MLB needs Mark Cuban to own the Texas Rangers.
With the Texas Rangers firmly in bankruptcy proceedings and ESPN reporting that a bankruptcy judge has ruled that the Aug. 4 auction won’t be delayed, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban may be among the bidders. I think this is a good move for the MLB.
Mark Cuban can sure stir up the pot. In the basketball arena his type of attitude and affection for the game is more acceptable, despite what David Stern would have you to believe. Mark Cuban took a floundering franchise in the Dallas Mavericks (Once, the Clippers of the South) and made them into a perennial top tier team. He hasn’t been able to complete his title chase, but he’s come close.
Cuban catches a ton of flack for his brash say anything attitude. He’s accumulated more than $1.6 Million in fines for comments regarding NBA officials and other league related issues. He regularly argues with referees and has appeared on Dancing with the Stars. All this “extra” attention he garnishes is considered by many as an egotistical ploy and it has no place in sports. While, I don’t doubt his ego or any self serving attitude he has, you can’t tell me that it has no place in sports. LeBron James, Peyton Manning, Alex Rodriguez, Alexander Ovechkin, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady and MANY more all have huge self serving egos that are good for the sport, or at least good for the pocket book. Cuban, like the others, wants to win. He wants that championship.
Admittedly the Rangers are my team but there is only a short list above Mark Cuban that I’d want running my team. Jerry Jones and George Steinbrenner. That’s it. The NFL has a policy preventing Jerry from owning another sports franchise, so he’s out. George just recently passed away, but even before that he was obviously with the Yankee’s. But these are the same types of owners that Cuban is; larger than life, committed to excellence and willing to do whatever it takes to win. (Yes, I know I used Al Davis’ line. No, he’s not on my list… maybe Al from the Late 70′s early 80′s, but not now)
The last thing that the MLB needs it another owner or ownership group that is happy cashing checks and not contending. *ahem* Houston Astros, Milwakee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates *ahem* With the lack of balance of power in baseball, clearly someone has to step up challenge the status quo. I don’t mean for one season, the way the Rockies, Rays or even the White Sox did. Someone needs to firmly place themselves in the top of the league with the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies and Cardinals. Mark Cuban can do that, or at least he’ll try.
Love him or hate him Mark Cuban is one hell of a sports owner and I think the MLB needs him to buy the Texas Rangers.
