I was going through old mail and found this letter I wrote to Mark Cuban at some point last year. I never got a response. I think my goal was to keep writing mail to him until I got a response or was told to stop, but like most projects, I lost interest. Here it is:
Mr. Cuban:
Thanks for reading my email. I am a big fan and am also an Indiana University alum (’95) so I’m excited to write you!
Is it true that OJ Mayo declined the player option on his contract and became a free agent because he had an argument with you about which Strawberry Shortcake character from the original 1979-1985 Kenner Strawberry Shortcake toys was the best one?
I read in an article (I think in Wired, or the New Yorker) that you are an avid Strawberry Shortcake collector and often run up bidding on Strawberry Shortcake collectibles on eBay during the NBA off-season. It also mentioned that The Purple Pie Man of Porcupine Peak was your favorite character because he often talks about himself in the third person and has the flock of Berry Birds which keep him informed on the goings-on of the Strawberry Shortcake World.
If this is true, I could see why this would be a conflict with Mayo. He’s mentioned several times on SportsCenter that he’s a fan of Sour Grapes and her pet snake, Dregs. I remember one interview he gave in 2007 or 2008 (I can’t find the clip online) where he called Purple Pie Man a “punk-ass bitch” and said “I don’t care if she didn’t appear until the third special (1982’s _Strawberry Shortcake: Pets on Parade_) – Sour Grapes is the bomb!”
Do you disagree with his assessment? Do you think the use of performance-enhancing drugs could have clouded his judgment on which character is truly the best?
Thanks and keep up the good work!
-Jon