Mark Cuban speaks about his failed Cubs bid

[Ace]

You guys have got to read Cuban's blog post about the Cubs purchase process. I can't post links from my BB, but I've got it linked on the front page of Bleacher Nation.

Someone I'm sure can grab the link and post it here. It's a great read.

[ColoradoCub]

The link in your blog doesn't work

[rok]

http://blogmaverick.com/2009/01/06/the-cubs/

[Ace]

Damnit. That's what I get when I try to post via email.

Sorry. Thanks for finding the link.

[rok]

Very interesting.
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->On the flipside, my dedication to winning could also make my job of getting approval with MLB baseball much harder. Some people thought it meant that I would spend on players like I did in my early days with the Mavericks. Back before I learned that sometimes GMs put keeping their jobs ahead of trying to win championships. But thats another story for another time. I had no intentions of trying to outspend the Yankees or Red Sox. There was no reason to. I didnt have to beat either of those teams unless I made it to the World Series. The only teams I had to be better than were those in the National League, and more importantly, those in my division. There were no big spending rivals close to home, so the AL East could spend themselves silly. My plans were to spend to win, not to spend for spending’s sake. IMHO, the money I could save being in the 2nd tier of payroll could be invested in scouting and development. I made this clear to any and all of the owners that I spoke to across the league. Of course that didnt stop some from trying to convince some owners otherwise.

In particular, a lot of the “intelligence” that I would be a big time spender seemed to come out of Chicago. The “conventional wisdom” of people that I talked to around the league suggested that Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner of the White Sox was going to be my primary obstacle to getting approval from MLB should I buy the Cubs. Contrary to popular belief, I think I have a good relationship with Jerry. I know I have a good relationship with all the people I deal with at the Bulls. We are probably on the same side of NBA issues 99pct of the time. I honestly don’t know what if any information was coming from Jerry, or his position on my owning a team. He was very cordial to me and made it clear that he would be happy to talk to me about anything at any time, although we never did get the chance to chat.

My sense of the entire situation was that whoever the new owner of the Cubs would be, it was in the Sox best interest for things to stay business as usual. Published TV ratings and other published measures showed that the Cubs were more popular than the Sox, yet before I even started looking at the Cubs, I knew from my discussions with people in the NBA that the Cubs and Sox were treated as equals in their business dealings. That was great for the Sox, not so good for the Cubs. Im guessing the people in the Sox organization knew, that if I bought the team, particularly at the price point that was being suggested in the papers, there was no way I would just accept parity in future business dealings. I was going to have to try to negotiate the very best deals possible for the Cubs, even if it was at the expense of the White Sox.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[kbwsb]

I think Tom and Butch should re-read that last paragraph, and let it fester.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=9350:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think Tom and Butch should re-read that last paragraph, and let it fester.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I've read it twice and I don't understand it. Why are they treated as equals when the Cubs should clearly have more leverage? Who is treating them as equals, and why? Who is enforcing it? It makes no business sense at all.

[bz]

Yea, I'm sure I get it either.

[kbwsb]

<!--quoteo(post=9353:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9350:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think Tom and Butch should re-read that last paragraph, and let it fester.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I've read it twice and I don't understand it. Why are they treated as equals when the Cubs should clearly have more leverage? Who is treating them as equals, and why? Who is enforcing it? It makes no business sense at all.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because Reinsdorf is a master negotiator and the Trib guys are complete pussies?
To me, that seems obvious.

[rok]

<!--quoteo(post=9353:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9350:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think Tom and Butch should re-read that last paragraph, and let it fester.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I've read it twice and I don't understand it. Why are they treated as equals when the Cubs should clearly have more leverage? Who is treating them as equals, and why? Who is enforcing it? It makes no business sense at all.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Maybe Reinsdorf is strong-arming certain owners and GMs so that it impairs our dealings with certain teams. Not sure how he would get away with it though.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=9357:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:14 AM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9353:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9350:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think Tom and Butch should re-read that last paragraph, and let it fester.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I've read it twice and I don't understand it. Why are they treated as equals when the Cubs should clearly have more leverage? Who is treating them as equals, and why? Who is enforcing it? It makes no business sense at all.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because Reinsdorf is a master negotiator and the Trib guys are complete pussies?
To me, that seems obvious.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, that should change under new ownership whether it ends up being Cuban or not.

[kbwsb]

<!--quoteo(post=9359:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:15 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 11:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9357:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:14 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9353:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9350:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think Tom and Butch should re-read that last paragraph, and let it fester.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I've read it twice and I don't understand it. Why are they treated as equals when the Cubs should clearly have more leverage? Who is treating them as equals, and why? Who is enforcing it? It makes no business sense at all.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because Reinsdorf is a master negotiator and the Trib guys are complete pussies?
To me, that seems obvious.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, that should change under new ownership whether it ends up being Cuban or not.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You mean those new guys who are hand-picked by Bud Selig and his very best friend in the whole world?

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=9361:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:17 AM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9359:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:15 AM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 11:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9357:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:14 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9353:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 6 2009, 11:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=9350:date=Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jan 6 2009, 11:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I think Tom and Butch should re-read that last paragraph, and let it fester.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I've read it twice and I don't understand it. Why are they treated as equals when the Cubs should clearly have more leverage? Who is treating them as equals, and why? Who is enforcing it? It makes no business sense at all.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because Reinsdorf is a master negotiator and the Trib guys are complete pussies?
To me, that seems obvious.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, that should change under new ownership whether it ends up being Cuban or not.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You mean those new guys who are hand-picked by Bud Selig and his very best friend in the whole world?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You think the new owner is going to be willing to pony up a billion dollars, but will also be willing to take it up the ass from Selig and Reinsdorf? I don't see it happening. Whoever buys this team will certainly make sure they get the best return on their investment that they possibly can.

[Rappster]

As much as I wanted Cuban, this could still just be a bit of posturing and sour grapes, at this point...

Still makes me grumble.

[bz]

When he says "deals" what exactly is he talking about? I think there is more than just trades and free agent signings.