Word For Word

Mark Cuban finally has a soapbox: Each Saturday night this season, Dallas's UPN station is airing The Mark Cuban Show, a half-hour variety show hosted by the Mavericks' owner. Here are excerpts from the Nov. 3 debut episode.

On Diamondbacks and Suns owner Jerry Colangelo's contention that the World Series is a better sporting event than the NBA Finals: "No, no, no! Our [event] kicks the butt of the World Series all over the place! The NBA is the best game on the planet. Jerry Colangelo is cutting down the game we love. Why is it he gets named chairman of the [ NBA's] Board of Governors, and I get fined?"

On requests for money: "Do not beg. I get requests for the most amazing things—pay off the mortgage, buy a new car, get me breast implants. The best way to get my money: Come up with a good idea. Don't hit me with an idea like, 'The best way to block a shot is for Shawn Bradley to put an Afro wig on to make him six feet taller, so buy 500 wigs from me!' Be sweet, be simple, come up with a good idea. You might get a call from me, and I might have a check in my hand."

Predictions for this season: "Number 1, I will get fined this year. Some people might think I'm a bad guy when I get fined, but I match the amount for charity, and the NBA takes my money and gives it to charity. Number 2, I will get fined more than last year because records are made to be broken. Number 3, a goal last year I was unable to accomplish was, I really wanted to get a technical foul in a game. I will this year."