Cuban Still in Running to Play Ball

CNNMoney.com insists today that Dallas Mavs owner Mark Cuban has indeed been given the OK to check out the Chicago Cubs' financials. That means he's still a bidder in bidness to buy (for $1 billion-plus, most likely) the storied franchise -- no matter what New York magazine said in September...

By Robert Wilonsky

December 13, 2007

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CNNMoney.com insists today that Dallas Mavs owner Mark Cuban has indeed been given the OK to check out the Chicago Cubs' financials. That means he's still a bidder in bidness to buy (for $1 billion-plus, most likely) the storied franchise -- no matter what New York magazine said in September. Also, suggests the site's senior writer, Chris Isidore, Cuban's tempering his, ah, enthusiasm to make nicey-nice with the league's higher-ups, hoping to convince them he's not about to toss beanballs at the other owners' heads.

As in, "When [Cuban] stopped by CNN the other day, he wouldn't say word one about his interest in the Cubs or baseball, or even comment on the general economics of the sport compared to the salary-capped NBA. And he had almost nothing but good things to say about the NBA leadership." Speaking of, did Cuban say something on The Ticket this week about a National League franchise in downtown Dallas? S'what I heard ... --Robert Wilonsky

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