What a Great Experience !

I hate to lose. Fortunately, i didn’t. Even though I didn’t get the votes to stay on as long as I hoped for. I won in every single way possible.

Five time I got to experience the rush/fear/excitement of knowing that when the music starts 20mm people were going to see me do something for 90 seconds I had never done before, and while I did it, I had to find a way to put that aside and love every minute of it. I did. Thats a win.

For 8 weeks I got to get up every morning knowing that no matter how sore I was, I had a goal that required me to challenge myself physically and mentally from 2 to 6 hours or more every single day. I did it. Ioved doing it, and I lost 30 lbs doing it. Thats a win.

Probably the most rewarding part of being on the show was just being able to be me. I had no say over the music , the video packages they did or how they presented me on the show.. The show people were doing what they thought would make great TV and they obviously are phenomenal at it.. ( I still haven’t watched a single one of the shows. I hate watching myself . All I see are the flaws. ). All I had control over was working as hard as I possibly could, making as many friends as I could, and enjoying every single minute of the experience.

What it reminded me more of than anything was the feeling of being a kid and moving to a new neighborhood. The fear, the excitement, the uncertainty, the newness of it all. Not knowing if I was going to be picked first or last for the game and whether or not I would live up to either . Knowing that feeling again. Thats a win.

Thank you to everyone who supported me with their votes, emails, texts, posts and everything else. You motivated me and made it all the sweeter.

And thanks to Kym Johnson. I couldn’t have gotten any luckier than having her guide me through this entire process. She is an amazing teacher and now, a better friend.

Thanks to my family , friends and co workers for filling in for me in so many ways to allow me to experience all of this. I know it couldn’t have happened without your help , love and support.

320 thoughts on “What a Great Experience !

  1. you got all my votes!! you did an outstanding job mark & im proud of ya! you have accomplished so many GREAT things in your life and this is just another one to had to the record! i was upset when you guys we booted off BUT i was still excited that you guys made it that far! you should be SO proud of yourself for all the hardwork you put into it but then again you always put in lots of hard work at everything you do! now that DWTS is over lets GO MAVS!!!!!!

    Comment by candace -

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    Comment by azdirici -

  3. especially for not having any dance experience at all compared to most of those people on the show who have. Now go buy the Chicago Cubs already and sign A-Rod

    Comment by azdirici -

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    Comment by eroticshop -

  6. I wanted to tell MArk that I enjoyed his encore tonight on the fianl dancing with the stars. It was great to see him enjoying himself and I might add doing a great job. You are an inspiration to people over 30 something. Thank you so much

    Comment by Lois Herlihy -

  7. Hi Mark,

    The first night of dancing with the stars I was checking everyone out and as I went down the list of the all the well known guest dancers for this season … Well, no offense but I had never heard of you and wondered to myself who the heck is this guy? Seen as that I grew up watching Donny and Marie and her being a Mom I had already had my mind pretty much made up that she would get my vote BUTttttttt after you danced and after you spoke I had to look up your name to see who you were since you came across so fun and down to earth. You\’re simply adorable and I loved watching you dance because anyone could see how much you enjoyed yourself not to mention you are pretty gosh darn cute! No disrespect to the Mrs 🙂 Anyway I am really going to miss watching you dance and how much fun you brought to your routines. The I Dream of Jeannie performance was fantastic! For some rich guy I never heard of your pretty awesome! I bet you wouldn\’t catch Trump out there dancing! Keep living life the way you are, your an inspiration! If you ever end up in Maryland save a dance for me!

    Sincerely,
    Mia {{{~,~}}}

    Comment by Mia Zimmerman -

  8. Way to go. I voted for you!!!!

    Comment by Evisu -

  9. You really did great, man. I voted for you and I wish you could have stayed longer.

    Comment by NedFland -

  10. I\’m still watching the show but I miss what you brought to the show, Mark. Thanks for doing it.

    Comment by Rita Cline -

  11. Dear Mark:

    You were great. I thought the judges should have given you higher scores. I noticed that in show all the \”stars\” played to their private audience, but you didn\’t and I wish you had. Your audience was the NBA and millions of fans who had you tooned into them, they could have kept you on longer.

    For example, I would have like to see at least on one week Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse, Eddie Jones, Josh Howard, etc (at least 5) show up in the front row in their home NBA uniforms. Then they could have done a little group line dance along the sidelines while you dance, and then hammed it up at the applause asking for votes for you by showing letter signs which spelled out \”V-O-T-E B-O-S-S\”. Sorry, that this good idea came late, but hindsight is always 20-20.

    In conclusion, I was very impressed of how you pushed yourself to get in shape. You started in the bottom, and by the end I felt you were a real contendor.

    Comment by Burton Wilkins -

  12. Simply speaking as a stranger-reader, I like what this show has done to you. There\’s a value to coming into someone else\’s project when you\’re used to controlling your own projects (or having to be in charge). A freedom, really. Maybe more than anyone billionaires need that. Well, billionaires and moms.
    🙂

    Comment by j -

  13. MARK, i KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CHALLENGED. i HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER. i AM THE ONE WITH MY LITTLE GIRL AT THE SACREMENTO GAME. PLEASE E-MAIL ME IF YOU HAVE TIME thanks Don Robinson

    Comment by Don Robinson -

  14. You really did great, man. i voted for you and I wish you could have stayed longer. good luck.
    Neddi

    Comment by Neddi -

  15. Mark, truly enjoyed watching you and especially since you have just had a hip replacement. It was extremely encouraging to my husband who just had a total right hip replacement on 5 OCT. He is looking forward to getting back to dancing again soon and seeing you helped keep his spirits up. We are 67 and 72 respectively and dancing is one of our real pleasures. Thank you so much.

    Jan

    Comment by Jan Ferraro -

  16. Mark I think you did a fantstic job on Dancing with the stars you gave 110% and you deserved to be judged on a scale differently you are not a professional entertainer and a few of the others are professional dancers like mel from spice girls and sbrina from cheetah they do choreographed dancing as their profession so to me it was not judged fairly oh well I just wanted you to know in my eyes you are the winner thankyou for being you!! sincerly Barbara a new Mark cuban fan

    Comment by Barbara Reid -

  17. Okay.. the truth, an avid Kings Fan, so I had to watch DWTS, loved all the hard work you put in, love that you are truly a wonderful character, and you are correct, you were who you are which is great. I admire your tenacity, hard work and commitment. Thanks for doing this, Do you think you can get the Maloof Bros to do this?? Now that would be something!!!

    Comment by samantha Phillips-Bland -

  18. Mark,
    There are no words to express how great you are!!! You inspire me!!! I\’m just a 30 something gal from Cleveland, Ohio and you caught my attention! I will always be a Cavs fan but now I\’m a Mavs fan too!!! I was so sad that you were voted off…I still watch but it\’s not the same with out you. You are such a class act!!! Then on Halloween night you came into Cleveland and well you guys killed us. Well I can deal with it, your team is so great! I look forward to learn more about you and your team.
    Carrie

    Comment by Carrie Bard -

  19. 30 pounds in 8 weeks is impressive!

    Comment by Chris -

  20. Mark: you were great–saw every episode and was overly impressed with your determination. Great job! By the way–everyone please vote for Mark as best celebrity blogger so that that moron Rosie O\’Donnell doesn\’t win!

    🙂
    -Murphy

    Comment by Murphy Klasing -

  21. Mark
    I wanted you to know how gracious I thought you were through out your Dancing with the stars experience. Not only are you the best owner we have in Dallas you appear to be just a regular person.

    I know what a reputation you have at the games, but I think it\’s just because you are so passionate about your team. Tom Hicks could learn a few lessons from you. You make me want to be a mavericks fan. Maybe someday I will be able to see a game in person. Until then I just wanted to say that it\’s been a long time since I have seen anyone so gracious in defeat.

    PS Thank you for doing what needs to be done and spending the money that needs to be spent to give Dallas such an awesome basketball team

    Comment by Cindy -

  22. Mark, I just wanted to tell you that you truly did a fantastic job on DWTS, as I watched you week after week, I\’ve come to see a class act, a true gentleman. I\’ve always had a preconceived notion about you such as you being very arrogant and probably not the type of guy one would approach but I was completely wrong. Thank you for showing us that you can have a lot of money and still be humble about it. I was sorry to see you go but as per your comments this was a great experience. You proved that with alot of hard work and dedication to anything, it can be possible to succeed. You are inspirational and again a class act. I look forward to seeing you on other endeavours you may partake in. I am a big fan!!!
    Good Luck to you!!! Ciao !!!

    Comment by Cathy -

  23. Mr. Cuban,
    I just want to say \’THANK YOU\’ … Your smile is contagious and is more genuine than anything I have seen for a long time. It was SO refreshing! For what it\’s worth, I looked forward to watching you on DWTS every week to have a few minutes of \’contagious happiness.\’ We moved back to Nebraska in January and found out in July that our youngest son (we have three) has profound hearing loss. It has been heart-breaking. Not that we don\’t believe he will be successful, but he\’s my baby and you don\’t want to see anything happen to your child. Then, we found out that my husband is being laid-off. But, the timing is good since our son will have his first cochlear implant surgery on November 26th. But, to make a long story short, it was nice to have something carefree and happy to look forward to … And, that\’s what your dancing was. I never realized what a good, down-to-earth human being you were. I\’m sure your family is unbelievably proud of you!!! They should be!!! Thanks again!!!

    Comment by Stacy -

  24. You did a great job! My 8 year old son (hugh basketball, baseball, hockey and golf fan/player) loved watching you and knowing you are a \”sports guy\”. He even had me doing the tango with him. Can you image a sports kid doing the Tango? That was all you. You made him free to dance and be cool.

    Comment by Jennifer Durham -

  25. Mark, I was sad to see you leave DWTS and voted for you each week. It\’s basketball time now though, and this is the year for the Mavericks to win it all. I can feel it!

    Comment by Amanda -

  26. mark you and kim where robbed in thr i dream of jeannie dance
    mark but you akym really looked really awsome mark will you go
    on the show again if they ask you mark you are avey goog sexy and good dancer too mark .mark do you think that can get some
    ticket`s too see you`re team play because i haven`r been too
    a game in avey long time mark so is that ok with you mark i`ll be in touch ok frank cipoll from newark delaware .
    frank cipolla
    cipollafrank@comcast.net

    Comment by frank -

  27. I feel your excitement. Congratulations on winning in more than one way! You lost 30lbs! Wow.

    Comment by Angela -

  28. I was so sad to see you living DWTS, you were fun to watch, and was amazing all the effort you have to put to dance after a serious surgery, but you done it! and did it very well, you had my votes every week. Keep dancing it is FUN!!!

    Comment by Gisela -

  29. Mark,
    I am so happy that you were a part of DWTS this season. I am also an RN, and was astounded at your flexibility and range-of-motion, this soon after your surgery. You are an inspiration to all! Please know that you made millions of people smile every week!
    Thank you,
    Arlene

    Comment by Arlene -

  30. Mark, the show hasn\’t been the same since you were voted off. It was a joy to watch you put yourself out there each week well out of your comfort zone. What an inspiration. You were always so positive and down-to-earth. Now that hip can heal.

    Comment by 49Kitty -

  31. Hey Mark,

    I will miss watching you every week. It was so enjoyable. You truly are an entertainer!

    Comment by Paula -

  32. Before this I only knew of you as the passionate NBA team owner who yells at officials. I\’ve gained even more respect after watching you go through the dancing competition. No doubt it\’s your work ethic, intelligence, passion, and drive that made you very successful. I, for one, will try to emulate those traits in my own life. You are inspirational. Best wishes.

    Comment by Dan -

  33. People…..Mark was not voted off !!! Ugh…They did not receive
    enough votes to keep them there. And if you think about it,
    what really goes on with how the votes are tallied ????? Hmmmmm..
    And Mark…. You didnt lose….OMG…. You and Kym are winners for your fun and entertaining performances and the examples you
    have set for so many and ALL the new friends you have made.
    Hope for a Safe Happy Halloween for all !!!
    Yours truly,
    Susan fm Mississippi

    Comment by Susan M -

  34. My daughter (who is 10 and loves watching DWTS) and I miss you being on the show. She said from the very first show that you were the nicest one because you had a \”real\” face and not one that looked fake. I knew she meant you were sincere in your dialogue and could be trusted. She felt bad for you because you had a hurt hip but was impressed that you were out there dancing. I just wanted to write and say we enjoyed your sincere/heartfelt performances. I feel like I could say the same thing to you that I say to my nine year old softball team when they ask Did we Win? My response is always \”Did you have fun and did you playing the best you could?\” … when they say yes … My response is always, Yep, you won!
    Take Care! Charlene and Elizabeth

    Comment by Charlene -

  35. Congratulations Mark on a great job on DWTS!! I admit, I had no clue who you were, as I\’m not a basketball fan, but you quickly won my heart! I loved your energy and enthusiasm you brought to the dance floor every week. The \”I Dream of Jeannie\” dance was the best!!
    All the best to you for your future endevors!!

    Comment by Erica -

  36. Mark, I was truly sad to see you voted off. You are an inspiration to me. From the first week when it was explained that you had just undergone hip surgery 7 weeks prior to entering the contest, I was amazed, and thrilled to see you move. I love to dance, and had the opportunity to do so in community theater just last month. Because of a car accident I suffered in March, I, too, will be having a hip replacement in 2 months. When arthroscopy didn\’t yeild the results I hoped for, I thought I\’d have to drop out of the musical, unable to dance, but seeing you dance inspired me to press on and work through the pain, once the doctors gave me the go ahead. Thanks so much for your persistance and sparkle, showing me what the future can hold if only I work for it. You have done so much to give me hope. Thanks, Cheryl

    Comment by cheryl beigh -

  37. TV is dead and boring and Dancing With Stars is a sign of this. Think about what is out there to watch on network TV. Survivor, Dancing With Stars, The Paris Hilton Show, Fear Factor?? Come on.
    vr, Xei

    Comment by Xeifrank -

  38. Mark, since you were blessed to be a part of this show, you should know who to get this VERY SERIOUS information to.

    From the second week of Dancing With The Stars this season, the phone lines have been TOTALLY MESSED UP!!

    We are supposed to get a certain number of votes each time, but most times, the very FIRST time I call, a voice comes on saying I have already used up all of my calls for this line! This has happened all long. I finally just kept calling back and in between those messages, I managed to get a few in, but never all that I was supposed to get.

    Since I can\’t imagine being the ONLY person in the USA to have this problem, would you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make SURE something is done about this?

    I actually got the phone number for the show from my local ABC, but only got a voicemail, and no one ever returned my call, even though I did tell them exactly \’why\’ I was calling.

    Heaven only knows who all has been voted off by mistake.

    If anyone else has had this same problem, please try to get in touch with the show. The phone number I was given is: 818-460-7421.

    Thanks,
    Joan

    Comment by Joan Wear -

  39. You were the most enjoyable person on DWTS–simply because you were someone with no experience—you worked hard and found you could have fun with it. The fun you were having made it fun for all of us watching. Thanks for showing all of us how to have fun with new experiences.

    Comment by Marci -

  40. I thought you were super & I enjoyed watching you! Your spunk is unmatchable. You were soooooo devoted & such a hard worker! You should be an inspiration to many. I thought when they announced you were leaving, I could have swore I read your lips saying \”thank God it\’s over\”. LOL! Maybe something close, anyway? Hats off to you Mark, my fellow Texan. I wish you a very happy life! 🙂

    Comment by melissa :) -

  41. Mark,

    You were one of my favourites. I loved your \” I dream of Jeannie\” number – it was fantastic, but it is competition and when it comes to votes, there is little you can do but to be the best that you can be. You proved that during your experience with DWTS and even though we all like to win, I truly believe the most important thing ( next to winning…LOL!), is having FUN!

    Best of luck to you!

    Mark H.

    Comment by Mark Healey -

  42. I didn\’t know who you were in the beginning, but I have to say that you were a treat to watch and I really enjoyed your enthusiasm.

    Comment by Nancy -

  43. Way to go Mark! First time I watched the show this season and I could tell you lost a lot of weight since I last saw you on the Leno interview.

    Class act by the way after you were called out. (Now get to work and buy the Cubs!)

    Comment by SVRPaul -

  44. Dear Mr. Cuban,
    Even though I live now in San Antonio (Spurs country), I must confess my wife and I enjoyed your performance on \”Dancing With The Stars.\” I was, frankly, rather surprised to find you as capable on the dance floor as you were; and, like the judges, we found you quite entertaining to watch. I was even more surprised when I learned that — like myself — you also are originally from the Pittsburgh area.
    The reason I\’m posting this comment, however, has nothing to do with dancing per se but with a remark you made in your opening sentence — \”I hate to lose.\” When you wrote that, I couldn\’t help but remember you are interested not only in basketball, but baseball. I understand you are looking to buy the Chicago Cubs.
    May I offer an alternative suggestion? If you wish to buy a ball team, why not the Pittsburgh Pirates? The Bucs are approaching the 30th anniversary of their last World Series title, and have not been even a serious contender since Jim Leyland left as manager. Okay, it\’s not exactly the \”Curse of the Bambino,\” but now that the Boston Red Sox are winning, I believe you\’ll find a picture of Pirate fans in the dictionary under the definition of \”longsuffering.\”
    Not that I have anything against Kevin McClatchey; the man is trying. But after observing you on the sidelines at Mavericks games and some of the moves you have made to bring that team to contender levels (for the sake of Avery Johnson alone I root for Dallas if the Spurs are out of the playoff picture), I think that someone who has an attitude of \”I hate to lose\” might just be the fire in the belly that the Bucs ultimately need.
    You, of course, can put your money anywhere you wish. But the joke currently going around Pittsburgh is that the Pirates\’ new home, PNC Park, is threatening to leave town if a better team isn\’t put together. It would be nice to give the folks up there something to smile about in addition to the Steelers.

    Comment by James D. Rankin -

  45. To be honest.. when the celebrity names were released this year I thought to myself Who is Mark Cuban. I knew of you but did not know why you would want to be on the show. BUT I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU DID! You were a joy to watch every week! I think that the judges gave you low scores every week and I feel that you deserved better scores. You were so entertaining and I already miss watching you this week. Thank you so much for taking time out of your incredibly busy life to entertain me(us). Your passion for life inspires me and makes me want to try and accomplish more for my life. Thank you so much for a 90 second escape from \”the real world\”. I only wish your ride would have lasted until the end. Oh yeah, I almost forgot.. I hear you are looking into buying the Cubs. If that doesn\’t work out you should come and buy the original/fist baseball team — The Cincinnati Reds! I think that you could get us to the World Series again! Think about it.. :0)

    Comment by Sherri Reed -

  46. Mark: You were great and got better each week. I was sorry to see you go. On another subject, I\’m from Chicago and a Cubs fan. The gossip here is that you\’re interested in the team. If the Tribune is really going to sell them, I\’d love to see you in the hunt for our team.

    Comment by Ginny -

  47. Mark i have been very amazed by your dedication although you\’ve had surgery and all you kept pushing i myself know the feeling of injury and dancing through the pain i would like to invite you if you are ever in Orlando myself and some friends are very involved in the central florida salsa scene and if you ever want to check us out come through just drop me a message at undergroundsalsa.com.

    Comment by DJ Big Mike -

  48. Mark, I\’ve always adored you and nothing you did on DWTS has changed my opinion of you. The reality show several years ago showed the world what a kind and thoughtful man you are.

    All we have to do now is wait for that a** Donald Trump to add it to your list of \’failures\’ whilst trumpeting what a \’winna\’ he is. puh!

    Comment by c.norsworthy -

  49. Hi Mark,

    I thought you were really great on the show. My dad, who is always jealous of successful businessmen, had me thinking before this season started that you were going to be an egotistical brat who argued with the judges and expected to coast through. You couldn\’t have proved him more wrong! I enjoyed all of your routines and admired your dedication and the hard work you put towards improving every week. You were a big highlight this season. Thanks for making it a blast to watch!

    -Charity

    Comment by Charity -

  50. Mark,
    It showed on the presentations that you were working hard, having a good time and were \’just one of the guys\’. I was somewhat embarrassed every time they announced you as a billionaire…..and thought perhaps it embarassed you as well. The measure of a man in not in his money….as I\’m sure you know! Do I sound like a 65 year old Mother?
    You\’re a real, live American success story!!!!! That would have been a great way to announce you, don\’t you think?
    Thanks again for making Dancing With The Stars a bit more enjoyable.
    This Oklahoman also loves the Mavs and Fort Worth/Dallas…guess that tell you which town I like the best. lol

    Phyllis

    Comment by Phyllis -

  51. I was so proud to see you representing the Dallas Mavericks as their strongman and mentor on Dancing with the Stars. I maxed out on voting for you every week. I just moved from Burleson, Texas this summer, but I\’m a Mavs Fan For Life, even from Arkansas!

    Comment by Joy Cressler -

  52. Mark, you were great on the show. I voted for you the max on the phone and had two website where I also voted for you. I have a good friend who lives in Rice, Tx and he told me how much you had done for the Mavs. Now, if you could only buy our Chicago Cubs it would be a dream come true as we need a real winner in Chicago…. It took real courage for you to be on the show after having hip replacement surgery. I watch the show every time it is on and just know half of the contestants have danced before.

    Best of luck in the future.

    Linda T.

    Comment by Linda Turner -

  53. Mark,
    As a fellow Western Pennsylvanian (Bethel Park), I want to tell you how proud so many of us are of your performance on DWTS. The determination and hard work you put into it were truly inspiring, especially after hip replacement surgery! My boss is having that done in January, so I encouraged him to watch to get inspired. And beyond that, you were entertaining and so gracious all along. You will be missed!
    Thanks for your effort.
    Best regards,
    Jenny

    Comment by Jennifer Gates -

  54. Mark,
    Great job for all your efforts on DWTS. We voted for you each week and will miss seeing you on the show this week.

    Comment by Wendy -

  55. Hi Mark, I have been watching DWTS in the UK where I live, I watch the US version on Friday night and the UK version on Saturday night, being a Brit, I guess I should be cheering on my fellow Brits, but I have to say, you really were my favorite, I only wish I could have voted for you. I had no idea who you were from the start, but admire all the effort and dedication you gave. I was gutted that you left the show, and hope you continue to dance, it looks like you really enjoyed the experience.
    Julie

    Comment by Julie -

  56. Mark,

    I was sorry to see that you got eliminated from DWTS. You were inspiring to watch as you improved each week. I enjoyed so much the effort and enthusiasm you put into your practices and dance each week. You will be missed!

    Comment by Paula -

  57. Mark, I just want to say that I think you were phenomenal! You worked the hardest, improved the best, and best of all you could tell that you were enjoying it. I think you deserved so much more credit than what you were given, esp. considering that you were recouping from hip surgury! You were moving and doing things that many can\’t do – without having had surgury! What an inspiration! Hope to see more of you later in the season.

    Best wishes,
    Heather

    Comment by Heather Waggie -

  58. Hi Mark,
    I voted to keep you in because your dances with Kym were entertaining and fun, especially that last one! And although I knew you and had seen you from your reality TV show, it wasn\’t until I saw you on DWTS that I saw you reminded me a bit of my late husband, Bob (see http://g-pact.org/spotlightmay2002.htm), who was very confident, very positive, caring, wore his heart on his sleeve, and all of that with a touch of innocence about him. He liked being around people who were \”themselves.\” I have a hunch you feel that way, too. Anyway, you won me over. All the best with whatever inspirational endeavors you choose to take on in the future.
    Emily

    Comment by Emily -

  59. Oh, forgot to mention: I\’m a physical therapist and was amazed when I heard you had had a hip replacement before the show started and was wondering how many weeks before was the surgery and how are you feeling now? The day after that first show I was telling a patient of mine who had had a THR 7 weeks before and having pain as he was overdoing some of his exercises and he was shocked that you were dancing! Susan

    Comment by Susan -

  60. Mark, Your smile was so genuine,you were interested in what the judges had to say so you could improve (although I think sometimes they\’re way off mark(pun intended) and you always looked like you were enjoying the whole experience. I think maybe this DWTS competetion should have an even playing field where it\’s only for people with no prior dance experience. This if the first season I\’ve watched from the beginning and I\’m hooked and you were part of the reason. Best Wishes! Susan (former Irish stepdancer)

    Comment by Susan -

  61. Dear Mark,
    I didn\’t even really know who you were until I started watching the show. Now, I\’m totally such a fan. In fact, I found this blog because I was searching the Net to learn more about you. I want you to know that I admire your sincerity, passion, determination and graciousness.

    I\’m also very glad you have this blog. I will keep on visiting it because I\’ve already learned so much from your posts.

    Thank you for being on DWTS! I loved watching you. You will be missed.

    Comment by Treena (from the Philippines) -

  62. Mark you are a winner! You put a smile on the faces of millions of people. DWTS will not be the same without you. Thank you for sharing your time with us. I for one will miss watching you. Go Mavericks!

    Comment by Esther Seidel -

  63. I just wanted to say what a GREAT job you did! I\’m a Physical Therapist, and let me just say it was amazing to me that you were out there after a THR. I watched week after week amazed by your progress. You are a GO GETTER in Every way! Great Job!

    Looking forward to the upcoming Mavs Season!!!

    Comment by Kristen -

  64. Sorry, but I was glad to see you go. Offering rides in your private jet to DJs so they could come to a performance of DWTS? Uh Uh. You came across as arrogant plus I guess your strategy of pleasing the public crashed and burned. It was obvious you had little or no respect for your teacher or the public if you thought that hookey \”Geek\” thing was gonna do it for you. Granted, this is not strictly a \’dance\’ contest but you have now learned that the public DOES expect SOME dancing and less pseudo humility. Glad you enjoyed yourself but the public is obviously glad you\’re gone.

    Comment by Me -

  65. Mark, I am glad you lasted as long as you did. You won me over with your intense work effort, engaging smile and stage presence. I kept wishing in the beginning that there was some way to contact you because I wanted to say –make them change your introduction. There was something vulgar about the way they kept presenting you as billionaire Mark Cuban because there was no mention of philanthropy or charity or worthwhile causes, only someone who collected 5.7 billion and owned the Mavericks. I just had to assume that someone as personable as you would also be a giving person. I think your fan base would have been larger right from the get go had they introduced you in a more flattering light. Anyway, congratulations on a tremendous effort.

    Comment by Beverly Barrett -

  66. Mark; Enjoyed you each week on DWTS. Your performace was amazing as you don\’t come from an entertainment background and just having hip surgery with the need to put in many hours of training getting ready for each Monday night. I applaud you for all your determination and hard work. It would be great for morale to see DWTS do a USO tour for out troops. We don\’t need to agree what\’s going on in Iraq nut still need to show our troops who are still over there we care. Maybe you can spearhead something for our troops. Being a disabled combat service veteran for more than 20+ yrs having served Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom and continuing my service in the defense department for over ten years know what hard work and training is all about. Anyway, I enjoy everything you do and are truly an inspiration for our youth of today with so many of our young stars following short. Again, thank you for all you have done.

    Comment by Brian A. (Msgt USAF ret ) -

  67. Good job Mark!!! You are a much better man than me for trying such a task!!! You might not have won the final prize, but you did come out so much further ahead. Thats what really counts!

    Comment by Brian Drewry -

  68. I had the pleasure of seeing you at the UT Masters Class. I had no clue who you were, but after hearing you talk and seeing how you reacted to the crowd, I became a huge fan. I was thrilled when I heard that you were going to be on DWTS. You were so much fun to watch and you put your whole heart and soul into the experience. I can honestly say that you deserve everything that you have and more.

    Comment by Jamie -

  69. You were great. I loved getting to see that side of your personality. You rock Mark!

    Comment by Christine -

  70. Mark,

    I was so sorry to see you leave DWTS. Your exit was a Class Act. (Did you see Len blew you two a kiss?) I was going to ask you if Kym could have a job in your organization, but you answered that question in your AOL interview. (Tha dancers only get paid for the weeks that they are on the show.) How about Chief Entertainment Correspondent for one of your networks?

    We are always told to prepare for a myriad of outcomes, but who could have predicted that Marie Osmond would have taken a dive and garnered an avalanche of sympathy votes. I think that the outcome would have been different. And what about Marie exploiting the vulnerability of the viewing public and her fans! A reporter asked Maxsum C. what had happened to Marie. His response was that she was too conscious of her weight and simply wasn\’t eating or drinking enough. End of drama. And why didn\’t Marie Osmond simply declare that to the media? Well, she couldn\’t have bought all the world-wide publicity she received. A day after her fainting she launched her DWTS doll on QVC, her Christmas album is out, and she has a slew of club and casino dates. Being honest with the public would have cost her plenty.

    But, anyway, you and Kym were great on the show with the best chemistry and performances that were definitely improving week after week. I don\’t think I\’ll watch the show again, but I guess I can catch the MAVs on ESPN.

    Thanks for the Memories!

    Comment by Sharon -

  71. I thought you were GREAT!!! I went into this competition hoping you would lose; I am not a Mavericks fan. But, you completely turned me around! You are a great competitior. It was fun to watch your dedication and your hard work show on the screen. I tried my hardest to keep you in the competition. I had my family and friends voting for you online and on the phone. My daughter and I just enjoyed every moment of your performances. I wished you would have stayed longer. I am now a Cuban and Mavericks fan! You are a great inspiration with your hard work and dedication. I can appreciate your comments off, and on, the courts now!

    Comment by Perla -

  72. Way to go Mark. I\’ve been a Ballroom dancer since 1998 and my hip pain started in 2002. I considered re-surfacing but a total hip replacement seemed the best option and I had it done on September 14th. I was so proud of you on DWTStars and my girlfriend and I and all my dancing friends voted for you. I danced for the first time on October 12th….4 weeks to the day after my surgery and you were part of my inspiration. Great Job! I hope you keep on dancing and if The Mavs come to Detroit to play our Pistons I would love to shake your hand. Best regards.

    Comment by Basim Abdelnour -

  73. I was waiting for you to post on here so I could say that I really think you won despite not getting the trophy. Honestly, I realize the main reason a person enters a contest is to win, and it would be easy to dismiss this as a non-victory. However, I think you won alot more than just losing 30 pounds. Your portrayal in the media is something that I\’m sure you don\’t worry about (because you can\’t control it) but I have to say I haven\’t always had the highest opinion of you and was worried when I heard you might buy my beloved Cubs. After watching you on DWTS, I have to admit, my thoughts have really changed. You impressed me with your work ethic and your genuine-ness. I am now pulling for you to make an offer for the Cubs. I wish you the best of luck in all that you do and I\’m sorry for the bad rap you\’ve been stuck with by the media. You weren\’t the best dancer, but you definitely won!

    Comment by Amy -

  74. Mark,

    I loved watching you every single week. You did a great job and I\’m unhappy you were voted off – I\’d hoped to be able to watch you at least another few weeks.

    I\’m glad to know you\’ve got a blog. I\’m going to check in regularly to see what you\’re up to.

    Great job and thanks for the fun and entertainment you gave me.

    A new fan,

    Deborah

    Comment by Deborah -

  75. Honestly I tried to open my mind and heart and watch you dance on DWTS, but all your
    bad behavior at NBA games was just too hard to erase — all the mean comments about San Antonio, the insulting t-shirts you wear to games, the obnoxious behavior, temper tantrems, stares at the refs. It seemed like your \”performance\” on DWTS was just an act. Now back to the real Cuban……

    Comment by Buffie -

  76. Way to go MARK! Both on the floor and with the MAVS

    Comment by Richard Proctor -

  77. 206. You did great! Loved the last dance best- you were right. You knew by that time you weren\’t going to win, but decided to have fun and entertain us. What I admired most was/is your work ethic. I applaud you for taking a chance, for trying something new. My Grandpa used to say \’You can\’t learn it any younger.\’ when I tried something new. Applause for showing kids that hard work while learning is worth it. And thanks for sharing your thoughts about it in the blog.

    Comment by karen -

  78. I want to thank you for being on DWTS- it was so much fun to watch you every week. I think it takes an incredible amount of courage to be able to get up in front of people- even more so in front of cameras, even more so when it\’s in front of millions. I knew of you vaguely when the show started this season, and after googling you (isn\’t the internet nifty?) I was honestly amazed that you would want to do a show like DWTS, and that you even tried that soon after hip replacement therapy. Knowing that little bit of back story has been a major inspiration to me. I\’ve been stuck in a personal rut lately, and your very public journey on Dancing with the Stars helped me put some things into perspective. Not only that, but you were such a joy to watch. Most of the people who sign up are already performers in some way, and while they go at it as just another thing they do, you always looked like you were genuinely enjoying just being there, and I think that\’s the most important thing. It doesn\’t matter how the dance starts or ends, but that you enjoy it along the way. I know I\’m not the only one who feels that way- there were 250 some odd comments here by the time I got a chance to sit down at the computer. Thank you for letting us get to know you a little more and sharing your enthusiasm and joy.

    Lord, I just reread that and I sound like a crazy person, but seriously, thank you.

    Comment by Jamie -

  79. Even though I read your blog regularly I didn\’t tune into the show
    until this last performance of yours. I really liked it, thought it
    was cute and it had personality. I am pigeon-toed (haha) so I
    feel for you and the dancing technicalities. Anyway, you rocked it,
    and I am happy to see you had a good time 🙂

    Comment by liz -

  80. Mark,
    This is the first time for me to watch Dancing with stars. I am so upset that I am not in the states so I can vote for you. I think you did a great job!!! I am very happy that even I am in Taiwan, I can still watch your wonderful dance through Youtube. As for a fan of you and Mavericks, you are the best!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Patty Chen -

  81. It was so sad to see you have to leave DWTS and my family voted the maximum on 5 phones and every email address we knew every week. We are HUGE Maverick fans therefore we are Mark Cuban fans and we knew you would be a class act on DWTS and you were indeed. We continue to be amazed with your endeavors.

    Comment by Pat -

  82. Mark, you were so much fun to watch! You did a great job and I had fun voting for you. I was so impressed with the way you shook all the judges\’ hands at the end- so gracious and made me so proud that you were representing Dallas. Looking forward to going to see the Mavs! Take care.

    Comment by Laura -

  83. I thought you did great! You were showing improvement every week and were literally lighter on your feet during this last show. I watched it when Emmitt Smith was on and then that little Olympic skater guy and then you. Gave you all the votes I had and you do look wonderful with the \”flatter\” belly! kt

    Comment by Katie Timmons -

  84. Subject: Proud
    Mark:
    We are so proud of you. You honored our city with grace. Thank you!!!

    Nancy

    Comment by Nancy -

  85. Well done Mark, I was afraid you would have injured yourself since your hip replacement, but you went out there and competed like a champ (reminded me of Willis Reed!)

    Comment by WilliamP -

  86. Hi Mark,
    First time I am ever writing to anyone commenting on DWTS but I wanted to let you know what an incredible job you did!!! For never having dance experience like so many of the others and with your hip replacement you were truly amazing! It was great watching you every week, I have total respect for you and I will really miss you and Kim. Keep on dancing Mark!!!! Thanks for the joy in watching you!
    Cindy

    Comment by Cindy -

  87. Mark-
    Your work ethic and enthusisam were exemplary. I voted for you numerous times each week in hopes of keeping you around as long as possible. Thank you for the wonderful entertainment and for being an example of someone who has become who he is through blood, sweat, tears, and never giving up.
    (Not even to mention what you have done for our fighting heroes…).

    Comment by Beth -

  88. Mark,
    Just wanted to let you know how much we admire you. We voted for you week after week, because we admired the effort you always put forth and the fun you brought to DWTS. You should be proud of your accomplishments on the show. Congratulations on your performances, you are an inspiration. We will miss watching you every week,
    Rick and Andrea

    Comment by Rick -

  89. Stacy Keibler + U Mark will Always be my 2 Fave contestants from Dancing with the Stars! Sadly U were both Robbed of the Title!! ;)) I got a Kick outta seeing Steve Nash + U in Forbes 400 Richest – whassup with Steve\’s New Haircut! Hopefully U will have Time now to return to yer Entrepreneurial Roots – Yep I\’m still looking for WEB3D.0 VC Cash!! Cheers Mark! Billy ;)) Peace*

    Comment by BillyWarhol -

  90. Great going Mark, everyone in my class enjoyed your dancing Monday nite. What a great inspiration for Mt. Lebanon. from Jason in Pennsylvania

    Comment by Patty -

  91. Good going Mark, you did a clever routine on Monday and your homestate, Pennsylvania is proud of you.

    Comment by Patty -

  92. Congratulations Mark, Pittsburgh is proud of it\’s most famous citizen in this century, positive routine done on Monday, October 22, for a great family show Dancing with the Stars.

    Comment by Patty -

  93. Mark,

    I am not one to post a blog comment and do not typically follow \”celebrity happenings.\” However, I do like to watch \”Dancing with the Stars.\” I was sorry to see you go. As my husband said \”Your boy Cuban went home lastnight.\” You were a blast to watch. Very entertaining and encouraging. John Wayne has always been my hero but…. you could be in the running.

    Thanks again!

    Comment by Melinda -

  94. Mark, I\’ve been rooting (and voting) for you all season long, and was really sorry to see you go, though I was afraid it was inevitable as the competition heated up.

    Comment by russian bride -

  95. I loved you on DWTS!! I voted for you many many times and I was sad to see you leave so early. 🙁 I am super excited about the Mavs season and I cant wait to see them play 11/5 its going to be a great way to celebrate my 22nd bday! I hope youre able to go back and guest host a few times I/we would love to see you dance again!! good luck this season!!

    Comment by SallyA -

  96. Mark –
    You have ALSO won the respect of MANY people across the country for your positive, can-do attitude, intelligence, boyish charm and vulnerability; and you also showed folks -who only knew the side of you the media chooses to distort – who you really are. Amazing, amazing, amazing.

    I enjoyed every moment watching you…and expecially your \”…21 is not a prime number…\” Cutest geek out there yet 🙂

    I also want to say, I know someone who should have had hip replacement surgery over a year ago. Watching you has given her the courage to schedule the surgery, next month. Thank you so much for being a wonderful role-model to other young hip replacement candidates. It\’s a scary ordeal/process/thought and you\’ve showen them it can be done, and they can still have an active life.

    A HUGE fan in the DFW area – GO MAVS!
    Susan

    Comment by Susan -

  97. I\’m glad you enjoyed the experience. I also glad that this experience is over. Now you can go back to talking about the Mavs, things that piss you off, and maybe even that hockey team you want to buy! (that last one was a hint – buy a hockey team)

    Comment by Todd Bush -

  98. Wow! I have to admit..I had no idea who you were when the show started. By the second show, you had my respect and I was rooting for you! I loved the last performance! I watch to be entertained and you did that…in spades!

    Comment by Katrina Gibson -

  99. You know, when I heard you were going to be on Dancing with the Stars, I thought…what a joke. I\’m a San Antonion, a major Spurs fan, and have always thought you were somewhat of a jerk because you totally bashed our city. Anyhow, after watching you on DWTS, I really became to like you! You were so great, and SO much better than I thought you\’d be. (sorry again) You are a really nice guy after all, and I wish you would have been on longer!

    Comment by Jackie -

  100. Hey Cubes…go get Kobe, then throw a bone to Genarlow Wilson…great job dancing man…you rock!!!

    Comment by Heath Hull -

  101. Mark,
    Congrats on doing so well on DWTS. I was pulling for you all the way. I also have to say I have enjoyed reading your Blog. Your work ethic and the way you talk about life is an inspiration. This past week my 9th grade son, Nick, watched with me and voted for you. He is in an IT program at school and has joined his Robotics team (although they can\’t raise the money to get in this years competition). I am going to steer him to reading your blog for how to have a positive outlook and strong determination in life. Thanks for everything – go Mavs!

    Comment by Veronica -

  102. Way to go Mark! I am impressed with your hard work and determination. I\’m a little person and I know what it means to be determined to do something. I don\’t know what the word \”No\” means. If you tell me I can\’t do something, it makes me work harder to do it. You know it\’s a daily thing, but I do it every day and think it makes me feel better about myself.

    I voted for you each time and was sorry to see you voted off. I really enjoyed your spunk, and you were very entertaining to watch. Keep it up! :o)

    Comment by Susan Nordstrom -

  103. 30 pounds? Wow. You ought to put that weight back on and then do a turn on the biggest loser, but dance your way into the top spot on that show.

    What I find so interesting about your posts is that everything you share has such a wide and expansive application to almost anything in life that you want to be good at or achieve. Work hard, get excited at the chance to compete, give it your best, enjoy yourself, always look for ways to improve, be thankful for the opportunity and grateful enough to make the best of it. More than anything, your inspiration comes from the utter joy that\’s obvious in everything you do, Dancing with the Stars included.

    Comment by Michael -

  104. Wonderful performance on Monday on DWTS. You and Kym have so much energy and enthusiam. I voted for you every week. Sorry you got bumped from the show.

    Comment by Laura -

  105. You did a great job! Makes me proud you are from Dallas! You were such a gentleman standing up in front of the judges and the comments you gave to the remaining contestants.

    Comment by Pam -

  106. I really liked it as well. here you can review some of the best moments:

    http://www.btleague.net/info.asp?id=212

    Comment by geiser80 -

  107. Mark,

    You did an amazing job on the show… I\’m a college student and I made time during studying for my midterm exams to watch and vote for you (even at the library!).

    So on the show they joked that you were becoming a choreographer, you think Dirk and the guys would ever let you choreograph a halftime dance for them?? Maybe they could dress up as nerds too, I think any basketball fan would kill to see that!

    Amanda

    Comment by Amanda -

  108. I was so disappointed you had to leave this week! I can\’t believe Marie got more votes! It was so much fun watching your transformation. Your work ethic was amazing. Congratulations on a great job! I think you won a lot of hearts – so yes – you definitely came out a big winner.
    P.S. Please buy the Rangers!

    Comment by Stephanie -

  109. Mark –

    Like millions of others, I voted for you every week. Thank you for allowing so many of us get to know you better. You did a wonderful job & we loved watching you each week. You are truly an inspiration. Best of everything!

    Comment by Kaahu -

  110. YOU DANCED, YOU DANCED, YOU CONQUERED!!! YOU HAVE DEFINITELY GIVEN ME NEW INSIGHT, AND I AM SURE MANY OTHERS, THAT WITH MOTIVIATION, PERSEVERANCE, AND PRACTICE THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! YOU ROCK(ED)OUR HOUSE EVERY WEEK AND HAD FUN DOING SO. WHEN IT STOPS BEING FUN-THEN IT\’S TIME TO STOP.

    Comment by gretchen laporte -

  111. You\’re the man Mark. I love that you are having fun. I think you once said something like, \”when I am older and talking with my grandchildren I want to have a lot of stories to tell them.\” Exactly. To hell w/ folks that give you a hard time. You worked hard, made a lot of money, continue to work, so have fun when and how you want.

    Also, my gosh I hope MLB pulls their heads out of their collective asses and lets you buy the Cubs. After seeing what you\’ve done with the Mavs I have no doubt you\’d do great things for the Cubs.

    And I want to stress that is pretty hard for me to say …. cause I am a life-time Cardinal fans. But heck, competition is always a good thing isn\’t it? Make us work/try harder.

    See yeah …..

    Comment by Tommy -

  112. I liked your dancing very much. You were great, funny and entertaining.
    You were definetely robbed.
    I\’ll miss you and Kim.
    Good luck in future!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by ilze handel -

  113. Mark, WHAT A GREAT JOB! I was elated to hear when it was first announced that you would be on the show. I voted for you all the way from as many phones/internet I could get my hands on. I hope you know that you had (home) backing you all the way. I live in Fort Worth and kept my fingers and toes crossed the whole time 🙂 I could not believe you got voted off. I thought you did alot better than Marie or the spice girl…??? How was she voted by the judges a higher score than you?? I watched your entrepeneur show and love the Mavs although I haven\’t had to oppurtunity to go see them myself. I wish you all the best this year. Go MAVS!!!!

    Comment by Denise -

  114. You were amazing. It took a lot of courage to get out there like that and you did a fantastic job. Very inspirational for all of us that have to face doing something new and challenging.

    Comment by Linda Nelson -

  115. Greetings. I must say I admire your courage. Before the show I didn\’t know much about you but I thought unfortunately, since it\’s a popularity contest with most people who vote you wouldn\’t get very far. After all, you aren\’t a celebrity in the sense that Jane Seymour or Marie Osmond is. Popularity contests are sad and unfortunately, sometimes in this show the best don\’t really win. I actually found your website because I was looking for a way to pitch a TV show idea I have so this is how I found you. Is that still something you are interested in? Thanks for your time. Becky K.

    Comment by Becky Kittleson -

  116. YOU WERE SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH, I HATED TO SEE YOU GO! GOOD FOR YOU TO GO SO FAR OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE!

    Comment by MARNEY PEPPIATT -

  117. Mark I just want to say that for me you are the man and it was great pleasure watching you on the show!

    We all enjoyed your devotion during the shows!

    gr,
    Karen

    Comment by Your Baby -

  118. I enjoyed watching you and am sad you are gone~ Great job!

    Comment by Melissa -

  119. Genarlow Wilson will be freed

    Comment by Gladys Santiago -

  120. Mark – I have immense respect for you and your ability to challenge yourself in a new experience. Our journeys in life are about becoming a better person and being open to the journey itself. May you continue to grow and use your new knowledge in a positive way.
    God Bless You.

    Comment by Sue I. -

  121. Hi Mark, I have to admit that I heard of you but did not know what kind of a person you were. I grew to like you during the show and one thing that got my attention was your humbleness…. that I did not expect. The nice smile and holding your head up was really nice to see. Too bad you were voted off. I was looking for to see more dances from you. Best wishes to you and your family.

    Comment by DWTS Viewer -

  122. I rooted for and voted for you every week – you are a winner in every way that matters. Congratulations!

    Comment by Hannah -

  123. Mark, You had all the votes here in my house and im sorry to seee you go. Glad you made so many new friends, and lost wieght. I really enjoyed watching you every week on DWTS.

    GO MAVS!!!!

    !~ Kristin ~!

    Comment by Kristin -

  124. Mark,

    So sorry to see you leave DWTS, my three kids and I always looked forward to your performance. I am sure your daughters are so proud of their dad for many things, but with DWTS you were able to teach them to go out of their comfort zone and just try! What a great message for them to learn at a young age.

    Live in Chicago and are HUGE Cubs fans. We are hoping we will see more of you in Chicago and possibly as owner of our beloved Cubs.

    Comment by Nae -

  125. You did great! Loved the last dance best- you were right. You knew by that time you weren\’t going to win, but decided to have fun and entertain us. What I admired most was/is your work ethic. I applaud you for taking a chance, for trying something new. My Grandpa used to say \’You can\’t learn it any younger.\’ when I tried something new. Applause for showing kids that hard work while learning is worth it. And thanks for sharing your thoughts about it in the blog.

    Comment by Karen -

  126. Mark, I really enjoyed watching you. You worked so hard and put so much into this. I think you did a great job. And you\’re HOT!!!

    Comment by Lisa -

  127. Big time Kudos Mark for all you accomplished. You are dead n in saying you didn\’t lose – you just didn\’t win and there is a big difference in the 2. You more than achieved what you set out to do – have people see you in a different light than what we see on TV with you ranting and raving at a Mavs\’ game. The only good thing about being sent home now is you won\’t have to miss the Mavs\’ season opener. I am not a Cubs\’ fan but I do know MLB is making a HUGE mistake if/when they let someone other than you buy the team. I know Wilbon wants it to happen 🙂

    Comment by Jon -

  128. Hey Mark, Please buy the CUBS, they need to win in 2008. It\’s been a rebuilding century, right? I will move back to Illinois and work for you for free. Have a good day.
    Eric Jacobson

    Comment by Eric Jacobson -

  129. Mark, this is my first season watching DWTS. I am a Dallasite and really enjoyed watching you and Kym. I was truly sad when your name was called to leave. I disagreed with the judges and was a little confused on some of the other scores. In the end, you left the show with dignity and was very gracious to the judges and your co-dancers. It was nice to see this side of you, versus the screaming maniac at the bball games! Ha – I like that side too! Kudos for having the guts to try something new. You have inspired me to take a dance lesson! Christine

    Comment by Christine -

  130. Aww, Mark you are going to make me cry. You really brought it, and were a great example and inspiration to everyone, particularly those who could identify a prime number.

    Bravo, Bravo, Bravo.

    Yes, you did win.

    Comment by danielmcvicar -

  131. Such a bummer getting voted off! Not enough people realizing that dance isn\’t about the tiny infinities of exact moves but the pure joy of the expressions that burst from the heart.
    Your courage through pain and expression of fun and true happiness at what you were doing made you the real winner.
    You were and still are an inspiration to our friend Becky who underwent a double hip replacement a few days ago.
    And BTW you look great!
    Anne in DFW

    Comment by Anne -

  132. Mark,
    I have been watching this show from the beginning and I fell you were the most real person they have ever had on. I\’ve never bloged or emailed a star but I had to let you know how great you were even with a sore hip. Congrats
    Teri Kenney

    Comment by Teri Kenney -

  133. You did a fabulous job and should be so proud of yourself! For the only non-performer you sure did hold your own!!!! Great job!

    Comment by Corey -

  134. Thanks for sharing…

    Comment by Samson -

  135. \”When you lose, don\’t lose the lesson.\”

    In every failure there is victory. And you have obviously garnered the victory despite not gaining enough votes to stay on. Great attitude that reflects in the way you handle your business!

    Cheers

    Piotr

    Comment by Piotr Jakubowski -

  136. Mark it was alot of fun to watsh you each week dancing with
    Kim. I voted for you each week and will miss seeing you on the show. You were alot of fun to watch because you seemed to be enjoying it so much and acting natural. The I Dream Of Jeanie dance was the best . Best of luck with the hip replacemaent. Congratulations you were great.Best of luck with the Mavs this season, we\’ll be watching in Corsicana

    Comment by Dana -

  137. YOU ARE A WINNER!

    Although I\’ll miss seeing your smile every week, I have to tell you that it was great to watch you truly enjoy every moment you spent at DWTS. You were fantastic!! I\’ve always felt that if I tried something new, whether I was successful or not, I won because I had a new adventure. In this case, you got to experience something most people will never get to enjoy. That, in and of itself, makes you a winner. Add to that the fact that people FINALLY got to see the real you, and this was a real coup!

    I hope you are truly proud of yourself for putting yourself out there, in a place you might not succeed, and enjoying every moment of it. That\’s very brave! Oh…and you made your fellow IU alum proud!

    All my best,
    Kelly
    (from \”All in\” – best to Lacey)

    Comment by Kelly Marie -

  138. You were fantastic to watch. I knew you took it seriously but once you were out on that dance floor the seriousness went away and you looked like you were having a blast! I\’ll get to the point…are you married? Not for me….i\’m happily married…but i have this beautiful and sweet friend….lol…congrats to you on a superb job. We\’re going to miss you.

    Comment by Stephany -

  139. Mark you are very entertaining. I did not really know much about you at first and questioned you being there. But the very first week, something about you pulled me in. I\’m a big fan of the show and I was pulling for you (and voting for you too) every week. You were out there doing everything you could, enjoying every moment and dancing really well. Good job. Thanks for the entertainment. — Barb

    Comment by Barb -

  140. mark please help me is there a link that i can write you that wont be posted but rather private. this is of geave importance all i need is some information please

    Comment by norma -

  141. It was always fun to see you dance. Good job!

    Comment by Rosalita -

  142. Mark,

    There are not enough words of praise and congrulations in any Dictionary or Thesaurus to shower upon you for what you did on DWTS. Your fear of failure, your fierce competitive spirit, your determination, and your joy and fun-loving spirit shined through in everyone of your performances with Kym. You were a delight to watch and enjoy. You brought entertainment, fun and antics to the show which without you would have been Strictly Ballroom! You have truly shown America what it is to enjoy your life. Your courage to even attempt such a feat after your surgery is remarkable! You have really shown us all what it is to come out of your comfort zone. You really showed the judges (especially Bruno) what a class act you are, and how their \”tasteless remarks\” did not faze you, or prevent you from enjoying yourself. I voted all of my votes for you and Kym each week with my cell phone, home phone, both of my husbands cell phones, and the 16 email addresses that I opened just for DWTS. I pray that you will have a 100% successful rehabilitation from your surgery. I want to thank your wife, your daughters, and family for allowing America to see a totally different side of you, and to bask in your enjoyment. I don\’t think you could have had a more fitting partner than Kym to perform with. I thank you both for the 5 weeks of joy, laughter, and happiness you brought to the viewers. Continued success with the Mavericks and all of your endeavours.

    Comment by Donna -

  143. Dear Dear Mark
    I am a Mom of a Young Man who has Autism–We have lived thru many challenges in the 21 years on this path but I have to say every time I have seen or watched you on Television or read about you I have such great admiration and respect for you and your \”being\” and how you push yourself.From a perspective of a family that has daily struggles with an opinion that your are a man who has \”everything\” {which I know how hard you have worked}It\’s refreshing to see you so humble and appreciative.

    To have just emerged from hip surgery and to be dancing with the committment and drive you expressed is a testament of your character.You did such a great job and both my son and I cheered you on each and every week and are very sorry to see you voted off.

    You have such a great spirit. You are a terrific role model.
    We love you
    And we will continue to follow your every endeavor.
    Thanks for all you do
    Cindy and Dakota in Ontario California

    PS my son wants you to know he loved the Benefactor too!!!!!

    Comment by Cindy Ford -

  144. Loved every minute of watching you! Who\’d a thunk a billionaire was so nice? 🙂

    Missing Dallas,
    ~ Denise ~

    Comment by Denise -

  145. Well as a huge Spurs fan I\’ll admit that I haven\’t been your biggest fan…. I never watched DWTS, but as soon as I heard you were going to be on, I had to watch. Yes, I wanted to see you fail, I am ashamed to admit.

    But after week one, I forgot about the basketball owner and started to appreciate what seemed like the real you, and I was surprised that I liked that guy. I watched week after week hoping to see you continue on. I didn\’t want you to fail, I wanted to see more of you and secretly hoped you\’d win. I could see how hard you were trying and was impressed that you did so well after your surgery. You entertained the heck out of me which I never thought would happen, not in a million years. I never thought that watching you perform would put a huge smile on my face but it did, week after week. The I Dream of Jeannie was priceless. I was sad to see you go last night. I am not sure I\’ll watch as religiously as I did anymore; you were the best part of the show for me and it definately won\’t be the same without you. I believe I have come to like you Mr. Cuban. Thanks!

    Comment by Kay -

  146. I\’m from Canada and was only remotely aware of you and your billionaire status..that being said you were amazing on DWTS. I\’d wait just for you and was smiling from start to finish. I didn\’t realize this till your first dance was over and my partner said \”do you plan to freeze your face like that?\” As if a big dopey grin was such a bad look! I think you are twice as good as that soap actor what\’s his face..no disrespect. Thanks for giving me some smiles and pure enjoyment. And it didn\’t cost a dime.

    Comment by Beth Christie -

  147. Mark:
    Thank you for providing the fans with such enjoyment. You give everyone motivation to try something new. Your work ethic and effort were truly an inspiration. I\’ve been a DWTS fans since the beginning and even went to the tour but you are the first start celebrity with no acting, music or dancing experience and that made you all the more special to watch. I\’m sure your friends, family and business associates are glad to have you back but I\’m really going to miss you.
    Teri

    Comment by Teri -

  148. Great job Mark! Congrats on how far you got and the amazing effort…

    Comment by Etavitom -

  149. Mark, I was so disappointed that you will not be on the rest of the DWTS season. I personally think you were robbed. I watched you on \”The View\” this morning and you and Kym really did very well with that dance. I hope you keep your dancing skills up.
    I know you have a lot more fans and friends after this experience.
    Good luck with your Mavs and if the Spurs don\’t win again, then I hope the Mavs do for your sake.

    Comment by Jane Jenkins San Antonio, TX -

  150. Mark, I really enjoyed your time on the show. I am impressed by your character and ethics. You should be very proud of yourself. I wasn\’t aware of you until the show. It is great to know that a person with so much influence can be such a nice guy. You will be missed on the show by all of the people who came to appreciate and respect you.

    I voted for you on my house phone, my cell phone and on my two email accounts. Hold your head high and say \”well done, Mark, well done\”.

    Kay

    Comment by Kay -

  151. Mark, I hate to see you go. I really enjoyed all of your dances, your enthusiasm, your competitive spirit, and the absolute joy that was so obvious in your face each time you danced. I voted for you every week. I\’m glad you were able to stay as long as you did. You were an inspiration too, for all your chutzpah in competing with the hip replacement. That could not have been easy, or pain-free! Well done, Mark. I will miss seeing your smiles and your so obvious enjoyment at what you were doing there. You will be missed by many!

    Comment by Laura -

  152. Mark,

    I started watching DTWS last year when I had to travel for 9 months for work and got addicted. I was happy when your name was on the list as I have always enjoyed your enthusism for life as I am a Mavs fan.

    Congrats to you on how well you did for trying something totally different and in front of so many people. I enjoyed watching you this season and could tell that you had lost some weight.

    May all that you try in the future be as succcessful as your time on DTWS and my your wife and daughters always be at your side.

    Blessings – deb

    Comment by Deb B -

  153. I don\’t even want to watch anymore. Don\’t really care who wins. I loved your performances. The sparkle is gone from the show. Yes, you weren\’t the best, but you took on a challenge with a hip replacement that NO ONE would have, and maybe you shouldn\’t have. Hope you didn\’t hurt yourself. We\’ll miss you. Best of lucks to the Mavericks. This comes from a native Angeleno married to a diehard Laker fan, so shhhhhh. 😉
    Marie Mosca

    Comment by Maria Mosca -

  154. I loved you on dancing w/ the stars and I wish they kept you on the show I will deeply miss you !! Good luck in everything else you have going on in your life you deserve it you just seem like a geat down to earth guy. Love to have you respond.

    Comment by Heather -

  155. Maaaaaaaaark, I was so sad when I found that you were leaving, I\’m gonna miss you so much! I loved every single dance that you did, you were always amazing at it!!

    Kisses from Brazil,
    Marina!

    Comment by Marina -

  156. Great job Mark!! You were so much fun to watch and found you the most entertaining of all!!! As a physical therapist, I understand how hard it was to dance on the post-surgical hip. WOW!!! Amazing. Great testament for my patients. Now, when you are back in Dallas go up to the Filling Station Restaurant (off Preston south of George Bush)and have a High Beam to celebrate your success.

    Comment by Selena -

  157. i\’m so sorry mark, i think you were wonderful i cried when you left. it was so wonderful watching you and seeing you grow as a dancer, look forward to seeing you soon!

    Comment by reem -

  158. Mark-You have been an amazing role model. DWTS is one of the few shows we watch as a family. The example you displayed through working hard, never slacking off despite your injury, no entertainment expeience and doing everything with positive attitude allowed me many opportunities to talk to our nine year old son about the true meaning of a WINNER. I see why you are so successful. My son Garret & I voted for you and Kym as many times as we were allowed. You put on a great show and we will miss you.

    Comment by Jill Foster -

  159. hello mark,
    i must congratulate you on your entire appearance stint on dwts. you did a wonderful job, progressed immensely and really were a joy to watch. as we all got to know you each week, your decency ,diplomacy and drive were truly exemplary. that show just makes me so happy to watch.much continued success.cheers!

    Comment by ruby -

  160. Loved watching you on the show and thought you did your best everytime. It couldn\’t have been easy with that new hip. Doubtful that Trump could have pulled it off at all! Now, dont buy the Cubs, please for the love of God buy the Dallas Stars and make them into a great team like you did for the Mavs. Im begging you, to take them away from Hicks!!!

    Comment by kerry -

  161. so who are you pulling for now? watching you dance made me think that i can do it too, you helped a lot of people by doing something you\’ve never done before and then working hard to be good at it.

    Comment by melissa -

  162. Dear Mark:
    Congratulations on five memorable weeks on
    DWTS.
    Your enthusiasm and energy was so amazing to
    watch each week.
    It really kept your adrenalin going strong.
    Kym is an amazing dancer. I rooted for her
    and Joey last season.
    I am from Nova Scotia, Canada so I could not
    vote.
    All the best to you.
    I hope to see you on the fanale of DWTS.

    Comment by M Fraser -

  163. Hi Mark,
    You seem so genuine in who you are and you have a smile that is so contagious. I\’m sorry that our votes weren\’t enough to keep you on longer. I\’ll miss seeing you on the show, but thank you for bringing it to a new level with your charm and personality.
    -Ro

    Comment by Rosemarie -

  164. Dear Mark:
    Congratulations on five memorable weeks on
    DWTS.
    Your enthusiam and emergy was so amazing to watch
    each week.
    It really kept the adrenalin going.
    Kym is indeed an amazing dancer. I rooted for her
    and Joey last season.
    I\’m from Nova Scotia, Canada so I could not vote.
    All the best to you and I hope to see you on the
    season fanale of DWTS.

    Comment by M Fraser -

  165. MARK YOU WERE AWESOME!! I STOPPED THE WORLD EVERY TIME THAT SHOW WAS ON AND YOU WERE DANCING. YOU SHOWED THEM NOT ONLY HOW TALENTED YOU ARE BUT THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A SMILE ON YOUR FACE WHICH IS SOMETHING EVERYONE NEEDS! ANYTIME YOU WANT TO DANCE I\’LL BE AN ANXIOUS PARTNER! ( ESPECIALLY IF YOU BRING DIRK WITH YOU!) LOL…..SO WAY TO GIVE \’EM HELL MARK!! MAVS RULE AND SO DO YOU!! PS…. I HATE A-ROD AND WE SURELY DON\’T WANT HIM BACK IN TEXAS!!!!

    Comment by brown -

  166. Mark – I love ballroom and the show and loved meeting you through it – you are so much more than rich basketball guy. I hope you don\’t mind if I call you Mark – we need to be partners – You have passion for life and laughter and big dreams – me too. Bottom line – Cleveland needs you – don\’t buy the Cubs – Chicago has the whole toddling town thing going with the blues and the restaurants and the shopping – plus they\’ve already got Oprah. We really need you here – buy the team – put up a WEB at Jacob\’s field – have fun with rival Dan Gilbert – we could get rid of the ugly old curse of chief wahoo – let\’s go back to being proud – the Cleveland Spiders (it was our original name!) – tie in with Spiderman – it\’s just a start for the fun we could have – love you – Can\’t wait to start -Aunt Sheila

    Comment by Aunt Sheila -

  167. hi mark. i\’ve always enjoyed your antics and shenanigans and was excited to watch you on the show this season. ESPECIALLY considering your hip and lack of dancing experience, you did such a great job and i really enjoyed seeing your progress each week. losing 30 lbs. is a real bonus too, considering how much you so obviously loved being there.

    Comment by linda -

  168. Great job Mark! I love watching you on the sidelines at a Mavs game and I loved watching you on DWTS. This is the only reality TV show I watch and you made it so much fun this season. Congratulations on the weightloss too. I\’m working on my own program and you give me insipiration. Thanks!

    Jennifer

    Comment by Jennifer -

  169. WAY TO GO MARK. U DID GREAT AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS SEASON. Mark Mundy is awseome, so just putting in a good word. I really look up to you and how hard you worked.

    Christina

    Comment by Christina -

  170. you had a good run and made it through a lot of other eliminations. at least you weren\’t first to leave. sad that you\’re gone but now its time for business! mavericks season and the decision to see if kobe becomes a mav!

    Comment by gabriel -

  171. Mark,Mark,Mark! I\’m really sorry to see you off DWTS. You were getting better & better each week. \’Somebody\’ had to go, but I think there are a couple of other folks that should\’ve left the show before you did.
    It was such a pleasure to get to know you! Being a Waxahachie-ite, I love watching the Mavs & enjoyed your passion for the games but you sure weren\’t showing a flattering side of your personality. What a difference!! And now what a wonderful role model!!
    I know you\’ll be back on the show later, but keep us posted on what\’s next in your life. (yes, please buy the Cubbies)
    Hey! How \’bout a dancing-weight loss studio in Dallas? GRIN!

    Comment by Char -

  172. Mark,

    What a joy it was to watch you each week. You wre my 4 year old daughter\’s favorite. I was not looking forward to watching the program that I had tape with her on Wednesday. She was so sad that you and Kym were voted off. It did make her feel better that she will see you again on the finals. Thanks for all your hard work. You really made her smile.

    Kelly

    Comment by Kelly -

  173. Good show Mr. Cuban! Saw you this morning on The View as well. Loved your dancing and your attitude!

    And your right, you didn\’t lose…you have your beautiful daughter to dance with always.

    Congratulations, you are a joy to watch!

    Austin, TX

    Comment by McCall -

  174. Mark, thanks for eight weeks of pure entertainment! You are a great role model for all. Your positive attitude and weekly tenaciousness were inspiring to observe. My husband and I cheered you on each week and will continue to do so even tho others may be clicking their heels to the beat. You are pure inspiration from the git-go…Dancing immediately after hip replacement? Each week I kept telling myself, \”This guy\’s just had hip surgery. I can\’t believe his spunk\”. It was a pleasure
    watching you. Good luck in all you do.

    Comment by Gerri -

  175. Mark, I was a fan of yours anyway, but now, I am a huge fan. Your performance on DWTS was amazing. Way to go!!! You made the show so much fun to watch and I will miss seeing you dance each week. I now look forward to seeing you on the sidelines of the Mavericks games. Go Mavericks!!!

    Comment by Cindy Zelbst -

  176. Congrats Mark. You did a great job. However, I\’m actually glad you are done now so you can devote 24/7 to the MAVS BABY!!! I can\’t wait for the season. Got to see the Spurs and Mavs preseason game and that got be PUMPED. What\’s the KOBE SITUATION?!?!?

    Comment by Dallas -

  177. Great job Mark! The sheer joy you exhibited while dancing was such a pleasure. We have moved to Austin from Kansas and look forward to following the Mavs this upcoming season!

    Comment by glo -

  178. I was sad to see you go but so proud of you too! You are a great man and I really enjoyed watching you. I am a huge NBA fan (mainly MY Blazers) but when there not in the game I like Dallas too. I guess that is what drew me to you and then watching you do something that you had never done before and do it so well, inspired me to keep watching. All my votes went to you every week, Great job!! 🙂

    Comment by Lisa Jennings -

  179. Mark, You did an awesome job! So sorry to see you go. I loved watching how much fun you guys were having. Makes me want to start dancing myself! You could just see the love of it all over your face! I will miss seeing you on the show in the weeks to come. Go Mavs!

    Comment by Christy Quintenz -

  180. From the cheap seats at the Mavs games, to the billionaire owner, to Dancing With the Stars. What a wild ride! Kudos to you for being a true American success story. You danced with your heart and that will always make you a winner.

    Diane

    Comment by Diane -

  181. Hi Mark,

    I\’m really sorry you were voted off. I enjoyed you every week, and voted for you (among others). You were just a regular guy (with money, but that didn\’t show adversely) who was dedicated and determined and obviously having fun. I was amazed that you could do all that so soon after hip surgery! You are an inspiration for many, many reasons. I\’m one of the ones who never heard of you before this; but my boyfriend has been an admirer of yours from before you owned the Mavericks. He reads your blog fairly regularly and has for a long time though I didn\’t know it til very recently when he told me about it. It\’s been cool to read about DWTS from behind the scenes, and very interesting to dip back into earlier posts and read your thoughts on various issues. I will continue to read.

    You are now on my (fairly short) list of most admired people.

    Did I just write a fan letter? (I\’ve never done that before!) But you seem quite accessible and I wanted you to know that I admire your efforts and your mind and your sense of fun — sorry, but I\’m probably never going to watch the Mavericks, but I\’m glad to see someone following their passion. You are an inspiration.

    Thank you.
    Jo

    Comment by Jo Allison -

  182. Mark,

    Tremendous effort. I applaud you stepping out of your element. However, I noticed you mouthed the words \”It\’s over. Thank God.\” to Kym when they announced you will not be returning. This certainly seems contradictory to what you have been posting in regards to DWTS. Perhaps you were inferring that your leg was bothering you to the point where you didn\’t want to continue, but it raised some eyebrows in our home….

    Comment by Christopher -

  183. It was so great to see you being…well, you! I\’m so delighted to read that you had a great experience and truly enjoyed yourself. You were the only reason I watched DTWS this season and I wasn\’t disappointed.

    Thank you for making a positive out of what most people might view as a negative (getting voted off too early…IMHO!)

    Keep on dancing Mark! GO MAVS!

    Comment by Amanda -

  184. Hey Mark,

    You did an amazing job, and coming from a dancing background, and loving dancing I was amaze to see your moves, you really have it.

    Dancing is so much fun, and your performance were a thrill to see, as you had a great time while doing it. Kudos, to you, wish I could be back in the US, and have a chance to meet you. But heck so is life.

    Keep on enjoying the amazing life that you have.

    M.

    Comment by Marie -

  185. I really, really did enjoy watching you on DWTS this season. It was great to see you have so much fun after enduring so much hard work beforehand. I am amazed at what you did after just having hip replacement surgery seven weeks before. Getting to know another side of Mark Cuban was a plus and delight. Thanks so much.

    Comment by Ann -

  186. Mark,

    While I didnt actually watch any of the shows; I did hear about them from Kidd Kraddick in the morning when Kelly and Jason took your private jet out to Las Vegas. I saw some pictures of you all and I wanted to say from your post here you truly are a winner!

    Congrats to loosing weight and feeling great about yourself

    Comment by Gerald -

  187. Mark, I really enjoyed watching you dance and having so much fun. Took me back to my years dancing as a kid. Now as a MAVS season ticket holder…I\’m counting on you and Kim entertaining us at a half time show this season.

    Comment by Barbara -

  188. Amazing job Mark and my husband and I certainly admire you for taking on the dancing so soon after hip surgery. I wrongly had the impression that you were kind of a smart aleck but I am glad to see that I was wrong. You are to be admired in every way & hopefully more will see you as a role model of the highest caliber. Much luck to you and your family. God Bless you all. Nancy K.

    Comment by Nancy K. Kinsey -

  189. You did a nice job, and it was pretty cool to see someone from the NBA World represented.

    Comment by TwinsTerritory -

  190. Mark – I really enjoyed your time on \”Dancing\” – Looked like you had a great time. Your energy is wonderful.
    Priscilla

    Comment by Priscilla -

  191. Oh Mark, it was so much fun watching you. I was really looking forward to you doing the free style dance because I know we would really see your personality glow. I\’m so glad you got to experience this challenge in your life. Kym appeared to be such a great coach and teacher for you and it really showed everytime you took the dance floor.

    Since this is now over, GO MAVS!!!! Another great season to look forward to. I can\’t wait to see you win with that too!

    MFFL,
    Tammy

    Comment by Tammy -

  192. Looks like my 16 votes weren\’t enough to save you. Still, you da man!

    Comment by Todd Mintz -

  193. I learned a lot about why you are so successful in your courageous, always-optimistic, nose-to-the-grindstone attitude. Thank you for sharing your insights/thoughts/reflections about this process in your blog!

    Comment by Oliver -

  194. Mark,
    Thanks for everything, it was fun while it lasted. Now can you help me out? Where does one get in touch with you directly? Without the world reading? I just started a 501(c)3 and would love your support!
    Thanks,
    T

    Comment by terri -

  195. The fact that you were able to find so many positives in this experience despite not making it through to the end speaks volumes about you and your character. Too often people are quickest to point out all of the ways that things could have gone better for them no matter how good things are going for them at that point. I wish I had more people around me with your attitude (much like my own). Have fun on your next adventure, whatever that may be. Cheers! Amanda

    Comment by Amanda -

  196. Mark, Congratulations on your participation in DWTS for 5 weeks. What a fantastic experience DWTS must have been. I know you meet famous and important people all the time in your business, but this group had quite a variety of people. All seemed nice but now that you no longer will be on DWTS, I doubt I can get my husband to watch anymore. We are season ticket holders for the Mavs and I was sorry they didn\’t announce the results during the game even if you were eliminated. How about you and Kym being the half time entertainment sometime? You would be better than some of the things that are shown. Sorry, but I do watch all of them.

    Comment by Mary Ellen Baert -

  197. Mark we loved watching you each week. My eight year old daughter had us using every phone and e-mail address to vote for you. What we loved most was that you were like any of us trying to do this feat….we could relate to never having done something like this and you succeeded.
    Thanks for great entertainment!

    Comment by cindyt -

  198. Just wanted you to know how much joy you brought to the viewers every week. You worked so hard and it showed. You may not be a professional dancer but you certainly danced your way into so many hearts. You will be missed on the show, but that wonderful SMILE will be remembered forever, you were truly a \”STAR\”.
    Thanks for letting us share this experience with you. Best of everything in the rest of your journey of life.
    Sincerely,
    Penny

    Comment by Penny -

  199. Just a quick note to let you know how much fun we had watching you and Kym. Love your energy and attitude. Can\’t wait to see what you do next.

    Comment by Amber -

  200. Mark,

    You own a couple of TV networks. How about a reprise of \”I Dream of Jeannie\” starring Kym and, well, YOU! You can\’t do worse than Larry Hagman. Also, Marie Osmond has shown herself to be the next \”Lucy.\” How about a series starring Marie?

    Sorry to see you go, but great job.

    Craig

    Comment by Craig -

  201. voted for you each week — u made it thru the half-way mark and that is definitely \”a win\” ——– AND u were kind and very gracious w/all ur comments ——– KUDOS MARK —-

    Comment by c. gaffney -

  202. congrats Mark! I was rooting for you the whole time and I am glad America got to see a different side of you.

    Comment by Dennis -

  203. Mark,
    This is a first for me to read your blog but I wanted to tell you, you did an amazing job on Dancing with the Stars. I was blown away by your passion for the dances and what not. I wish you all the best in everything you do!
    -Amanda

    Comment by amanda -

  204. Mark,
    I didn\’t know you till DWTS. I am also from PA. I became a big fan during the show and voted always for you and Kym. It takes lots of guts to get out there and face the music(no pun intended).You did a great job and gained lots of fans and friends

    Comment by Jane -

  205. Mark,
    I\’ve been a DWTS fan from the beginning, and you added so much to the show this season! I lived in the Metroplex for about 25 years until about a year ago. I have followed Mavs news, but not the games so much. I really haven\’t known much about you, except that you live life big. You have been a joy to watch as you dance! Your gracious manner and kind words each week were even more impressive. Thanks, and congrats!

    Comment by Sandy -

  206. Hey Mark!!! Great job. The reason the Mavricks are my favorite team (when my local team is not in contention anyway) is the enthusiam, passion and support that you bring to the court! You brought this to DWTS too and I wish you could have stayed longer. It was your dedication, passion and personality that brought me a smile every week! Again great job! We will all miss you.

    Comment by Ann-Marie -

  207. Thanks so much for the wonderful times you gave us this season. My family helped me vote for you with all our cell phones, the house phone, and all of our email addresses! The last Monday night, I was traveling back from a conference. Since I was a passenger, I was able to call in my votes. I told my co-workers about you, and they voted using their cell phones, too! The show won\’t be the same without you.

    I\’ve admired you for several years, and was excited to find out that you were going to be on the show. Thanks again, Mark!

    Comment by Janice -

  208. Mark,

    I just wanted to say what a great job you did on DWTS. I voted for you every week and was disappointed to see you get voted off. I will miss seeing you every week. Best wishes to you.

    Comment by Lakeisha -

  209. Be proud of your accomplishments. You earned the right to be.
    Live free,
    Curls

    Comment by PurtyCurls -

  210. Mark…….You did a great job and made Dallas proud! I think it\’s wonderful that there were so many people that voted for you that were not from Dallas or even a Mavs fan. They were just impressed with your hard work and charm. Now we can focus on the Mavs!!!

    P.S.No Kobe!!!

    Comment by Charlotte -

  211. Mark,

    The way you make the most of every opportunity presented to you is your real success, and an inspiration. Good job.

    Comment by HJ Mann -

  212. Hey Mark,
    Any chance you and Kym could perform a routine during halftime? We miss you already!

    Comment by Jessica -

  213. Mark, you did an amazing job and it was very clear that you were enjoying every bit of it! You put all your efforts into doing the very best you could and that\’s all that\’s asked! KUDOS to you!

    Comment by Carmen -

  214. Oh well, you gave it your all and it all was a win! I hope to see you do more of these types of shows. Go Mavs!!!

    Comment by Debo Hobo -

  215. Mark, i\’d love to see you do the \”I dream of Jeanie\” dance at the Mavs-Hornets halftime December 14th. The crowd would go wild. Good luck this year. Go MAVS!

    Comment by Jeff Robinson -

  216. Mark,

    I thought you did a great job! I loved the \”I dream of Jeanie\” dance. It was so entertaining! You are right…you are a winner because of the experience. I voted for you every week. I will truly miss watching you and Kym dance.

    Comment by Lynn Unger -

  217. Mark,

    Congratulations on a great job. I never really followed the show before, but I started watching it when I heard you were on. I loved watching you dance because you looked like you were having a ball. Anyway… we think you\’re great, and we\’re ready for another great season. Maybe now you\’ll be able to share some tips with the Mavs Dancers and the ManiAACs.

    Comment by Carol -

  218. Mark,

    Awesome job! You have always been well known and respected in the tech/business world, but now you have a whole new world of admirers.

    The biggest win is personal. You have stretched yourself in a whole new experience that you never would have considered before. Few people do that in their lives. But, then again, you are a Maverick.

    The timing of DWTS was great…just in time for the start of the basketball season.

    Go Mavs (except when you play the Celtics)

    Don Dodge

    Comment by Don Dodge -

  219. YOU HAVE THE BEST ATTITUDE OF ANY ONE YOU ARE SOMEONE WE CAN ALL DO WELL TO KEEP THE SAME POSITIVE THOUGHTS YOU DO IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE GETING TO KNOW YOU BETTER RITA PINCH

    Comment by RITA PINCH -

  220. Mark,
    Your dances were fun and a treat to watch as opposed to the borning, stuffy dances that you usually see. I probably won\’t be watching anymore ;(

    Comment by Monica -

  221. Hey Mark!
    So sorry we won\’t being seeing you again this week. You know, I worried about you from the beginning of the competition because people are quick to judge and dislike extremely wealthy people…especially as young as you are! I am close to your same age and want you to know that I commend you for stepping so far out of your box! You showed the world the reason you are a BILLIONAIRE today. They can\’t \”hate on you\” now. Your work ethic combined with decency and charm are a catlyst to your success! Good Job Mark! You inspire me! PS. Grow the facial hair back- it was hot!!!

    Comment by kristi -

  222. I thought you were a great competitor on Dancing with the Stars. You and Kym Johnson were great on each show. I was so disappointed that your team was voted off the show.

    Comment by Laura Elston -

  223. When the new celebrities were announced I had no idea who you were or what you did. Watching you dance every week and getting out there and giving it your all I now know that what you are. You are dedicated, hardworking, funny, smart, talented, sincere, honest and just a really nice guy who happens to be a billionaire. Without the money you would still be a great person. Thanks for entertaining us week after week.

    Comment by jhoop -

  224. Hey Mark,

    Sorry to see ya go, I loved watching you and you looked great out there! I was worried you would be about as good at dancing as Tucker Carlson, but you rocked it! We furiously voted for you, but hey its awesome that you had fun!

    All the best!

    Comment by Jaq -

  225. Being a Kings Fan (I live in sacramento), I went in to watching dancing with the stars, thinking of you as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks. A one dimensional view, to say the least. I have to say, you have earned my respect and gratitude for all that you have strived to accomplish, your perserverance, and your courage to expose your weaknesses, on national TV. Although, I am still a Kings fan, I now have a second team to cheer on through the play offs. My wife, having had hip surgery, and I know the pain and suffering that you have had to endure, and yet you never complained. To quote Lynn, Job well done.

    Comment by Greg -

  226. No, thank you for being on the show! I loved seeing how hard you worked, your personality on the dance floor and just how much you enjoyed it.

    Congrats on everything you got of the experience.

    Comment by Rebecca -

  227. Mark: Your a mean dancing machine! Jurado on its way! You won!

    Comment by Mary -

  228. You were beautiful every single time, and never more so than in what you are taking with you from the experience. Thank you so much for letting us get to know you during the past several weeks. May we all dance more, and may we all become more of who we really are.

    Comment by Diana Christine -

  229. Mark,

    You are indeed an impressive person, you have joined a short (very short not to mention odd sometimes) list of people I admire. The qualifying quality to get on that list? The actual action of stepping outside your \”comfort zone\” to learn and grow in new directions. That action is (in my view) one of the toughest for most people.

    I would like to take a moment to comment on your previous blog entry about vulnerability. Sadly, to my way of thinking that attack on vulnerability goes on because it \”sells\”. If people didn\’t buy or watch the media promoting that type of reporting (I won\’t call it journalism)then it probably wouldn\’t exist. I feel you and others like you represent a shining answer to that type of thing in that you take responsibility for your actions and seem to take a sense of personal responsibility (rare these days).

    I\’ve blathered enough, get back to your family *grin*

    teej

    Comment by tj Lofeld -

  230. You Welcome!

    Comment by Mitchell -

  231. Mark, you did not lose 30 pounds of weight. You gained 30 pounds of thin. Great job!

    Comment by Brad Hutchings -

  232. You go Mark Cuban!!!
    You stepped up to the challenge did an awesome job!!
    Aloha from Hawaii,
    Craig

    Comment by Craig Sako -

  233. Hi Mark,
    I decided to watch Jimmy Kimmel when you were on (and that\’s the ONLY reason I\’d watch Jimmy Kimmel). You were GREAT! Your sense of humor is wonderful and you never let him throw you. From what I\’ve seen you have a wonderful personality. You\’re really entertaining to watch all around. Take care.

    Comment by Thyri -

  234. mark,
    congratulations, you were fabulous!! sounds funny, but i was so proud of you for going out of your element & doing something that many others wouldn\’t even think of doing. i\’m sure your family is very proud of you! living in st. louis, we don\’t have an nba team of our own, so we\’ve adopted the mavs. this was my 1st time to watch dwts. congratulations on your weight loss – you look terrific! now i only want to see the winners, not watch weekly up until. i hope you are proud of yourself, you deserve it!

    Comment by ellen -

  235. I was sorry to see you go. I guess my votes were not enough to keep you in competition. My apologies – I did my best! Please come to Las Vegas with a new football team. We were royally \”taken\” by Jim Ferraro and his Gladiators of the Arena Football League that the community supported for 5 years. We need your expertise and enthusiasm!

    Comment by Carole Lee Squires -

  236. There\’s something missing : the ubiquitous \’before\’ & \’after\’
    pic of that handsome maverick! It\’ll keep us motivated to
    keep on dancin\’, even if only in our living rooms.
    Godspeed to you and yours, Mark!
    Maggie

    Comment by Maggie -

  237. Mark,

    I thought you were great on DWTS! It is nice to see a real man dance 🙂 I could tell every week that you put your whole heart and soul into the dance. Thanks for being an inspiration to men everywhere… Real men CAN dance! Won\’t be the same without you.

    Shana

    Comment by Shana -

  238. Mark, It was great watching you and seeing you work so hard on the show. I was especially impressed because it was something you soooo did not have to do, but you went for it! I didn\’t know much about you prior to this, except the broadcast.com thing and the Dallas Mavericks. But as a technical person myself, I found reading your old blogs on success and motivation to be enlightening about you as a person, and coming from the same era of technology, also amusing. How many times I wanted to say RTFM! RTFM! RTFM!!! Anyhow, I hope your hip is doing well, and I hope you keep up the activity, because you really look great! Using it as a springboard to maintaining your health, which enhances your family life, is worth more than money. Best of luck to you…. LOL, not that you need it. Cheers.

    Comment by Donna -

  239. You are such an inspiration.

    b.

    Comment by Bee -

  240. Congratulations on your great performances and thank you for showing us that hard work and a positive attitude combined with determination to entertain and enjoy the experience is such a winning combination. You will certainly be missed from the show, but fingers are crossed that you\’ll buy the Cubs and we\’ll see you more here in Chicago 🙂

    Comment by Shannan -

  241. Markie !!!

    Great to see you here so quickly! I enjoyed your performances
    and handsome smiles! Thank you for all your dancing and showmanship!!! you did GREAT !!!
    You have worked hard on your life endeavors
    and accomplished so much. I know you will continue to make
    good choices and in turn give back so much!
    will miss seeing you on dwts but looking forward to basketball
    season!!! And following yours blog maverick site!
    Continued best wishes to you and your family,
    Go Mavs !!!!
    Always,
    Susan fm Mississippi

    Comment by Susan M -

  242. I don\’t see my post, so I\’ll try it again. I wanted to tell you that I have paid attention to you ever since you purchased the Mavericks and have never been more impressed than when I watched you dance. You have always shown to be a man of drive and determination, yet you were out there having the time of your life–and it showed. I was sorry to see you leave, but will just wait for your next venture. You have made us Texans proud–once again.

    Many congratulations on your \”winning\” experience. Now, get some rest!

    Sandra

    Comment by Sandra -

  243. Hey Mark!!! You rocked the \”I dream of Jeannie\” dance! You are a inspiration to me and my husband. We are considering taking up ballroom dancing because you made it look like so much fun. (and we would love to lose 30lbs.) You look GREAT!!! Keep up the great work you do and we will see you in Big \”D\” – Go Mavs!!!

    ~R.H.
    Carrollton, TX

    Comment by Rebekah Hinojosa -

  244. Mark, you received all my votes every week, and this is the first season I\’ve watched DWTS consistently. You exhibited such class every week when you received constructive criticism from the judges. I join many others in believing they were not totally fair with you. In fact, they were not understanding about your recent hip replacement. They\’ll understand someday when they go through the same surgery. In summary, I\’m saddened that you were outsted; however, I\’m thrilled that you\’ll be back in Big D in time for the season opener of the Mavs. We watch all the games on TV and root for the team all the time. We got hooked on the Mavs in the mid-90s and have continued to root for them. You are the best owner for sure!!! Keep up the good work!!!!

    Go MAVS!!!!!

    Comment by Linda Cantwell -

  245. Hey Mark, It was cool to see you make it that far and stick it out. Im glad you didnt faint too dude! lol. That was the most gentle fall I ve ever seen someone take. I just about fell out myself from laughing when I saw that. That would have surely made it to your \”vunerable\” moments collection. Thanks for the great time. And Mark, you deffinitely got better as the shows went on. Thanks for the effort and fun, I never watched that show before you decided to take a shot at it.

    Comment by Frankie from Lawnside -

  246. Hi Mark! I wanted you to know that my boyfriend and I voted and voted and voted for you! I was soo bummed to see you go, your determination was very motivating and inspiring. You did a fantastic job!

    ~Mary Ellen

    Comment by Mary Ellen Patranella -

  247. It was a joy watching the two of you have so much fun!

    It seems you bring the same energy to all that you are (and do)…

    Not a loser by any terms…

    Comment by Marilyn Schenck -

  248. What a great attitude, Mark! That\’s why you have been so successful, I believe. Because with something that some people would deem a \’failure\’, you are able to bring out the good and the accomplishment in it. And you are a winner, no doubt about that!

    I\’ve enjoyed watching you on this show and getting to know you better. Instead of the somewhat out-spoken and competitive man that the media paints you out to be, I got to see that you are much more than that; you are passionate, driven, determined, hard working, a good listener and learner, and a family man. And each week you showed the world that even though it was a competition, you just wanted to have fun in the process. What a great experience! I\’m saddened to see it end so soon, but it was definitely fun while it lasted!

    With that, I\’m looking forward to seeing you step off of the dance floor and back out onto the basketball court! Go Mavs!!

    -Amanda

    Comment by Amanda -

  249. You were wonderful! I personally voted for you everyway I could landline and every cell phone I could find and of course online!! Your humor will be missed. Even on Jimmy Kimbal you had me rolling. My husband is a HUGE Mav fan in San Antonio, at first I vote for him, but at the end I voted because you deserved it. Thanks for the laughs

    Comment by katie -

  250. You totally should have gone berserk on the judges, asked them if they were paid off by David Stern or Phil Jackson, just for the fun of it.

    Comment by Linda -

  251. Hi Mark,

    I have been a fan of DWTS for several years now. Like you, I am addicted to the high tech industry (have been now for over 25 years), so I am often communicating with some of my friends and business associates late in the evening here in the east (I\’m in Ashland, Virginia … not exactly the Silicon Valley of the East, you know … but beautiful this time of year!).

    Anyway, I have always taken the time to watch this show on ABC. I think it is terrific, and one of the few ways I\’ve found to really wind down and watch something beautiful occur on the big screen. And I\’m not just talking about those beautiful professional dancers on the show. I think the way people get to know the \”stars\” is beautiful as well.

    I sent you an e-mail after one of the earlier shows where I criticized you for looking too serious and disappointed when the judges criticized your performances. You either listened or learned this on your own. You turned towards a more humble style and used that nice smile of yours (and a good bit of humor, as well) to win over many of us out here in TV land. I think you did far better than most people thought you would do after the first week.
    Congratulations!

    Like you and your hip, I am scheduled to have my knee replaced early next year. I am very nervous about it and have been avoiding the reality of the whole thing. However, watching you come back from your hip surgery so quickly (and participate in competitive dancing, no less) was quite inspirational to me, and I\’m sure to others as well … to say the least.

    You covered this obvious pain with a hearty smile and a contagious laughter as well. You represented yourself, your family, your friends and your business associates in both technology, media, and professional sports very well, Mark. You should be proud. I even had my 85-year-old mother cheering (and voting) for you. She\’s addicted to her new computer and e-mail as well. When I told her you worked with Dan Rather, she was hooked.

    On the business/Internet front, I have kept a close eye on all the \”happenings\” in the Viacom vs. Google/YouTube lawsuit, and all of the other activities in the ongoing battle between technology and copyright holders these days. When you\’re back in the saddle, I\’d love to hear your current perspective.

    I have my own theories as to who will ultimately win this high tech \”war\”. And they won\’t speak English if we\’re not damn careful over the next few years. More on this topic later.

    Although I am more than a decade older than you, I have decided to start my own blog on copyrights, Internet Piracy, and the graphic arts content industries (illustrators, designers, cartoonists, animators, digitizers, programmers, and digitizers). I might even include choreographers after watching the DWTS show!

    I know these subject matters far better than most, Mark. I have lived them in the field for many, many years. While the stakes are enormously high, I call my new blog \”Nonsense 2.0\” anyway. If you have ever tried communicating with IP lawyers and litigators, you\’ll understand this decision. The blog officially launches next week.

    Anyway, great to watch you improve (in both performance and attitude) over the past few weeks. We\’ll miss you on the show.

    By the way, I agree. Kym is a real doll. She made a better Jeanie than Jeanie, in my view.

    George P. Riddick, III
    Chairman/CEO
    Imageline, Inc.
    griddick@imageline2.com

    Comment by George Riddick -

  252. You did Dallas proud, Mark! Way to goooo! Loved your dancing from Week 1, and you\’ll be sorely missed!

    Comment by Texy -

  253. That was the greatest attitude I\’ve ever seen anyone have. Wow, you are amazing. I loved getting to watch you each week and vote for you. I watch the Mavs every time they are on tv and I felt like I knew you just from being so involved in the Mavs, but DWTS showed me a new you. One that I respect even more. Thank you for doing the show and showing everyone that you are a great person who works hard at whatever he does. You are the Mavs number one fan and sometimes the media likes to show that as a bad thing, but I LOVE it. I know that now a lot of people have a different opinion of you. Not as the rich guy who yells at the refs, but as a man who is passionate about whatever he is doing. Thank you for entertaining all of us for the last 5 weeks.

    Comment by Mycah -

  254. Being from Texas (Austin) I see and hear about Mark all the time – not too many good reviews from his actions on the game floor BUT BUT BUT I have to say from watching him dance I have a whole new respect for you Mark – I actually enjoyed you so much and you were one of my favs. KUDOS for giving us Texans a reason to LOVE you!

    Comment by Sandra -

  255. So sad to see you go. I enjoyed watching your energy and enthusiasm every week. You did a great job.

    Comment by Amy -

  256. Mark,

    I just wanted to say I thought that you did a terrific job on the show and that you were so much fun to watch!!! I know how hard it is to step onto a stage and perform LIVE (I was a former NBA cheerleader/dancer) so I know first hand what that is like!!! So from a former dancer I would like to say that you did an amazing job and you were improving every week…I would have liked to see you last longer!!! I also would like to add that your last dance was very entertaining and a pleasure to watch!!! You got my votes every week!!

    Comment by Colleen -

  257. Mark, you\’re my hero. The contest ended for me once you left. Nice work!

    Comment by Phil -

  258. Awesome! You have done so well. What an inspiration! Keep it up! Please? Want the MAVS in 2008!

    NA all the way this year!?

    Love the All-for-Nots!

    JR

    Comment by JR BURGHER BOY -

  259. I hated to see you go. You were amazing at how well you did after your recent surgery. Will they let you come back next season??? Maybe do a DWTS with the most entertaining dancers??

    Comment by Cassy -

  260. Mark. Congratulations on an awesome job! You and I are the same age (weeelllll…actually I\’m a year older!>Gosh, I hated to admit that…lol) and there is no way I could do/learn the moves you did. You were amazing. I\’m sorry you didn\’t last longer. You got all our votes here! The only reason I was watching the show was because you were on there. So, I don\’t know if I will tune in regularly now. You were great fun to watch though. Thanks for entertaining us. I will be seeing you on tv at every Mavs game though as I never miss one of them. The Mavs are going to win it all this year. I feel it. The new guys are great and everyone is playing awesome. If you listen closely you can hear me cheering in East Texas! Again, thanks for the entertaining me…and GO MAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Cynthia -

  261. I was so sad to see you go last night. I will miss seeing you and your fierce determination each week. I hope you keep the spirit you gained with all the hard work you put in this different venue and know that the people in Dallas were behind you! Take care and I look forward to reading your blog in the future.

    Comment by Kelley Glazier -

  262. Mark,

    You did a fantastic job every week. I loved watching you! The best part was seeing how much you were really enjoying yourself and the experience. You certainly went out with your best dance.

    Thank you for taking such a risk and sharing so much of yourself with us. It did not go unappreciated.

    Leah

    Comment by Leah -

  263. Great job Mark! Your determination in DWTS is nothing less that I\’ve come to expect from you. Everything you do turns out to be an amazing experience for you and the people around you – because you enjoy doing the things you do. Which is true leadership.

    Keep up the great work.

    MFFL.

    -C…

    Comment by CC -

  264. Mark,

    I love you, i love you, and um…i love you! Watching you week after week was so much fun and it was obvious that you were the absolute most hardest working celebrity on the show! I can\’t help but compliment how hot you are! I loved your last dance, I thought it was fun and entertaining. It was great that you were able to input some of your own ideas into it and just have fun! You really are an amazing man and role model. Everyone here at home was rooting for you!!! DALLAS LOVES MARK!!! hahaha Thanks for all the laughs, and oohs and aahhs and WOWs that you gave during these past five weeks. Can\’t wait to see you at a Mavericks game! (Maybe you should strut some of your dance moves during a game…show the cheerleaders how it\’s really done huh?!?) Haha

    Good luck this season with the Mavs!! Can\’t wait!!!!

    And just so you know, YOU are the reason that I watched DWTS this season!! haha I have never seen more than 2-3 episodes of a season and this season, I have not missed one! (I wonder how many more I\’m going to watch now that you\’re not on the show anymore!!!!) Just Kidding….Now I\’m faced with the task of finding a new favorite to give all my votes to every week!

    Take Care and Best Wishes,

    Kelley

    Comment by Kelley -

  265. Mark, you are awesome. I was sad to see you voted off DWTS…you gave it your all, and it showed! Thank you so much for doing the show, and bringing us so much fun…you and Kym were easily the most entertaining pair this season. 🙂
    jagz, ny

    Comment by jagz -

  266. Mark,

    \”What it reminded me more of than anything was the feeling of being a kid and moving to a new neighborhood. The fear, the excitement, the uncertainty, the newness of it all. Not knowing if I was going to be picked first or last for the game and whether or not I would live up to either. Knowing that feeling again. Thats a win.\”

    I honestly believe that the heart of what makes you a success is revealed in this statement.

    Why?

    Everyone wants to be viewed by others as a whole person. We all desire that people allow us the space to be more than what appears on the surface. Paradoxically, we want others to be able to summarize us on the one hand, while, on the other hand, we despise being pigeonholed or restricted. Even generalizations about us are often bothersome because it makes us feel like a cartoon version of ourselves.

    Most of us seek out comfortable stereotypes when it is convenient. Particularly when there are things about us that we\’d prefer are not highlighted, held under a microscope, or publicized. A keen awareness of our own shortcomings drives us to perpetuate the same stereotypes that we are so devastated when others bring them to light. We tend to fall back on them at strategic junctures. When we are incapable of actually pulling something off \”the way it should be,\” we quickly retreat and grab hold of some generalization that will allow us a \”graceful escape.\” Still we expect that others won\’t sense this tendency in us even though it happens at regular and predictable increments or under situations that others learn to expect.

    Mark, your success is an outgrowth of the fact that you have held this tendency to retreat at arm\’s length.

    If you are honest with yourself, you will recognize this internal contradiction is a survival mechanism that everyone utilizes–no exceptions.

    In a strange way, our stereotyping of others often is a civil response, a reaction to what are often unspoken signs and dialog. Hiding just beneath the surface in others is the same self doubt that we reserve for ourselves when we \”get in over our heads\” or find ourselves in an area beyond our current capabilities or talents. The cartoon caricature we assign to others may actually be our way of letting them off the hook–a way of relieving the pressure of unrealistic expectations.

    Mark, you are to be commended for resisting the caricature that you and others tend to attach to you.

    Your participation shows that you don\’t let yourself \”off the hook,\” and that attracts others that have similar personal standards.

    Does this mean that, as a rule, we should lower our expectations to avoid prejudging others? No, that would be a critical mistake. Why? Because if we wish to reserve the right to be considered fit for a particular thing, despite being aware of our lack of qualifications etc. we would still prefer the benefit of the doubt that we might be able to do it, given the right set of circumstances.

    I am under the distinct impression that you feel a certain morally obligated to have high expectations for others, even when you sense or know that they would rather deploy the caricature of themselves.

    The heart of Mark Cuban, the heart of a winner, is found in your resistance to stereotypes…like the new kid on the playground that was picked last, but uses it to \”prove \’em all wrong!\”

    Comment by Peter David Orr -

  267. My wife and I had a great time watching you and getting to see another side of you. I didn\’t start following your blog until you got on the show, but I\’d seen pieces of it here and there and since I\’m a die hard Cavs fan I knew you from the NBA.

    I have to say – when I heard you were part of the cast I was just \”eh…\” about it, but you presented yourself well and seem like a great guy. I wish you would have hung around longer.

    See you court side in Cleveland – if you send me tickets! 😉

    Comment by Paul -

  268. Congratulations on having lasted so long and performed so well on \”Dancing with the Stars.\” As a recent hip surgery patient, you were very brave to step up to the challenge and risk not only public embarrassment but also physical injury. I\’m sure you won the admiration, affection, and respect of everyone watching.

    Comment by Liz -

  269. Mark .. It was such a joy watching you on DWTS.. even stayed up to watch you on Jimmy Kimmel… I actually feel like I just lost a family member. for you actually grew on me.. and LOVE watching your dancing..

    Really not much on Basketball.. but wonders if i\’m gonna have to start… laughs.. do have your blog bookmarked.. so maybe…

    Wow.. darn.. did I just lose a brother..Next week will be kinda empty.. but the rules of the show.. someone has to leave every week…

    *hugs* it\’s been a PLEASURE to watch you…

    Comment by Bonnie -

  270. Congratulations for all your wins! Being a IU grad, I would see your picture in the undergrad hallway wondering if the Mavs owner really is all business. DWTS showed an amazing side to your personality and has really inspired me to think beyond my comfort zone. I simply loved watching you dance, you were easily the most entertaining dancer, and I actually found it very charming when you sang along with the songs, hey thats what anyone who is enjoying the song would do. Good luck with future dancing, I hope you continue on.

    Comment by Sarika -

  271. Mark,

    You are indeed a class act. Thanks for such an eloquent post, yet again.

    Comment by Sharon -

  272. Mark,

    congratulations, and on the weight loss as well. Looking good!!

    Comment by Toni -

  273. Mark,

    \”When the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, he writes not that you won or lost, but how you played the game\”.

    You did an outstanding job and we will miss you next week, now we can pull those Mavericks thru for another exciting season.

    Nancy Clark

    Comment by Nancy Clark -

  274. Congratulations on surviving five weeks! You may not have been the best dancer but you had the best attitude (well, you and Jane Seymour). I enjoyed watching you each week and the hard work and effort you put into your performance was clearly evident in each improved performance. Your positive, upbeat attitude and ready smile will be sorely missed.

    Comment by Theresa -

  275. Just want to say again – Great Job, Mark! You will be missed on DWTS. It\’s really nice that you have this blog so we can keep up with you!

    Comment by Princilla -

  276. Mark,

    I am so sad to see you leave the show. I voted for you over 150 times on Monday. You were so dedicated and work so hard. You were so much fun to watch. I wish you the best.

    Go Mav\’s!

    Comment by Lyn -

  277. Hi Mark,

    I am not writing to comment on your dance, I am writing because I have an idea that I think you would find interest in. After reading the blogs, it looks like you really read these blogs so hopefully you will get to read this. I shared my idea with Donni Nelson (the younger) and he knows who I am. You are where you are because you worked hard and someone gave you a chance. I don\’t know if you are the person to open a door of opportunity for me, but it\’s worth trying.

    Comment by T -

  278. Mark, I can\’t believe you are not on DWTS anymore. I don\’t really watch the show but I did because of you and the Mavs. You were a \”class act\” the whole way through. Loved your little bits of humor. I am sure Kym thought you were the best partner ever.

    The best part of this is, the season is about to start and we can see you more than 3 times a week in your seat watching the best team in the NBA.

    Please don\’t ever sell the Mavs! Always remain in Dallas! You give the city so much.

    Best of luck with everything you do. You deserve it!

    This is the Mavs year! They will bring you a ring!!!!

    Comment by MFFLinFL -

  279. Paris Hilton, Film Download, Lost, Heroes, Prison Break, Divx Download, Adult

    Comment by fevzi -

  280. I am being honest here…read the whole thing before you get mad…I am a San Antonio Spurs fan and I have to confess, I intended on watching Dancing with the Stars this season to see you make a complete fool of yourself!! Instead, it gave a new light to someone I thought was so easy to hate!! The show really showed a different side of you–an easy-going, fun, excited, hard-working, never quit kinda guy–not that I didn\’t already know you were an \”excited\” person..just a different way–one I can appreciate (lol). I have enjoyed watching you each week and see how hard you\’ve been working and how you really put your whole heart into this adventure. I was really disappointed tonight to see you leave…honestly!! I know I am little behind on this, but we are active duty Air Force stationed in the UK, so all our shows are on a 24 hour delay–I have to force myself not to cheat and look on the internet to see what happens!!

    So, I have a challenge for you…I realize that in a sense we are rivals..but honestly, the Mavs are my #2 favorite–AJ really brought me to love the team. He\’s always been a favorite of mine–a very respectful guy!! Back to my challenge…being military and spending 8 wonderful years in San Antonio, that city is over-flowing with our wonderful military, this season, instead of wearing hand-made insulting San Antonio t-shirts–why don\’t you try wearing an Armed Forces shirt–Lackland AFB for example or just something patriotic!! I know that you support our military–I do believe that–so while you are in SA, support the troops–I want to keep thinking you are really a nice guy and I don\’t want to have to start disliking you all over again…I could never ask you to love the Spurs, but I am asking you to show some appreciation to thousands of military in San Antonio when you visit…take a walk on the RiverWalk on a Saturday afternoon and see all the skinny, pale, newly graduated Airmen, walking around with their families and preparing to serve this great Country! You may not catch a rash…but some patriotism!
    Keep Dancing Mark!! You were awesome!! (my daughter will kill me for saying this…but you looked great too). I hope you made it to the end of my message before you hit delete! 🙂
    Cindy

    Comment by Cindy W -

  281. This competition really gave people a fresh new look at you, Mark, and I for one liked what I saw. Your hard work and humility throughout were very pleasant surprises, and you earned my votes with your graciousness and willingness to accept criticism. You were also a lot of fun to watch; you did give 100% every night. This committment right after hip replacement surgery was amazing. Thank you and good luck to you in your continued and future ventures.

    Comment by Mimi -

  282. Hey, Mark
    You did a great job. The show will not be the same for me since you are gone. But we do have something exciting to look forward to and that is the regular season finally gets started next week. I gave you at least 100 votes each time. Go MAVS!

    Comment by Serena -

  283. You were terrific Mark. Thanks for the pleasure of watching you and sending the message that we can do anything we put our minds to. You are an inspiration in so many ways! I wish you and your family the best for continued success in all of your endeavors!

    Comment by C Hansen -

  284. Mark,

    Sorry to see you go from DWTS. You had my vote every week just for the chance to see the enjoyment you got out of performing for your \”fans\”. You approached the dances with the same exhuberance and passion that you have when you\’re on the sidelines at the Maverick games! You are a joy! Hopefully we will see you soon, doing something else that we can hitch onto for the \”ride\”. You\’re the best!! Much love to you and yours….

    Comment by Melanie -

  285. I thought that you do an awesome job!!! Your attitude towards the judges was great! Go Mavs!!

    Comment by Ashley -

  286. Thanks for providing us with a great time. I appreciated your openess to show yourself dealing in an area outside your comfort zone. Quite inspirational …. I couldn\’t help but think that you would rule on a show called \”Dancing with the Billionaires\”! Warren, Bill, and Oprah wouldn\’t stand a chance.

    Comment by Dave -

  287. Mark,
    I thought you did a great job. You put fun in the show, and I know you worked really hard, I definately don\’t think you should have been the one to go yet. I didn\’t realize until I started reading your blog today that you had hip replacement surgery, I have to say that you did a totally AWESOME job. I really enjoyed watching you.

    Comment by The Brakes -

  288. Hi Mark, Congratulations on such a great dance last night, of course I\’m sorry to see you go. But let\’s look at it, you\’ve lost 30 lbs, so we\’ve been seeing you go weekly :-). Anyway, you\’ve been an inspiration and if you\’re thinking about buying a football team, why not our Phila. Eagles, we need a dancing, daring owner, and you seem like a Philly type guy.

    Comment by Elizabeth -

  289. Hey! Great run Mark! Your outlook on the whole experience proves that what may appear a loss is truly a victory. And losing 30 lbs. is a gigantic win. Now, how are you going to keep it off? Congrats on a stellar showing of your winning spirit.

    Comment by Bob Wegener -

  290. Thank you for an outstanding job Mark. Some of us ladies on the DWTS board wanted to see more of the biceps though lol. You had my votes from the start. And again I say you are a big inspiration because of your hip. Good luck in all you do.

    Comment by Joyce in Kentucky -

  291. You really did great! I voted for you and I wish you could have stayed longer. I will miss being able to watch you every week.

    Comment by Des -

  292. Thanks for your observations. What a guy! I\’m going to miss your \”dancin\” and my ventures into \”blogdom\”. You did Dallas proud. Now, on to BASKETBALL! Go Mavs!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Karen J -

  293. Mark, I have never voted before but I just had to vote for you. I could tell you were having so much fun. Being from the Pittsburgh area, I was faintly familiar with you but I am now a fan. By the way, if you buy any team, pleeeease, let it be the Pirates!!!!!!! We really need you back here. Wishing you and your lovely family all the best.

    Comment by Joann -

  294. Mark…I didn\’t vote for you. I leave that to my daughter and wife. Honestly, I didn\’t even think you were all that good. BUT…I\’ve got to give it to you. You gave 110% and stepped outside the box for this deal. You tried it when many of us couch potatoes wouldn\’t have even thought of it. So from this Laker fan…I commend you!

    Comment by Mike -

  295. Great job Mark. I loved watching you on the show and voted for you every week with every phone I had available, ie my whole family\’s cell phones and house phone. I will miss watching you but will be looking for you courtside when the Maves play the Lakers or Clippers!!! Take care and keep dancing!

    Comment by Linda Agajanian -

  296. I loved seeing you on the show and I loved your last dance. I thought it was so cute. (I\’m currently looking for a picture to use as my desktop). I\’m also now hooked on your blog. It was great getting a type of behind the scenes guide to the show. Know I voted for you every single week (even When I got home from school late and had to YouTube it after the fact).
    Great luck in the future and now while my brother roots for the Knicks, I\’ll be rooting for the Mavs!

    Comment by Meredyth -

  297. I thought that you were great especially for not having any exprience what so ever. The only other one in your boat is Helio but he has a small advantage with his brazillian blood line. Cameron has acting experience and according to Len that is a big part of dancing. You lasted a long time and gained some knowledge and experience that you might have never been able to do.. I liked your comment about the judges this week.. Yes they do give you scores but it is the fans that are more than half of the final score so why not entertain them in the long run. You are full of vibrance and courage and I aplaud you!! … Getting out there and never giving up even after having major surgery!!! WONDERFUL JOB!!!

    Comment by Tonya -

  298. Congratulations on a job well done. I didn\’t know who you were when you started DWTS but was awestruck by your courage to do something like this so soon after hip replacement surgery. What you can do physically in such a short time should be an inspiration to everyone having any kind of replacement surgery.

    A bonus was losing 30 lbs.

    Again congratulations!

    Comment by Ruth -

  299. Mark-
    I am one of those who had never heard of you before the show- no offense- but after the first night I voted for you every time ( 8 times each time). I was inspired not only by your hip surgery and the effort you seemed to put forth every week to learn the dances but also because you were not a \”D\” list star trying to revive a career. At least I don\’t think so. You are a successful businessman who took a chance to learn something new and did it every day with dedication for that reason only. I though it was sweet that you diligently took notes and the steps and probably rehearsed from those notes long after Kym had left for the day. I was sorry to see you go Mark, I was pulling for you all along. Oh, and will you please buy the Cubs now that you have a little more free time– we would be honored and grateful if you would!

    Best,
    Lindsay, Wisconsin

    Comment by Lindsay -

  300. Hey Mr C How a bout a before and after picture of your weightloss. Congrats.

    Comment by Giuseppe Badalamenti -

  301. Mark,
    I\’m sure you\’ve heard this so many times (and will continue to hear it!) but I really, really enjoyed watching you every week on DWTS. You were honestly the reason I decided to watch this season (My husband and I are HUGE fans of you and the Mavs. He thinks you\’re the best owner in the NBA.) Your hard work, dedication and willingness to try something completely out of your experience zone was inspirational! It won\’t be the same watching DWTS without you to root for! Thanks again for everything you brought to the show!
    ~Sarah

    Comment by Sarah -

  302. At least Marie Osmond didn\’t get her claws in you. Then you would have lost more.

    Comment by Joe Corey -

  303. Congrats on everything and sharing your journey with us. You were so fun to watch and I loved your authenticity you could just see radiating from you (as much as pixels and light can radiate)…

    On a separate note, as much as I am looking forward to a new job in Oklahoma City in January, I am so very upset the Mavs won\’t be as accessible as they are to me now. When we were visiting KC during the playoffs, we had to call around to find a sports bar that was broadcasting it…

    I\’m hoping to have a going away party somehow Mav-game-centered. Thanks for making it fun!

    Comment by Anne Jackson -

  304. mark,

    thanks for doing this. more importantly, thanks for putting it in words i understand and find translatable to my life.

    good luck on the upcoming mavs season.

    Comment by blyx -

  305. It\’s fantastic that you can savor the joy and the memory. Few people see the world that way anymore.

    Comment by Jamiesl -

  306. Mark,

    Sorry to see you go from DWTS – you had ALL the votes in my house each Mon night – BUT look at all the positives you got out of your experience – new friends, new dance moves, losing weight, a bigger fan base and so on!! What an AWESOME experience for you!! And yes you can now tell your kids and grand kids how you danced in front of America – way to go MC!! 🙂

    GO MAVS!! GREAT win against Chicago!! I must admit that I kept switching last night between the game and DWTS

    James

    Comment by James -

  307. Mark,
    You made us smile every time you were on that dance floor. To us you are a winner as you won us over, many times over! Thank you! Now.. may I suggest calling your dancing with the stars friends to have a fun, fund raiser get-together (once the competition is over) for the fire victims of California? That would really be neat I think.

    Cali fan,
    lindzy

    Comment by lindzy -

  308. I will miss seeing you dance every week. You were so much fun to watch, I voted for you several times each week. I think it was very courageous of you to do something like this, especialy just weeks after hip surgery. Your work ethic is amazing.

    Comment by Melissa -

  309. You did great Mark– I\’m not the type to watch DWTS but even I enjoyed the last dance (and voted!)

    Stepping out of your comfort zone is a pretty powerful and rewarding experience; thanks for reminding me of that.

    Comment by Chris Youra -

  310. You were so much fun to watch and so inspirational. It was amazing to see you work so hard and have so much fun with it. I\’m sorry you didn\’t get enough votes to stay another week but you get to come home just in time for the beginning of the Mavs season which is so exciting.

    Comment by DallasGirl -

  311. I didn\’t even really know who you were when I started watching the show but I ended up a huge MC fan. I too admired your work ethic and determination but more than that I consistently felt your remarks were thoughtful, gracious and down to earth. I also thought your \”I Dream of Jeannie\” dance was adorable and sexy. Well done all the way around.

    Comment by Laurie -

  312. Sorry to see you ousted, you were fun to watch. I will continue to read your blog.

    Idea: since you are looking to expand your horizons, how about buying my New York Rangers? current ownership is, well, not too swift. Hockey is the coolest game there is, and I bet you\’d do a better job!

    Comment by Susan Lewis -

  313. Mark, I enjoyed you more than any of the other dancers on the show. I think you did a phenomental job, and you got all of my votes every week. Loved the I Dream of Jeanie number! Your ability to come back so soon after hip replacement surgery has been inspirational to many. I will remember you for this season of DWTS long after I have forgotten everyone else. Congratulations! You did great!

    Comment by Linda -

  314. Congrats on a fine showing, and on dropping lbs. I only watched DWTS because you were taking part (although my wife is a fan of the show). Fun to see you getting things done, and having fun in the process.

    Comment by Mike Solarte -

  315. It was nice to see you put the effort in! Keep up the good work. I voted for you every time.

    Comment by Gino Green Global -

  316. Awesome job Mark – amazing you lost 30 pounds in 8 weeks – spokesperson for Jenny Craig next?

    Speaking of crazy fun stuff – you might enjoy this Internet Controllable Halloween Display for Celiac Charity:
    http://www.komar.org/cgi-bin/halloween_webcam

    Comment by alek -

  317. It was fun watching you show that there is more to a guy with an IT background by dancing your heart out. I wish all the best.

    Comment by Mercy -

  318. I still think you were robbed, Mark! Especially this week — your \”I Dream of Jeannie\” dance was easily the most fun routine that anyone put out there.

    Hey — maybe you can do the DWTS touring show later!

    Comment by J.D. -

  319. Mark,
    I voted for you every week numerous times. You brought fun, entertainment and a work ethic to the screen every week. I am a RN and was amazed as to how well you moved after so recent Hip Replacement. Kudos to you. You are definately a role model for
    for our youth and many adults who don\’t know the meaning of hard work, commitment and a sense of humor.
    Congratulations on your performances, you should be proud.
    Linda

    Comment by Linda McKinley -

  320. Way to go Mark! You are the man and it was great watching you on the show. You were fantastic, especially for not having any dance experience at all compared to most of those people on the show who have. Now go buy the Chicago Cubs already and sign A-Rod. 🙂

    Comment by Jake -

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