That crazy Mark Cuban...

[Joe Vancil]

Other folks can say what they want about this guy, but you'll have to do a lot of work to convince me that he's anything other than great for basketball.

The NBA is fining him $25k for "improper interactions" with a Denver player.

Cuban is planning on donating his fine money to...get this...the NHL Players Association Goals and Dreams Fund, in the names of Todd Bertuzzi and Steve Moore.

Only Cuban could come up with a statement like that one.

I've not seen the play for which Cuban took J.R. Smith to task, but to make a statement like that is a direct slap in the face to the NBA commissioner and the referees - and it's by their own rules.  It's clever, and it hits home the criticisms that Cuban has been making about officials for years.

*I* *LIKE* *IT*!

If the NBA were not to approve such a plan, it would be a major black eye to the league office's claim of supporting worthy charities, and if they DO approve of such a plan, Cuban gets to make the very statement he's getting fined for a second time, this time, with the league's blessing, again, giving the league a black eye.

Certainly, this will not make Cuban any friends in the league office, but then again, it's not like he's had any there in the first place.  I mean, what are they going to do, send the opposing team's star to the free throw line 99 times in the Finals?

[WayOutWest]

Here is a video of the elbow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-dX-e8KzIw

P.S. The Mavs were robbed AGAIN.  That was total BS on the last play where Billups got D'd up and kicked Terry but got the call for the game tying FT's.  Total BS!

[Joe Vancil]

Not exactly a "routine" elbow, but not something I'd issue a suspension for.  A small fine, perhaps.

As a player, I'd object to such an elbow being thrown toward my face.  Had Wright reacted, I think it'd be called on both, and a fine would definitely be forthcoming.

As I see it, this is more Maverick "softness."

[rickortreat]

Whatever happens on the court, doesn't justify a fan interfering with the players in that manner.  When Cuban is in the stands he's a fan, and has an obligation to act as any fan does.  No fan is allowed on the court no matter how rich he is. Anyone interfering with the order of the game gets ejected from the arena.

If Cuban can't stay off the floor during the game, he should be up in a box somewhere.  He has an obligation to set an example for other fans and what he's doing is not setting a good example.

[WayOutWest]

Not exactly a "routine" elbow, but not something I'd issue a suspension for.  A small fine, perhaps.

As a player, I'd object to such an elbow being thrown toward my face.  Had Wright reacted, I think it'd be called on both, and a fine would definitely be forthcoming.

As I see it, this is more Maverick "softness."

I bet Howard's head lock and elbow don't even get mentioned.  Howard puts Gasol in a head lock then throws an elbow to the throat and Gasol is the one who gets the T.  LOL!  Total BS but it's part of being a superstar and NBA darling.

[Lurker]

Whatever happens on the court, doesn't justify a fan interfering with the players in that manner.  When Cuban is in the stands he's a fan, and has an obligation to act as any fan does.  No fan is allowed on the court no matter how rich he is. Anyone interfering with the order of the game gets ejected from the arena.

If Cuban can't stay off the floor during the game, he should be up in a box somewhere.  He has an obligation to set an example for other fans and what he's doing is not setting a good example.

I normally don't agree with rick but I think he is right on this one.  Cuban has ABSOLUTELY no business being on the court and addressing an opposition player during the course of the game.  And leaving the court at halftime is still part of the game.

[WayOutWest]

Whatever happens on the court, doesn't justify a fan interfering with the players in that manner.  When Cuban is in the stands he's a fan, and has an obligation to act as any fan does.  No fan is allowed on the court no matter how rich he is. Anyone interfering with the order of the game gets ejected from the arena.

If Cuban can't stay off the floor during the game, he should be up in a box somewhere.  He has an obligation to set an example for other fans and what he's doing is not setting a good example.

I normally don't agree with rick but I think he is right on this one.  Cuban has ABSOLUTELY no business being on the court and addressing an opposition player during the course of the game.  And leaving the court at halftime is still part of the game.

Agreed.  Cuban should appoint himself the position of "Gatorade Boy" or something because otherwise he's just another fan who should be tackled and dragged off the court.

[Joe Vancil]

Is Cuban "just" a fan during the game?  *NO*.  He's an OWNER, meaning that he has additional responsibilities, and therefore, should be allowed some latitude.

If I'm paying millions of bucks for a player to play for my team, if that player gets hurt, I want to know IMMEDIATELY what's going on.  I don't want to wait until after the game, and I'm not going to wait around for someone to remember, "Oh, we better tell the owner what's up."  I'm there, so I'm going to go find out, because this potentially necessitates action on my part - perhaps acquiring a new player, or pushing through or holding on a trade that we've got in the works.  It may even require me to interact with the league office.

I cannot buy the idea that Cuban is "just" a fan.  If that were the case, some of the actions for which he has been fined - such as CRITICIZING OFFICIALS in a loud and public manner - are invalid;  I don't know any of us who are opening our checkbook up.

That said, he is one of the folks required to help make the game run smoothly, and therefore, is under the jurisdiction of the *GAME* *OFFICIALS*, as well as the league office.  In other words, just because he's not on the bench, a game official can *STILL* charge him with a technical foul, can still eject him, and these things SHOULD be done if he interferes - especially in stepping onto the court.  The NBA has penalties for players and coaches;  those same penalties apply to Cuban.

A fan stepping onto the court would be arrested.  Cuban stepping onto the court *CAN* be claimed, that as an owner, he has that privilege, and many folks on a jury - including me - would buy that logic, especially since he's paying to put on the game.  You cannot apply the same rules to an owner that you do to a fan.  However, there *ARE* rules that govern Cuban, and he's seen that no one truly UNDERSTANDS those rules, and as such, he's pushed the envelope.  We don't have problems when players or coaches do such things;  if a player sees that referees aren't enforcing hand-checks, you can bet your bottom dollar that the player will intentionally use more hand-checks.  It's smart basketball, right?  So what's the difference with an owner pushing the envelope?  The fault isn't Cuban's - it's the lax execution by the game officials and the league office.

Cuban is *RIGHT* not to respect the game officials.  Their failure to control *HIM* is the ultimate validation of the criticism that he's levelled against them.  Until that situation is remedied, I'm on Cuban's side on this one.

[WayOutWest]

There are 29 other owners who would disagree with you Joe, at least by their "actions" or lack of "Cuban-like actions" they disagree.

[Joe Vancil]

And many of those include folks like Donald Sterling and James Dolan.

Cuban actually *CARES* about his team.  That's the reason he's good for basketball.

I'd also argue that the league office would rather have Sterlings and Dolans than more owners like Cuban, which is why Columbia businessman Bill Laurie was pretty much all but shooed away from the NBA.  Laurie is a *HUGE* basketball fan.

[Lurker]

Joe, I agree that Cuban has rights as an owner. 

Checking on his players is one of them.  Addressing A PLAYER UNDER CONTRACT TO ANOTHER OWNER is not one of his rights.  If this was a contract issue Cuban would get hit for tampering. 

Calling out the player AFTER the game is within the owners' rights...confronting them on the court during the game is not.

And I disagree with the notion that Cuban is not "just" another fan.  From tipoff until the final buzzer that is ALL Cuban should be.  His ownership rights should not give him freedom to do whatever he wants during the game.  It gives him access to the Mavs lockerroom but does not give him access to the court.

[westkoast]

Joe, I agree that Cuban has rights as an owner. 

Checking on his players is one of them.  Addressing A PLAYER UNDER CONTRACT TO ANOTHER OWNER is not one of his rights.  If this was a contract issue Cuban would get hit for tampering. 

Calling out the player AFTER the game is within the owners' rights...confronting them on the court during the game is not.

And I disagree with the notion that Cuban is not "just" another fan.  From tipoff until the final buzzer that is ALL Cuban should be.  His ownership rights should not give him freedom to do whatever he wants during the game.  It gives him access to the Mavs lockerroom but does not give him access to the court.

Considering that teams share revenue and that they are all important in making sure the league is as big as it can be, I'd disagree with you Lurker.  On top of that I am pretty sure he pays his fair share of money at their stadium.  Much more than a regular Dallas fan does.  That has to count for something.

I totally disagree with him talking to other players.  He gets treated differently because he is an owner and he should act differently because he is an owner.  You can't be a loud mouthed fan and an owner at the same time with out being called out on it. 

[Joe Vancil]

Oh, there's no question that confronting another player is a violation and Cuban shouldn't have that right.  My point is that it should have initially been punished by the referees.  The fact that they would not punish him is a significant part of the problem.

And I believe that he SHOULD have access to the court - just as the coach and players do.  That's why the in-game officials *MUST* enforce conduct.  It's their failure.  Cuban was wrong, but he went unpunished, which sends him the message that he can do it again.  Penalize the team during the game, follow it up with a suspension that hurts basketball operations, and his behavior will quickly change.

[jn]

Ummmm, haven't we gone through this before?  Remember Cuban rushing out on to the floor some years back when the Mavs where involved in an altercation with Cleveland?  In the midst of a dust up he suddenly grabbed Robert Traylor from behind.   Passion for his team?  Perhaps.  Nevertheless by running on to the court he is ESCALATING the situation.  He's lucky he didn't end up with Traylor going Kermit Washington on his attention seeking arse.   

Okay, so he's an owner with an investment.  Since Spike Lee has has probably invested millions of dollars on Knicks season tickets should he be allowed to step in to help out?  The workers at the arena are dependent on the leagues survival.  Perhaps they can step in from time to time to protect the integrity of the league.   

P.S.  Cuban recently was a guest on the Simpsons.   Give him credit for making fun of himself but here was his most telling line.  "Oh my God!  No one has paid attention to me for 10 seconds!!"

[WayOutWest]

....his attention seeking arse.   

I think that's the beginning, middle, and end of the story right there.