THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS AND BASEBALL NEED TO HIRE MARK CUBAN

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban (shown with the Larry

O'Brien trophy) recently showed interest in owning the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have made history in the past, but not quite like this.

On Monday, the Dodgers, reached a low that no one ever thought they would reach—filing for bankruptcy.

It is sad that a team rich in history with great moments and important figures goes to a point that it may be unsure if it can pay its players on payday.

Worse yet, the Dodgers have went from two straight National League Championship Series appearances in 2008 and 2009 to eight games under .500 this season.

The only way that the Dodgers and Major League Baseball can undo the mess that owner Frank McCourt made? Hire Mark Cuban.

Cuban, an entrepreneur, continues to show that he can successfully run a major professional sports franchise. He has been the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks since 2000.

In that time he has turned a horrible franchise with no success in the 90s, to one that has won at least 50 games for 11 seasons in a row. Dallas finally reached the NBA’s pinnacle on June 12 by defeating the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Cuban would certainly be a hit with the Dodger fan base based on his energetic personality and his ability to be a fan-friendly owner.

However, some baseball traditionalists, such as former MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent, oppose to the idea of Cuban owning the Dodgers—or any other team.

“I don’t think Mr. Cuban’s been an easy partner or owner for David Stern, and that would put me on guard if he were to come to baseball,” Vincent said on ESPN Radio’s June 15’s airing of “The Herd”.

Cuban has been fined numerous times by the NBA for his actions, whether for criticizing the referees or the league itself.

However, he did tone his act down during the 2011 NBA Playoffs and saved his talking for after the championship.

In spite of this, his personality might have already cost him opportunities of owning an MLB team, such as the Chicago Cubs or the Texas Rangers—the two teams he previously tried buy.

Cuban is not a traditional owner, though. He would rather sit in the stands screaming his lungs out with the audience rather than inside a luxury box disconnected from the true die-hard fans.

That is what separates him from many owners, but they all share the same common goal—win and provide a profitable product.

Forbes ranked the Mavericks No. 6 in terms of value this season and the franchise is worth twice as much now than it did a decade ago.

The Dodgers desperately need to build a winner and make a profit. Cuban might be their best chance to do so.

THE DALLAS MAVERICKS FIND REDEMPTION IN NBA FINALS WIN

The Dallas Mavericks celebrate Sunday after winning their first-ever NBA title.

A decade of frustration—GONE.

The Dallas Mavericks finally celebrated their first title in team history when beat the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals, 4-2.

For NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Dirk Nowitzki, he was the consistent factor for the Mavericks throughout the 2000s.

He helped Dallas achieve its greatest success since the mid-to-late 1980s, but the team was criticized for being soft and lacking on the defensive end.

The Mavericks endured their best seasons in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, but ended the seasons in heartbreaking fashion.

They lost the in the 2006 Finals to the Heat after holding a 2-0 lead and were upset by the Golden State Warriors in the 2007 Western Conference Quarterfinals after having the best record and Nowitzki winning the MVP with good players like Jason Terry helping him.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle joined the team in 2008, but felt the pain that Nowitzki and Terry went through before this point.

“Dirk and Jet (Jason Terry) have had to live with those demons for five years,” Carlisle said. “And as of tonight, those demons are officially destroyed.”

All because of those past failures like these, few expected Dallas to get to this point. Some even tabbed the Mavericks as the upset pick in their first round matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.

“The whole world was telling us we were the one and done boys,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. “That we were going to get knocked out in the first round. This team had so much heart, so much determination and so much fortitude that you know what, I love every one of them.”

With that drive, Dallas battled throughout the playoffs.

The team shook off an embarrassing 23-point collapse in Game 4 of the Portland series to win in six games. They then swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the West Semifinals and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West Finals in five games to return to the NBA Finals.

The Mavericks gained respect, but Miami would be the favorite heading in to the Finals.

The Heat took care of Dallas in Game 1 with a 92-84 win and were seven minutes from holding a 2-0 lead until Dallas stormed back from 15 down to tie up the series as the Finals shifted to Dallas.

Miami took Game 3, but Carlisle made adjustments such as starting JJ Barea and putting Brian Cardinal and Ian Mahinmi in the rotation. Those moves and Nowitzki having help in scoring allowed the Mavericks to win three straight to take the Finals.

The win finally gave players like Nowitzki and Terry the redemption and the ring they have longed for. Along with that, so are the nightmares of years past.