Money can buy a ball team, but not class

Let's see. A Miami Herald columnist has said Dallas Maverick owner Mark Cuban screamed obscenities at NBA commish David Stern, and then followed it by accusing the NBA of being rigged. Cuban denies it and a lot of people don't believe he said it. Who knows (well, besides him and Stern) if he really said it, but for some reason I can't rule it out of hand. Actually, it's not some reason. It's the fact that I think he's a paranoid nutcase who is irrational about his team. He's also a condescending dick.

Let's look at his acknowledged behavior after the game. He says he stared at Stern, but didn't yell at him, and just because the camera showed him doing so is no reason to think otherwise. He also went on the court and screamed at the referees. Then he proclaimed that Dwyane Wade made a backcourt violation on the inbounds of his game winning shot. He was wrong, but he's rich-man Mark Cuban so he doesn't have to admit it. In his defense, just because he constantly criticizes the refs, I don't think he ever said he actually knew the rules. Of course, does anyone think he would be so critical of the officials if they had incorrectly called the backcourt violation and Dallas got the ball? Me neither. To top it off, he answered reporters with the F-bomb and a sneer. Since that wasn't enough, he blamed them for asking him a question in his house (I didn't realize Dallas' home arena was in Miami), and that it was a waste of time. Hate to tell you Mark, but you're an owner. There's no requirement to talk to reporters at all. If you don't want to waste people's time, don't talk. Unfortunately, I don't think Cuban has the ability to keep his trap shut.

Cuban got fined $250K which is like me getting fined $2.50. He got off easy. I think the NBA should collect the money for their general fund (secretly offset it to their charities) rather than make it a donation. I bet Cuban wouldn't be so cavalier about it if he couldn't write it off. If the NBA wants to really stick it to him, they should ban him from his sideline seats. Does anyone really think owners should be running onto the floor to confront referees after a game? If he wants to act like your average jerk fan, let him. Just make him play by the same rules as fans.

I just find it funny that Cuban is so bitchy about officiating. Did Wade shoot a lot more free throws than anyone else? Sure. Was the last foul pretty ticky-tacky? Absolutely, but it was consistent with the rest of the game for him. Was there a foul differential? Sure was, but how many were part of the hack-a-Shaq away from the ball? Wade did shoot a lot of free throws going 21 out of 25, but I don't remember Cuban getting so put out when a star player went 21 for 24 from the line in a one point game earlier in the playoffs. Of course, since it was Dirk Nowitzki doing it against the Spurs, it was just good officiating. Come on, if 25 free throw attempts in an overtime game is excessive, 24 in regulation is just as bad. You can't even make the argument that about free throw differential. Yes, the Heat shot 24 more than the Mavs, while against the Spurs, the Mavs only had 18 more. I figure there were at least six attempts by Shaq that were directly the result of the Mavs intentionally putting him on the line.

Frankly, I don't care for either team (although I do like Wade), but since they both can't lose, I really hope the Heat win, but that everyone thinks it was rigged because the league doesn't want Cuban to win a title. Actually, I would like the Heat to win and there actually be some evidence that the league did rig it (but not enough to vacate the title). Then, Pat Riley will get a tainted title (see my May 21 post why I didn't want him to win), but the horse's ass Cuban won't get the title at all, and it will be all his fault. He used his money to build up the team so that he could posture and preen for the TV cameras. How great would it be if all those histrionics undid the success his money bought him with that team?