As a long time fan of the Dallas Mavericks, I was used to the losing. The MANY years of losing. The disappointments, the criminal players, the embarrassment of telling people that I was a Dallas Mavericks fan, and not even having the excuse of being from the area to explain it away.

Then Mark Cuban bought the team 10 year ago today, and things have not been the same since. Cuban succeeded in turning the Mavericks from a laughingstock to one of the top teams in the league. The Mavs still haven't won that elusive title, although if it wasn't for some suspect calls against Miami, we would have a title already. However that doesn't detract from the amazing progress the Mavericks have made under Cuban's ownership.

ESPN has a fantastic article about it by Tim McMahon. Check it out.

Cuban believes he has effected change in the way games are officiated and referees are hired, trained, observed and tracked, with Stern acknowledging that the league has implemented some of Cuban's countless suggestions, although the commissioner has fined Cuban more than $1 million over the years for criticism of officials that wasn't considered constructive.

Of course, Cuban also helped the NBA become relevant in Dallas again. He decided that he wanted to buy the Mavericks while complaining about the poor product to his date during the opener of the 1999-2000 season, which ended up being the franchise's 10th consecutive losing campaign. Since then, the Mavs have won at least 50 games each season, a feat matched by only the San Antonio Spurs during that span.

And Cuban has had a blast along the way -- his primary goal in the first place, along with winning a championship.

"I saw it just as a dream come true and a way to have fun," Cuban said, "which is the way I still look at it."

Cuban, who made billions in the Internet bubble, has never treated basketball like his other businesses. It's a high-priced passion for him. It's a bonus if he makes a profit, which the Mavericks have done for only one season during his tenure.