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"MLB absolutely denies that any part in selecting the first ball pitcher had anything to do with the current labor situation in the NBA," MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said. "You want the club's input in what makes sense for them and then we talk about what makes sense for the team and a good broad-base national appeal. "It's a nice problem to have that you get a list of 10 or 15 names and you work your way through them. We know Nowitzki's been at the games, and that's wonderful. We're glad he's there." ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, MLB 

I asked Cuban about owning the Dodgers, figuring for sure he would pop off. That is his reputation. Great copy for a columnist. But Cuban went gutless, the mighty mouth muzzling himself. That would suggest he really does have an interest in buying the team, opting not to say anything to avoid riling up Selig. What a disappointment, as I told him, and do we really want an owner here who is afraid to rile up Selig? "Just make up something that you want me to say,'' Cuban said, "and then put my name to it.'' All right, my kind of owner, after all. Los Angeles Times

Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, MLB, Los Angeles Dogders 

"When I become owner of the Dodgers, fans will never again have to worry about the Dodgers having enough money to sign the best players,'' said Cuban, although I made it up because that's what I would like the next owner of the Dodgers to say. "I will spend so much money, Bud will consider fining me. As you know I've racked up something like $1.665 million in NBA fines, so if that's what it takes to have the best team in Los Angeles, bring it on, Buddy boy. "I matched every dollar that I was fined and donated it to charity. I do believe in community, and have the check stubs to prove it. Los Angeles Times

Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, MLB, Los Angeles Dogders 

"Now I don't want to brag, but before I bought the Mavericks, Dallas won 40% of its games the previous 20 years. We're winning at a 69% clip ever since I took over in 2000. I'm a happily married man, and you have to love that. "I will lower the price to park, because how can I expect anyone to come to Dodger Stadium with the left fielders this team has employed? I will stand up and boo Jonathan Broxton like most of you. "I know how to tweet, and we'll have people so excited about the Dodgers again no one will notice Jeanie's boy toy is back in Montana. Good riddance, by the way, and how about letting another team win the NBA title for a change? "That way I can get everyone watching the Dodgers again. I know Bloomberg has reported I'm selling all my Landmark Theatres and Magnolia Pictures so I can pay cash for the Dodgers. But I have plenty of cash. Cash will never be a problem, and when was the last time a Dodgers owner could tell you that?'' Los Angeles Times

Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, MLB, Los Angeles Dogders 

Based on how he has handled the Mavericks, I asked Phil Jackson how Cuban might do as Dodgers' owner. "He'd really improve the quality of their team,'' Jackson said. "He's improved the quality of [the Mavericks] every time he's rebuilt.'' Do you like the kind of owner he's been? "I wouldn't want him behind my bench,'' Jackson said. "Where could he be in baseball?" I told him right behind home plate — mugging for the cameras, of course. It'd be nice if someone sat in those empty seats. "Can't be in the dugout anymore?" Jackson said. I told him that was Cuban's first question, but he was advised that baseball doesn't allow it. "Tell him to speak to Ted Turner," said Jackson, alluding to the owner of the Braves who got around the dugout rule by declaring himself the manager of the team. Los Angeles Times

Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mark Cuban, MLB, Los Angeles Dogders 

Apparently, quite cheekily, the brain(s) behind Major League Baseball's Twitter feed pounded out a simple Tweet following last night's Super Bowl, one that said, simply, "Baseball." A nice sentiment, considering the fact that the football season, finally (in the first week of February, mind you) has ended. Pitchers and catchers are a few weeks away from reporting, and according to Punxsutawney Phil, the warming season is near. So why not oil up the glove, and prepare for baseball's endless march toward fall? Because there's basketball to be played, you dullard. A game dependent on motion, quick thinking, athleticism, and teamwork. All those wonderful things, as opposed to baseball's pastoral and very Anglo isolationism. The NBA, before chickening out, thought the same thing. It quoted the MLB's Tweet, RT'd the thing, and added "No" before it. And it was quite funny, until the NBA thought "better" of it, and deleted its Tweet. Not before the great Jon Bois saw and saved a screen grab of the reply: Yahoo! Sports

NFL, MLB