Mark Cuban Gives NBA Commissioner Foul-Mouthed Send Off

Mark Cuban, owner of the the NBA Dallas Mavericks team, kept his promise to be the final person to be fined by Commissioner David Stern, who retired after 30 years in the sports.   At the end of Stern’s final presiding game between the Mavericks and the Clippers, Cuban was slapped with a $100,000 fine for using improper language to the referees.  His team eventually lost 129 – 127. A statement put out by Stern following the incident said that Cuban was being fined for “confronting the game officials on the court after the conclusion of the game and directing inappropriate language to them…”

Cuban’s foul-mouthed tirades provided a colorful sideline view of NBA games over the past 14 years that he has been owner of the Dallas Mavericks.  The constant spats with Commissioner David Stern have resulted in Cuban paying nearly $2 million in fines, although he has regularly donated equal amounts to charity following each fine.  His recent $100K fine was no different and soon afterwards, Cuban announced that he was donating the same amount.

Cuban’s tweet following Stern’s last game read: “I couldnt let the commish go without a proper farewell. Its been a fun 14 years of trying to create change and donating to the donut fund ! (sic)”

Cuban has not yet made public whether or not he intends terrorizing the incoming commissioner, Adam Silver in the same way that he did Stern.  It does seem, though, that the two had a love-hate relationship.  When Cuban heard that Stern was to retire this year, he said in an interview: “We didn’t always agree, but we have always respected each other. It won’t be the same when he leaves. … He is really loved.”

(Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/mavericks/2014/01/18/nba-commissioner-david-stern-fines-mavericks-owner-mark-cuban/4641629/)