No national anthem at Mavs game

[Dahlsim]

THIS.

It is actually crazy to me that we think it appropriate or normal and not totally bizarre to play the national anthem at a random sporting event that does NOT actually represent the country or nation.

BUT on another level, it is not bizarre because it was revealed by Jeff Flake and John McCain that the Department of Defense has been in bed with sports leagues in what is termed "paid patriotism." The military sees sporting events as a way to get its "message" and "mission" into the hearts of everyday Americans.

Astute observation Kamm.  History here going back to WWI and WWII shines some light here. 

Historically this all can be understood when you research the history of propaganda.  Introducing the song at sporting events and the move to remove it are both forms of propaganda movements.  

"paid patriotism." The military sees sporting events as a way to get its "message" and "mission" into the hearts of everyday Americans.

Propaganda is defined as 

• The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.n. Material disseminated by the advocates or opponents of a doctrine or cause.n. Systematic effort to propagate or win support for a theory or method of action.

Propaganda is historically used to shape and selectively manipulate the views of groups of people and is very well documented to be effective in controlling the views and behavior of entire countries.  

During WAR or similar threats of national violence, the cooperation of the Military and Media including what we think of as "Entertainment", propaganda has a long history. 
Introduction of the National Anthem in sporting events 

but just how did the Star-Spangled Banner come to be a staple of sports in the first place? The answer, it turns out, has to do with World War I.

Baseball fans in the late 19th century might’ve heard live military bands play the Star-Spangled Banner at a game every so often, but the song—which hadn’t yet been designated as the national anthem—wasn’t really a common occurrence at sporting events. That began to change on September 5, 1918, during  Game 1 of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs.

American Propaganda returned with force in World War II

The United States government was not into the idea of propaganda at first. This was due in part to their propaganda efforts during World War I, which left a bad taste in the American public’s mouth. The U.S. adopted the “strategy of truth,” where they would release information, but not try and sway the public’s opinion regarding the war.

It would take businesses and media pressuring the United States government into putting out campaigns, for it to actually happen. Even so, the government still viewed it as them simply giving out information, as opposed to propaganda. 
...

The United States had propaganda in just about every aspect of media you could imagine, except for television. Though televisions have existed since the 1920s, they weren’t commonplace in households until the 1950s. Media types used included radio, posters, leaflets, comic books, books, movies, magazines, and newspapers.

I see the American population today almost at the point of being as completely propagandized as any country in the world where public perception is controlled and manipulated.  Cuban and the Mavs are simply part of the system. 

Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence an audience and further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts in order to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded language in order to produce an emotional rather than a rational response to the information that is being presented.