It’s about time we had some non-dreary and depressing NBA lockout news. Actually this is fun, comedic lockout news.
NBA Commissioner David Stern issued a gag order on the labor situation. As you know, Michael Jordan broke that rule and was fined $100,000. The gag order prohibits Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban publicly discussing any aspect of the NBA labor situation.
However, unaffiliated third parties can say whatever they want. And an “anonymous donor” inspired Stephen Colbert to release an ad detailing a solution to the league labor crisis on the Colbert Report. While we can’t say whether that anonymous donor is or isn’t Cuban, the video (which you can watch after the jump) tells us to draw a straight line to the owner of the Blog Maverick URL.
It’s great to see that the comedian and Northwestern alum is trying to end the lockout; with more zeal than either side within the actual negotiations! Colbert formed his new super political action committee named Colbert Super PAC with the intention of showing his audience how much corporate money pollutes the political process in this country. Colbert Super PAC can accept unlimited donations and keep the sources of those donations anonymous.
From Yahoo!:
Now through his Super PAC, Colbert is releasing commercials advocating the end of the NBA lockout behind a sizable donation that may or may not have come from 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Cuban appeared on the September 29 episode of The Colbert Report, coincidentally coinciding with Colbert’s announcement of the formation of his 501(c)(4). In the same episode, an unspecified owner of a pro sports team in Dallas, who happened to have a Larry O’Brien NBA Championship trophy at his side, promised to donate “a lot of money” to Colbert Super PAC SHH.
The reported proposal involves replacing the proposed hard salary cap with a punitive luxury tax that would substantially increase the existing luxury tax fine on high-spending teams. The proposal could bring the players and owners closer to the players’ proposed 53-47 split of basketball related income. Colbert urges fans to stand by the plan and the Mavericks’ owner and to declare, “I am Mark Cuban.”
Here’s the video:
| The Colbert Report | Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Colbert Super PAC Ad – Ball Gag | ||||
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Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site that generates millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio shows all across the world. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.