Distance Makes the Heart Grow...Fonder?

After the Dallas Mavericks captured their first NBA Championship in franchise history, the celebration lasted over a month.

A parade through downtown Dallas was culminated at the AAC by the singing of ‘We are the Champions’.  The team was featured on The Late Show with David Letterman, as well as The George Lopez Show.  And finally, the world-champions were showered with awards at the 2011 ESPYs, capturing the awards for ‘Best Team’, ‘Best Male Athlete’, ‘Best NBA player’, and ‘Best Coach’.

 

But now the players will inevitably go their separate ways.  JJ Barea has already made his much anticipated return to Puerto Rico.  3300 miles away, Tyson Chandler returned to his West coast home in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. And Caron Butler will venture back home to the Washington D.C. area, three time zones away.

While a typical offseason would have seen free agency begin on July 1, the likelihood of a long lockout threatens to push this date well into 2012.  Ignoring the potential terms of a new CBA, is it possible that a delayed free agency might damage the Mavs chances of retaining their key players for their title defense?

The answer, unfortunately, is yes.

Fresh off of the greatest season in franchise history, the Mavs were in a favorable position to keep the core of their team intact.  However, after a prolonged lockout, the magical feeling will fade.  The incredible memories will become more distant, and the strength of the always-important dollar may prevail.

Mark Cuban will open his pocket book wide to bring back the core of this Mavericks team, but even he will have his limitations.  Will Chandler, Barea, Butler and DeShawn Stevenson chase the highest payday?  Or will the fading memory of their month-long celebration win out?

Fay Vincent and the Case Against Mark Cuban

Former MLB Commissioner, Fay Vincent, joined ESPN Radio's "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd on Wednesday.  Vincent was the Commissioner of baseball from 1989-92. On the show, Vincent discussed the idea of Mark Cuban owning an MLB franchise.  Let's take a look at a few of the statements he made.

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"I went through the Steinbrenner business. Some of the behavior of owners can be very troublesome for commissioners…George Steinbrenner was a real problem in baseball, and I think Mark Cuban is a real problem in basketball."

First of all, it is difficult to argue that George Steinbrenner was purely bad for baseball. During his tenure, the Yankees became the most successful organization in the game, winning 7 World Series titles and 11 pennants. He also largely grew the Yankees brand, which currently stands as the most valuable sports franchise in America (and a huge contributor to revenue sharing). His excessive spending and abrasive personality were controversial, but did not damage the game.

Remember also that Vincent has a history with Steinbrenner.  In wake of the Dave Winfield controversy in 1990, Vincent banned Steinbrenner from baseball for life. Just a year after Vincent left baseball in 1993, the Yankees’ owner was reinstated. 

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"I think it's more important for owners to be gentlemen, play by the rules, respect the authorities, do what's good for the sport, than it is to manage his franchise into total success… I mean winning is not everything, and I'm afraid for some of these owners they get so carried away with winning they believe that's the objective."

Have you ever heard of Robert Nutting?  Exactly.  He is the principal owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  You never hear of him in the news because he runs a largely irrelevant franchise.  The Pirates 2011 payroll is roughly $45 million, the third lowest in the league (compared to Yankees’ $203 million).  The Pirates last reached the postseason in 1992, and have averaged only 67 wins per season since 2000.  BUT, by all accounts, he is a very respectable businessman and gentleman.

Woopty-freakin-do! (Haven’t said that since 1995) Unfortunately, fans care about one thing and one thing only: winning.  Yankees fans defend the Steinbrenners; Mavericks’ fans love Mark Cuban.  Why?  Because they get results. 

If winning isn’t the objective, then what is…being a philanthropist? turning a profit? That’s a tough sell to season-ticket holders.

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"The rules are the rules. I think this enormous criticism -- the screaming about officials, the kinds of things that got him fined by David -- those are not actions of a sensible, responsible owner,”

What is a responsible owner?  A yes-man that kisses the Commissioner’s ass?  No, it’s the guy that does everything within his means to win games.  If you really want to call out anyone for being irresponsible, seek those owners who simultaneously cut payroll while raising ticket prices. 

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Is Fay Vincent still the voice of MLB?  No. The eighth Commissioner of baseball resigned in 1992 after getting an 18-9 no confidence vote from MLB owners.  But his opinion is echoed throughout the fraternity of baseball owners.  The ‘old-school’ approach is still very much alive.

While other sports continue to adapt to the changing times, adapting new technologies and becoming more fan-friendly, baseball is the Augusta National of sports.  Change is evil.

Mark Cuban revolutionized the Mavs and could similarly help infuse life and interest into the ranks of baseball ownership.  I don’t think owners fear the complaining or excessive publicity that Cuban would garner.  If that were true, Frank McCourt and Fred Wilpon would be former owners.

I think they fear the innovator, the big-spender, and the success of a boisterous owner that would crash the country club vibe.