The fact that Shaquille O'Neal hasn't starred in his own reality show at this point, is a complete travesty. ABC is planning on changing all that when it will air "Shaq Vs." this August. O'Neal has already lined up competitions against athletes in their own Sport with the likes of Michael Phelps, Ben Roethlisberger and Albert Pujols, and is looking to add Lance Armstrong to the list. Via USA Today....

Filming begins Wednesday in Pittsburgh, where Shaq takes on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in football. Future hour-long episodes will pit him against 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.

O'Neal, 37, says he also hopes to book pal Lance Armstrong for a cycling competition once the Tour de France ends. The series is set to premiere Aug. 18 and will air Tuesdays at 9 ET/PT.

O'Neal says he came up with the idea as a fun way to help train for the NBA season and figured sports fans "would really want to see an athlete play another sport." He knew most of the athletes and recruited some of them on Twitter.

ABC was immediately interested. "He's very playful, almost everyone can relate to him. He has a fun sort of childish persona, and at the same time he's a superstar," says John Saade, co-chief of ABC's reality programming, says of the 7-foot-1 O'Neal. "Our real hope is you come for the absurdity but you stay for the sport."

Up until now, I've thought every reality show possibility had been explored, but apparently I was wrong. This seems like a light-hearted and definitely fun idea, and I can't imagine anyone who would choose to skip Shaq acting like a fool with other famous athletes. Great work, ABC!

O'Neal courts competition on new reality show 'Shaq Vs.' (USA Today)
Shaq Steps Into the Reality TV Realm (WFNY)

I know some people are staunchly again Twitter, but the social networking site continues to amaze everyday. Natural disasters, breakups and the Hudson River plane crash were all found out first through Twitter. Well, now you can add an NBA trade with on of the best centers of all time. Shaquille O'Neal was dealt to Cleveland for a draft pick and a few players, and he learned so through a tweet. Via Stock Lemon....


Just unreal. Oh I'm not talking about the Twitter thing anymore. It's amazing that Shaq got traded for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic and the 46th pick in tomorrow's draft.

Shaq Finds Out He's Traded Through Twitter (Stock Lemon)

You've probably seen the Shaquille O'Neal Comcast commercials with Ben Stein (Bueller?), but I bet you haven't seen the outtakes. Outtakes that feature Ben Stein breaking out some old school Snoop Dogg rhymes. Here's the clip thanks to Comcast....

Wheat jelly, huh? And "hittin' corners on the low low"? Not sure if I've heard of that one before. Pretty hilarious though.

Behind The Scenes With Ben and Shaq (Comcast Voices)

It seems a bit weird to me that the NY Times got a hold of Shaq's school work, but I'm not argue. O'Neal talked with Stephen Curry, in a mock on-air interview, and here is the audio and some background on the course he's taking....

The 37-year-old O’Neal insists he will play four more N.B.A. seasons, but he plans on having his own radio and television shows after retirement. He envisions something similar to HBO’s “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel.”

That was why he found himself in broadcast hot seats across the Syracuse campus this week in an intriguing role reversal — conducting interviews instead of giving them.

O’Neal’s three-day broadcast boot camp at Syracuse is a spinoff of the second-year program that the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications runs in concert with the N.B.A.’s players association for players interested in pursuing broadcasting after their careers. Players pay $5,200 for the program. But because O’Neal wanted his own private session, he had to fork over more than $15,000.

“You have to know what you’re doing,” O’Neal said of the basics of broadcasting. “There are a lot of guys who are great speakers, but it doesn’t come off that way unless you have all the other elements. I needed to learn the secrets.”

That was pretty darn good for a first try. Good questions, especially about Curry playing in a smaller conference, and no flubs. O'Neal just might have a future in Sports Media.

O'Neal Hopes To Be Next Big Thing In Broadcasting (NY Times)

I guess the possibilities are endless when you're a personality like Shaquille O'Neal. Shaqtus is now apparently expanding on his life outside of basketball, by enrolling in broadcasting classes at Syracuse University. Oh and get this, his first interview is with the new 'Cuse QB....Greg Paulus. From Yahoo Sports via Fanster....

Shaquille O’Neal(notes) is in training for his next career.

The 7-foot-1 center for the Phoenix Suns is taking a broadcasting class at Syracuse University known as Sportscaster U, a crash course designed to teach athletes about the broadcasting industry. He arrived in Syracuse on Sunday and started school Monday at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Instructor Dave Ryan, an ESPN play-by-play announcer who started the program, says O’Neal is spending the time taping mock stand-ups, scripting material, and conducting interviews.

O’Neal even scored the first on-camera interview with former Duke point guard Greg Paulus since he announced his decision to play football at Syracuse in the fall.

As we've seen in his Police work, when Shaq puts his mind to something, he usually gets it done. I think the guy is hilarious, and obviously there's a place for him on television, but the only question left is where? Pretty sure if ESPN signed the guy tomorrow, and put him on the ABC pregame show with Wilbon, Magic and Stu Scott, we'd all tune in.

Step Aside Erin Andrews, Shaq is gunning for your job (Fanster)
Shaq takes crash course in broadcast at Syracuse (Yahoo)

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you the full five minute version of "Superbadge", starring Shaquille O'Neal as "Thaddeus Thundercastle" and Alondo Tucker as "Billy Ray Badger"! (I apologize for the quality, but for some reason NBA.com doesn't let you embed videos. Click here for a better quality version)

Now that my friends is some good acting! I guess since the Suns are out of the Playoffs they have time to make movies, but if they all turn out like this, then losing out on the postseason was all worth it.

The All-Star Game failed to keep my attention once again this year, Shaq-Kobe blah blah blah, but leave it to Craig Sager to dress wild and botch a name or two. This time it was the name of the dance crew Jabbawockeez, and while that was entertaining, not nearly as entertaining as Shaq's dance routine with the troupe....

Went on a little too long, but still very entertaining.

Here we go again. Someone was trying to do something funny, and a special interest group takes offense. ESPN has apologized to both the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and the Human Rights Campaign, for an add that featured commentator Mike Breen asking for a "Fist Kiss" from Shaquille O'Neal. Not only that, but they're dropping the ad entirely. Via Edge....

ESPN thought it was being clever when it unveiled a promotional ad the cable channel that showed basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal rejecting a "fist kiss" (fist bump, really) from sports commentator Mike Breen. Instead, it unleashed a firestorm of protest.

Now, the channel has said it is sorry and will remove the ad, reports The Advocate. After Breen called it a "fist kiss," O’Neal moves away from Breen on the couch, and says, "No fist kiss, no fiss love, no fist hump. None of that. You’re a weirdo man. Stay over there. Fist kiss. Disgusting."

It was the latter word that got the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Human Rights Campaign hot under the collar.

GLAAD, in a statement, reported that ESPN responded to its objections with a statement of its own. "None are intended to be offensive to anyone or any community of people," ESPN’s statement said of its campaign. "Our intent is to send a positive message about the camaraderie of sports and to do so as creatively as we can."

The network added that "We understand your perspective on this ad and would like to apologize to the members of the gay community. In addition, we have decided to remove the ad from the campaign’s online executions. ESPN has a long-standing tradition of supporting diversity in the workplace and beyond. We are fully committed to continuing a dialogue that welcomes and recognizes diverse perspectives. We appreciate your bringing your concerns to our attention.

I always say that people should just apologize, and move on if they offend someone, but some of these requests are getting a bit ridiculous. I guess alls well that ends well, but you would think ESPN could have changed the ad instead of dropping it entirely.

ESPN Apologizes for, Removes ’Homophobic’ Ad

The new line of TNT Basketball ads, while very similar to the Monday/Sunday Night Countdown crew ads, are still pretty funny. The premise is that Charles Barkley is being questioned in a congressional'esqe hearing and certain people speak out against him. Those individuals are none other than Shaquille O'Neal, Lebron James and Kobe Bryant....

Very well done, and I think they could definitely play on that the whole season, but they should get all of Hollywood involved. Actually, scratch that. I know by suggesting that they will consider using the cast of "Leverage" or "The Closer" as their "Hollywood". Stick to Basketball players and you've got a winner.

Basketball fights can be dangerous at times (Malice in the Palace) or they can just be flat out hilarious. This one is definitely the latter and I think that reason can be attributed to one man, and that man is Steve Nash. Matt Barnes and Rafer Alston got into it to begin with but watch Jeff Van Gundy, er....Steve Nash....try to get involved.

Fail. I love how he tries to shove a whole pile and then just falls to the ground, followed by Shaq just knocking everybody down. Even funnier than that was this quote from our good friend Hubie Brown at the 6:15 mark....

"That's when Nash comes running in, and tries to grab Alston from the rear. So Alston gets it in two places, by Barnes, and then from the rear by Nash. So that's why, naturally, he's hot."- Hubie Brown

Winner! The biggest question I have about all of this though....where was Ron Artest?!?!

I have no idea why Gregg Popovich decided to grow a creepy old man beard, but apparently it's given him some great ideas. Shaq recently called the coach a coward, and with the Suns and Spurs playing each other tonight, Pop got even though only way he knew how. By starting the "Hack-A-Shaq" tactic five seconds into the first game of the season. Via NESW Sports....

Hilarious! I could have done without double thumbs up move ala the Fonz, but at least Shaq got the joke and could laugh along with everyone else. The NBA....It's Fannnnnnntastic!!!

Pops pulls a Hack a Shaq joke during the game (NESW)

I'm absolutely speechless after this TMZ clip of Shaq performing a song directed at Kobe Bryant at a New York Club. Just sit back and enjoy....

Wow.....just wow. Amazing. And even more amazing is that they just aired it on Sports Center complete with the vasectomy line. Mike Greenberg has never looked whiter and the fact that Stephen A. Smith's phone cut out just makes me laugh.

Amazing. And who said the NBA offseason wasn't entertaining?! Some one get Fu-Schnickens on the line for a reunion tour post haste!!!

Shaq Attacks Kobe: You Ruined My Marriage! (TMZ)
Shaquille O'Neal Won't Mince Words About Kobe Bryant" (Deadspin)

Shaq always makes me laugh for some reason. The guy just doesn't care and his appearance on ESPN today at the Belmont Stakes was no different. I believe he was doing a promotion for vitamin water, but Shaq decided to give some of the jockeys some tips....

That Diplomatic Immunity line is too funny, and I also love how Hank Goldberg just doesn't care that Kenny Mayne is trying to get a joke in and steps all over him to get that coach question in. Good times.

I missed this on Sunday morning, but apparently Bill Walton called out Shaq Diesel on Sports Center in a piece with Chris McKendry. Walton said that the trade is a "no win situation" for the center because he either lied in Miami by saying he couldn't play or he lied to the Suns by saying he would win a Championship.

Seems like a stretch, but here's the video. Let's play the feud!

Great response and I need to know more about this "Big Man Ordinance Code #225.27". Does it include a section about dunking on Shawn Bradley and/or a flopping code? I don't know what Bill Walton is trying to accomplish here, but his argument doesn't really make sense to me. Saying, "Shaq's arrogance is insult to people who think," is pretty messed up if you ask me.

Shaquille O’Neal Calls Bill Walton a Hypocrite Following Comments about Injuries (Transworld News)