Cuban to League: SCREW YOU! - Page 2 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

dude1394 · 11-01-2006, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumdawg

I hear you. Thought about those same things myself. Seems overboard, but a "code of conduct" has to include some things, you know?

To my mind, just making the owner liable for technical fouls would be a huge thing. No, you can't stop the owner from sitting courtside. Yes, there are other owners who do (Sarver comes immediately to mind.) But ding them for techs when they sit courtside and bitch? I bet that's in the cards.

Interesting question you pose at the end there. If the league DID deny his team a championship (because of his bitching), is he really wise to continue bitching? That would be a calculated gamble. And one that he might be inclined to lose. Cuban is, I suppose, quite powerful in his own right. But Stern could probably eat his liver for dinner. You know, with some fava beans and Chianti.

If the league DID deny his team the championship and if he truly is all about improving the product then yes he "should" if he's brave at heart as that would be such a core fraud that an honest person shouldn't stand for it.

Now in general I can't say I would be so honest for the NBA as a whole that I would hurt my own team, but it would be the honorable thing to do, maybe not "lawyer-smart" but honorable.

I'm trying to figure out what constitutes a bitch. I haven't watche the maloof brothers but they seem to be in it pretty good. Cubes does go overboard because he's right there standing up (wouldn't you absolutely HATE to sit behind him) the whole game it seems.

It will be really interesting to see what the come up with. If I were cubes I'd sell the whole thing and go have fun doing something else.

mqywaaah · 11-01-2006, 12:57 AM

AYE!!! Got to give it to Cubes balls. LOL

Five-ofan · 11-01-2006, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumdawg

I hear you. Thought about those same things myself. Seems overboard, but a "code of conduct" has to include some things, you know?

To my mind, just making the owner liable for technical fouls would be a huge thing. No, you can't stop the owner from sitting courtside. Yes, there are other owners who do (Sarver comes immediately to mind.) But ding them for techs when they sit courtside and bitch? I bet that's in the cards.

Interesting question you pose at the end there. If the league DID deny his team a championship (because of his bitching), is he really wise to continue bitching? That would be a calculated gamble. And one that he might be inclined to lose. Cuban is, I suppose, quite powerful in his own right. But Stern could probably eat his liver for dinner. You know, with some fava beans and Chianti.

I think the league would have a hard time getting that tech thing implemented and if they did, it would be a _itch move on sterns part. His problem isnt him yelling at the officials on the court, its Cuban complaining about the media. My personal theory to fixing this is that instead of spending all of these resources trying to quiet the man complaining about the bad officiating it would be wise to use these resources to, you know, try to improve the bad officiating.

G-Man · 11-01-2006, 01:13 AM

The real problem Stern has with Cubes is that at least some of the time, he is right. The officating has needed to get better. When you watch the NFL. you don't get the feeling that the home team will get better calls, but thats a given in the NBA. Then, with the Dwayne Wade thing, Cuban went off, but the entire basketball world watched the Finals, and a bunch of em came away scratching their heads over the officating... Didn't you hear the TMac stuff on Houston radio?

Personally, I think Cuban not getting on the radio is a good thing for Mavs fans. It would have been a huge stroke to his ego, which is plenty big enough already. He'd probably be violating the new code of conduct once an hour. He'd be 100 times more controversial, because he'll say what he thinks, and back it up with stats and refuse to back down.

Contrast Cuban to Stern's tyipical and prefered owner type. Most of the time when tv takes a shot of the owners box, the owner looks like the corpse on "Weekend at Bernies". So if Stern is choosing to put Cuban on the radio, is he just trying to exploit Cuban's big mouth? Is it a setup?

Maybe Mark sensed this too, and made a smart move by getting out of the radio deal. I guarentee the controversy over him quitting will be minsicle compared to the ones he would create if he's on the air constantly.

I otherwise don't care about the Mark and David show. Its time for the Dirk and Timmy show. LETS GET IT ON!!!

chumdawg · 11-01-2006, 01:27 AM

The thing about the techincals--and granted, I'm ust wildly guessing here--is that it seems like the only thing that has a chance to shut Cuban up. Obviously, he is willing to pay the fines. Hell, he trades on them, by matching them in amount with charitable contributions. We all know that Cuban does a very good job of playing the victim.

But if the refs can give the other team free throws (just as they can when a coach complains), you think that might give Cuban pause? Think about it. It's a playoff game, down to the wire, and techs make the difference? Not even Cuban is that principled.

If the league wants their "code of conduct" to have teeth, it's got to hurt the basketball team competitively, on the floor. And realisitically, if Cuban is going to stand next to the coaches and the players, also as a member of the organization, why shouldn't he be treated differently?

Tee his ass up when he yells at the refs, just as you would a coach. Then we'll see if discretion is the better part of valor.

chumdawg · 11-01-2006, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude1394

If the league DID deny his team the championship and if he truly is all about improving the product then yes he "should" if he's brave at heart as that would be such a core fraud that an honest person shouldn't stand for it.

The rub, dude, is this: Would it be fraud, or would it be just desserts?

Five-ofan · 11-01-2006, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumdawg

The rub, dude, is this: Would it be fraud, or would it be just desserts?

Have you lost your mind? HELL NO its not just desserts to cheat a team out of a title because there owner excercises his right to free speech. Good freaking god. i know you love playing the contrarian and you hate him because of the nash stuff but come on man, this is just ridiculous. I have neg repped 2 people and I love you chummy but I am SOOOOO tempted to neg rep you for that. Thats a creditxpert level post....

chumdawg · 11-01-2006, 01:39 AM

Calm, down, Matt. I'm not taking about ME dishing out just desserts. I'm talking about Stern/the refs/the league/et al. Free speech, schmee speech. Certainly you don't deny that Cuban has pissed a LOT of people off in his tenure, not the least of which the referees. You may feel that it was justified, and I may even agree with you. But that doesn't change the fact that the refs surely disagree.

I guess what I am saying is this. If you bite the hand that feeds you, you probably shouldn't cry foul when you no longer get fed. See what I mean?

Five-ofan · 11-01-2006, 01:43 AM

I know what your mean but that is a completely flawed line of thinking and Im fairly certain you know that but are enjoying playing your contrarian role.

chumdawg · 11-01-2006, 01:57 AM

If by "contrarian role" you mean that I am anti-Cuban, then you are quite right. I believe that I may be on record on this forum with that point of view. I think he's a self-absorbed cocksucker who puts his own ego ahead of the good of the team, to tell the truth.

But all that aside...

Here's what I have to go on:

--Some fans/players/writers/others hint that there may have an officiating conspiracy that kept the better team (the Mavs) from winning the championship

--In the offseason the league takes steps to implement an "owners code of conduct," evidently aimed in part against Cuban

How can these two data points be construed as good for the Mavs? I repeat: How can this be good for the Mavs???

Up until these latest stories about the "code of conduct," I never put one bit of stock in the officiating conspiracy theories. I thought they were a load of crap. But now I see real evidence of a power play between Cuban and the rest of the league, and I'm considering the possibility.

Put yourself in Stern's shoes. That's all I'm saying. Put yourself in his shoes--and the shoes of the other owners--and ask yourself if he is really doing the Mavs any good on the basketball court.

Sure seems like he may be tilting the playing field against them.

And if that's contrarian, then I want to exercise MY right of free speech and tell him to get himself fucked and leave our basketball team alone!

kriD · 11-01-2006, 04:47 AM

Cuban's resolve unhindered

Owner aggravated by NBA actions but love of team hasn't changed

01:48 AM CST on Wednesday, November 1, 2006
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

During the last few days, Mark Cuban has found out the NBA is instituting a code of conduct for owners and the league's deal with Sirius was derailed, ending any chance that he would host his own show on the satellite radio network.

One thing hasn't changed, however.

"I love owning the Mavs," Cuban said Tuesday.

If anybody was worried that the league's pecking away at the Mavericks owner might dent his resolve, forget it. He's looking forward to winning two more postseason games this season, which would mean the Mavs' first championship trophy.

Not that the league hasn't aggravated Cuban. First, Cuban informed the satellite radio folks that if the league didn't have an agreement with them, he would bow out of any talk show.

"I would only do it if they closed a deal with the NBA," Cuban wrote on his blog Monday, noting that he would do so to be a good corporate partner for the league, not because of any burning desire to do a radio show.

Cuban also said other owners and league officials who are quick to use his ideas or his name-recognition also have conspired against him in other ways, and it is that hypocrisy that has become a long-term irritant for him.

Meanwhile, the conduct code for owners also has hit close to Cuban. He has not heard any clarification about what's contained in the code but it's clear the rule affects him more than other owners.

"It's no big deal either way," he said. "They have made their point. The intent was to suggest that some owners don't like the way I do business – something they remind me of collectively every year but forget individually when they ask for something for the league or their teams."

Asked if the culmination of issues could be the beginning of the end for him as an NBA owner, Cuban said, "I hope not."

Injury report: D.J. Mbenga, who averaged 5.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in the regular season, will miss at least two weeks with a strained tendon in his left foot.

The 7-foot center suffered the injury in practice Monday and was fitted for a walking boot Tuesday.

Also, Devean George's availability for the season opener is in doubt after he was rushed to the hospital with a stomach illness at 3 a.m. Tuesday. He remained hospitalized through Tuesday evening.

George had a similar problem early in training camp and missed a couple of practices and one preseason game.

Other than that, it was fine: Coach Avery Johnson said the Mavericks had one of their worst practices of the preseason Monday.

"Major turnovers, major mental breakdowns, no good screens, nobody goes to the offensive glass, blown plays ... a lot of [things]," he said. "Free throws were good."

He said the team followed it up with a sharp practice Tuesday.

Backup in name only: Johnson said DeSagana Diop will be the starting center against San Antonio but added that Erick Dampier will get the bulk of playing time at the position.

"Damp's been awfully good in the preseason," Johnson said. "I don't think it [playing time at center] will split right down the middle."

The backcourt starter alongside Jason Terry will be Greg Buckner, Devin Harris or Anthony Johnson but could alternate from game to game.

ty · 11-01-2006, 05:05 AM

he needs to buy the league.

Darth Ape · 11-01-2006, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ty

he needs to buy the league.

Too bad the league is run by the owners, who collectively elect the commissioner and other officials. Cuban can't have any more power than any of the other owners, no matter how much money he spends. Back to that playing by the rules thing. You know, the thing Cuban doesn't seem to want to do.

He could always start his own league. He's hinted at that in the past. I say good luck to him. I'm sure he'll be successful.

DwD · 11-01-2006, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumdawg

I guess what I am saying is this. If you bite the hand that feeds you, you probably shouldn't cry foul when you no longer get fed. See what I mean?

In the current situation, I thought it was the owners who paid the commissioner and not the other way around. Who exactly is biting the hand that feeds them?

kriD · 11-02-2006, 05:58 AM

Mavericks must overcome Cuban Crisis of last season

By Randy Galloway
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

A special thank-you to David Stern, who this week used his commish muscle to apply the icing on an excellent Mavericks' off-season.

Game 1 of a new campaign begins tonight for our one local organization with true championship aspirations. An organization, by the way, that didn't allow the shell-shock of last June to linger through the summer and into fall.

Come May, can the Mavs survive San Antonio again in the playoffs? Don't know yet, but at least we get a very preliminary look at the situation, since it's the Spurs who provide the competition in this opener.

Otherwise, it's a better team, deeper and more talented, than the overachieving bunch that took out Pop and Co. one spring ago. For that, credit the work of Avery Johnson, Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban.

Getting past the Spurs was the best of times in Mavs franchise history. The worst would come four weeks later.

But after the greatest collapse in NBA Finals history, the Mavs' "must-do" checklist was long and tricky.

Until this week, however, I had eliminated all items except two, thanks to an aggressive off-season of player procurement.

One of those remaining checklist items can't be answered until the playoffs, when we find out about the psychological hangover of that tank job against the Miami Heat.

The other, of course, was the Cuban Crisis.

I'd like for Avery to be honest with us, and admit how many NBA coaches phoned him over the summer to say something like this:

"You will never win a championship with THAT owner."

OK, Avery ain't talking. But I'm guessing about 10, and would put the over/under at five.

You know the story here. Was Bennett Salvatore's whistle on Dirk Nowitzki in Game 5 at Miami merely an honest mistake, or a stick-that-in-your-loud-mouth message to Mr. Cuban?

Cuban's stock answer was he actually has more respect for NBA refs than to think something like that.

But whatever the number of private coaching calls Avery took after the Finals, those Johnson fraternity members don't believe that. I don't either.

It's one of those grassy-knoll guessing games, but common sense says Mark is killing the Mavericks with, among other things, his constant baseline buffoonery.

Using softer tones than that, Nowitzki had the same opinion a couple of weeks after the Finals. He, of course, was speaking for the entire team.

The Cuban Crisis was hanging over the Mavs, until...

This week, Stern announced a mysterious "Code of Conduct" for his owners.

The details are sketchy, and so are the penalties.

Cuban, of course, took it personally. He got all hissed off, again, at the commissioner.

Get this: Cuban thinks the new Code of Conduct is aimed right at him.

You are correct, Mark.

In a way, Cuban has a legitimate gripe, but if the new Stern law actually benefits the Mavericks by toning down the owner, then who cares if Mark is being profiled?

Hopefully, he's huffy enough to shut up, which is no certainty by any means. But if Mark is at least muzzled during games, that would help.

Stern is attempting to do the Mavs a favor here. Thanks, man.

All other things being equal on the floor, this team is good enough to get back to the Finals and, this time, win it all.

For one thing, the roster depth is greatly improved because of the addition of seasoned veterans. One fatal misconception a season ago was that depth was a strength. That theory was quickly exposed as the Mavericks advanced through the playoffs.

But by not disturbing the core, the Mavs win-now, off-season additions were point guard Anthony Johnson (the key newcomer, in this opinion), swingmen Greg Buckner and Devean George and front-line utility man Austin Croshere.

All four of those should be an upgrade over any comparison to a season ago.

Avery wants to build the Mavericks with the same mold of the organizations he knows the best and respects the most -- Gregg Popovich's Spurs.

The off-season moves reflected that.

At the moment, all is well. Let the games begin.

Usually Lurkin · 11-02-2006, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Calm, down, Matt. I'm not taking about ME dishing out just desserts. I'm talking about Stern/the refs/the league/et al. Free speech, schmee speech. Certainly you don't deny that Cuban has pissed a LOT of people off in his tenure, not the least of which the referees. You may feel that it was justified, and I may even agree with you. But that doesn't change the fact that the refs surely disagree.

I guess what I am saying is this. If you bite the hand that feeds you, you probably shouldn't cry foul when you no longer get fed. See what I mean?

hey, if you really think that it's some nefarious system of politics and bedfellows that determines a championship, then you must realize that that championship was never coming to Dallas without a change in the system.

chumdawg · 11-02-2006, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usually Lurkin

hey, if you really think that it's some nefarious system of politics and bedfellows that determines a championship, then you must realize that that championship was never coming to Dallas without a change in the system.

Why not? What did Dallas do to get on the wrong side?

Nash13 · 11-02-2006, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Why not? What did Dallas do to get on the wrong side?

Dallas did nothing, it's more because they faced Wade/90's rejects.

kriD · 11-03-2006, 03:08 AM

Cuban finally on Stern's side?

Mavericks owner jokes that he has become a 'David Stern disciple'

01:41 AM CST on Friday, November 3, 2006
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

As Mark Cuban was finishing his stair-stepper workout, it was hard to tell what was dripping more – the sweat from his face or the sarcasm from his mouth.

He kept saying he was serious. But after years of bickering with the NBA, it was almost like a comedy shtick to hear Cuban talk about a new love for commissioner David Stern, the code of conduct for owners and all things NBA.

"I'm thankful that the commissioner and the fellow owners have helped me see the error of my ways," Cuban said. "I thought all those hours I spent doing research would help the league. I just didn't see the light.

"I love owning the Mavs. I love the competition, the fans, everything. And now I have the added benefit of going to school at the University of David Stern."

Cuban was seated at his usual spot on the baseline near the Mavericks' bench during the season opener against San Antonio on Thursday night. But he didn't roam close to the team's huddle during timeouts – the main point of emphasis in the new code of conduct for owners.

Cuban, incidentally, said the Mavericks might look much different if the code had been in place a couple years ago.

"The one thing that I don't think would have happened if this rule had been enacted, I don't think A.J. [Avery Johnson] would be coaching the Mavericks," Cuban said. "If I can't watch things that go on in the huddle, how could I make that move?"

Cuban said when he promoted Johnson after Don Nelson resigned it was largely because he got to see how Johnson interacted in the huddles during timeouts.

Cuban has always liked running counter to the flow of conventionalism. It's how he earned his billions, and it's part of why he and league officials exchange barbs.

He said he will bite his tongue from here on, although it sounded like more of a guideline than a self-imposed rule.

"Whenever I have the urge to yell at officials, I'll just write it in my diary, because I know the league will fix it," he said.

When he was asked to make a prediction for the season, Cuban said: "I don't know. Do other owners make predictions?"

Cuban also offered to join Stern on a business trip. "Maybe they could have a "Take Mark to Work Day" at the league office," he said. "And I could learn from the best. I could be Mark Cuban, the David Stern disciple."

A truer indication of Cuban's feelings about the league's new code could be found on his attire for the opener. Cuban wore a blue Mavericks' T-shirt with a big dollar sign on the back with the words "He Fine Me" printed above it.

Cuban added that he will not be seen wearing a suit to games like some other owners. "Maybe I'll act like [Phoenix owner] Robert Sarver one night and watch in the suite," he said. Asked if he's been to his own suite lately, Cuban said: "No, I'd need directions."

Lingering bad blood: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he still feels Mark Cuban's actions after Game 6 of last season's playoff series were unacceptable.

After that game, Cuban cursed at Spurs' forward Bruce Bowen as the two passed on the court.

"It's pretty unbelievable," Popovich said. "There might be a rabid, irate fan somewhere that might do something like that and probably has. But you wouldn't expect that from an owner."

Briefly: Avery Johnson is entering his second full season as coach, but he still approaches openers like a rookie. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't drink," he said. "Really nervous." ... Devean George (stomach illness) will not make the trip to Houston for Saturday's game. The aim is to have George to practice Sunday.