Two thumbs up to Cuban

[Dalhoop]

How would you know?

I will answer both questions (The image conscious and How I would I know)

If he was "Image conscious" would he make fun of himself by working for a day at DQ?

Now it could be said that this was a PR move, to move conversation away from his fines (talking bad about officiating) but then he would go and say the same things again. If he was "Image conscious" he would avoid such missteps

If he was "Image conscious" would he go to a road playoff game wearing a shirt that would be certain to receive bad press? I know that most of you think that he is a stupid rich guy that got lucky, but if your trying to say that these things are "calculated" to get attention .. He must in fact be very smart to manipulate the media like this.

If he was "Image conscious" he would allow his charities to make their way into everything that he does. He would have made sure that the national media was at the airport when the plane landed, he would make sure that everyone knew about his "Fallen Hero fund"

But we don't know that much about these things do we .. No. All the nation gets to see are the things that he doesn't care that much about, like what he is wearing and he says after a loss to this team or that.

As to him "presenting" himself so often ... Thats just crazy. Answer this, outside of a basketball arena, how many times has Cuban "presented himself" to the national media?

Think long and hard on this one ... Does he "present himself, or does the media not leave him alone?

If "So often" means that he shows up at Mavs games, then I guess your right, he "presents himself" 82 times a year (Plus playoffs)

As for him giving and expecting a return ... If he was looking for media return ... He sure didn't show it. The Family members told the media, not the Mavs organization. He must not be very good at the whole "Maximum return" idea.

[ChumpDumper]

If he was "Image conscious" would he make fun of himself by working for a day at DQ?

Absolutely.

You have "image" confused with "serious traditional image." It was an event he created and controlled and he made sure the cameras were there.

Think long and hard on this one ... Does he "present himself, or does the media not leave him alone?

You think long and hard about your own question. Think about all the interviews he could have chosen not to do. All the blogs he could have chosen not to write. All the times he could have kept his mouth shut. All the T-shirts with stupid sayings he could have refrained from wearing to games.

[clambake]

Nobody said he hasn't done good things. It's his over-the-top childish behavoir that draws the wrath.

[dg7md]

You only defend him because he's on your side. Ask anybody with a non-biased opinion on the issue and you'll get our complaints out of countless others. Think there's a reason that the Mavericks are one of the most hated teams in the league if not the most hated?

[ponky]

You only defend him because he's on your side. Ask anybody with a non-biased opinion on the issue and you'll get our complaints out of countless others. Think there's a reason that the Mavericks are one of the most hated teams in the league if not the most hated?

You should get out of San Antonio and Texas every once in awhile. Having lived in NYC and attended several NBA games in Philly, NY, Boston, DC, NJ, this is not true at all. Of course, Spurs fans hate the Mavs and vice versa but don't project this onto a national stage as if it applies to the entire country or world.

[Louie Vega]

The man let a group of returning reservest solders from Irac use the Mavs plane to fly from CA home to DFW. They got a good welcome from their families at the airport.

I bet that didn't make the news that you watch, or read. You all can hate all you want, all you see is the national news coverage of Cuban ... We in the Dallas area get to see the real guy and what he is about.

Nobody in this forum gives a !!!!! you and Cuban!!!

[ChumpDumper]

DHMD doesn't live in San Antonio if he's the doc I'm thinking of.

[clambake]

He gave mav fans a reason to care about basketball again. Some can't see past that. You have to admit, he has this arrogance of thinking he's the guru of the nba nation and only he knows how to run it.

[Fillmoe]

Where is Irac?

[Melmart1]

You should get out of San Antonio and Texas every once in awhile. Having lived in NYC and attended several NBA games in Philly, NY, Boston, DC, NJ, this is not true at all. Of course, Spurs fans hate the Mavs and vice versa but don't project this onto a national stage as if it applies to the entire country or world.

And yet I have been to games in many cities myself and talked with NBA fans on both coasts and everybody thinks he is an embarassment and would hate to have him as the owner of thier respective team.

Probably 90% of NBA fans all over the country I have talked to think he is an asshat. The other 10% didn't care.

[ChumpDumper]

I think he's a good owner.

And an asshat.

This is just an extension of the usual mavfan line of thought that demands everyone love their team as much as they do. It's ok, Lakerfans used to be this way too.

[ChumpDumper]

"I don't care about attention."

[CubanMustGo]

As for him giving and expecting a return ... If he was looking for media return ... He sure didn't show it. The Family members told the media, not the Mavs organization. He must not be very good at the whole "Maximum return" idea.

Nobody ever said (seriously) that Cuban's not smart. There are ways to do things anonymously if you truly want to stay out of the public eye. Cuban chooses to do things in ways that the word will get out. Of course someone is going to notice the Mavs jet being used to ferry a bunch of troops! Of course when he goes to DQ he is going to get all kinds of press coverage! It's all very cold - or, at least, very calculated.

Mark has done incredible things for the Mavericks franchise. But he has done so in a way where HE is always in the forefront. That said, I think he has done a better job this year staying out of the limelight - showing that he can learn from past mistakes. His past behavior has earned the ire of many and it will take some time for many of us to get past that.

[Cry Havoc]

The man let a group of returning reservest solders from Irac use the Mavs plane to fly from CA home to DFW. They got a good welcome from their families at the airport.

I bet that didn't make the news that you watch, or read. You all can hate all you want, all you see is the national news coverage of Cuban ... We in the Dallas area get to see the real guy and what he is about.

Wow, a guy with billions and billions of dollars lets someone else use his plane for a couple days, and people want to applaud him for generosity. Last I checked, anything truly noteworthy involves personal sacrifice. But maybe that's just me.

[ponky]

And yet I have been to games in many cities myself and talked with NBA fans on both coasts and everybody thinks he is an embarassment and would hate to have him as the owner of thier respective team.

Probably 90% of NBA fans all over the country I have talked to think he is an asshat. The other 10% didn't care.

I will agree that a lot of people think he's an embarrassment but that doesn't mean they hate the Mavericks as a team. Lots of people also admit that even though he does stupid as a fan of the game, he's a great owner. What's not to like about him as an owner other than the fan part of him? Anyway, most of the games I've attended are all over the NE so whatever, he's from the NE, maybe it's a different state of mind.

[exstatic]

I think Mark Cuban would have a stroke if he ever heard someone say "Who's Mark Cuban?".

[Dalhoop]

You have to admit, he has this arrogance of thinking he's the guru of the nba nation and only he knows how to run it.

This is a good critisism.

Of course the problem is that the people running it now put rules in place saying "Your not allowed to tell us we are wrong .... Even if we are" and "Your not allowed to tell us that we need to improve our performance .... Even if we do" ... If you do we will fine you til the cows come home ... Even if your right.

In most businesses, its the costumer that is always right. In the NBA, its the NBA is always right ... Even if it goes against what the customers and employees think is right.

Now if that is the ONLY thing that Cuban thinks is wrong with the league and corrects it by removing that rule ... Then I think that he does know how to run it better then those running it now because that is the STUPIDEST RULE IN ALL OF SPORTS.

I can understand the not debating the offical during the game rules, but if they screwed up the game and EVERYONE ON THE PLANET KNOWS THEY SCREWED UP THE GAME ....

If Duncan had not been ejected, Crawford would still be calling games and challaging players to "meet them outside"

Did Duncan have a real beef? Was he wronged? Did he have a real complaint about Crawford?

Then why was he FINED?

If this was the one thing that Cuban would change .... And we all know he would .... He would run it better and you all know it.

[ShoogarBear]

He gave mav fans a reason to care about basketball again. Some can't see past that. You have to admit, he has this arrogance of thinking he's the guru of the nba nation and only he knows how to run it.

Now if he can only get them to learn about basketball.

[Tigole Bitties]

[L.I.T]

Look at it this way, if you ask an average person who Mark Cuban is they'd probably know who you're talking about. If you ask them who Warren Buffet is they'd probably just stare at you.

It's not that hard to avoid publicity. And just because it appears he isn't creating an image, doesn't mean he isn't trying to (odd logic I know, but think about it).

A no image owner is someone like Paul Allen. All we know is he's rich and trusts stupid people to run his sports franchises. We don't really know if he's a bag, a nice man, what he thinks about the Riverwalk, or if he likes to wear paisley girly frocks.

However, with Cuban we get a constant stream of consciousness spewing forth from his blog, from his interviews, etc. etc. Cuban is a very smart man, he's in the business of making his franchise relevant on a national and international stage, he's taken that duty upon himself. And I don't give a about him either way. He's a maverick owner, he's good for the league, he's good for publicity and he knows it. I'd be very careful about selling him short, or underestimating how calculating and conniving he is. Remember, he has a monetary value equal to 21 inches of penis.