(06-22-2021, 12:02 PM)mavsluvr Wrote: Highlights from The Press Box pod, with Tim Cato --
A few more insights into the reporting underlying the article.
Tim has always been interested in the Mavs front office. He had been hearing whispers of growing tension for a while, and early this year he realized the circumstances had reached the point where an article would be appropriate after the season.
In Feb or March, he received a text from a source using the word "catastrophic" to describe the power struggles. It became more obvious how critical the story was around the trade deadline and later. He thinks the Nelson/Rick departures would have happened regardless of the article, and in fact, by Thursday, when they had originally planned to publish the Monday story, the Nelson firing was already underway (as he learned later).
He has known Mark for years, and is sorry that they were not able to get more of his voice into the story, but thinks they framed it accurately. When Mark deemed the story "total bullshit," Mark turned out to have little credibility, especially after Nelson and Rick left, as the affected community tended to believe the story, rather than Mark.
As much as anything, the story reflects the existence of an inflection point regarding Cuban. People are ceasing to probe whether he is really the man pulling all the strings -- he is, and that perception may have an effect on how people deal with him, and how much control they will tolerate.
Cuban's ownership has been beneficial to the team in many ways. But the gunslinger image he cultivates has not always been positive. He has a long history of unforced errors with the media. There is a growing sense of recognition that not everything around the Mavericks has been as Mark has presented it.
Cuban himself does not view himself as the man behind the curtain. He perceives himself as taking advice from many sources, and synthesizing it. But Tim's other sources don't see it that way. The perception is that Mark is too influenced by whoever happens to have his ear at the time, whether it's Haralabob or Chandler Parsons or whoever. Although Bob was used in the story as just an example of the chaos, Bob was in fact a huge part of the dysfunction that was occurring.
Publishing an article like this risks burning bridges as far as sources. Tim admits that was a concern. However, unlike some other reporters, he doesn’t want to be a beat writer forever, so he might be more willing to publish difficult stories than others, and in fact, sees that as his role. He doesn't know of any bridges burned as a result of this piece, but acknowledges that there might be some.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5SKXnH6OghqxmVLNSl3cBE
@"Kammrath", @"KillerLeft"
Does this not mirror what @"F Gump" has been saying?
It's not unredeamable, but it sure looks as bad as we've been realizing, to me.
My hope is that Mark wakes up. But what can I say, I'm kind of a hopeful guy.