Yankees of the NBA?

[cashhog]

As much as I glad that the Dallas Mavericks have finally obtained an inside presence, there is an immediate problem with the Mark Cuban regime that I feel must be addressed. I appreciate the value of a capitalistic society as much as the next guy, but there are times when things have gone too far. And sadly, as a Texas Rangers fan (and a fan of any lower revenue team beating down on those accursed Yankees / Red Sox), I am quite appalled by Cuban's apparent desire to emulate the Yankees and become their equivalent in the NBA.

Now please understand, I know that the Yankee's formula has worked in the past (although not recently), and I must say that the Mavericks seem to have a similar chance these coming years. But a look at the Mavericks current payroll (and roster), and I begin to wonder what exactly our owner is doing.

So, with the salary cap set at $43.87 million, even without dampier and esch (admittedly we do rid outselves of najera's salary as well as Laettner's which is expiring anyways) our current salary sits at $87,442,313. (link: http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/dallas.htm) Parallel that to the Yankees, who in baseball where there is indeed no salary cap, have a payroll at $184,193,950 where the average total team salary is at least half that. Interesting indeed. Now I know the classic Yankee-fan response: You are just jealous of our owner's enormous pocketbook, and you wish your team could do the same. Hmm... I seem to remember a certain owner of our hometown Texas Rangers giving the biggest salary in baseball to a player, which lead our team to an amazing... 217 - 361 record in his 4 years here as the perenial cellar-dwellers of the AL West. (Oh and btw, we were 95 - 67 the year before, and just who knows how this year will turn out. And please, I know there are other circumstances leading to the horrible record; I'm just reporting the facts) In any case, no yankee-fans, we are not jealous of your enormous spending, we just know that paying all that money doesn't always work out. But I digress.

While there is nothing inherently wrong about what cuban and the boss are doing, I think I speak for most of the fans of baseball when I say we hate the yankees, maybe even the red sox (although assuredly I pity them as well), and possibly the angels for their free spending ways. I think I also speak for most baseball fans when I say we appreciate the teams that work hard to draft their own superstars and develop them, which I am proud to say the Rangers seem to be doing extremely well. But the mavs seem to be just morgating their future for the present, and I'm sorry to say I don't see our present being that amazing to begin with.

Something to chew on:
5.1, 11.8, 8.8, 8.0, 7.4, 7.6, 8.2, 12.3. The PPG averages of Dampier throughout his career.
4.1, 8.7, 7.6, 6.4, 5.8, 5.3, 6.6, 12.0. The RPG averages of Dampier throughout his career. Now I don't want to be rude, but I wonder why suddenly out of nowhere, a career 8.9 PPG and 7.2 RPG player averages a double double, and suddenly everybody thinks he's the second coming of... oh right Calvin Booth. So both these players have career years during contract years, and everybody wants a piece of them. Ridiculous. (Although maybe not as ridiculous as several contracts handed out this year since Dampier can "only" get 6 - 9 million a year.)

Take a look at the Maverick's payroll (link above), and you'll see: Wow! We have a lot of big contracts that will be on the book for a while. So here's to hoping that the Mavs do well, because I do not see such a bright future ahead. (Yes I know we have Daniels, Howard and Harris, so do take note that I am pleased with that). Just look: we won't be even close to under teh salary cap until 2007/2008, assuming we pick up options on Harris, Howard and Podkolzin, which I think we would want the team to do.

Anyways, I just thought I'd bring up the parallel, and please don't take this as an attack on the Mavericks. I just thought it would be interesting to hear everyone's take on the situation, and feel free to dispute anything I have said. I'm probably wrong about a lot of the stuff, but man, if the Mavericks indeed are the Yankees of the NBA, I'm not so sure the baseball side of me will like that one bit. In other words, please tell me why the Mavericks are not the Yankees of the NBA, and I'll be happy to listen.

Oh, and I know a few of you will point out that we aren't like the yankees, because we do have young talent (while the Yankees/Red Sox famously have little in their minor leagues). But that really isn't the point. Most of the Yankee haters aren't annoyed by the fact that the Yankees trade away their youngsters for star players, they are annoyed that the Yankees are able to eat up any salary mistakes, outbid any other team, and buy all-star players on a team already composed of many. They are annoyed by a perceived "unfair competitive advantage" that the Yankees possess. Hey I know that sports are ruthless, and it's the championship or nothing; but as a Rangers fan I just don't want the Mavericks to be as universally hated as the Yankees are in the sporting world. I'd rather be hated like people hate the Lakers, who are hated not because of their payroll, but because of the titles they seem to keep winning.

Cheers.