[jacknates]

(Definitely Not) America’s Team


Wrap yourself in the flag, slap another “Support Our Troops” magnet on your pickup and crank the Toby Keith, ’cuz this is gonna test every last drop of your American red blood. Doubly so if you’re a fan of the Dallas Mavericks. Brace yourself: Mark Cuban is preparing to distribute a movie touting September 11 conspiracy theory that says the government was behind the terror attacks. And you thought there was a national bias against the Mavs for being whiners?

Cuban, talking to conservative creep Bill O’Reilly, said his Magnolia Pictures will distribute the controversial Internet film Loose Change via more traditional avenues sooner rather than later. The film basically says 9/11 had nothing to do with Al Qaeda and everything to do with the U.S. government’s sneaky, sinister plan to exterminate 3,000 of its citizens. With Cuban backing it, Rosie O’Donnell praising it and Charlie Sheen narrating it, Loose Change must have some street cred, right?

“I just don’t understand the hatred for the country,” says O’Reilly, who in 2004 just didn’t understand the country’s hatred of his sexual harassment of an employee. “Why do they — I’m not saying Mark Cuban hates America. I don’t know what motivates Mark Cuban. He is welcome to come on here and explain. But most of these people who buy into this, they just hate the country.”

Oh, Mark?

“What I’m telling you is by making this available to whoever wants it, that anybody, anybody can refute it,” Cuban tells Billy. “When you have things that are in the shadows that people can’t find and take on mythic proportions, that’s what they can take. And they can take innuendo. Once you can see something, you can refute it.”

I’ve seen the film — me and at least 10 million other people and counting (probably that many saw it today alone, given the press this thing’s been getting of late). Parts are ridiculously elastic with the facts and some things make you go all C+C Music Factory. It’s a little interesting, a little entertaining and a little informational. A poor man’s JFK, if you will. Well, will you?

But thumbs up or down, there’s no denying the negative impact Cuban’s involvement will have on the NBA’s best team. I’m not talking a Dixie Chicks backlash here, but … well, Cuban will be booed — even louder than usual — at opposing arenas. His players will be asked about the film instead of their amazing season and outside shot at 70 wins. In a season going so smoothly, you don’t want as much as a speed bump, so let’s hope Loose Change doesn’t escalate into road block.

By the way, the Mavs became only the 10th team in NBA history to produce a 6-0 road trip last night. With a six-game lead and only 11 games remaining, consider the West won. Maybe, for a change, the Mavericks will actually overshadow Cuban. –Richie Whitt