SI article on toxic Mavs workplace

[nickagneta]

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/02/20/dallas-mavericks-sexual-misconduct-investigation-mark-cuban-response

Long read. Some pretty disgusting and disturbing stuff. Hoping this is an isolated incident and not something that happens in professional athletic workplaces.

[tazzmaniac]

It will be interesting to see the NBA's response. 

Definitely not isolated enough nor restricted to athletics workplaces.  Jerry Richardson, Carolina Panthers owner, is being forced to sell the team for similar behavior. 

[nickagneta]

Yeah, the NBA response should be interesting. I wonder if they aren't doing a sweeping quick check on all franchises to see if anything similar has happened anywhere else before responding.

[tarheelsxxiii]

I've always liked Cuban, but find it unlikely that he wasn't aware.  This take
 unfortunately seems super plausible:

One of the women alleging harassment has another theory: Cuban turned a blind eye as long as revenue came in. Which it did. By all accounts, under Ussery the Mavericks’ finances improved dramatically. He was instrumental in securing $240 million in public funding for the American Airlines Center, which opened in 2001. Ussery also has been credited with bringing the 2010 NBA All-Star Game to Dallas, where it was played out before 108,713 fans at AT&T Stadium. In a glowing 2011 profile in Dallas Magazine, Ussery was referred to as: “Right-hand man to Mark Cuban. Friend to NBA Commissioner David Stern. And one of the most powerful African-American executives in a league dominated by black players.”

[Vox_Populi]

I'd find it hard to believe Cuban didn't know. Maybe not the severity and proclivity, but it's unlikely this is news to him. Wonder what the league will do, because this is......not good.

[Kuberski33]

The NBA reaction will be interesting.  The league has under Adam Silver tried to portray itself as this socially progressive entity.  While it gets paid lip service, not everyone drawing a paycheck from the league may be on board with that.

In the case of Cuban - he's been one of their best owners when it comes to marketing the product and showing other owners how you operate a team.  He's also one of their best known owners and a guy who a lot of people admire. This puts the NBA in a tough spot.

It also involves a guy, Cuban, who's very smart and very likely to put up a fight if they try to penalize him in a manner that he thinks is unfair to him.

[fairweatherfan]

I'd find it hard to believe Cuban didn't know. Maybe not the severity and proclivity, but it's unlikely this is news to him. Wonder what the league will do, because this is......not good.

I think Cuban has said he knew, at least about some incidents, and that his rationalization was "if we fire him he'll just do it somewhere else, keep him here and we can control him".  Which is insane.

There are rumblings that this could develop into a Donald Sterling situation if it becomes a big enough story. Cuban deserves scorn regardless for continuing to empower people like this.

[Moranis]

I'd find it hard to believe Cuban didn't know. Maybe not the severity and proclivity, but it's unlikely this is news to him. Wonder what the league will do, because this is......not good.

I think Cuban has said he knew, at least about some incidents, and that his rationalization was "if we fire him he'll just do it somewhere else, keep him here and we can control him".  Which is insane.

There are rumblings that this could develop into a Donald Sterling situation if it becomes a big enough story. Cuban deserves scorn regardless for continuing to empower people like this.

I think that was the writer, not the executive.

[Snakehead]

Absolutely ridiculous.  Complete lack of respect and basic human rights for his workers.  His excuses were awful as well (I kept him in house here so he wouldn't do it somewhere else).  He had an employee who couldn't even be one on one with women and he thought that was okay and then his GM gets fired from his next job after a month because Under Armor isn't as sick and twisted of a place.

Mark Cuban is disgusting.  I am not shocked in the least based off the man being out their for years.

[Snakehead]

I'd find it hard to believe Cuban didn't know. Maybe not the severity and proclivity, but it's unlikely this is news to him. Wonder what the league will do, because this is......not good.

I think Cuban has said he knew, at least about some incidents, and that his rationalization was "if we fire him he'll just do it somewhere else, keep him here and we can control him".  Which is insane.

There are rumblings that this could develop into a Donald Sterling situation if it becomes a big enough story. Cuban deserves scorn regardless for continuing to empower people like this.

 People are giving Cuban way way too much rope on this.  The man is totally involved in the team.  This went to HR before and we know that.  We know of at least one very formal report in 98 as well as reported others from the victims.  Employees are walking around with black eyes from getting hit from that writer at work.  He knows.  He knew.  He is scum and doesn't care about women or anyone who is under him.  Maybe if they had enough money they would matter.

When the employee in question leaves and is fired in a month somewhere else for the same behavior that says it all about how he was covered up for in the Mavs organization. 

Cuban needs to go.  We know why he was against Sterling going now.   He knew what was going on or cared so little about women or well being of his employees that he didn't bother and both are entirely unacceptable and tell you how awful he is.

[Kuberski33]

I'd find it hard to believe Cuban didn't know. Maybe not the severity and proclivity, but it's unlikely this is news to him. Wonder what the league will do, because this is......not good.

Cuban needs to go.  We know why he was against Sterling going now.   He knew what was going on or cared so little about women or well being of his employees that he didn't bother and both are entirely unacceptable and tell you how awful he is.

Nothing like convicting a guy without a complete investigation by the league - which is likely to take place.  It is conceivable Cuban may not have known much of what's reported in the article. He's got a lot of business interests - I think through Shark Tank alone he's investing and consulting in something like 100 different companies. And in many companies low level employees have very little interaction with the CEO and if this was Cuban's 'guy' - and it sounds like that was the case - you would probably rightfully fear for your job if you spoke up. Office politics are a very real thing.

And successful business are often meritocracy's - like sports teams.  The guys who produce have clout with the boss and it sounds like Ussery was good at helping the Mavericks generate lots of revenue.

[spikelovetheCelts]

I'd find it hard to believe Cuban didn't know. Maybe not the severity and proclivity, but it's unlikely this is news to him. Wonder what the league will do, because this is......not good.

Cuban needs to go.  We know why he was against Sterling going now.   He knew what was going on or cared so little about women or well being of his employees that he didn't bother and both are entirely unacceptable and tell you how awful he is.

Nothing like convicting a guy without a complete investigation by the league - which is likely to take place.  It is conceivable Cuban may not have known much of what's reported in the article. He's got a lot of business interests - I think through Shark Tank alone he's investing and consulting in something like 100 different companies. And in many companies low level employees have very little interaction with the CEO and if this was Cuban's 'guy' - and it sounds like that was the case - you would probably rightfully fear for your job if you spoke up. Office politics are a very real thing.

And successful business are often meritocracy's - like sports teams.  The guys who produce have clout with the boss and it sounds like Ussery was good at helping the Mavericks generate lots of revenue.

Cuban knew and it will come out.   The NBA will come down hard on him. I wonder what the wife has to say about it all.

[fairweatherfan]

I'd find it hard to believe Cuban didn't know. Maybe not the severity and proclivity, but it's unlikely this is news to him. Wonder what the league will do, because this is......not good.

I think Cuban has said he knew, at least about some incidents, and that his rationalization was "if we fire him he'll just do it somewhere else, keep him here and we can control him".  Which is insane.

There are rumblings that this could develop into a Donald Sterling situation if it becomes a big enough story. Cuban deserves scorn regardless for continuing to empower people like this.

I think that was the writer, not the executive.

Yeah I think you're right - I had seen his responses to the story but hadn't actually realized it was several people doing this til I got deeper into it.



BTW it doesn't really matter but there's a quoting hiccup and kuberski's replying to snakehead, not me. I don't fully agree with what's in that quote.

[SHAQATTACK]

I'd find it hard to believe Cuban didn't know. Maybe not the severity and proclivity, but it's unlikely this is news to him. Wonder what the league will do, because this is......not good.

Sure he knew .  This guy is a controll freak . 100% .....he makes it his business . 

Cuban , is ultimately responsible for the actions of his staff at work,   like Paterno , he ll sink with the ship if things get out of hand

He be best to fire everybody remotely guilty and hope he survives.

[spikelovetheCelts]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/feb/27/mark-cuban-dallas-mavericks-nba
Interesting take on Cuban. I hope the truth comes out.