Say what you want about outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban but if it’s negative, chances are someone 
will have an itinerary to debate you.
After the Mavs landed in Dallas and greeted the fans with the NBA Championship trophy, Mayor Dwaine Caraway made it known to Cuban that the city of Dallas is in a “budget crunch” but still would plan some sort of parade.
Cuban’s response?
“I told them…Terdema Ussery our president would plan the parade. I’ll pay for it because I don’t think it’s right for the city to have to pay for it. And let’s just have some fun.”
Expect it to be quite a celebration if the billionaire is footing the bill and planning it.
It’s been a long road to the championship for Cuban, Playoff MVP Dirk Nowitzki and Mavs fans. Up 2-0 in the NBA Finals against the Heat in 2006, the team choked and went home without the hardware and was nothing but a strong sparring partner for other NBA teams several years after that.
In addition to pulling out his checkbook and paying for and planning the parade, in an interview with NBATV, the owner hinted he may attempt to break tradition and come up with an alternative to presenting the players and staff with gaudy, diamond-studded rings.
“I might not get rings. Rings are old school. It’s time to take it to the next level.'”
Cuban, shown in his Twitter photo above, may have been quiet during the playoffs but it appears he’s ready to make a few loud statements now that he’s returned home to Dallas, hardware in hand.
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Used with permission of the author.
Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.
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