Mavericks owner Cuban says he's toning down

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Welcome to the new, quieter world of Mark Cuban.

"David has won," the Dallas Mavericks owner declared Thursday before his Western Conference champions opened their season with a 97-91 loss to the visiting San Antonio Spurs.

He was referring to David Stern, the NBA commissioner who has spent several years reprimanding and fining the Maverick owner. Cuban was reacting to the new code of conduct -- aimed at him -- that bans owners from entering the team's huddle during timeouts. Not only did he promise to follow the new edict, but he insisted that he would never stick his nose into NBA business again.

Cuban said he informed Stern of his new perspective by email.

"I told him that I was thankful to the commissioner and my fellow owners to help me to see the error of my ways, and to give me the opportunity to fit in and learn and absorb what they're doing,'' said Cuban, speaking to reporters while dripping sweat as he worked out on a stair climber in the Mavericks' weight room. "I apologized to my fellow NBA owners for not having seen the light. Now I have.''

By no longer involving himself in league-wide issues like marketing and refereeing, he said, "lt will save me time. I won't have to do that much work.''

Cuban predicted that he will no longer be as involved in the day-to-day operations of his team.

"Like all the other owners I'll just have to trust my basketball people, which you guys have always said I should do anyway,'' he said.

He said he looked forward to the three to four hours per day that he will be able to apply to his other businesses now that he will no longer be trying to dream up ways to improve the NBA's business. He used to believe that his passion could only help the league. "But I was wrong,'' he said. "I was wrong, and now I get to take a rest and learn more.''

Asked if he planned to give up his seat near the Mavericks bench, Cuban said: "Maybe one night I'll be like [Phoenix Suns owner] Robert Sarver, maybe another night I'll be up in the suites.'' But he won't take the seat that is usually allocated to Stern. "That's for dignitaries,'' Cuban said "I haven't earned that seat.''

From now on, Cuban added, he would behave like the other owners and fall into step behind Stern's leadership. When a reporter predicted that he would fall off the good-behavior wagon sooner than later, Cuban said, "You just watch.''

Cuban sat quietly throughout most of the Mavericks' opener. He wore a shirt with a large '$' sign on its back under a script, "HE FINE ME.''

He promised to maintain his independence in one area: He will continue to violate the spirit of the NBA dress code by refusing to wear a suit and tie. "That's a commitment I made to myself when I sold my first company,'' he said. "When I was one of the highest-ranked young enterepensuers in America and things were going great and I sold my company, I got lucky the first time, the second time, the third time, the fourth time, the fifth time -- I got lucky and every time I said, 'I won't wear a suit except to a wedding or a funeral, unless my wife makes me change.'''

Cuban was caught off guard when he learned during the recent league meetings that his fellow owners were preparing to reprimand him. "They told me what was going on, and I went home and I reflected on the best way to deal with the circumstances,'' he said. "And a bright light shone. A moment of clarity, that's exactly what it was.

"They obviously thought I had a greater impact than I thought I did. I thought I was some schlep on the sidelines enjoying the game.

"Now I'm going to school with the University of David Stern to learn.''