http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...t&lid=tab2pos2
Mark Cuban reminds me of Ron Artest.
You fall in love with his passion, energy and versatility, but you realize his mental instability very well could wreck your entire organization.
As commissioner David Stern contemplates how to deal with the "Cuban Whistle Crisis," a predicament that could totally undermine the public perception progress the NBA enjoyed this season, the commish would be wise to consult his Artest playbook.
Cuban, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Whinericks, won't be fined into sanity. ing about officiating and paying a couple of million dollars a year for that right is nothing more than a simple, tax-deductible business expense for the league's best blogger.
Nope. It's going to take a prolonged, arena-banning suspension to end the "Cuban Whistle Crisis," a nickname coined by Washington Post columnist Mike Wise.
Stern should begin with a symbolic 13-day suspension of Cuban to start the 2006-07 season, then go with a season-long ban if Cuban acts up again.
Cuban's behavior and the conduct of Dallas coach Avery Johnson and superstar Dirk Nowitzki during the just-completed NBA Finals warrant far more drastic action than the $250,000 fine Stern leveled on Cuban before Game 6.
Not only did the "Cuban Whistle Crisis" overshadow the unveiling of Dwyane Wade as the league's most embraceable megastar since Jordan, but its fallout foreshadows a potential Artest-like eruption in the stands. Maybe you missed the American Airlines Center public-address announcer admonishing Mavericks fans not to throw objects on the court. Maybe you turned off your TV before witnessing Mavericks fans drown out with boos Stern's championship trophy presentation to the Heat. Cuban, Johnson, Nowitzki and the co-signing Dallas media turned Game 6 into a Rodney King-verdict powder keg. Mavs fans were convinced they had irrefutable video evidence of officiating crimes of the highest order. The paranoia of Dallas' out-of-control owner caused the normally classy and high-road-driving Johnson to lose his composure and melt into a world-class crybaby. Johnson's crying gave Nowitzki the out he needed to avoid eye contact with a mirror and instead kick chairs and exercise bikes rather than fourth-quarter ass.
You think Cuban's antics haven't planted the seeds of discontent that could blossom into a nutty Mavs fan going after a referee or sparking an in-arena melee?
Artest didn't hop into the stands without warning. When you heard that an NBA player ran into the stands and set off a riot, you were not surprised at all when you learned it was Ron Artest. You never suspected Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Shaq, Reggie Miller, Rip Hamilton or Kevin Garnett. The list of candidates was very short, and Artest was always the No. 1 suspect.
If an NBA ref gets attacked on the court or hit with an object, you won't be surprised when the story has a Dallas dateline. Cuban has created the environment. His complaints about officiating have some merit. There's a kernel of truth in every extremist's argument. A planted bloody glove might win an acquittal, but it doesn't clear a conscience. The fact that NBA refs are inconsistent doesn't justify the "Cuban Whistle Crisis." Stern isn't out to get Cuban. Stern is nowhere near that small or stupid. Cuban, the Mavericks and Nowitzki are three of the best things to happen to Stern's league in the past five years.
It would've been far better for the league had Nowitzki -- one of Stern's white, foreign imports -- won the le and shown the kind of heart and determination Wade displayed. Stern didn't want Nowitzki to choke at the free-throw line, dish to Erick Dampier in the clutch and refuse to drive anywhere near Shaq and the lane in the final minutes. Had Nowitzki gone to the hole as relentlessly as Wade, he would've received the same bogus calls as Wade. Refs can't help rewarding superstars for being aggressive. Beyond the "Cuban Whistle Crisis," Stern must crack down on Cuban because he's sabotaging the message about professionalism the league has been preaching to its players. You think Allen Iverson isn't sitting at home taking notes on Cuban thugged-out in his Mavs jersey sitting behind the bench and acting a fool? Cuban is as big an NBA star as all but a handful of players. He represents the league. But he can dress how he wants, drop F-bombs on refs, taunt fans, charge onto the court and question the integrity of the league pretty much without fear of significant reprisal. Meanwhile, Iverson needs to wear a sport coat on the bench and report to work on time on fan appreciation night. If you had to guess, what do you think Allen and his homies have to say about this bit of hypocrisy? Just take a guess. It's time for Stern to censure Cuban and back it with a suspension -- a ban from arenas. A ban during the Finals would've been a mistake. Cuban would've been viewed as a martyr.
Now Stern can call Cuban and Johnson into the commissioner's office and explain in detail why the NBA can't tolerate Dallas' continued whining. It's unhealthy for the league. If not stopped, the "Cuban Whistle Crisis" will escalate and turn into a Crimson Tide.
Jason Whitlock is a regular columnist for The Kansas City Star. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. Sound off to Page 2 here.
Wow, comparing Mark Cuban to Ron Artest?!?
I don't like the guy, but as long as no one gets hurt, I don't think there's much the commisioner can do without escalating the situation. Banning Cuban from the arena will just incite him even more, and the fans as well.
I think all the other owners in the league should get together and pe ion the commissioner to ins ute some rules regarding owners. No owners on the court on game day/night...no owner participation in shootaround/team meetings/huddles...no gesturing, shouting, or otherwise "coaching" the team. No interaction of any kind (other than cheering from the stands) with players, coaches, officials, score-keepers, or anyone else associated with producing the game, either before, during, or after the game.
For each infraction, by any owner, of any of the rules, his team will accrue one technical foul. Period. No questions asked or answered.
No owner, other than Mr. Cuban, would have any problem with these rules. If he doesn't like it, he has two choices: sit in a box or suite to watch the game...or sit at home.
That is probably the stupidest thing I have ever heard. What about the Sacramento Kings owners? They sit courtside at everygame.
It's his team and he can do whatever he wants in his arena, don't punish him because he isn't like Peter Holt/every other owner in the leagues and only comes to the big games.
The Maloofs own casinos and bang strange every night of the week. They're not heads when visible.
they don't run onto the court during the game either. the most annoying thing about a maloof brother is that ridiculous metrohawk.
His ego is so large, I'm surprised he hasn't asked Avery for playing time. Doesn't he do the shootaround with the players? He probably thinks Dirk, Josh, etc. actually like him.
It's kind of like when your asshole boss comes around and talks to you. He tells you some corny ass joke and you have to reply with a fake laugh, all the while thinking "Please, just go away".
The Pied Piper of Dallas leading the children to the asylum.
That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. It's NOT "his arena".
If the Maloofs don't run onto the court and carry on like Cuban (and they don't) or mouth obscenities at the referees/scorers/league officials, how would this impact (or even apply to) them? That's a stupid rationalization for discarding a suggestion.
I don't think expecting and requesting that someone act like an adult instead of a two-year old is stupid.
Cuban owns a franchise and just like the guy who owns a McDonald's franchise he has certain requirements and obligations, certainly very well defined, as to what's required for him to retain his franchise.
When Mark Cuban storms onto the court and punches an official, then we can start comparing him to Artest. Until then, remember this is from people paid a lot of money to cover the NBA.
When a black player dresses in jeans and a t-shirt he's a 'thug', 'ghetto', 'a poor role model', etc...and the league needs a dress code.
When a white owner dresses in jeans and a t-shirt he's 'eccentric', 'passionate', etc....and God's gift to the NBA.
Understood.
I'd just like to add that if an NBA player did rush into the stands, I wouldn't exactly omit Shaq, Garnett and Miller from the list of suspects. Each has gotten into serious altercations before
Seriously. I can think of no better representative for the league than an owner who dresses like a 15 year old and acts like one. Thank God for him. He's such a refreshing change from all those ghetto thug players.
No wonder DFW loves Cuban.
Last edited by SPARKY; 06-22-2006 at 03:49 PM.
Well said, but the problem is that Cuban truely believes that his complaining about things (officiating, etc.) is doing the right thing. You need to remember that self-made millionaires/billionaires didn't get that way by going WITH the establishment or by necessarily believing everything people tell them is correct. Cuban is acting like an idiot now, but I also believe self-made men eventually learn what is the right way to do things in every situation. Jerry Jones was, in a lot of ways, going thru the same thing that Cuban is now. He wanted to change everything about the NFL and the NFL and the establishment were totally against him and he got nothing but bad press for a long time. Cuban has some big time issues but I think he'll come out ok in the long run.
Yeah Cuban pays a lot of lip service to complaining to "improve the league". Tell me when you see him on the sidelines or when you see him making comments after games is he always complaining only about calls against the Mavs, even saying when somebody complains about bad calls in favor of his team "to bad you didn't complain about the calls in game 1"? Is his calling a player a ing asshole and saying in a public blog to improve the league? Is his trying to outspend small market franchise to win a championship to improve the league.
Cuban is a ing attention seeking, self-absorbed, hypocrtical asshole. That's what he is nothing morer, nothing less.
Cuban is attention seeking, and all you spurs fans love to give it to him. Half the threads here have to do with him. If the media would quit writing and obsessing over him he would shut up.
finally the sense of reason is speaking out against that arogant ing jackass Cuban. He needs to be banned for a year for his pathetic antics.
Yeah but the more he talks the more he s up the Mavs so it's all good.
Yea Cuban is an asshole sometimes………. But so is stern…. Somehow in this analogy there is a good guy and a bad guy…………. IMO there is not “good guy” in this mix….
Stern is a straight up ing jerk that could care less about Cuban or any MF in this league……. He is simply about the money and that is it……….!!!!!!!!
What service Cuban does provide is a conduit for the frustration that exists not only within the franchises but also with the fans……..
I hope @ some point someone steps up and takes on the dictatorial commissioner running this “business”……
Last edited by ShackO; 06-22-2006 at 08:46 PM.
Stern is the man.
It's a good day to be an AJ hater.
AJ, of all people, sold his soul to the devil.
Best article yet. This should be required reading for every media person affiliated with the NBA.
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