Outside the Beltway

Cuban Blogger

James Joyner · Friday, March 19, 2004 · 4 comments

I can’t explain why it is I like Mark Cuban. I usually don’t like incredibly lucky people who have more money than I do and can do whatever they want. Still, there’s something inherently likable about a billionaire who has a blog and posts entries like

“I suck.” It was a long night for me. I guess I have to apologize to all Mavs fans for last night’s game. I took the Hawks too lightly. I thought I could prove to myself that superstitions are ridiculous. I thought of any game, this was the game where I didn’t have to wear the right shirt. I didn’t have to stop at 7-Eleven and get my two sugar-free Red Bulls and Diet Mountain Dew.

I tried to right the wrong at halftime when we were way down by changing shirts. It wasn̢۪t enough.

It was a tough lesson, but I learned once again to never underestimate an NBA opponent.

And this is fairly amusing, too:

David Leibowitz: Did you ever think that you would be where you̢۪re sitting today?

Mark Cuban: Yeah, I always did (laughs). Of course not. A lot of things have got to happen. First and foremost, you̢۪ve got to work hard, but more importantly you have to be lucky. There̢۪s no way I could have predicted that the Internet stock market was going to go nuts. But when the stock went nuts, I wasn̢۪t stupid enough to turn my head on it.

Leibowitz: You hear about the dot-com bubble having burst. I did the math and it seems like all the dot-com money from the 90s and the late-80s, you actually have it.

Cuban: So what̢۪s your point?

***

Leibowitz: How do you deal with e-mails from people who are very upset? As a talk radio show, occasionally we get angry listeners. I̢۪m never quite sure what to do with them. What do you do?

Cuban: I’ll read them and see if it’s valid. I get a lot of e-mails from Sacramento Kings fans and they’re really well thought out (laughter). And right behind them are Lakers fans. Phoenix fans are very literate. I can tell they’re from Sacramento because they say, “You suck†twice. I can tell they’re from L.A. because they say, “You suck†once. I’ll read them and then I’ll hit the delete key. If somebody has something valid that they’ve thought out, then I’ll respond in the same manner.

I get some of the craziest e-mails. “My truck is the wrong color. Will you give me money to paint it?†You would be shocked. And those you just kind of flip through. But I do read them and then I hit delete.

I believe you, Mark. I get e-mails like that and I make a little less money than you do.

(Hat tip: Jeff Jarvis)