or was this David Stern getting his ultimate revenge?
The Spurs wouldn't mind seeing less of him, but it's his financial worth that troubles them. Cuban plays the game with Monopoly money while Peter Holt plays with the real stuff, and it's a significant edge.
Cuban has taken on huge contracts. Agreed to give millions to other teams in trades. And spent more money than anyone but the incomparable Knicks. Cuban's payroll is about $32 million more than the Spurs', and that doesn't include the luxury tax.
The Spurs get by, and they've found players willing to take less. The list includes Michael Finley, Bruce Bowen, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
But they have to be perfect while trying to pay a 63-win team, and when they aren't perfect, they have to unload the excess. They did with Malik Rose a year ago, they tried with Brent Barry this past season, and they dumped another salary Wednesday.
That's ultimately why Rasho Nesterovic is gone, though there are few tears in San Antonio over this. Rasho was nice enough and tall enough, but his body language inspired as Ambien does.
Besides, he couldn't get on the floor much the last two seasons, which is why this deal makes sense. Holt's books are stressed enough without having to spend another $23million over three years to an eight-minute sub.
But Rasho would have come in handy had the Spurs made it to the Finals against Shaquille O'Neal this month, and he would be a counter for Yao Ming four times next season. If Cuban owned the Spurs? He might have paid Rasho as if on retainer.
After all, Cuban pays Erick Dampier far more. That deal ends in 2011 with a final price of just more than $13 million.
Cuban has tried to curb his spending. Whereas he once paid Finley whatever it took, he let Steve Nash walk.
Maybe Cuban does the same if Jason Terry gets an astounding offer as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Tuesday's finale might also make Cuban think twice; then, Terry missed his last 11 shots while going scoreless in the final quarter of the season.
But Cuban will want to get back to this stage. Furthermore, Cuban's anger over these Finals will only make him want to spend more. After all, he paid $450,000 in playoff fines just for yelling on the court. This is a man accustomed to picking up the check.
Cuban will get a break when Keith Van Horn comes off the payroll, but there's a line of others ready to cash in. Terry will be up for about a $60 million deal, and there's a window for Josh Howard now that will create at least that much. The Mavericks will want to max out Dirk Nowitzki now, because that is how superstars are treated.
But Cuban is already paying Dampier, as well as another year at $8 million for Jerry Stackhouse. Cuban still owes Finley and Shawn Bradley, and then there's the same Marquis Daniels who could barely get on the floor in these playoffs. Only three Spurs earn more than Daniels, and only one Spur has a longer contract.
The Suns do the same math and wonder how they can keep their stars. The Pistons try to figure out if they can still afford Ben Wallace, who has merely been the soul of that team.
And the Spurs?
In the same division, trying to match their dimes against Cuban's dollars, they would prefer only his mouth stay open.

Hey Micro, didnt quite know where to put this post...off season trades? Spurs, or what?

It's perfect right there BSA. Nice to see you around and in good spirits.

Interesting article on ESPN.com.

Apparently, Mark Cuban is bad for his own team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2506302

Fire the traitor.

Dirk = choker.

Interesting article on ESPN.com.

Apparently, Mark Cuban is bad for his own team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2506302

That's an ugly story. Cuban is the owner of the Mavs. Dirk is an employee. Dirk is going to get a little lesson on being the hired help. Who is more important in the pecking order, a "superstar" who can be traded at will or the owner? And to take something like this to the media. It's very very bad form. Mark Cuban is a businessman first. Dirk must think that he is a Nowitzki fan first. Smack him down publicly, Mark.

When Cuban puts himself in front of the cameras at every game, it's already out there. Of course Nowitzki's right. And if Cuban can blog to the world about every little grievance, Dirk's got a right to voice his opinion as well. Cuban can do nothing about it without looking like a hypocrite.

When Cuban puts himself in front of the cameras at every game, it's already out there. Of course Nowitzki's right. And if Cuban can blog to the world about every little grievance, Dirk's got a right to voice his opinion as well. Cuban can do nothing about it without looking like a hypocrite.

Plus Dirk is right which ought to account for something. Cuban hurts his team with his never ending public tirade.

That's an ugly story. Cuban is the owner of the Mavs. Dirk is an employee. Dirk is going to get a little lesson on being the hired help. Who is more important in the pecking order, a "superstar" who can be traded at will or the owner? And to take something like this to the media. It's very very bad form. Mark Cuban is a businessman first. Dirk must think that he is a Nowitzki fan first. Smack him down publicly, Mark.

The thing is...Dirk is right. Cuban should be setting a better example ...think of the kids watching the NBA. Cuban acts like a little kid. Businessman or not, as is often the case, his money has gone to his head...he believes he can do anything he wants.

Maybe Dirk wants out of Dallas...

One great thing about Mark Cuban is his Blog.

http://www.blogmaverick.com/

He writes a lot like the passionate fan/owner he is, but also covers technology, and considering how successful he is and continues to be with emerging technology and business, I find his site must read material.

Recent post-Finals topics include

A quick note on Click Fraud (http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000470073786/)
Click Fraud is when advertising is exploited to harm the advertiser because proper measures are not in place to control intentional bombing of ads that are paid for "by the click". I find this interesting as I am currently involved in a class action lawsuit with Google (https://www.clicksettlement.com/Default.aspx) regarding similar issues.

Connected vs Disconnected Entertainment (http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000023073785/)
Mark's view on the two different states of existence for those of us who live online.

The Internet is old news and boring.. Deal with it (http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000380073791/)
Debunking the hype behind Web 2.0 (an annoying catchphrase) and the unbridled optimism that broadband internet is the panacea for everything wrong with the human condition.

Broadband Video is overrated too ! (http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000207073794/)
There is not money in broadband video due to the overhead costs of building and maintaining a scalable infrastructure. The difficulties in moneytizing a medium that is inherently "free" remains an unsolved mystery.

BLAM! Another Cuban post worth reading even if you think it is all BS.

The man's brain is always testing an idea out.

http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000570073797/
Making Money in Basketball….

So you want to be in the basketball business but cant afford an NBA team. Well guess what ? There is never going to be a better time to own a minor league basketball team than there is now. IF and only if you follow my nifty little handbook on how to make money at it.

BLAM! Another Cuban post worth reading even if you think it is all BS.


Fascinating. And wouldn't it be fun to become a fan of a minor league team, where the boys were growing up before your eyes, being developed for future NBA play?You could definitely build a fan base with this model.

I read blogmaverick.com regularly. I knew Mark Cuban in college, and he had two entrepreneurial ideas that we all thought would never work. We were wrong on both counts.

BLAM! Another Cuban post worth reading even if you think it is all BS.

http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000570073797/

I'm convinced. Roscoe, put together a Pistons Forum ownership group. Count me in. Seems like once the financing is together, we have lots of people who could lend their ideas on "developing talent"

:nod:

How much does Cuban offer to "Fun family entertainment" beyond his own blatant fanaticism & checkbook? Nice self-admiring blog to pump his own ego as Christ's 'second coming'. The guy is a narcissist with a capital 'N'.

Go ahead and buy his hype...I won't...been there & done that. :P

He's pretty good in front of the media though (his playoff blowup) which I though was really funny this past season...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eOXiOVZci2Y&search=mark%20cuban

I Love Cuban. He Is Doing His Best To Improve The Refs. And They Really Need Improvement.. The League Goes Overboard In Trying To Control The Payers On And Off The Court. The Not Wearing Tights Next Year . Whats Up With That. And As Far As The Refs... Dan Crawford And Joey Crawford Have Gotta Go. Hail Hail To Cuban..

Nice blog post by Mark...

My RadioMaverick Show on Sirius and the NBA. - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/10/29/my-radiomaverick-show-on-sirius-and-the-nba/)

I don't quite get the ending. He feels he got shafted somehow but I don't understand why...

ESPN.com - NBA - 'Reborn' Cuban swears he'll listen to commish -- really (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2648662)

I hate to say this, but everyone knows that Mark Cuban should be the Commissioner right?

As an owner, he has the right to question how HIS league is being run. Luckily, the NBA cannot easily silence him. The man is GREAT for the sport, if only for the fact he is the voice of dissent.

I have despised Cuban for years because of what I interpreted as his flamboyancy within his wealth. But I have been gaining a respect for his no BS attitude toward those seeking to make changes to a game that didn't need any changing.

Does anyone feel or know anyone that feels that the NBA had/has somehow become evil?...in need of revamping by a self-ordained preacher of what is right for the NBA and touting his own idealism?

Stern's gotta go...right now. His power has gone to his head and he's trying to morph the NBA into something that sucks the life out of the game...and into what he alone thinks the game should be.

I would take Cuban over Stern in a heartbeat.

Stern's gotta go...right now. His power has gone to his head and he's trying to morph the NBA into something that sucks the life out of the game...and into what he alone thinks the game should be.


Stern reminds me of the strict Head Master of an all boys prep school.

I just wish someone would B slap that Cheshire cat grin off his face... he reminds me of them rich catholic school kids whose mama changed his diapers 'til he was 12... he hasn't had a hard day in his life.... he needs to get a lil ghetto in his existence to understand the fight in the players... it shouldn't be life according to the primadonna league.

I've been trading emails with Mark Cuban the past couple of days. He really isn't a fan of Mr. D.

There are clearly some things going on behind the scenes that we don't fully know about.

He was also sounding pretty bitter on his blog site the other day.

My RadioMaverick Show on Sirius and the NBA. - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/10/29/my-radiomaverick-show-on-sirius-and-the-nba/)

PISTONS: Zero Tolerance: Like the Marines, adapt and overcome (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/eliz_blog_061105.html)

It's sad to see Eli Zaret reduced to talking up "the windbreakered one" against Mark Cuban.

Btw, Mark has a fantastic post up on his blog (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/11/06/a-wierd-thing-about-owning-a-team/) that provides a little more insight into his skill for team building and developing loyalty. Maybe Bill Davidson should take note and mend fences with Isiah Thomas.

Cuban is a whining, snivling cry baby...pain in the arse)

Cuban is very very rich and he earned it himself. For my money, what little I have, he can whine and snivle any time any place.

I got to respect a self made billionaire no made how many kleenex they use.

He also happens to be a Hooiser alumnus just like Zeke.

Mark Cuban: America's Coolest Billionaire (http://www.youngmoney.com/entrepreneur/entrepreneur_profiles/041703_01)

When a woman talks dirty to a man it is $3.95 a minute.<<

Not if you are married then it costs a lot more than $3.95 a minute, whether you realize it or not.

Success and Motivation - Connecting to your customers - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/11/07/success-and-motivation-connecting-to-your-customers/)

I Love the New NBA ! - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/11/07/i-love-the-new-nba/)

I'm going to keep pimping his blog posts. Not enough publicity has been given to the OWNER RULES.

Mark's blog has been must read material since he got the ball checked out in a lab.

More Cuban

One on One with Mark Cuban | HOOPSWORLD.com (http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_19374.shtml)

Tracy is a little shaky on the I/me rule for a writer. Interesting though.

Learning from Tim Duncan - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/11/25/learning-from-tim-duncan/)

This is the new sarcastic Mark (trying to avoid fines). He's trying to draw attention to Tim Duncan committing an offensive foul that never gets called.

Success and Motivation: Drowning in Opportunity /Winning the Battles you are in - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/12/11/success-and-motivation-drowing-in-opportunity-winning-the-battl/)

Cuban on channeling the entrepreneurial spirit. Has an interesting perspective on the NBA's growth internationally and I imagine is part of his core issues with David Stern.

Stern is after all a lawyer. Cuban is a businessman.

Thanks for posting the blog. Cuban is such a sharp guy. It's fun to see the paths he has taken as an entrepreneur, because essentially all entrepreneurs have that same spirit. He has pointed out how things worked for him, how they didnt work for him and how he has come to recognize what might come to him as actually a challenge or a distraction, something that gets him off focus. Entrepreneurs are creative people, and because they are creative they can keep generating ideas and more ideas, and it's hard to rein them in. But, as Mark pointed out, they can drown you.

Knowing his entrepreneural personality, he probably really had to review his fundamentals when he decided to yield to Stern, that it was wasting his time and energy, getting him off focus. I firmly believe Stern decided on the leather ball because of the work Cuban had physicist do. Sure, the union would have pushed and won, but I bet the union would have used Cubans work showing what research showed and how little research NBA had done. And Stern as a lawyer probably knew that. Hey, I'm sure Mark as a businessman has had his share of lawyer bull, so Stern was easy:)

Awesome blog post from Mark Cuban. This is why I like to read what he writes. He's either dead-on, or way off, but either way, it's a bit of a rush reading what an owner has to say.

The Lesson Of Happy Gilmore and Pro Sports Marketing - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2006/12/25/the-lesson-of-happy-gilmore-and-pro-sports-marketing/)

Cuban on Dress Clothes at work

Why I Don't Wear a Suit and Can't Figure Out Why Anyone Does ! - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2007/01/16/why-i-dont-wear-a-suit-and-cant-figure-out-why-anyone-does/)

A dig at NBA marketing

The Lessons of T Shirts to Marketers - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2007/01/15/the-lessons-of-t-shirts-to-marketers/)

Prior to the NBA totally pissing Mark off with their new "owner rules", he was one of the most sought after speakers and league guerilla marketing specialists. Some folks think he is over-estimating the effect of arena sideshow events, but I think he is making a statement that going to a game must be entertaining, and that the fans respond positively to interaction and stimulus.

Cuban on Dress Clothes at work
Why I Don't Wear a Suit and Can't Figure Out Why Anyone Does ! - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2007/01/16/why-i-dont-wear-a-suit-and-cant-figure-out-why-anyone-does/)

i love that. we have a dress code at work (casual), but i still get by with untucked polo shirts and tennis shoes...mostly because engineers get a bit more freedom :O

I think this conclusively answers the subject of this thread.

Mark is good for basketball.

MiamiHerald.com | 01/22/2007 | Wade could sit tonight (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/basketball/16515375.htm)

CUBAN THE COMEDIAN

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban joked that he expected O'Neal to sit out Sunday's Finals rematch against Dallas.

''You expect him to chicken out,'' Cuban said. ``Shaq Albert needs his rest and he needs to do what he needs to do. But Shaq is a unique individual, so you miss seeing him on the court. Whether it would have made a difference, who knows?''

I think this conclusively answers the subject of this thread.

Mark is good for basketball.

Pretty good. But, it may also answer the sub-question - is Cuban good for the Mavs? Shaq is old, fat, and slow, but I'm not sure what good making him mad will do the Mavs if they were to meet the Heat again down the road.

Great Mark Cuban interview

One-on-One with Mark Cuban | HOOPSWORLD.com (http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_21209.shtml)
The Dallas Morning News reported that you were very close to selling the team over the summer. What was driving that feeling?

It's what I've said before, I hated dealing with the NBA, the league itself.

I love the players, I love the organization, I love the fans, I love being part of the community - there's just so much that's so positive.

I hated dealing with the minutia of the NBA. They specialize in administrivia a lot of times and that's not me.

We just have a different view on the business side of things and from there, it's my choice.

Last night on on NBA Coast to Coast (ESPN2) they aired a interview conducted by Rachel (red hair) Nichols where she asked Cuban about some comments made by Pistons owner Bill Davidson, that Cuban antics/tactics were bad for the league. I guess that Davisdon had been interviewed previously about Cuban and they wanted his reaction to Mr D's comments. Does anyone have those commments from Davidson handy?

Cuban went on to say that Davison "has No Clue what he talking about as it relates to what Cuban does for the league" One of the cnomment Cuban said last night is that NBA should concentrate on marketing the league to the USA instead of foreign countries. The income is not coming from third world countries in his opinion.

The ESPN crew loved the way Cuban conducts business as it relates to interacting with the fans, signing autographs, marketing his team and says that he is in tune whit what society is doing now, and has deep pockets when he wants his team to win. On the other hand Davison is an old school blue collar guy with shallow pockets. Swin Cash, who by the way held her own on the panel with Legler, Anthony and John Saunders, tried to defend Mr D, but in the end you knew that Cuban is the the type of owner that players love to play for. As Saunders said in the end Mr. D has rings in three different leagues and Cuban is still searchin for his first!

Mr. D and the Pistons org. have been taking pot shots at Cuban for over a year.

It's classless, but in Michigan, Bill D gets away with a lot because he is revered as this genius businessman and sports team owner.

I like the Pistons, but I could care less who owns them, and in my inexpert opinion, Mark Cuban is a fantastic sports team owner.

Cuban is not a fan of Mr. D. and vise versa. Cuban claims that Mr. D. was "front and center" to make changes to league rules for the owners as well as the players.

Cuban said that he isn't allowed to speak out and have the same fun he used to.

I don't blame him for being mad and wanting out. I'm glad he didn't though, because like him or hate him, I think he is GREAT for basketball.

Last night on on NBA Coast to Coast (ESPN2) they aired a interview conducted by Rachel (red hair) Nichols where she asked Cuban about some comments made by Pistons owner Bill Davidson, that Cuban antics/tactics were bad for the league.Well, that settles it right there. Pistons/Mavs final...bad blood between the owners will make for a great underlying story.

I vote that he is bad for the NBA. Why? Very simply, he has proven that you can be a total jerk and be a winner. I think he has the ability to not be a jerk and still prove he is a winner. I know if I was an owner, I would love to run this guy out. I find it extremely hard to respect him inspite of his winning methods. I think he can shoot much higher. I believe he can win and show class and respectibility too. I don't think it has to be one or the other. To me it shows you the corrupting power of money and leadership. We see it not only in our politicians, we see it now with one of our owners. I think he is an extremely poor role model for all of these kids. To me its the wrong lesson to teach the next generation that if you have enough money, that gives you the right to treat anybody the way you want to, and still be respected. Just my opinion.

Well, that settles it right there. Pistons/Mavs final...bad blood between the owners will make for a great underlying story.

I'm glad the NBA has at least one reason to allow us to make it to the Finals.

Cuban is not a fan of Mr. D. and vise versa. Cuban claims that Mr. D. was "front and center" to make changes to league rules for the owners as well as the players.

Considering that Cuban was one of the main backers of the perimeter defense rules changes after the 2004 season (along with Jerry "the most overrated hack in professional sport" Colangelo), it's understandable that the Pistons organization has no particular love for him.

It may be hypocritical, but Cuban's nothing if he's not a hypocrite.

I appreciate his singlemindedness, though.

I vote that he is bad for the NBA. Why? Very simply, he has proven that you can be a total jerk and be a winner. I think he has the ability to not be a jerk and still prove he is a winner. I know if I was an owner, I would love to run this guy out. I find it extremely hard to respect him inspite of his winning methods. I think he can shoot much higher. I believe he can win and show class and respectibility too. I don't think it has to be one or the other. To me it shows you the corrupting power of money and leadership. We see it not only in our politicians, we see it now with one of our owners. I think he is an extremely poor role model for all of these kids. To me its the wrong lesson to teach the next generation that if you have enough money, that gives you the right to treat anybody the way you want to, and still be respected. Just my opinion.
I totally disagree.

Kobe is not a role model for young people. Latrell Sprewell is not a role model for young people.

Mark Cuban put himself through university and with luck, intelligence and savvy positioned himself as the 113th richest man in America, all in less than 30 years.

Cuban has matched all of his NBA fines, by donating the equivalent amount to charity.

ESPN.com: NBA - Dairy Queen to Cuban: Try managing our stores (http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0110/1309138.html)

Cuban, who was fined an NBA-record $500,000 Tuesday for his criticism of NBA officials, said the league's director of officials Ed Rush "might have been a great ref, but I wouldn't hire him to manage a Dairy Queen."http://99waystoblog.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/mark_cuban_dairyqueen.jpg

"We are certainly impressed that Dairy Queen is top of mind with Mark Cuban. We like the publicity he's generated for us. But Mr. Cuban may be surprised to find out how much it takes to manage a Dairy Queen. We invite Mr. Cuban in to manage a Dairy Queen for a day." And Cuban said he'd give it a shot.

He's smart, confident and funny. He says what is on his mind, not what is safe. He's self-made, and he's responded to my emails when I've had something worth saying.

He recently turned down an opportunity to have his own satellite radio show to spend more time with his daughter.

What better role model could you ask for?

ESPN.com: TrueHoop (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-22-94/Mark-Cuban--Almost-Couldn-t-Take-it-Anymore.html)

"I'll give him (David Stern) a kiss on the cheek when I see him," Cuban said. "As long as we don't talk about sex, politics, and religion, we're OK."

I asked Cuban why not kiss his ring? (A pope vs. consigliere reference).

"Because his toes were covered," Cuban said.

Just in case you needed another reason to like Cuban, it appears that he's a Zeke fan.

Cuban on Zeke, Marbury and $15 basketball shoes, from today's NY Post:

CUBAN: ZEKE PACT MERITED By MARC BERMAN - Knicks - New York Post Online Edition (http://www.nypost.com/seven/03212007/sports/knicks/cuban__zeke_pact_merited_knicks_marc_berman.htm)

I totally disagree.

Kobe is not a role model for young people. Latrell Sprewell is not a role model for young people.

Mark Cuban put himself through university and with luck, intelligence and savvy positioned himself as the 113th richest man in America, all in less than 30 years.

Cuban has matched all of his NBA fines, by donating the equivalent amount to charity.

ESPN.com: NBA - Dairy Queen to Cuban: Try managing our stores (http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0110/1309138.html)

http://99waystoblog.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/mark_cuban_dairyqueen.jpg



He's smart, confident and funny. He says what is on his mind, not what is safe. He's self-made, and he's responded to my emails when I've had something worth saying.

He recently turned down an opportunity to have his own satellite radio show to spend more time with his daughter.

What better role model could you ask for?


Kobe not a role model? What better role model could you ask for? I totally disagree.

According to Webster, a role model is a person who serves as a model in a particular behavior or social role for another person to emulate. The reason why Kobe gets paid multimillions for endorsements is because he is a role model. Those companies aren't stupid. They know Kobe is going to sell their product because millions of people are going to try to emulate him by buying his jersey, etc. Kobe is a role model by definition.

Do I want my children and students to grow up and emulate Mark Cuban? Absolutely no way.

Cuban = Executive Sheed

Need4Sheed.com: Mark Cuban Reads Need4Sheed.com (http://www.need4sheed.com/2007/03/mark-cuban-reads-need4sheedcom.html)

Mark Cuban commented on Natalie's blog. This doesn't surprise me, because he has exchanged emails with jammertime and myself in the past.

Super fan, super owner. Executive Sheed Extreme.

Need4Sheed.com: Mark Cuban Reads Need4Sheed.com (http://www.need4sheed.com/2007/03/mark-cuban-reads-need4sheedcom.html)

Mark Cuban commented on Natalie's blog. This doesn't surprise me, because he has exchanged emails with jammertime and myself in the past.

Super fan, super owner. Executive Sheed Extreme.

It all depends what you value I guess. What he values and what I value are two different things. He gets my vote as worst owner of all sports franchises. I've never witnessed an owner that was as big of a jerk as Cuban. I guess Al Davis comes to mind. I think I would vote Cuban last and Al Davis second to last.

buckeyes#1

Fallen Patriot Fund About (http://www.fallenpatriotfund.org/4_16_03.html)

Now please, give it up. The man is a decent human being who doesn't hurt anyone.

That's awesome for Natalie. Now we just have to get him over here!

Although, maybe he's already here. I'm starting to wonder about Buckeyes#1... ;)

That's awesome for Natalie. Now we just have to get him over here!

Although, maybe he's already here. I'm starting to wonder about Buckeyes#1... ;)


Why are you starting to wonder about me? Because my opinion does not match yours? I'm just answering the question that this thread poses. I guess I am not sure what I have done wrong. My apologies if my judgement was somehow overbearing. I honestly did not think mine was any more overbearing than anybody elses. Roscoe gave his opinion of Mark as "super owner" , which I interpret as the top 5%. So I gave my opinion of where he ranks on my list, which is the bottom 5%. I thought that was the purpose of this forum. To exchange our differences of opinion. Where's the foul? And why is it a foul?

Why are you starting to wonder about me? Because my opinion does not match yours? I'm just answering the question that this thread poses. I guess I am not sure what I have done wrong. My apologies if my judgement was somehow overbearing. I honestly did not think mine was any more overbearing than anybody elses. Roscoe gave his opinion of Mark as "super owner" , which I interpret as the top 5%. So I gave my opinion of where he ranks on my list, which is the bottom 5%. I thought that was the purpose of this forum. To exchange our differences of opinion. Where's the foul? And why is it a foul?
Jammer's comment was a playful remark that you might really be Mark Cuban having fun with us.

Buckeyes, what exactly do you value?

What does Mark Cuban value?

If Kobe is a role model, would you be happy with your son emulating his sexual exploits in Colorado? You did after all say Kobe was by definition a role model, "what better role model"... etc.

I'm curious to know how you grade the Bucks, Clippers, New York, Atlanta, Charlotte, Seattle etc. ownerships better than the Mavs.

Cuban's touch with a bad franchise has been gold. He renovated the locker rooms, brought in quality free agents, re-signed his key players, found a great rookie coach who took the team to the Finals, and he's been one of the driving forces in NBA marketing.

His franchise is NOW worth a lot of money, just like every business he approaches with his cocky, hands-on approach. I don't know what more he could possibly do to prove that he is a pretty darn successful person on multiple fronts.

Now maybe you don't like his look, or his (relative) youth, or his success. Maybe you don't like how arrogant or loud he is. Maybe you don't like that such a person could create a platform for themselves to project their opinions. But while you might not like the packaging, I cannot fathom how you can argue against results.

Jammer's comment was a playful remark that you might really be Mark Cuban having fun with us.

Exactly.

Buckeye, I was just messin' with you. I thought ;) was the universal symbol for "just playin'"

My bad. No hard feelings.

Buckeyes, it's clear no harm was meant. Just accept that we're in the minority position on this one ... but not that small a minority, if you look closely. It just seems that way because roscoe has turned the thread into a blog for his Cuban man-crush. :)

A lot of people like Cuban because he's entertaining. Some are flattered (and flattery is really all it is) that he answers out-of-the way bloggers. Me, I think there must be a little Nixon in a guy who tracks every Web reference to him on a real-time basis.

I spent an hour here trying to come up with a response that was "just right".

No dice.

Y'all don't like Mark, knock yourselves out. It's certainly easier to laugh at him than get to know him. Or maybe I am just a victim of effectively conceived flattery.

it's okay roscoe, we all know you have a man-crush for cuban ;)

I really like him. As much as I like you guys and for a lot of the same reasons.

I don't dislike him by any means. He's done a lot to shine light up under the old boys skirts (to mix a number of metaphors) and open up the smoky back room is how we get things done MO of the league. Good on him.

I'm not sure however if his constant nagging of the league - attacking the refs, sending in film, etc. really helps his team. It might even at times hurt them (though with their record I allow the evidence might be hard to find).

I guess what I'm saying is that I think it's a good thing that the league has some out there, proactive, questioning owners. I'm also saying that I like it better when they're the owners of the "other" team and not mine.

He's good cause he'll challenge the upper eschaleon to keep things straight. He's a hands on owner who I wish would buy the Detroit Lions. He's definitely not stupid. He loves his employees.

Yesterday, I mentioned I thought he was a jerk. I just found out that he is much worse than I ever thought. Mark Cuban is distributing the movie Loose Change, which is about the horrendous allegation that the US government was behind the 9/11 attacks. This guy needs to put on the next plane leaving Dallas and forced to parachute over a deserted island somewhere. This guy is despicable. He's making a mockery of the death of over 3100 US citzens. The Dallas fans, if they had any decency would rise up against this man. No decent human being would distribute such trash. He has hurt many millions of US citizens that love deeply their country.

Exactly.

Buckeye, I was just messin' with you. I thought ;) was the universal symbol for "just playin'"

My bad. No hard feelings.

Hey Jammer, my apologies for reading you wrong the other day. No hard feelings. I think I had a stressful week in school last week. All the kiddies have spring fever but spring break is still a week away! Pray that the teachers of America don't lose their marbles next week. I came close to losing mine last week! :pound: :pound: :pound:

Hey Jammer, my apologies for reading you wrong the other day. No hard feelings. I think I had a stressful week in school last week. All the kiddies have spring fever but spring break is still a week away! Pray that the teachers of America don't lose their marbles next week. I came close to losing mine last week! :pound: :pound: :pound:

No problem at all. :hug:

I'm a very sarcastic and dry person by nature. Sometimes that doesn't come across so well in text.

Rules in the NBA - Blog Maverick (http://www.blogmaverick.com/2007/05/16/rules-in-the-nba/)

First, let me go on the record as saying that in the event that a vote comes up to change the rules about suspensions for players leaving the bench, I will vote against changing it.

Why ? Because its incredibly simple to educate players about the rule. Its a rule they fully understand and they understand the consequences of violating the rule. That makes the NBA stronger because it removes uncertainty. Can it result in a game(s) being impacted , yes. However, that impact results from an action a player knew violated the rules and was a mistake. There is no uncertainty about it. All they had to do was not leave the bench.

I actually think that more rules need to be iron clad like the "don't leave the bench rule". Whenever we can remove discretion in enforcement from the NBA the game is better for it.
The Low and Mark Cuban on the same page.

Dallas Basketball - Dallas Mavericks Basketball News and Links (http://www.dallasbasketball.com/newmainArticle.asp?id=133)

Pretty cool.
Harris, voted the NBA’s top assistant in three of the last four seasons by NBA general managers, is credited with serving as an important buffer between the high-profile owner and the strong-willed former coach Don Nelson. For the last three seasons, he’s served as a mentor (and probably a buffer, too) for volatile young head coach Avery Johnson. And all the while, he’s been an invaluable resource to Cuban, from front office to locker room.

For that reason, Harris – who was already the NBA’s highest-paid assistant – will now be a highly-paid consultant. Cuban essentially politely refused Harris’ offer of retirement, countering with a handshake offer that allows Del to remain with the organization in a capacity of his own design.

“For Mark to show this sort of appreciation towards me,’’ Harris says, “it’s overwhelming, really.’’