Mavs Assistant Popeye Jones Gets DUI; Mark Cuban Sees Teachable Moment

Mark Cuban loves to talk about the efficacy and role of journalism in the United States. Such lectures primarily come from his blog, but they can come in the form of emails to journalists inquiring about a Mavericks assistant's decision (in this case Mavs assistant Popeye Jones) to get in a car while under the influence of alcohol. 

Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban declined to comment on the arrest this morning via e-mail. "I'm not going to comment on Popeye specifically," he wrote. "The question I do have on the record is this: Why do you care? Do you report on every DWI that occurs in Dallas?"

Here's at least one reason to care: Popeye Jones's face did not do well in his run-in with police:

Ouch. Police said the scratches are the result of a "scuffle," which, um, yeah. It seems the concrete was also primarily involved in this scuffle.

Anyway, back to Cubes's question. I think people care because Popeye Jones is a representative of a really high-profile organization in the Dallas area, and because of this high profile, his behavior (sordid or no) requires a lower standard of newsworthy action to make it into the papers. But, you know, just a thought. I'm sure Cuban has his own ideas.