Shaq VS

For those who haven’t see the show yet the premise of it is for The Big Aristotle, Shaquille O’Neal challenging star athletes to a competition in their respective sports. There are rumors that he may have stole the idea from former teammate Steve Nash - This may or may not be true but Steve Nash does have an Executive Producer credit, so draw your own conclusions.

He did manage to get some good names to sign on to the project:
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in football, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, tennis pro Serena Williams, and beach volleyball Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Cyclist Lance Armstrong may also get involved .

The show was actually not as bad as I initially thought it would be. That being said, I think for the most part after last nights episode that pitted Big Shaqtus against AVP players and Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh I may be done with it... the novelty has now worn off. I watched part of the first one with Ben Roethlisberger and it was ok at best.

I made it a point to watch all of the Beach Volleyball for a variety of reasons. I am a big volleyball fan and actually watch the AVP during the year even if it is not just an Olympic year when it is en vogue. I am big fans of Misty May (whom was cool enough to send me an autograph) and Kerri Walsh (who is not as cool just yet). Plus as an added bonus they are clearly not hard on the eyes, especially in HD. I think that these ladies doing this show in combination with everything else they do have made a big impression towards the mainstream sports scene and help keep it in the minds of the casual observer. Lets face it as much as the AVP may try and do the national coverage of the sport is weak at best. You just don't see highlights on Sportscenter in either Canada or the USA nor do you get much actual match coverage on TV, except a crappy half hour show on Sportsnet when they need to fill some time and they are out of episodes of Poker After Dark and you don't even get the entire match.

The show itself was pretty decent as the sport lends itself well to adapt to that style.
Shaq and his partner, which alternated between "The Professor" Todd Rogers and Casey Jennings (who is married to Kerri Walsh), engaged in a 2-on-2 match on Hermosa Beach. The competition consisted of a best of three, match with rally scoring, 1st to 11 points. The net was set at a height for women’s beach volleyball. The favorites - May/Walsh ended up taking the event 11-6, 11-8. For loosing Shaq had to walk down the beach in a giant pink Speedo...that was, well unpleasant for all.

Lakers In The Primetime Era?

First it was Showtime led by Magic, then The Late Show with Kobe and Shaq and now maybe it will be Primetime with Kobe, Gasol and Lamar Odom. Looks like Lamar is staying with the Los Angeles Lakers. This is probably the best case scenario for all involved. Odom appears ready to sign a four-year deal worth $33 million, with the fourth year at the Lakers’ option. After watching last years playoffs Odom made himself a very important member of the team and allows for some potential match up problems when playing other teams. Lamar Odom as a Laker greatly increase their chances of repeating as champs tremendously. He is a big man who is strong enough to play against a power forward but is quick enough to guard a smaller player as well. Odom is a good ball handler and can jack up a 3 ball if need be or go down in the post and grab you a rebound or post up.

Him going back to LA gives the Lakers so many more options and so much more versatility and has to make them one of the favorites to win the NBA Championship and have a chance to repeat. With a core that has Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest and Odom they are set up well. It will be interesting to see if the loss of Trevor Ariza and the addition of Ron Artest makes a difference one way or another. Ariza may be better offensively but played good D, Artest is a lock down defensive player who can score if called upon. The bonus of having Ron Ron instead is that he can play the role of stopper which frees up Kobe to focus on scoring and distributing while helping keep him fresher (he has a lot of miles on those legs already).

It will be interesting to see how things progress involving the other teams in the league. The Cav’s added Shaq, always interesting when there is a chance that Kobe and Shaq will meet up, The Celtics look interesting if KG can return, Orlando is still strong but what will Vince do? Toronto made major moves but it is doubtful that they will get to that class, even with Hedo Turkoglu. San Antonio got sneaky good bringing in Richard Jefferson (100+ pounds lighter after dropping his fiance late in the 4th quarter) There is an array of teams in the West that could be good just because they are in the West.

LA is poised for a good run at least but they do need to get as far a possible away from Adam Morrison. It is just not right that he have any championship rings when Barkley, Reggie and Malone not have one. At the very least someone buy him a bic or a Mach 3 Turbo to get rid of that terrible joke of a 'stache.

Around The Horn

Michael Jackson apparently would stay at Shaq’s House when he was in the ares. The house is 67,000sq ft. It was so big that it could hold MJ’s entire entourage and you wouldn’t even know they were there.


Cubs pitcher and Canadian Ryan Dempster broke is toe on the field a few days ago. No it wasn’t kicking out the leg to stop the ball from going into centre field like he was Roberto Luongo...nope he broke it jumping over the railing of the dugout in celebration of a Cubs win. Sometimes it is the stupidest things that can take you out of the lineup.

Washington Nationals broadcaster Rob Dibble unloaded on the team saying This isn’t a Major League baseball team I’m watching out here....It’s pathetic. I’ve never seen a team that is ok with losing....Some guys are mailing it in, and it’s hard to watch.". Not taking the "Homer" approach to telecasts. If anyone in DC cared about the team he could have be in trouble....good thing he isn’t a Cubs broadcaster.

Blue Jays cut ties with BJ Ryan, on the hook for some $15mil. It would appear that no one had any interest in his services especially Cito Gaston. After having to swallow that much money maybe it opens the Jays minds to rid themselves of Roy Halladay and Vernon Wells’ contracts in a deal like what the Marlins and Red Sox did in the Josh Beckett-Mike Lowell deal...Want one? gotta take both.

Xavier guard Jordan Crawford apparently dunked over "The King" LeBron James at his camp. Nike reportedly confiscated videos of the dunk. Is this worse PR then him not shaking hands? Could have been a good commercial, they choose to take it another direction.

OAKVILLE, ON. - John Daly is coming to the Canadian Open. The Beer Store has been put on alert and Casino Rama has been notified.

-Around The Horn-

A quick view of the week in sports

The ongoing feud between Kobe and Shaq re-surfaced and took an unexpected twist this week with the video release on TMZ.com where Shaq ripped into his former teammate not only criticizing Kobe for not being able to win a championship without him, how he rode his coattails and ran him out of town. Then things got personal and Shaq blamed Kobe for ratting him out causing his divorce and then just got profane asking: "Kobe (expletive), tell me how my a** tastes". Sure rap music is notorious for the feuds and guys taking shots at each other through rhyme, but Shaq is really not a rapper (see - Shaq Diesel, Shaq-Fu: Da Return, You Can’t Stop the Reign, Respect, Shaquille O’Neal Presents His Superfriends, Vol. 1). Kobe can’t help but be aggravated by this assault and will no doubt get pretty angry, like an old man trying to send soup back at a deli.
What is probably the best thing about this story is that a Sheriff has revoked the honorary badge given to Shaq after the Kobe blast.

Is it any wonder why the Argo’s have taken a chance on troubled wide receiver David Boston. Boston has had many an issue in the past including a traffic incident this winter while with Tampa Bay that has led to his defection to the CFL. While driving Boston was found to have GHB in his system also known as the date rape drug. This is called that because it leaves a person groggy and powerless. It looks like there may be a pattern for Boston as it is thought that an Argo’s uniform will produce the same result. Apparently when putting on a Jay’s uniform a person will suffer that same affliction.

Melrose Place is alive and well in Tampa. They just got junior stud Steven Stamkos in the NHL Draft, a new owner in Oren Koules and a new Head Coach. Barry Melrose is now at the helm and has brought in Rick Tocchet as an assistant. Clearly the FOG (friend of Gretzky) has moved into Tampa. I wonder if Melrose will take young Stamkos under his wing and have him grow that bright blond hair of his into a shapely mullet?

Andrew Raycroft and Kyle Wellwood have been waived possibly for the purpose of a buyout. Wellwood is now a Canuck and if a buyout goes through my guess is that Raycroft will end up in L.A. with the Kings. He is only 1 year removed from winning some 38 or so games, one wold think LA would take that in a heartbeat. Knowing the Leafs luck he will go there thrive and turn into the #1 man that they thought they were getting when they gave up Tukka Rask.

When did Shawn Chacon change his name to Latrelle Spreewell? Chacon was suspended for insubordination after he grabbed General Manager Ed Wade by the neck and threw him to the ground. I guess if it isn’t a full out choke then it isn’t really that bad. No word on if Chacon mentioned anything like "I’ve got a family to feed."
~ Chacon has since been released by Houston.