The Memphis Grizzlies, L.A. Clippers, Mark Cuban, and Presidential Politics
Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks made his endorsement for President of the U.S. of America today.
The only reason this has any relevance for us in Memphis is…Michael Heisley. I grew up in the shadow of the awfulness that was (and still is) the Los Angeles Clippers. Donald Sterling, the owner of the Clippers is widely acknowledged as a great member of the community in L.A. for his charity work. He’s made a lot of money through his real estate investments, but his claim to “fame” is as the worst owner in professional sports history.
Mark Cuban has quickly earned himself a reputation as one of the best owners in professional sports. He bought the Dallas Mavericks in 2000 and turned them from a laughingstock into a consistent powerhouse in the Western Conference. On a Heisley-related note, he’s expressed interest in buying the Chicago Cubs if/when they go up for sale.
I wish, WISH, Michael Heisley cared half as much about the Grizzlies as Cuban does about the Mavericks. Cuban never would have traded away Pau. He would have found a way to get Jason Kidd and/or Shaquille O’Neal.
Ever since Cuban took over his team, he’s been about making it a better team, no matter what it costs. And the money follows. I went to a Mavericks game in Dallas a couple years ago and they had sold every possible inch of advertising space. Everyone in the community wants to be associated with the Mavericks.
With the Pau trade, the Grizzlies transformed from the team everyone else in the league pitied into the team everyone in the league curses under their breath. They’re worse than the Clippers now. Everyone expects the Clippers to be terrible, and other teams kinda feel bad for them. No one is going to feel bad for the Grizzlies when they’re awful. Don’t expect anyone to do us any favors for the next couple of years.
Oh, by the way, Cubans’ pick for President? Michael Bloomberg.
Great blog. Someone mentioned that you maybe jealous of not being in the Mayor’s following. I think all you really want is a basketball team. Well sell some real estate and buy a team. Isn’t that how it works.