Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban said that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told him an actual contract for former NFLer Tony Romo "wouldn't be honored," according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Cuban said of approaching Silver with the idea of honoring Romo at last night's game against the Nuggets, "I told him what I was going to do and said, 'Fine me if you don't like it.'" Meanwhile, there has been "some criticism of the Mavericks for how they chose to honor Romo." Cuban "believes it falls in line with how the Mavericks have honored other Dallas stars," such as Hockey HOFer Mike Modano and Baseball HOFer Ivan Rodriguez. Cuban: "Anybody who thinks a layup line is disrespectful, hasn't watched an NBA game. We've got people shooting half-court shots at every break, we've got kids for ball boys ... We're entertainment. And if they're so self-important they can't recognize that, it's on them. Not me." Meanwhile, about a dozen of Romo's former Cowboys teammates were in attendance at last night's Nuggets-Mavs game. Cowboys Exec VP & Chief Brand Officer Charlotte Jones Anderson and Gene Jones, wife of Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, "sat together near the Nuggets' bench" (ESPN.com, 4/11).
MAN OF THE HOUR: In Dallas, Jon Machota writes for one game, American Airlines Center had "as many fans wearing Cowboys jerseys as Mavs jerseys." Mavericks No. 9 Romo T-shirts and jerseys were "sold in the team store." They were "sold out by the end of the first quarter" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/12). Also in Dallas, Tim Cowlishaw writes the stunt "was harmless." Cowlishaw: "But the decision not to promote or recognize his own players in the final pre-game ceremony of the year? Well, Cuban knows his product better than I do." The crowd was "certainly more engaged than most, arriving early and performing with some measure of enthusiasm a Romo chant." Cuban acknowledged before the game that he talked to Silver about signing Romo to a contract, one that "would have permitted him to enter the game presumably in the final seconds." Cuban: "Once (Silver) said that the contract wouldn't be approved, that sort of killed that (idea of Romo playing)." Cuban said that Silver "indicated he did not wish to set a precedent." Cowlishaw: "Wise move by Mr. Silver" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/12). PFT’s Mike Florio said of Cuban, “The bigger thing here is turning this into something akin to the Harlem Globetrotters, where you cross the line from pure sport into pure entertainment. ... What would the other teams do if you have a green light to sign anybody you want, put them on the court in garbage time of a garbage game late in the season?” (“PFT,” NBCSN, 4/12). However, NBATV’s Steve Smith said, “Hats off to Cuban and the Mavericks for this farewell. Cuban gets it” (“NBA GameTime,” NBATV, 4/11).
