Shaq made himself less intimidating by cultivating a persona that was, at the time he rose up the professional ranks, unique in the NBA: a funny, yet competent, giant. Not that O’Neal didn’t make his share of mistakes: not just his foul-mouthed rhymes directed at then-L.A. Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant, and their accompanying feud, but his racist taunt against Yao Ming in 2002; and [insert your own Kazaam joke here.]

But compared to other players of his era, O’Neal’s schtick was a breath of fresh air. Michael Jordan grabbed more titles and was in more commercials, but while MJ put on a good smile for the camera, everybody knew he was really happiest crushing somebody’s will. And neither Wilt nor an older Jordan would have been able to put on a display like this near the end of their runs: [link to Shaq & Jaberwockees at the NBA All Star Game]

via The Big Chill: Shaquille O’Neal Retires | Racialicious – the intersection of race and pop culture

Go check it out. Only one quibble, the reason Wilt couldn’t put on a display near the end of his run was because he played from 1958 to 1973. The country was in the midst of the Civil Rights Era. He played college ball at segregated Lawrence, Kansas. Jordan and O’Neal were worshiped at UNC in the 1980′s and LSU in the 1990′s respectively. Wilt didn’t have the opportunity to be what Shaq was today.

When the season started, I thought it was going to be an abysmal year. More than happy to be proven wrong and happy to have all Philadelphia teams be playoff teams.

I understand why the fans in Cleveland are upset with LeBron, to a point. The way LeBron James announced he was leaving Cleveland was obnoxious, even if it did generate tons of money for charity. It wasn’t unexpected though, The Akron back to back MVP celebration LeBron hosted was equally ridiculous in my opinion,( but Cavs fans didn’t seem to mind that). I understand why Lebron left and went to South Beach. The Cavs were too dependent upon LeBron to win every game and carry the team.  But Cavaliers Owner, Dan Gilbert, I don’t understand.

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Cavaliers have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into a high-powered Midwestern law firm to investigate their suspicions that the Miami Heat broke NBA tampering rules while pursuing LeBron James(notes), and owner Dan Gilbert has privately vowed he won’t relent until he has a thick binder of findings to drop on the desk of the NBA commissioner, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Cleveland Cavaliers franchise is relatively young, an expansion team founded in 1970, with a history you could only call storied if you were talking about horror stories. Out of 40 seasons, the Cavs have 18 playoff appearances. Half of those playoff seasons ended in the first round. Only three Cavs teams ever made it to the conference finals.  Only one team ever made it to the NBA Finals, the 2006-07 Cavs led by LeBron James.

For the 7 seasons LeBron was a Cavalier, the team went from being a losing team to a perennial playoff contender. It was the best 7 year run in Cavs franchise history.

Dan Gilbert bought the franchise in 2005, Lebron’s 3rd year in the league. He had to know at that time…if LeBron leaves, so does the value of the franchise. He had to know free agency loomed for LeBron in 2010. In the 5 years he owned the team, he never found out what it would take to keep LeBron a Cavalier for the rest of the prime of his career. The fans were powerless. Gilbert was not. Dan Gilbert was outmaneuvered by Pat Riley and the Miami Heat. Arguably, even if the Heat had not signed LeBron it’s not inconceivable that New York or Chicago may have been more desirable destinations for the two time NBA MVP.

This tampering investigation is as ridiculous as his letter to LeBron and is the next move of a team executive who had no plan. Gilbert is an owner who didn’t know what was coming, and didn’t have a plan A, let alone a plan B. Hiring Coach Byron Scott is a good start for the Cavs after LeBron, but as their record and performance against the Heat last night show, it is barely a beginning.  If Gilbert doesn’t repair the franchise, the fans rightfully may just turn some of their ire against him.

Note: Dan LeBetard of Miami Herald, PTI and ESPN Radio gets proper nod for the “Lebron-ukkah” term!

A former league executive, a former coach and a current general manager all told me LeBron is one of the most spoiled and coddled players of this generation and as a result isn’t particularly accountable, as evidenced by his refusal to shake hands with the Orlando players after they whipped him in last year’s Eastern Conference finals. It’s a particularly disappointing thing to hear repeatedly because, if true, it suggests LeBron has this AAU mentality that values individual accomplishment over winning. I could live with hearing this about, say, O.J. Mayo, but LeBron James?

via Michael Wilbon – Will LeBron James make a basketball decision or a personal one?.

I would have disagreed with this until the time between the Cavs dominating win over the Bulls and humiliating defeat at the hands of the Celtics. Larry Bird was a contemptuous guy, he was not friendly with competitors nor a big post game hand shaker, but he was also a team player, clutch and a winner. He played to win championships. Same with the magnanimous Magic Johnson. He played to win the biggest glory.

I thought Lebron was at this level until he held the pep rally to celebrate his MVP award in his hometown of Akron between the Bulls and Celtics series.

As everyone at this pep rally now knows, Rajon Rondo’s Celtics pounded the Cavs out of the playoffs, Cavs Coach Mike Brown into the unemployment line and James into free agency. This rally may just be a going away party which makes a fool out of everyone involved.

I have to wonder why James didn’t accept it in Cleveland pre-game or at half time like many other league MVP, defensive MVP, scoring title and 6th man of the year winners.  There would have been ample time to visit Akron with an NBA trophy. I remember Kobe saying LA was now his home when he beat his closest thing to a hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers in 2000 for his championship. I don’t remember Dwayne Wade jumping to Chicago to have a pep rally when the Heat won in 2006. It’s unfathomable to think that such pageantry would ever be something conceived by or associated with Tim Duncan.

The Celtics and Lakers are in the throes of their umpteenth battle for the NBA championship while the off season has begun with the citizens of Cleveland and Akron wondering if their home grown royalty will remain their native son. I think they know deep down that Joakim Noah was right and have nightmares of Lebron wearing Yankees hats or dapping up Jay-Z.

Regardless, Duke of Akron isn’t a title those of us outside of Northeast Ohio care about.

Earlier this evening, NPR critic Linda Holmes (@nprmonkeysee) tweeted thusly: “I would sit here and watch five more hours of Winning Time, ESPN’s 30 For 30 airing tonight. At least five more hours.”

That pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? Dan Klores’ documentary about the heated mid-‘90s rivalry between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers—made possible by Michael Jordan’s brief, ignominious sojourn into minor league baseball—has been the most hotly anticipated in the 30 For 30 lineup so far, and it more than lived up to the hype.

via “Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks” | 30 For 30 | TV Club | TV | The A.V. Club.

It was an excellent sports documentary. It pulled you back to that time, when Ewing, Miller and other NBA Hall of Famers had a brief time to step out of Jordan’s shadow and make a run for the NBA championship only to run into Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets. I am not sure the rivalry would have been as brutal had it not been for the urgency created by Jordan retirement #1.

The league allows players to possess guns, but under the collective bargaining agreement, they cannot have weapons at NBA facilities. Arenas hasn’t been charged with a crime, but he could face a league fine or suspension following the investigation.

After CBSSports.com broke the news of the investigation on Christmas eve, Arenas initially said he brought the guns to the arena after deciding that he no longer wanted them in his home after the birth of his third child. His second girl, Hamiley Penny, was born on Dec. 9.

The Wizards released a statement that Arenas had unloaded guns and no ammunition in a lock box in his locker. The statement did not mention Crittenton. Both Crittenton and his agent, Mark Bartlestein, declined comment when reached by telephone.

via Wizards Insider – Reports: Arenas brought guns in dispute with Crittenton.

Stern needs to suspend both players for at least a half season. More if Arenas and/or Crittenton are uncooperative.