Blog Maverick?

[Kori Ellis]

Is Cuban's blog still at blogmaverick.com? I can't access it today for some reason.

[A-Train]

Spurs shut his blog down too.

[Leetonidas]

Off-topic:

Holy crap Kori has a sig! :wow

On-topic:

I don't know...Google search?

[timvp]

Blame Bowen.

[DannyT]

yeah that junk was timing out on me as well Kori

[Kori Ellis]

Off-topic:

Holy crap Kori has a sig! :wow



Bowen/Dirk matchup is something sig-worthy to me. If you notice the 3rd pic, Dirk already lost the ball and he doesn't realize it yet.

[DannyT]

Blame Bowen.


must be that BEAR HUG bandwidth they have over there ..... :depressed

[Trainwreck2100]

It's working fine for me, why does he bring in the phrase "money product," if that was true the NBA would have LA-Miami finals this year, and LA-Lebron next year.

[DieMrBond]

Definitly still @ http://www.blogmaverick.com/

I just tried it, and it works fine for me. Last article was Cuban bitching about the refs. *shock*

[Kori Ellis]

Definitly still @ http://www.blogmaverick.com/

I just tried it, and it works fine for me. Last article was Cuban bitching about the refs. *shock*

It never loads for me. Maybe my IP is banned *shrug*

[DieMrBond]

I wonder if Cuban would be that petty to ban your ip address because you host a Spurs site ;)

[Kori Ellis]

:)

Maybe. But probably just some weird Time Warner issue. If I restart my modem, it will probably work fine. That happens sometimes with some sites for some reason.

[J.T.]

So many Mavs homers posting comments on that blog abouts the refs...which conveniently is posted after today's loss to the Spurs.

:lol

[A-Train]

I was able to load his site. Upon further review, after seeing the whiney ass article about the refs and several derivations of the phrase:


You is a corporate ho.

in the posting immediately prior to his last, I wish I hadn't done so.

[ObiwanGinobili]

Bowen/Dirk matchup is something sig-worthy to me. If you notice the 3rd pic, Dirk already lost the ball and he doesn't realize it yet.


:lmao

[CubanMustGo]

For all the Mavs fans wanting to know when was the last time Cueball whined about officiating, try yesterday. Right after a loss to SA, how typical!

[Shank]

Maybe he should put his arms around the refs and talk about the fouls, or better yet - lose the ball on your own and flail around screaming AND STILL have the nerve to complain. Would that work better for him?

You guys act like he's some fan on the sideline. He's an owner. He is in constant communication with the league office. They know what he writes on his blog and I'm sure there are emails and memos that he sends to the league that are far more critical. If he wants to, he can call David Stern and talk to him directly. If anything he does or says is considered threatening by the league office, then they talk to him and settle it.

This is also the guy that brought the Mavericks out of the dumps and into annual 50-60+ win seasons. He reshaped the NBA in Dallas and brought the city the AAC and now, Victory Plaza. And I'm sure the next narrow-minded response will be something about how he hasn't brought a championship to Dallas, but that's on the way with the way he manages things. Mark Cuban does not like to lose and will do everything little thing in his power to eventually get that ring.

I await your smartass responses.

[CubanMustGo]

The fact of the matter is that he bitches more in public about the officiating than the other 29 owners combined. Period. Nobody likes a whiney-assed bitch. This is a Spurs board and we are going to call him on it, if you don't like it you can :stfu and take YOUR whiney ass back to a Mavs board.

[Shank]

Typical. Right to the namecalling and "get out of there" retort.

And you don't know that the other owners don't say anything. They're just not as transparent with their thinking as Cuban is.

[Ginofan]

Mark Cuban does not like to lose and will do everything little thing in his power to eventually get that ring.

I await your smartass responses.

Including acting like a whiny little bitch? Alright there's my smart ass response.

Now for a real response. Marc Cuban has been doing this "critiquing" of NBA officiating for years, but I'm just curious if it has really gotten him anywhere.

[ducks]

How to improve NBA Playoff Officiating
Posted May 7, 2006, 5:30 PM ET

Refs miss calls. Its part of the game. Better refs that approach the game objectively miss fewer calls.

During the regular season new refs will come into the league and as might be expected, there will be ups and downs that come with new officials.

The playoffs are different. THe playoffs are where teams and the NBA itself earn their money. Its where team profits are made, its where TV ratings are made and when TV ratings are good, the league makes more money.

In other words, the playoffs are our money product. As with every business, the best people should be on the job with the money products. Thats not the way the NBA does it when it comes to officials.

In the first round, the NBA reduces the number of officials elgible to officiate games from about 60 to 33 (give or take a couple). The first question is how did they arrive at that number ? I dont know, but I can calculate how many officials are actually needed.

In the first round, there 4 series in each conference or 8 series in total.

But the thing about the first round is that the games are spread out. There rarely if ever are 4 games in a single night. ( it hasnt happened since i have been here). The most I have seen is 3 games in a night. 3 games in a night is 9 officials.

But when you look at the schedule further, you realize that because of time zones and TV needs, you never get more than 2 games in the same time zone. Which means that its not unreasonable to ask officials to work games on back to back nights in the first round of the playoffs. THey can travel to the next assigned game in the same or at worst adjoining time zone. Because of the spread out schedule, its unlikely they would work back to backs more than twice in the first round.

So in the first round alone, the number of officials that should be assigned could be as few as 9, plus 3 alternates.

Would the officiating improve if the top 12 officials worked the games instead of the top 33 or so. There is absolutely no question about it.

Would it strain the officials more to possibly work a back to back ? Yes. So pay them a bigger bonus for being selected for the playoffs. Its certainly no more a strain on the officals than it is the players and we have no problem asking players to work back to back.

The numbers get better for the 2nd round. 4 series. 2 games in a day. Sometimes 1 game in a day. Thats 6 officials plus alternates. If the league was absolutely convinced we have 12 finals quality officials, then use 12

But the NBA has a huge problem. It doesnt view the playoffs as a place where the very best of the best of officials go to work. It views the playoffs as part of a reward system for officials. YOu get promoted to the playoffs. Its not unusual to see an official work a single playoff game in the first round . In fact, if the info i have is correct, there are officials who havent even been promoted to full time crew cheif who get playoff assignments. How crazy is that ?

Thats also a huge, huge, huge business mistake. The playoffs are our most important, most visible product. They should never be used as a stepping stone for promotion.

Instead, the NBA should rank its officials, seed them if you will. Top 12 get playoff assignments. Thats it. If an official does a great job and rises to the top 12, he or she gets the reward. If not, not.

Giving less qualified officials an opportunity to officiate playoff games as a reward gives the official a nice attaboy, but it risks the quality of our product.

It makes absolutely no sense to do it the way it is currently done. If the league wants the best officiating in every game, only use the best officials. Anything less cheats us all.

[picnroll]

Typical. Right to the namecalling and "get out of there" retort.

And you don't know that the other owners don't say anything. They're just not as transparent with their thinking as Cuban is.
Several people at the game observed Cuban, during time outs, on the floor near the foul line, haranguing referees. I've never seen Holt doing that. Hell McCombs didn't even use to sit on the floor. Cuban should have been escorted out of the building for being on the floor interfering.

[Shank]

Including acting like a whiny little bitch? Alright there's my smart ass response.

Now for a real response. Marc Cuban has been doing this "critiquing" of NBA officiating for years, but I'm just curious if it has really gotten him anywhere.

Gotten HIM anywhere or gotten the league anywhere? He's not in it for personal gain. He wants the game to always be referreed fairly, be it for his team or another. He wants it to be consistent - if a foul is called one way on one guy, then it needs to be called the same way on another.

[Shank]

Several people at the game observed Cuban, during time outs, on the floor near the foul line, haranguing referees. I've never seen Holt doing that. Hell McCombs didn't even use to sit on the floor. Cuban should have been escorted out of the building for being on the floor interfering.

Frankly, a lot of Mavs fans like it that our owner has become a character of sorts and holds celebrity status. It's good to know he's at almost every game, cheering his guys on. I'd much rather have an owner like that than some stuffy business man that only pokes his head out to announce the sale of the team. Cuban and the Maloofs have done good things for their respective teams.

[ducks]

cuban should be banned from the games if he was on the court
HE IS NOT THE COACH
ONLY PLAYERS,REFS AND COACHES SHOULD BE ON COURT NO OWNER OR FANS.
THEY SHOULD HAVE EJECTED HIM. I THINK SPURS SHOULD HAVE CALLED THE SECURITY GUARDS. Money should not buy you the right to act like that. He is not entiled to break the rules. He should be banned from the next game. Waiting for Stern to make the announcement.

[A-Train]

Come on Shank, don't be a "corporate ho".

[picnroll]

Gotten HIM anywhere or gotten the league anywhere? He's not in it for personal gain. He wants the game to always be referreed fairly, be it for his team or another. He wants it to be consistent - if a foul is called one way on one guy, then it needs to be called the same way on another.
So when he sees a Mav committing a foul he complains to the refs about poor reffing, right. THey must just not be showing those sideline shots of Marky.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Gotten HIM anywhere or gotten the league anywhere? He's not in it for personal gain. He wants the game to always be referreed fairly, be it for his team or another. He wants it to be consistent - if a foul is called one way on one guy, then it needs to be called the same way on another.
:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao romanticize much? give us a break! http://spurstalk.com/forums/images/smilies/smilol.gif

[Shank]

romanticize much? give us a break!

What does Mark Cuban, as a person, receive by overall better officiating around the league? Will it fix his haircut or make him more money? No - the product, as a whole, becomes better - be it for his team or the others.

[ducks]

it is nice to see the owner once in awhile but at everygame? on the floor going off on a ref
COME ONE that is not right

[leemajors]

Gotten HIM anywhere or gotten the league anywhere? He's not in it for personal gain. He wants the game to always be referreed fairly, be it for his team or another. He wants it to be consistent - if a foul is called one way on one guy, then it needs to be called the same way on another.

if he really wanted officiating to be even across the board, he would have his stat boys at NBA games other than mavs games. he wants games to be called favorably for the mavs. he has been consistent about that for years, but you have to understand how annoying that shit is to fans of teams other than the mavs. if i were a mavs fan i would probably like cubes, he does a lot of great stuff for the fans - i hear next year they are lowering ticket prices, which is unheard of in this day and age. but his act gets tiresome to fans of other teams.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

What does Mark Cuban, as a person, receive by overall better officiating around the league? Will it fix his haircut or make him more money? No - the product, as a whole, becomes better - be it for his team or the others.
oh... I see... so when he complains to the league about bad officiating on a Mavericks game, he's just doing the noble thing, right? http://spurstalk.com/forums/images/smilies/smirolleyes.gif

[ducks]

does he complain about the refs when the spurs play another team other then the mavs?

[ObiwanGinobili]

mark cuban bitchs about reffing and does it constantly & publicaly because it brings attention to him and his team = $$$$ :bling

ever notice when he posts lists of ref inacuracies that the "missed" calls are about 90% in the Mavs favor with 10% for the opponants thrown in for good measure?

[ObiwanGinobili]

does he complain about the refs when the spurs play another team other then the mavs?


I'd like to see a list of ref innaccuracies on Cubans blog from any given EC regualr season game.

Further I would liek to see him get real heated about it & air his grievences abotu said game on at least 2 top sports shows and perhaps Leno.

[Shank]

And how do you know he doesn't look at the other games? Read his entry from yesterday. Does it mention the Spurs/Mavs matchup at all?

Contrary to what you think, the word "maverick" in "blogmaverick" isn't about his NBA team.

[ducks]

why did he not write that arctile early before the mavs lost then?
and why was cuban on the floor then wrote that article that same day

[Hook Dem]

And how do you know he doesn't look at the other games? Read his entry from yesterday. Does it mention the Spurs/Mavs matchup at all?

Contrary to what you think, the word "maverick" in "blogmaverick" isn't about his NBA team.
Me thinks Shank is Cuban's illegetimate son! :lol

[CubanMustGo]

Check this out: I'm not the only one to say :stfu, Markie did just a few minutes ago when he closed the comment feature for the latest blog entry and removed the ones that were there:


Note:This was written BEFORE the playoffs started. :lol It wasnt posted till after I had presented this to the league. I stand corrected on the lack of 4 games in a night. There have been. THat doesnt change the validity of the concept. Rather than using the playoffs as an opportunity to promote officials, it should be where only the very best officials work.

I have also turned off comments because as I feared, they end up being off topic.

Bwahahahahaha!

[leemajors]

And how do you know he doesn't look at the other games? Read his entry from yesterday. Does it mention the Spurs/Mavs matchup at all?

Contrary to what you think, the word "maverick" in "blogmaverick" isn't about his NBA team.

he didn't have to mention it directly. so he wrote it after watching the pistons/cavs game?

[Shank]

And your point?

[easjer]

I've gotta argue against the idea of officials working back to back games in the playoffs. You think they suck now, what are the complaints going to be like when they make a questionable/bad call because they are tired?

Yeah, I'd like to see it then. I think he's wrong about halving the number of refs eligible being poor business strategy.

[nkdlunch]

I'm down for keeping Cuban's dumbass in front row and annoying the hell out of Avery and his Mav players during the games. Extra distraction. Thanks from a Spur fan Cuban.

[velik_m]

less refs = bigger chance of getting specific ref for your game = bigger danger of bribing
it's a multimillion dollar business, give them a chance and someone will do it sooner or later.

[Dirk Lewinsky]

:)

Maybe. But probably just some weird Time Warner issue. If I restart my modem, it will probably work fine. That happens sometimes with some sites for some reason.

Turn off the P0rn block and it works.

[FromWayDowntown]

Notwithstanding any relationship to the game played yesterday, I think the merits of Cuban's argument here are poor. With as many as 56 first round games, the notion of having only 12 or so officials calling those games is ridiculous. The notion of having 12 or so officials calling as many as 28 conference semifinal games is only slightly more plausible.

What Cuban misses in his argument is that the playoffs become a development ground for younger officials who will someday be in the 12 Finals-level officials. Who does Cuban expect to call the big games when Joey Crawford, Dick Bavetta, Jack Nies, Bernie Fryer, and some of the other older officials retire? Does he expect that if a guy like, say, Derrick Stafford or Greg Willard, is just suddenly going to be thrown into a Finals environment without having any previous playoff experience, that he'll be ready to call that game the way it should be called? It's ridiculous.

Cuban's argument also ignores the way the league assigns officials to playoff games in the here and now. Yes, there are 30+ officials who work first round games, but many of them work 1 game and are done. Others work several games until each series reaches Game 4 and then they are done. The officials in those groups are always surrounded by 2 officials who will end up working deep into the playoffs. For instance, in Game 2 of the Spurs/Kings series, the crew was Dick Bavetta, Joe Forte, and Bill Kennedy. Kennedy didn't call a game after that one, but when he did get to call a game, he was embedded with two guys who've called Finals games. By the time the league is at Games 5, 6, and 7 in a first round series, the only officials working are those who will be calling games in Round 2.

The same thing applies to each subsequent round. In Round 2, when 24 or so officials are working games, a guy like Sean Corbin will work games until each series reaches Game 4, and then he and several others will be done. The officials calling Games 5, 6, and 7 of those series will be guys who will be working into the Conference Finals (and the Game 7 officials will only be guys who will work the Finals). There are 18 or so officials in the Conference Finals and Games 5, 6 and 7 of that round will be left exclusively to the Finals-level officials.

I think the NBA's system is actually quite sensible in that it provides experience in big environments in the early stages of series. It allows younger officials who've shown themselves to be sufficiently competent to work in a playoff environment and develop a feel for the intensity of playoff games while working with the top officials in the league. It ensures that when the guys who are the top officials retire, that there will be a group of younger, experienced officials who can step in and maintain the level. I can see an argument related to the identities of those who are allowed to officiate playoff games, but I don't see an argument for limiting how many officials work playoff games any further than it's already limited.

[Obstructed_View]

This is also the guy that brought the Mavericks out of the dumps and into annual 50-60+ win seasons. He reshaped the NBA in Dallas and brought the city the AAC and now, Victory Plaza.
You know so staggeringly little about your own fucking team that you are well on your way to superstar status in the moronic opposing fan hall of fame. Finley, Dirk and Nash were all with the Mavericks when Cuban bought the team, but Nash wasn't starting. They had support players like Bradley, Ceballos and Greg Buckner. In the first of a long line of stupid decisions, Cuban promptly signed Dennis Rodman and watched the team chemistry go to shit as they lost 8 of their next ten games. The Mavericks went on to miss the playoffs by like 4 games less than three months into Cuban's ownership. Please don't act like it was the fucking Quinn Buckner days when Cuban swooped in and rescued the franchise, because it's just wrong.

So aside from letting face-painters in free, paying a half a million dollars in fines and putting Playstations in all the lockers what did he really do for his team and my city?

[ducks]

Notwithstanding any relationship to the game played yesterday, I think the merits of Cuban's argument here are poor. With as many as 56 first round games, the notion of having only 12 or so officials calling those games is ridiculous. The notion of having 12 or so officials calling as many as 28 conference semifinal games is only slightly more plausible.

What Cuban misses in his argument is that the playoffs become a development ground for younger officials who will someday be in the 12 Finals-level officials. Who does Cuban expect to call the big games when Joey Crawford, Dick Bavetta, Jack Nies, Bernie Fryer, and some of the other older officials retire? Does he expect that if a guy like, say, Derrick Stafford or Greg Willard, is just suddenly going to be thrown into a Finals environment without having any previous playoff experience, that he'll be ready to call that game the way it should be called? It's ridiculous.

Cuban's argument also ignores the way the league assigns officials to playoff games in the here and now. Yes, there are 30+ officials who work first round games, but many of them work 1 game and are done. Others work several games until each series reaches Game 4 and then they are done. The officials in those groups are always surrounded by 2 officials who will end up working deep into the playoffs. For instance, in Game 2 of the Spurs/Kings series, the crew was Dick Bavetta, Joe Forte, and Bill Kennedy. Kennedy didn't call a game after that one, but when he did get to call a game, he was embedded with two guys who've called Finals games. By the time the league is at Games 5, 6, and 7 in a first round series, the only officials working are those who will be calling games in Round 2.

The same thing applies to each subsequent round. In Round 2, when 24 or so officials are working games, a guy like Sean Corbin will work games until each series reaches Game 4, and then he and several others will be done. The officials calling Games 5, 6, and 7 of those series will be guys who will be working into the Conference Finals (and the Game 7 officials will only be guys who will work the Finals). There are 18 or so officials in the Conference Finals and Games 5, 6 and 7 of that round will be left exclusively to the Finals-level officials.

I think the NBA's system is actually quite sensible in that it provides experience in big environments in the early stages of series. It allows younger officials who've shown themselves to be sufficiently competent to work in a playoff environment and develop a feel for the intensity of playoff games while working with the top officials in the league. It ensures that when the guys who are the top officials retire, that there will be a group of younger, experienced officials who can step in and maintain the level. I can see an argument related to the identities of those who are allowed to officiate playoff games, but I don't see an argument for limiting how many officials work playoff games any further than it's already limited.


this should be emailed to cuban

[Shank]

You know so staggeringly little about your own fucking team that you are well on your way to superstar status in the moronic opposing fan hall of fame. Finley, Dirk and Nash were all with the Mavericks when Cuban bought the team, but Nash wasn't starting. They had support players like Bradley, Ceballos and Greg Buckner. In the first of a long line of stupid decisions, Cuban promptly signed Dennis Rodman and watched the team chemistry go to shit as they lost 8 of their next ten games. The Mavericks went on to miss the playoffs by like 4 games less than three months into Cuban's ownership. Please don't act like it was the fucking Quinn Buckner days when Cuban swooped in and rescued the franchise, because it's just wrong.

So aside from letting face-painters in free, paying a half a million dollars in fines and putting Playstations in all the lockers what did he really do for his team and my city?

And who paid all of those players? Who changed the way the entire organization was run, from top to bottom? Who had a say in bringing in the right mix of players, the right assistants, the head coaching changes? Who took this team from a perennial joke to among the league's best? Who put the Mavs on the map? He has retooled the face of the franchise in his time here. I wish my owner could have had my team sitting in the middle of a fucking dome for all those years. Cuban has turned the Dallas Mavericks into a well-run machine. Have you been around the AAC area recently? You believe Cuban has NOTHING to do with any of that development? He brought it to the city.

I know more about this team that you ever will. Don't try to call me out on some of your bullshit, boy.

[A-Train]

I remember when Cuban expounded on the lack of importance of defense in the postseason in his blog. In particular he had cited a Spurs' playoff loss as proof.

I guess AJ didn't get the memo.

[Trainwreck2100]

And who paid all of those players? Who changed the way the entire organization was run, from top to bottom? Who had a say in bringing in the right mix of players, the right assistants, the head coaching changes? Who took this team from a perennial joke to among the league's best? Who put the Mavs on the map? He has retooled the face of the franchise in his time here. I wish my owner could have had my team sitting in the middle of a fucking dome for all those years. Cuban has turned the Dallas Mavericks into a well-run machine. Have you been around the AAC area recently? You believe Cuban has NOTHING to do with any of that development? He brought it to the city.

I know more about this team that you ever will. Don't try to call me out on some of your bullshit, boy.


He can do all that, but he can't hire someone to teach Dirk how to post.

[A-Train]

And who paid all of those players? Who changed the way the entire organization was run, from top to bottom? Who had a say in bringing in the right mix of players, the right assistants, the head coaching changes? Who took this team from a perennial joke to among the league's best? Who put the Mavs on the map? He has retooled the face of the franchise in his time here. I wish my owner could have had my team sitting in the middle of a fucking dome for all those years. Cuban has turned the Dallas Mavericks into a well-run machine. Have you been around the AAC area recently? You believe Cuban has NOTHING to do with any of that development? He brought it to the city.
I know more about this team that you ever will. Don't try to call me out on some of your bullshit, boy.


Actually, that was Ross Jr's work.

[ducks]

cuban has helped the mavs but he has not always made the right moves

he is starting to not trade players every year so that helps. he fired nelson. that helped
but given time we see what he does. resigning nash might still have been a MISTAKE. especially considering he still is healthy.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

This is also the guy that brought the Mavericks out of the dumps and into annual 50-60+ win seasons. He reshaped the NBA in Dallas and brought the city the AAC and now, Victory Plaza.


That's like Jenna Jameson opening a theme park and calling it "Abstinence Land." :lol

[Shank]

cuban has helped the mavs but he has not always made the right moves

he is starting to not trade players every year so that helps. he fired nelson. that helped
but given time we see what he does. resigning nash might still have been a MISTAKE. especially considering he still is healthy.

And yet the team got better, winning 60 games this year.

[leemajors]

the team has won 60 games before. why don't you bring up his most notable building effort - the bar inside the aac. he gets saps and celebs to hang out in there after the game and charges $7 and up for drinks. that's genius.

[picnroll]

Apart from attempting to manipulate refereeing to the advantage of the Mavericks under the guise of "only wanting to improve the league" Cuban has tried to build a winner in large part by far exceding the salary cap using his money and his markert size as a weapon. How is the best interest of the league that he professes to be so concerned about, which has many smaller market teams and owners with less resources, in maintaining a balanced and competitive product?

Face it it's all about Marky, his ego and his gratification and his hypocrisy.

[ducks]

And yet the team got better, winning 60 games this year.
yeah winning 2 extra games with aj this year wow
but lossign 3 times to gs

[Obstructed_View]

And who paid all of those players?
Wow, he didn't fail to make payroll. Put him in the business owner hall of fame.


Who changed the way the entire organization was run, from top to bottom?
He changed the way they sold tickets and micromanaged everyone else.


Who had a say in bringing in the right mix of players
Like the aforementioned Worm signing? Like letting Steve Nash go? Like re-signing Shawn Bradley to a long term deal? Like signing Antoine Walker? Like signing Evan Eschmeyer? Like trading Danny Fortson for Calvin Booth?


the right assistants, the head coaching changes? You mean the head coaching change. Nelson made that change by hiring AJ and resigning last year. Cuban should't be credited for that one just because he didn't fuck it up.


Who took this team from a perennial joke to among the league's best?
Don and Donn Nelson did.


Who put the Mavs on the map?
Don and Donn Nelson did.


He has retooled the face of the franchise in his time here.
You aren't completely wrong there; he has made himself the face of the franchise, and he is a complete fucking tool.


I wish my owner could have had my team sitting in the middle of a fucking dome for all those years. Cuban has turned the Dallas Mavericks into a well-run machine. Have you been around the AAC area recently? You believe Cuban has NOTHING to do with any of that development? He brought it to the city.Mark Cuban bought a team that was already turning the corner, and cost them the playoffs in his very first year.


I know more about this team that you ever will. Don't try to call me out on some of your bullshit, boy.
Let me just say this: The bond for the AA center was passed in 1998, and the naming rights were purchased in 1999. Cuban didn't buy the team until 2000. I fucking own you.

[A-Train]

Cuban's crack ref research team has determined that the Mavs have been the recipient of the worst officiating in the history of basketball this season. Forget the '72 Olympics.