2020-2021 MAVS NEWS: Archived

[F Gump]

Agree that we should expand our minds to at least consider this point of view. I am blessed to have some strong women in my life, and my understanding of the world has been enriched by listening to what they have to say about various aspects of the world, including sports. 

Many commentators, Mavs and national, have been stunned by the hire. I found it puzzling as well, particularly considering the political aspirations Mark seemed to be nurturing. Some think he shouldn't have been hired, period, end of story. 

I think a more refined point of view, which Cato describes, is that he shouldn't have been hired without even an acknowledgement of the issues. The Mavs are freshly coming off a scandal involving many years of discrimination and harassment, repeatedly looked off or even permitted by the organization.  Even more recently, they have faced at least two issues of employees credibly accused of abuse. Cuban got on national TV after the scandal, cried, and promised they would never tolerate such behavior again. Now, they hire the one coach who is a confessed abuser without a word about it, without even a good head coaching record to justify it. It looks as if they just don't care. 

This point of view suggests that the Mavericks should have talked about the issue and explained their justification -- presumably, that Kidd has redeemed himself. I don't know if Kidd has ever expressed any contrition or remorse for his missteps, or an indication that he is no longer that guy. The feeling here, if I am capturing it accurately, is that the fans who have a concern about this issue deserve better than to have those concerns ignored. 

We may or may not agree with this perspective, but I think we will understand the outrage better if we at least understand that viewpoint and recognize that the concerns are very legitimate in the eyes of many serious and intelligent fans. I assume, from Cynt's anticipated presence at the press conference, that they are planning to address this after the fact. I hope they do better than Portland's middle finger to those with the question.

You said what I tried to say, only much better. Thanks.

As you note so well, there's been nothing in the Mavs actions or words when hiring Kidd that says they considered the issue, cared about it, factored it in, hesitated and looked much closer, or anything else to indicate the issue really means anything to them.

And the Kidd hiring didn't happen to them, out of the blue - they had to plan it and know it was coming for days in advance. This, then, was their CHOSEN PLANNED way to deal with that situation - sign the guy, tell the world they did it, and try to sweep it under the rug until later.

They can do that, of course. It's their call. But it sends a really negative message about who they are.

I am probably more puzzled than outraged, because I haven't personally lived any of this. I detest the actions, but I don't have the emotional tie. Yet to me, it's an incredibly bad look they've chosen to wear.