Comments on: If It’s Not Broke, Doesn’t Mean It’s Optimal. Even in the NBA

By: Sharon Williams

Sharon Williams — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:26:30 +0000

Hi Mr. Cuban,

I was looking up the phrase “If it is not broke don’t fix it” for a question I have to answer in my Ph.D. program. It involves leadership and I was reminded as I read your blog of the same quote as it was used by Colin Powell when he said “if it is not broke dont fix it” is an excuse for non-action, a slogan for the complacent. I know my response has nothing to do with the NBA per se but it has everything to do with everyday people who skim through life using that same quote and making their life so much easier. Whatever happened to “challenging” oneself and allowing oneself to grow. You can’t do that if you are willing to accept the status quo.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:58:36 +0000

I say let them play physical D. In the NBA every time anyone drives to the lane it’s either a layup or a foul (especially if they are a superstar) which gets really old really quick. This is why I haven’t watched an NBA game from start to finish in over 5 years, and I used to watch every home game on TV of the Pacers, but now I would much rather watch a grind it out 45-47 college game any day.

It’s a pleasure to watch the tough battle of college defense and it’s a bore to watch NBA players shoot open jumpers or get easy fouls because the defender can’t touch them.

By: Shake

Shake — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:44:00 +0000

optimal it ain’t. From the recent news about the NBA being in debt and taking out more loans, it would appear some franchises are a hand to mouth existence. Mark probably knows of a few that will fold or move as the recession deepens. The league likely will be optimized by less teams and a more competitive balance in the East.

By: Optimizing basketball rules should be ongoing

Optimizing basketball rules should be ongoing — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:15:32 +0000

[...] came across an article on BlogMaverick.com (Mark Cuban’s blog) titled “If it’s not broke, doesn’t mean it’s optimal. Even in the NBA” . The article discusses how the owners in the league work to get rules changed to not only keep the [...]

By: Val

Val — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:05:42 +0000

If you want to know what’s killing the beautiful game, it’s crappy rules/calls on initiating contact anywhere in the paint, and especially in the circle. That has to be one of the dumbest rules in sports. The rule should read: IF THE DEFENDER IS IN THE CIRCLE, THE OFFENSIVE PLAYER IS PERMITTED TO RUN HIM OVER AND KICK HIM IN THE FACE FOR GOOD MEASURE. 2 FREE THROWS AND POSSIBLY A FLAGRANT FOUL.

As good as many refs are, as a bunch, they ruin the game with seemingly arbitrary calls. Consistency is the only thing fans want.

By: DCB

DCB — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:37:41 +0000

Mr. Cuban, I was wondering your views on repetitive fouling at the end of the games. I don’t really mind it (i grew up playing/watching basketball this way), but taking a step back this does seem like a flaw/distortion of the intended operation of the rules. As an owner/fan/etc do you like the fact that close games generally become a free-throw contest?

I don’t have a solution other than stricter enforcement of intentional fouling rules.

Thanks.

By: Money Young Weekly Roundup: Mom’s Birthday Edition | Money Young

Money Young Weekly Roundup: Mom’s Birthday Edition | Money Young — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:09:39 +0000

[...] an article by my favorite NBA owner (too bad he doesn’t own the Magic). “If It’s Not Broke, Doesn’t Mean It’s Optimal. Even in the NBA” by Mark Cuban is a great article on not accepting the status quo. Sometimes you have to review what is going on [...]

By: Jordi

Jordi — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:43:32 +0000

HI all,

From Spain, i think it is a nice post about how a manager take care of their business with numbers. I think in Europe we have a lack of that in some sports and maybe in some other kind of business.

Congratulations for your blog

By: Josh Kornbluth

Josh Kornbluth — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:48:51 +0000

Hi, Mark, big fan. I just wrote a blog on why King James is broadway bound, would love to your hear thoughts on the subject.

By: Brawley3612

Brawley3612 — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:23:38 +0000

One that gets me is giving the defense the opportunity to foul the offensive player in the last few seconds of a game then they are down by 3 points so that they can only shoot 2 free throws. I say if a team is leadng by 3 or more points and they foul the team that is down by 3 or more points in the last 15 seconds then it is an automatic 3 free throws. This will make them actually play the game rather than using a foul call to their advantage.