Your championship Mavs want their rings, Mark Cuban
By Kelly Dwyer
In an interview with NBA TV soon after the Dallas Mavericks earned their first NBA title on Sunday night, team owner Mark Cuban jokingly dismissed the idea of giving his team championship rings as a reward. Probably because he was bored. Most likely because he's Mark Cuban, and he just likes saying things like that -- pointing out that rings were "old school" and mentioning that he'd try to come up with some new sort of reward for Dallas' 8 1/2-month trek.
And, because NBA players kind of like championship rings, this isn't going over well with Maverick players. Jason Terry(notes) says Cuban talked about "a five-finger ring" and Cuban reportedly talked to his employees and players about a bracelet. Jokingly, of course, but … seriously, boss, give us a ring. It's been a long year, Cubes.
From the AP:
"We've got to talk to him about that," said Dirk Nowitzki(notes), the finals MVP. "I don't think the last word has been spoken yet. We know he always wants to do something different, something bigger. But the ring is just so classic. I think I would vote for a ring. I mean, I'm a man. I don't know how I'd feel about a bracelet."
I know how I'd feel about a bracelet. You have to take it off when you wash dishes, write at a laptop, or bathe your cats. And I've got a lot of cats to bathe. Not a euphemism.
Donnie Nelson, the longtime Maverick personnel chief, wants to help Dirk out:
"I'll pay for [the rings]," he said. "Now, they might have to be plastic."
Jason Kidd(notes), the 17-year NBA vet, probably countered Cuban's "argument" best when he pointed out that he wants a ring because he's "old-fashioned," but as has been the case for all of 2010-11, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle had the best take:
"I don't know what he's thinking," Carlisle said, laughing. "You win an NBA championship, you've got to have a ring."
Well, you don't have to have one, because they're cumbersome and hard to wear and they look a little showy. But you've certainly earned one. And you've definitely earned the right, Dallas, to pass on a championship bracelet, some sort of jewel-encrusted set of brass knuckles, or your own personalized championship yacht.
Actually, that last one doesn't sound half bad. OK, a yacht and a ring it is, rich guy.