Dallas Mavericks: Mark Cuban Correct on Tom Brady

It’s not not very often that the NBA and the NFL crossover, but this week’s comments from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban regarding the upheld suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady are spot on.

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According to the Dallas Morning News, Cuban took to Cyber Dust in showing full support for the four-game suspension that Brady will serve as a result of the “Deflategate” scandal that erupted just prior to Super Bowl XLIX earlier this year.

By now you undoubtedly know the story. The Patriots were caught using deflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game at New England against the apparently overmatched Indianapolis Colts.

Well, count Cuban among the millions that were far from impressed.

He’s quoted with the following, courtesy of DMN:

"As far as 4 games being upheld, the NBA owner in me is surprised it wasn’t extended. The old saying “the cover up is always worse than the crime” applies here. Once he destroyed his phone this all went from did he break the rules of the game, to “can he get away with deceiving the commissioner.” We can argue whether 4 games was too much for deflating the ball. You can’t argue whether 4 games is enough for trying to make a fool out of the commissioner of the NFL. The NFL can’t have players, their agents and Lawyers thinking that if you do wrong and just destroy the evidence it will all be OK. That can undermine the integrity of the league."

Indeed, it certainly can – and it has.

If there’s one thing that I’ve always loved about Cuban, it’s the fact that he has no fear of calling a trash can a trash can, even while many are encouraged and even agree to refer to it as a condominium. The mainstream press can accomplish this strange phenomenon simply with repetitions, but Cuban never bites.

Further, Cuban has always struck me as a rare billionaire. In other words, this guy made himself happen, as opposed to simply being born into old money or relentlessly screwing anybody and everybody to gain not just wealth, but power.

Apr 26, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban celebrates during the game against the Houston Rockets in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets 121-109. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Question: You’re stranded on a desert road with no water in sight, and you can choose two people to pass you buy, possibly offering assistance or not. Your options are Mark Cuban or New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft.

If it’s me, I’m going with Cuban without hesitation.

No, nobody wears a halo over their head, and nobody is perfect. But Cuban is right on this entire issue, despite the fact that the NFL isn’t even his business.

Cuban boldly predicted a $1 million fine for the Patriots organization — and don’t think he was just lucky in nailing this — and even goes on to state that the suspension should have been longer.

Frankly, the NFL should have held the Patriots out of the Super Bowl, another narrow victory in professional football’s biggest event, pending that investigation that led to Brady to destroy his cell phone and then get suspended.

Pete Rose of Major League Baseball fame was banned for life for less than what Brady was allegedly involved in.

Can you imagine Dirk Nowitzki being questioned regarding the use of illegal shoes, supplements or, of all things, deflating a basketball – not that this would seem to do much good when dribbling, but still.

Integrity is something not commonly seen where huge sums of money are concerned. Cuban seems to be an exception to that predominant element of questionable ethics, rare accountability and corruption too often celebrated in the United States.

Now, if he could only land a major free agent.

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