Live Mic Catches Mark Cuban’s Sad Truth on Cowboys' Jerry Jones

FRISCO - Yes, even billionaires can earn your empathy. Especially if you yourself are a fellow billionaire.

Jerry Jones thrust himself into the headlines this week with a series of outrageous takes that in the end, deflected from the real problems that haunt his Dallas Cowboys. And Mark Cuban sort of understands it all.

In the wake of his outburst on the "Shan & RJ'' show on The Fan 105.3 in Dallas on Tuesday, Jones finds himself getting murdered in the court of public opinion (while having also martyred the talk-show hosts by suggesting he might have them fired for asking questions he found uncomfortable ).

And, in the wake of the controversy, long-time billionaire boss of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban spoke up about it - without knowing his ESPN “First Take” microphone was live.

As the show headed to commercial, it was announced that the panel would in an upcoming segment be talking about Jones - at which point Cuban said, “I feel bad for Jerry. I really do …”

Jones has not accumulated many allies in this particular case. He has created a perception of himself as a bully unwilling to hear harsh truths. Said long-time host Dan Patrick on “ The Dan Patrick Show ,” “Jerry loves to go on these shows and talk. I applaud the hosts if you’re asking questions, that’s what your job is. Instead, Jerry just threatened their jobs because they were doing their jobs. Like, how dare you question me?”

There is no suggestion here that Cuban aligns with Jones in the area of being unfair to the media, though we will note: a) Cuban has never shied away from media conflict and b) Jones is actually famously cooperative with reporters.

But Jones' rant is being judged almost universally as being inappropriate. What he said to the hosts about their line of questioning ...

“This is not your job. If you think I’m interested on a damn phone call with you over the radio, sitting here throwing all the good out with the dishwater, you have got to be smoking something over there this morning. That’s not your job or I’ll get somebody else to ask these questions, men - I’m not kidding .”

Related: Inside How Cowboys' Dak Prescott Killed Skip Bayless’ TV Career

Jones crossed a line; we bet Cuban agrees with that. And in part as a result, Jones has dug himself a hole. And we bet it is down in that hole - a bad place to be, billionaire or otherwise - where Cuban is sending his sympathy card.

For more on the state of the Cowboys, click into the Fish Report here!

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