Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s decision to not play the national anthem drew sharp backlash Wednesday from Texas lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is pushing to require that “The Star-Spangled Banner” be played at all publicly funded events.
“Your decision to cancel our National Anthem at games is a slap in the face to every American & an embarrassment to Texas,” Patrick wrote on Twitter. “Sell the franchise & some Texas Patriots will buy it. We ARE the land of free & the home of the brave.”
The NBA team hasn’t played the anthem at the start of any of its 13 preseason and regular-season games. The decision went unnoticed until reported by The Athletic on Tuesday night. A spokesperson for the team said Wednesday that the “The Star-Spangled Banner” will be played going forward, and the NBA said it would be played before all games.
Still, Patrick announced the “Star Spangled Banner Protection Act” as one of his legislative priorities. Patrick’s office said the measure is meant to is ensure the national anthem is played at all events that receive public funding. Patrick said the measure has “broad support” and that the “Star Spangled Banner will not be threatened in the Lone Star State again.”
“It is hard to believe this could happen in Texas, but Mark Cuban’s actions of yesterday made it clear that we must specify that in Texas we play the national anthem before all major events,” Patrick said in a statement. “In this time when so many things divide us, sports are one thing that bring us together — right, left, black, white and brown. ”
In an interview with talk radio host Mark Davis, Patrick called Cuban’s decision “even more divisive” than the riots at the U.S. Capitol.
“This … to me is just as egregious in its own way as those who took to the streets last summer to try and tear down America, to those that took on our Capitol and tried to tear down our Capitol and attack the police,” Patrick said. “They didn’t stand for the 75 million Trump supporters that I know. This is egregious in its own right, because as divisive as those two acts were, this is even more divisive.”
A Mavericks spokesperson declined to comment when asked for Cuban’s take on the lieutenant governor’s radio show comments.
North Texas Sen. Drew Springer took issue with the move and said related legislation could be coming.
“It’s time that Cuban’s special Texas tax breaks comes to an end,” Springer said on Twitter. “No one in gets special treatment, why should he? We can use it to lower property taxes. Be watching bills today.”
The bill, which Springer said was in the process of being filed late Wednesday afternoon, relates to franchise tax deductions for professional sports teams. Springer said he would support a measure requiring the national anthem be played before professional sporting events where the teams receive public dollars.
Patrick cheered the NBA’s announcement that the national anthem would be played in all arenas. He thanked the NBA for “slapping down (Cuban’s) crazy idea to cancel the National Anthem.”
“Fans of all stripes, liberal and conservative, black, white, brown all love this country and they stand for the Stars and Stripes!” Patrick said on Twitter.
Asked about the elected officials’ remarks on Twitter, Mavericks spokesperson Scott Tomlin pointed to a Wednesday statement from Cuban.
“We respect and always have respected the passion people have for the anthem and our country,” Cuban said. “But we also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them. We feel that their voices need to be respected and heard, because they have not been. Going forward, our hope is that people will take the same passion they have for this issue and apply the same amount of energy to listen to those who feel differently from them. Only then we can move forward and have courageous conversations that move this country forward and find what unites us.”
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Mark Cuban is an example like Bill China Gates, of people that are very highly intelligent, but they are communist sell outs, they do not have an ounce of common sense and they are totally out of reality! Cuban wanted Joe the criminal, to win the election. Why would anyone with common sense, want a criminal in the White House? Like my High School American History teacher said, these type of people are the “intelligentsia” and then he would roll his eyes. I am not as kind as my history teacher, as I call these clowns “educated idiots”.
If a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound? If the national anthem is not played at a game nobody cares to attend, will the America hating owner get found out. In Texas that is a definitely YES. These Mavericks are lost in the weeds and in need of a real Texas Cattleman to whip them back into the herd. Watch and learn what happens when you mess with Texas, and try to turn it into Cuba. Cuban is about to be crushed in the stampe back to Patriotic America where the grass is always greener, and the water always clear and fresh unlike the poisoned watering holes offered by Socialist spoiled brats like Cuban who I guarantee you will be MARKing his words from now on.
Unfortunately, even in Texas there are still enough “sheep” including conservatives that will support this Buffoon Cuban and who will continue to buy tickets and purchase and wear a Mavericks Jersey as if they play on the team, very pathetic! But, it’s what the Romans Called “Bread and Circus”
Yes, Cuban makes the bread, and then opens mouth and provides the circus.
Just like there was STILL millions of dunces, who watched this season’s NFL and the superbowl.. TILL WE ALL STOP GIVING THEM the time of day, they won’t ever stop being woke.
““We respect and always have respected the passion people have for the anthem and our country,” Cuban said. “But we also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them.”
These Democrats, illegal immigrants and Mark Cuban are free to leave this country and find a country that represents them.
There is no proof that these people are intelligent? They think they’re smart. That’s for sure. Because they have money? They may be educated but they are not smart or intelligent. John Kerry has a lot of money and appears to be stupid is as stupid does. A lot of our “leaders” are over rated self serving televangelists spewing their vitriol. Some of the smartest most intelligent people I have met are not financially successful. What’s the definition of being intelligent or having intelligence? Some intelligent people seem to know a lot about nothing. Its called trivial pursuit. They don’t to apply their knowledge to real life situations. They are often called academics. Often they have little or no money, no ambition, no friends and no common sense. They wallow in self pity or envy. Some of the smartest people are poor.
At least tellivangalists, DO GOOD for the people they serve.. THESE cretins don’t.
Can’t believe someone else uses the same words as I do when referring to most politicians. I call them E.I. or in the long term, educated idiots. Actually, I use it in reference to all educated people who are still dumb and have no common sense.
They may have gotten indoctrinated, but i wouldn’t call them educated!
Surprised Mark didn’t play the Chinese anthem, that would have been appropriate for him and his team of clowns.
Don’t give these traitors, any Ideas.
“…our hope is that people will take the same passion they have for this issue and apply the same amount of energy to listen to those who feel differently from them.”
If only the neo-Marxists would extend us the same courtesy!
Odd how Big Money players seem to understand, when the taxpayer funds they enjoy are threatened.
markie cuban doesn’t like OUR ANTHEM because it makes his little girly players cry in their pablum?
Poor babies….
on their next home game, plug the access to parking with hundreds of vehicles and overload the system.
IF the fans and teams can’t get in the message will be clear.
IF they hate this nation so much, PERMAMENTLY MOVE TO RUSSIA or china… And never come back! I’d be firmly ok with helping the lot of those crybabies, pack!
It would be a whole lot better to not play the National Anthem than to play it and see those multimillionaires “take a knee” in their phony injustice protest.
It would be a whole lot better if he told his ‘players’ to either RESPECT THE FLAG, THE PEOPLE, AND THE NATION…..
or GET THE HELL OUT!!!
It would be better if they just moved the whole operation to China.
Sorry gus, but NOT playing it, would be giving THEM EXACTLY what they want.
“But we also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them.” If “they” feel this way, leave our wonderful country. Or respectfully allow the majority who appreciate our freedoms to show our gratitude. I’m so tired of the pandering. Thank you NBA for standing up for us.
These people think they’re more intelligent than the “deplorables” from whom they make all their money!!
But they just don’t see their own contradictions!!
Cuban says “listen to those who feel differently from them.” (meaning us) but somehow that doesn’t apply to those who “feel the anthem doesn’t represent them.”
They’re not as smart as they think…they’re just on a guilt trip because they know they don’t really deserve all that money!!!
Nor do they see their demise!! You cannot keep poking at the bear and not suffer the consequences for your decisions and actions!
Why say anything at all? Doesn’t he have enough sense to keep his mouth shut?
WHEN has any leftist, SHOWN ANY sense?
The Radical Anti-American Agenda Sweeping Across Our Country Goes Way Beyond Mark Cuban !!! We The People, Our National and Personal Security, Our Economy with Illegal Immigration, Stimulus and Keystone Pipeline, Our Rules Of Law, Our Bill Of Rights and Our Constitution Are Being Challenged As Never Before By The New Radicalized Far Left Demoncrat Socialist Party along With The Deep Dark State and China !!!! We have a Criminal and Family living in Our White House Along with a Radicalized Vice president and House Speaker, who Do Not Speak For Me Nor The True America !!!! We Have a Socialistic Congress !!!! Wake Up America !!!!
Please Support the States Of Texas Governor Abbott and Ted Cruz, Florida and Their Governor and Marco Rubio along with the Other States Rising Up Against The Insurrection From Washington, DC ( District Serious Corruption ) !!!!! Encourage your states Governors and Elected Representatives to Help Save Our Bill Of Rights, Our Constitution and Our True America , such as Texas and Florida Are Doing !!!!
when NBA played games in China did they play the Chinese anthem and if they did, did NBA players kneel and if they did , are they no longer with us? RIP
Boycott-boycott-boycott! They only see the real America when they start to lose money.
I was shocked, when i heard MILLIONS of americans still watched the superbowl.. EVEN AFTER MANY of us said we’d never watch them again…
Had seen every Super Bowl until the Anthem kneeling. Did not watch 1 play or 1 commercial. Left the NBA, same reason.
These hacks, couldn’t even PAY ME to watch it.
The ONLY reason the NBA came after Cuban is because now that sporting events are being opened to live fans, they are noticing the fans aren’t coming back in any substantial numbers. Which means less money for tickets sales, less money for vendors selling over price McDonald’s food and cheap team trinkets. This could also risk loosing sponsors who pay for TV time. There is NO new wave of patriotism in the NBA. As they say in the financial world, it all comes down to the bottom line. Too bad the idiots in the NFL and MLB haven’t figured it out.
GOOD.. Let them all go the hell under.
“But we also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them. ”
I agree that there are far too many living here who do not identify with America in any way, shape or form except where a government check is forthcoming.
Our national anthem does not represent them (as many wish to retain their foreign culture and lifestyle) and they do not represent America’s best qualities. Barry Seotoreo had no idea “who we are” as a people. Many of their native countries are historically corrupted and they bring that culture with them. Honesty, Liberty and self accountability are far removed from their thought processes.
IMO that’s why we should STOP LETTING IN< those who hate this nation…