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What if ...
Mark Cuban were NBA commissioner?
02/17/2002
By JODIE VALADE / The Dallas Morning News
Yeah, OK. What if every kid had ice cream, every dog had unlimited bones and ear-scratches and your team won the championship every year?
That would be, of course, Cuban's dream world. He could right every wrong he perceives with the NBA. He would bring Internet speed to the snail-mail paced world of professional basketball. He would dabble with changes, and be quick to reverse course if it didn't work.
Here's guessing he'd focus first on officiating. That third-party evaluator of referees would be formed – maybe a committee that oversees the whole program. He'd bring some technology to the game to make it easier on the refs – he's talked about setting up a simple clock to count down eight seconds up the court and three seconds in the paint so officials don't have to worry about that.
He'd hire a bunch of the best officials in the college ranks. Maybe even get a couple charter planes so the poor refs don't have to fly commercial, anymore. Give them a few plush towels and the nicest hotels.
But there would be, of course, accountability. Cuban demands that with his Mavericks, demands perfection and then explanations. We assume he'd carry that over to the league.
Marketing – another of Cuban's complaints with the current system – would receive special attention, too. He's a salesman first, after all, and he'd sell the league to increase profits. He's a businessman, too, so he'd like to make money.
Every fan would get Blizzards and Chalupas.
He'd inject some fun and some life into the game.
Maybe, even, he would be a very quiet and happy man.