Halftime Hype

In medieval times, Shaquille O'Neal would have undoubtedly been the court jester. Always joking around and having good time, his grin has become a trademark of the NBA. Although, after so many years of professional experience, it's time that the veteran starts acting professional - and by acting, I mean in his day to day behavior, not on his new reality show. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed him this offseason to ensure that the team could get over the hump, reach the Finals, and win once they get to the promised land. The Big Aristotle is supposed to be the missing piece in the puzzle; the Cavs lacked a legitimate post presence (sorry, Big Z) and now they got one. However, the so-called "Big Witness (Protection)" is now turning into a larger-than-life distraction.

The front office is expecting him to sell tickets. Lebron is expecting him to dominate. His teammates look up to him - in most cases, literally. Yet, Shaq still isn't getting the message. He still believes that he is the world's divine entertainer and that he must extend himself outside of what he does best, referring to basketball, of course. There was an awful lot of optimism when O'Neal came to Cleveland. Suddenly, the Lakers had competition and the Cavs team was no longer limited to a single solo act. How much effort is Shaq really putting in, though? Is he working at all?

What's with the reality show, Shaq? For the record, this isn't the first time the man is engaging in a reality series. Nonetheless, in 2007, I actually admired him for helping overweight children lose weight in the ABC series, Shaq's Big Challenge. I remember quite well when Shaq would talk about the sacrifices he had to make everyday (i.e. no more mayo, etc.), and how the little additives can really hurt. Even if the big guy doesn't appear to be the most physically fit player, I applaud him for taking time to keep our youth healthier - in a non-hostile way, mind you. Indirectly, he also showed that he cares about his weight and in the end, sent a good message to viewers. If you must participate in another series, at least make it a meaningful one.

Instead of his devoting his time to a good cause, though, The Man of Steel is compromising quality time to work on his game for a pointless show. For those who aren't fully informed, he's going out of his way in an attempt to prove he can play another sport better than that sports' superstar (i.e. in football he is "vs. Ben Roethlisberger"). One reason why this may turn out to be particularly damaging, is because, unless scripted, each episode should, indeed, result in a loss for the Cavs' center. What's the point of embarrassing yourself? Why waste so much precious offseason time on this show when you could be bonding with teammates or practicing free throws?

Don't get me wrong. Just like many, I will be watching the show and at times, laughing. In fact, as a Lakers fan, I confess that I totally approve of this reality show; it gives my Lakers a better shot at another title. But the analyst side of me knows that this can't be good for Cleveland, and was a dumb decision on the part of Shaq. The world can tolerate your somewhat humorous Twitter addiction. On the other hand, you're only hurting yourself, your teammates, and Cavaliers fans with this reality show. Hopefully, it doesn't impact your season too much. If it does, you've just done an enormous favor for 29 teams in the NBA.