He blows kisses at the opponent Cuban's blown kisses draw Sloan's ire DALLAS -- Add blowing kisses to the list of unusual antics by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Cuban, who has been fined $505,000 this season for everything from running on the court to sitting beside it, blew a kiss to Utah coach Jerry Sloan in the closing minutes of Tuesday night's playoff game, won by the Jazz. "Some guy was yelling and I found out that it was Cuban," Sloan said Wednesday. "Some guy yells at me, I'm probably going to yell back. Had I known it was him, I probably wouldn't have yelled. He's a powerful guy." The billionaire fan-turned-owner was visibly and vocally upset throughout the Mavericks' 109-98 loss, which put Dallas down 0-2 in the best-of-five series. At halftime, Cuban went on TBS to question a referee's call. He also sat on press row and screamed at sideline personnel about how the game clock was being operated. Then, during a time out with 2:54 left, he pounded the press table and shouted. Sloan, who was about 35 feet away, replied, "What's your problem?" Cuban said Wednesday that his comments were not directed at the Jazz coach. "I never said a word to him. Not a single word," Cuban said. "I was trying to get a clarification on why there was a jump ball after an inadvertent whistle with time left on the shot clock. "The rules say that if there is time left on the clock, it's considered a suspension of play and play resumes at that point. I got the explanation from the ref, who was kind enough to take the time. Afterward, I looked over and Jerry was cursing at me. I was kind of surprised, but I didn't say a word back, just blew him a kiss. "There was no point to get into anything, I just think he got a little mad when I smiled at him and blew him the kiss. He certainly knew who I was." Sloan laughed at Cuban's kiss, then turned his back. "I wasn't offended by it," Sloan said after the game. "It was long distance. As long as it's long distance, it's not a problem." Someone on the bench apparently considered it a problem because Cuban said he saw "some guy" in that area make a derogatory gesture at him. "I smiled and blew him a kiss as well," Cuban said. The NBA said vice president Stu Jackson was reviewing the owner's behavior. Cuban has been fined seven times this season and suspended from two games. Suspending him from Game 3 would be especially painful to the long-suffering Mavericks fan, since it will be the team's first home playoff game in 11 years. Cuban's most recent fine and suspension came earlier this month for grabbing his throat, which the league termed a derogatory gesture, and public criticism of referees during a loss in Phoenix. That cost $100,000. Cuban's fines have ranged from as little as $5,000 to as much as $250,000. He's matched the amount of each fine with donations to charity. ------------- It must be really nice to be Mark Cuban. Being fined 500 grand in a year is unbelievable. Has their ever been an owner like him in any sport? ------------------ To resist is to piss in the wind, Anyone who does will end up smelling, Knowing this why do I defy, Cuz my inner voice is yelling.
Because he's Mark Cuban. I think there's been SEVERAL instances where he's been fined and didn't deserve it, or was fined MUCH more than was necessary. ------------------ Jazzkiller
Sometimes I love Cuban and other times I hate him. I love that he takes care of his players. And that he has turned a perennial loser into a playoff team. Some of his antics are cool. But at the same time he is a big brat. Part of the problem is the press pay too much attention to him. I'm sure if the camera wasn't on him that he wouldn't be so animated, but he knows he is part of the show. He reminds me lil of Rodman. He does a good job, but he wants to ensure he is the center of attention.
Mark Cuber - The Rasheed Wallace of Owners get fine/Suspend for just about anything Rocket River ------------------
I'm no fan of the Jazz, but the Mavs constantly whining about the referees when the officiating hasn't been that bad is making this series not as fun as I would have liked. If Dallas concentrated on getting the ball in the rim more than flopping and the refs, the Mavs would be up 2 instead of down 2. ------------------ snap crackle pop
Marge Schotte Jerry Jones Pat Croche other well known Jerry's All of these owners stay close to the teams operations and do crazy things. ------------------ Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
If I had to pick an owner in the history of sports that Mark Cuban is most like, I'd pick Bill Veeck. ------------------ Houston Sports Board Film Dallas.com
4Chuckie pretty much sums it up for me. I don't see the Veeck connection. I will be yield to historical knowledge, but I remember Veeck as someone with creative vision. Cuban is just a rich guy. ------------------ GATER
For the people who felt sorry for Cuban's fine for the kiss, you don't have to anymore. League officials decided to overlook Cuban antics
Veeck was a fan of the game (baseball) first and foremost. That's the connection I've made. (And, for the record, Cuban has done creative things with his team, too. Things such as adding a live band at Reunion during the games, or the fiber optics installation at the AAC, or even the cool stuff given to players. The Mavs even have more promotions, which were Veeck's specialty, than they did under Perot or Carter). ------------------ Houston Sports Board Film Dallas.com
Cuban's Favorite Owner was Veeck This article made me think of this thread so I thought I'd add it here instead of starting yet another Cuban thread. 8. Who's the sports owner you admire most? Cuban: Bill Veeck. He never cared what anyone said, and he was always focused on improving the game or industry he was involved in, and on creating a better experience for his customers. He seems to be the first owner who realized that people came to games to have fun, not to enrich the owners. ------------------ All work and no play makes Band Geek Mobster a dull boy. All work and no play makes Band Geek Mobster a dull boy. All work and no play makes Band Geek Mobster a dull boy. All work and no play makes Band Geek Mobster a dull boy.
Stern explains why he didn't fine Cuban --------------------------------- Stern suggests Cuban could be distraction --------------------------------- NBA commissioner David Stern suggested to reporters over the weekend that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's behavior has had an adverse influence on his players. Stern was referring to Cuban's tirade in the Game 2 of the first round at Utah, when the owner banged the scorer's table, berated the timekeepers and blew kisses at Utah coach Jerry Sloan during his team's loss. Stern said no fine was warranted, and then explained why: "I don't want to make Mark the focus of the team's efforts. I thought he might have cost the team the game. So I stepped back, to be perfectly blunt." In Dallas for the Mavs' 112-108 victory in Game 4 of the second round, Stern said that when team officials such as owners and coaches act explosively, that can rub off on the players. "That totally focuses the team on that issue," Stern said. "Someone might start complaining bitterly and the team joins in." The Mavericks are a good team when they don't complain, Stern said. "In my view, we literally have the best athletes on the planet (in the NBA)," he said. "The Dallas Mavericks have a very good share of those. They've had a very good season. They've got a very good coach. This is a team that when it focuses on basketball and not officiating, does very well." Cuban responded by saying he was "really disappointed" at Stern's remarks. "I thought the commissioner was supposed to be supportive of all the teams," Cuban said. "We have some franchises who have lost over $200 million this year. He knows why we lost that (Game 2 in Utah), but he doesn't know how to make those teams profitable. "But the most important thing is that we won this game, the Reunion Rowdies are back and commissioner Stern didn't have a dang thing to do with it." Stern has fined Cuban $505,000 during the regular season for everything from sitting on the floor to running on the floor. --------------------------------- Since when did Stern become a basketball coach? If Cuban spoke on how Stern could do his job better, I'm sure he'd get fined, but it's okay for Stern to explain why the Mavs lose some of their games. Thoughts? ------------------ You must always give the Dream back his change! [This message has been edited by Band Geek Mobster (edited May 14, 2001).]
