The past several seasons we tried to pretend the NBA Finals were important because it was The Finals. Except it wasn’t the Finals anymore—it was like watching a balloon go flat. Pretending the NBA Finals mattered was just something we became accustomed to; it was like a chore to watch, instead of an event that we had to see.

With the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat advancing to the Finals, this is a series that the league and the fans can care about again. Nobody has to pretend anymore. To the league, it’s about ratings. To the fans, it’s about the entertaining ride two compelling teams can take us on. And for both, it’s about Shaq.

For the first time in a long time, the NBA Finals matter again.

If TV ratings are any indication, NBA fandom dreaded another Pistons-Spurs Championship slowdown—er, showdown. The TV ratings tell the story. In 2005, Game 1—which along with Game 7, should be the most watched games of the series-- drew a rating just under 9.

Historically, the Finals have always been a ratings draw for the NBA, roughly averaging somewhere in the neighborhood of 12-14 million viewers per series over the past 25 years. Until 2003, which drew a 6.5 rating for the Spurs and Nets, the last Finals to receive a rating under 10 was 1981—when the series drew a 6.7 rating and were shown on late night tape delay.

What these ratings say is “who cares about Tim Duncan and his fundamentals”? As impressive as he is, as good of a team as the Spurs are, no one wants to watch them isolate Duncan on the low block while the rest of his teammates stand around waiting for him to be double-teamed. And as much as we praise the team chemistry of the Pistons, no one wants to see them play hard-nosed defense and win games 80-75.

If we really wanted to watch these things, we’d check out a high-school game. But this is the NBA. This is the Finals. We want dunks. We want Magic skyhooks in the lane with five seconds left and finding out the Mailman truly doesn’t deliver on Sundays. We want coaches adjusting game plans and playing mind games with one another, working the sidelines with flair.

TV ratings are a reflection of how interested people are in who’s playing, not the NBA. By all indications, fans want to see something entertaining—not just NBA basketball. David Stern has always talked about the NBA as an entertainment product. Well, the product has been as entertaining as watching a Chia pet grow the past few years.

But all that changes on Thursday. The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat are anything but boring. Each of these teams is making its first appearance ever in the Finals.

It almost feels like the next week or two won’t be nearly enough time to discuss all the terrific subplots to this series—like Pat Riley’s return to the NBA’s definitive event by taking his third team to the Finals. Somewhere, Stan Van Gundy is on vacation, with his family, silently stewing. How about Mark Cuban taking the Mavericks to the NBA Finals with his new brand of ownership—let’s at least hope the Heat don’t win a Game 7 based on a foul call; Cuban will review the tape for three months before sending in a lengthy review to the league and be fined $75,000 for criticizing the officials.

Furthermore, do we realize that all seven games will be played in an arena named after American Airlines, but in two different cities? Or about the possibility of Dwyane Wade being the first superstar from the 2003 Draft Class to win a title? Or that Dirk Nowitzki had to lose his two best friends, Steve Nash and Michael Finley before going to the Finals? What are the odds Dirk is seen holding the Larry O’Brien trophy with a “We are all Nowitnesses” t-shirt on?

There is an actual possibility that Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, Gary Payton or Jerry Stackhouse and Keith Van Horn could all win an NBA title. Just think about that for a moment.

Above all else the NBA Finals are reborn this year because of Shaquille O’Neal. Consider that Shaq is attempting to cement his status as one of the best centers ever. Or that he’s playing in the NBA Finals for a sixth time with his third team. Or that he’s trying to win his first championship without Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant.

Though Shaq has fallen off in production and dependability the last couple years, now that he’s just four wins away from a career defining championship, it would be crazy to think he won’t be a force against the Mavs.

Plus, Shaq is one of the last connections the NBA has with its most famous players of the past. One day O’Neal will retire to a life of law enforcement and intimidating people pulled over for a speeding ticket. Until then, he’s remains a link between the NBA past of Bird, Jordan, Magic, the Dream Team and the NBA future of Wade, Dirk, LeBron and Kobe.

To bridge the gap between now and when the young stars take over completely, the NBA needs Shaq in the Finals. To help get through the growing pains of the young stars taking over, the fans need Shaq in the Finals. The Finals and the NBA are just better when Shaq is involved.

For the past several seasons, the NBA’s fans have been largely dissatisfied by a series that had lost its character. The indiscernible personality of the Finals hurt the league, its ratings and its fans. Instead of looking forward to the NBA Finals, we’d grown tired of it. The culmination of professional basketball was not only unwatchable—it wasn’t even interesting.

The Basketball Gods have rewarded us with these Playoffs and this Finals match-up as a gift for putting up with so much. New blood, more entertaining teams, more personality and more Shaq.

The NBA Finals have returned. But this year, it’s really back.

After a wild weekend, which saw my wife and I buy our first home, my newborn daughter baptized, followed by Monday’s announcement and the subsequent turn of events in NGS II, I haven’t had time to collect my thoughts and put out an actual post about the NBA Playoffs.

In the spirit of that, here’s a bunch of things I’ve been collecting on an internal notepad the past few days and need to get them out. I’m fearful that if I don’t, I’m going to turn into a sports version of Ashton Kutcher in The Butterfly Effect.

Mavs-Spurs
–It was clear to from the first quarter of the Mavs-Spurs game who was should win. You just never know with the officiating these days if the right team will win. Don’t get me wrong, had the Spurs won, they would have semi-deserved it with that amazing run in the third and fourth quarter, but I was beginning to believe that David Stern, seated just rows away from Mark Cuban, really did have it in for him. Stern almost smiled at times (at least it seemed that way on TV) as the Spurs made their run back from 20 down. Cuban was glaring out the corner of his eye in Stern’s direction. Can we get a Stern-Cuban match as the main event at Wrestle Mania next year?

—Is there anyone who gets more calls, but complains more in big spots than Tim Duncan? Where were the fouls that they called on Dampier and Van Horn? Even when TNT was bold enough to show the replays, they weren’t there. The call on Van Horn in the 4th quarter, where his hands are straight up and Duncan moves into him is incredible. I must have rewound TiVo five times. I was speechless (probably because my wife, four year old son and baby daughter were all asleep). When Duncan commits the same fouls that are called on these guys, he complains every time. This reminds me…

—If this career in basketball doesn’t pan out, Duncan could always teach lessons to the Hollywood crowd on how to act surprised at their name being called during awards season with his “Who me?!? No…It..Can’t..Be…Me” Face.

—The Mavs first half was a thing of beauty, more impressive because it was the Dallas Mavericks of all teams, on the road, against the Spurs in a Game 7. Scoring on 14 of their first 16 possessions and shooting nearly 77% until about 2 minutes to go in the second quarter, it was one of the best Game 7 starts I’ve ever seen. They were playing in a different gear than San Antonio, from the out-of-bounds plays to defense, to loose balls—that first half set the tone and gave the Mavericks the confidence they needed late in the game.

—Did anyone else see the David Hasselhoff poster in the crowd during the game? Was that a Dirk Nowitzki fan? A family member? Does this in fact prove Norm MacDonald’s theory that Germans, indeed, love David Hasselhoff?

Suns-Clippers
—Just too magical to believe the Clippers could win, I guess. But it doesn’t help your cause when you play differently than you did most of the series. The Clippers had gone with a smaller lineup during their wins; a lineup which could get back down the floor on made shots and defend the perimeter well. Suddenly, Chris Kaman’s back logging significant minutes in Game 7. The Suns made him look like his feet were in concrete (which isn’t a difficult task).

—Where do the Clippers go from here? The ultimate crossroads for a downtrodden franchise is the year after it gets over the hump. So what do the Clippers do? Does Donald Sterling pony up again this summer for a couple key free agents like he did last summer? Does Elgin Baylor keep Cassell? It is conceivable that that Baylor, in a span of about three years could go from one of the ‘Worst Executives of the Year’ to ‘Executive of the Year’ to one of the ‘Worst Executives of the Year’. It all depends on the next five months.

—We’ll know everything we need to know about the Suns tonight in Game 1. Nash’s legs, their streaky shooting, their size difference to Dallas and if D’Antoni can match wits with Avery Johnson, because Gregg Popovich couldn’t. Dallas is a much different beast than the two L.A.’s. Now is when Phoenix needs Amare Stoudamire most.

Pistons-Heat
—About two weeks ago, I wrote about how Shaq had lost the 'eye of the tiger'. While I said Shaq wasn’t the dominate force he always was, he could be dominant every other game. I figured with all that rest from taking the Nets out in five games, he’d be a major force last night. But after watching the game, it’s even more clear to me that Dwyane Wade, Jason Williams, Antoine Walker and Co. have to carry this team. He was slow on defense—didn’t move his feet and got into foul trouble, only playing 29 minutes. This was in the face of a Pistons team that was a little tired from their seven-game series with the Cavs. If the Heat are going to win this series and the next, they need more from the Diesel in the games you can count on him at full strength (and to keep him away from guarding Detroit’s high screens.)

—I am anxiously waiting another “guaransheed” win for the Pistons in Game 2. It’s beyond comical.

—Still am not of the opinion that a win in the conference finals or a series win in the conference finals justifies Pat Riley booting out Stan Van Gundy. Not even winning an NBA Championship will do it. You just don’t treat “friends” like that.

There, it feels better to have emptied those thoughts--ready to work on the first finalist assignment now…and pack for the move…and change the baby’s diaper…

Let’s just settle the MVP debate right now…in my house, it’s my wife. When it comes to our team, I play sidekick. I talk a lot, put up some solid numbers and take over for a little while—but in the stretch run, I defer to my wife when it comes to our newborn daughter—our daily opponent, who right now has a record like the ’96 Bulls. In other words, in our house, I’m Shaquille O’Neal and my wife is Dwyane Wade.

That worries me, because with Shaq Daddy, you don’t know what you’re getting anymore.

As I watched a Rocky marathon last weekend, I realized that Shaq is in the Rocky V stage of his career.

Long ago, O’Neal reserved his spot as one of the best NBA centers ever—his career 26.3 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game are a lock for the Hall of Fame. Off the court, Diesel has always been a fan favorite. He gives us good quotes, has a sense of humor and has a love of life we don’t often see from professional athletes. After all, Shaq is the person who gave us Blue Chips, six rap albums and of course, the Reebok “Don’t Fake the Funk on a Nasty Dunk” campaign.

But on the court, the inevitable is here—Shaq lacks the hunger, the skills and the attack to be as dominate as he once was. Basically, he’s every Rocky Balboa before the cool “regaining the hunger/turning point/training hard” montage.

O’Neal doesn’t impose fear anymore—in opposing centers, in opposing teams, or the refs. As expected, this is hard for Shaq (and us) to rationalize. When he’s sent to the bench for early foul trouble, as he often has throughout the playoffs this year, he can only be thinking something like this:

“But I’ve been doing the same moves my entire career—what’s different now? They’re all just floppers and the refs have it out for me.”

He sees every opposing center as a new version of Vlade Divac--massive jokes as defensive players, who fall down and don’t move their feet; praying to draw the charge.

In reality, Shaq’s a big man who can’t move his feet very good—his reaction times have slowed with age, and he really is committing fouls. Case in point: In the past five seasons, his personal fouls per game have gone from 3.0 in 2001-2002 to 3.9 this year.

The refs aren’t calling Shaq differently. Shaq is playing differently.

It goes much deeper than that. O’Neal needs extra time to recuperate—it’s clearly obvious he’s much better on an extra day's rest. When the playoffs come around, he always steps it up a notch—but now, even that’s getting to be a challenge. If Jason Collins (who isn’t exactly Ivan Drago out there) is giving you problems, you know you’re in your twilight.

The last few years of his run with the Lakers, Shaq openly admitted to using the regular season as preparation for the playoffs. When you’re an athlete in your 20’s physical prime, that mindset works. When you’re in your 30’s…eh, not so much.

In fourteen NBA seasons, Shaq has only missed the playoffs once—his rookie year with Orlando. But he’s playing fewer and fewer regular season games—for the first time since an injury plagued 1996-1997 season (excluding the ’99 lockout), Shaq played less than 60 games. Allen Iverson used to ask about the importance of practice…Shaq seems to be asking about the importance of the regular season.

History and logic tells us that all great centers start a rapid decline around age 30-32. It’s a time-told truth—like the inevitable fall of boy bands. Like most of the greats, one season you have it, then Kazaam!—the next your fighting injuries, age and fatigue.

Like Brett Favre, Randy Johnson and so many before, Shaq shouldn’t be told to quit—that’s his decision (and despite how we like to remember the mega-stars who were nearly as large as the game, it will always be their decision). With that said, he is far removed from his days of dominance and the Shaq-Fu.

Another case in point: for ten seasons, he averaged over 26 points per game. In the past three seasons, his points per game dropped to 21.5, climbed back to 22.9, and then dropped again to 20.9 this year. O’Neal only scored 30 points in a game four times this season. His last 40-point game in the regular season was December of 2003 against Washington.

It doesn’t help when Shaq loses role players like Eddie Jones and Damon Jones—who hit timely shots and played solid defense. Good team defense could hide Shaq’s slower mobility (almost inability) now to block shots. And when O’Neal is forced to help out, he’s moved away from the basket and can’t recover fast enough to hit the boards. For the first time in his career, he’s averaging less than ten total rebounds per game.

I bet my wife is hoping my career doesn’t decline to the point she can only count on me once every three days. She’s putting up Wade-like numbers against the baby: 3 hours sleep, nursing and taking care of the 4 year old. If we’re going to win a championship, I’ve got to step it up—just like Shaq.

If we are to witness a “Shaqaissance”, then Carl Weathers needs to get down to South Beach and whisper into O’Neal’s ear: “There IS no tomorrow…got to get it back, man—the eye of the tiger!”

And if neither Shaq nor I start contributing more to our respective teams, we’ll both be out of jobs.

Coming off the massive disappointment of somehow missing out on National High Five Day on Thursday—yes, I went without knowing about it and without so much as a “low-five”—I’m in an interesting frame of mind. The weekend is upon us, I found out my wife is being induced to have our daughter next Thursday and the NBA playoffs are here, so I’m happy. But there’s nothing that will get me “riled” up more than Pat Riley.

For some strange reason (or multiple ones), I can’t stand the head coach of the Miami Heat.

This in itself is amazing, considering the Los Angeles Lakers are my favorite team; I still salivate over footage from the Showtime Lakers of the 80’s, of which Riley was the architect of.

In a way, Riley is everything 80’s—even still—from the suits, to the hair right down to the yuppie attitude.

After forcing out Stan Van Gundy (whom we haven’t heard from since he left the Heat and can now be presumed to be lost in the Bermuda Triangle), Riley took over as Heat coach on “an interim basis”. In January, he went went so far as to say he wouldn't coach past this year.

But yesterday, through a spokesman, he announced he’s returning to the Heat bench for the ‘06-’07 season.

Look, I understand he was tending to his ailing mother—and I wish the Riley family the best—but you tell everyone your coaching back to coach through a spokesman, after indicating heavily back in December that it was most likely a short term gig, that you would look for someone long term?

The way Riles announced it reminds me of an episode of The Office. Steve Carell was trying to help Dwight prepare for a speech and he was explaining sometimes it’s not what you say, but when and how you say it. It prompted Dwight to announce to the office that Brad Pitt had been killed in a horrifying car accident. Softly, before leaving the room, he also said that the bonuses promised to everyone weren’t happening. No one asked about it, they all were too worried about Brad Pitt.

That’s how Riley did it, how he’s always done it, with trickery. It’s always been a magic act with Pat Riley. Don’t pay attention to the right hand while he’s doing something with the left. The Heat are on the verge of the playoffs, possibly their best chance to win a title ever. Riley was gone tending to family business, and Larry Brown was taking headlines for his disappearing act in New York, the MVP debate—boom—that’s when Riley gets us, a little one sentence blurb from a spokesman; “oh, yeah, um, I’ll be back next season.”

If you don’t believe this hasn’t been planned with extreme effort and caution, you’re sadly mistaken—and you’d be playing right into Riley’s hands. From the moment he realized Shaquille O’Neal was available in the summer of 2004, Riley wanted in. He wanted Shaq, and then he wanted the sideline. But you can’t do that all at once—it has to be planned.

Or you could be forgetting that Riley could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves. He’s the ultimate motivator, the button pusher and 80’s yuppie. He’s the Gordon Gecko of coaching, and the NBA is his Wall Street.

He’s so good, he even convinced Stan the Man to smile and defend you as he quit. He even got Stan to disappear.

First, land Shaq, then, somewhere down the road; oust Van Gundy by using back channels with the players you brought in and the media to undermine his authority. Heck, float a rumor in the dead of summer, just to see what the reaction is.

Let yourself be quoted saying something like, “I may take a little bit more of an active, I think, participation in some of the things, but for the most part I’m content at doing what I’m doing.” Then, when the time presents itself, whisper in Van Gundy’s ear about “family” and “pressure”. For a top-off, act shocked that Van Gundy resigned. Five months later, announce your coming back for another season on the bench. It's masterful; it's brilliant.

If that’s not how it happened, he must have had some dirt on Stan being a double for Ron Jeremy, threatened to expose him and that was that.

See, Van Gundy was on the verge of making Riley obsolete; forgotten. In just two seasons as Heat head coach, Van Gundy had won 17 postseason games, 2nd all-time in Heat history to only Riley’s 18. His postseason and regular season win percentages, .605, are Miami’s best all-time. Riles can’t have that—he’s a legend, remember?

Now what I want to know is why doesn’t Riley just admit who he is and take a little credit for it—c’mon, it is impressive. Just tell us the truth, Riles, you know you want to. Maybe if you come clean about this scheme, you'll get some belated high fives.

UPDATE: Since this was posted, Pat Riley's mother has passed away. With deepest simpathies to him and his family, let me clarify this is not a personal attack on Riley during this difficult time, just my assessment of the way he's handled his position with the Heat.

(To view this post with pictures and links to the stat pages, please visit http://sportswithmoore.blogspot.com)

Dear NBA MVP Voters:

For your MVP consideration, may I submit the name of Shawn Marion, a.k.a. "The Matrix". I see no reason why Marion can't be considered a legitimate MVP candidate. Let's continue the trend from last year and get out of our one dimensional minds, where we only choose players like Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal. Step into the multi-dimensional game of the Matrix.

The Matrix sees things in numbers and I hope you will too. As voters, you often see things that aren't there, such as superstardom before it's actually achieved. Marion has earned his place among the best, as proven by his World Basketball Championship try-out invitation. If you see the numbers falling in green, you see the Matrix' impact on the Phoenix Suns is as important as Steve Nash's.

For the season, Marion is throwing out multi-dimensional, MVP stats: 22.0 ppg, 12.4 rbg (2nd best in the NBA), 1.98 steals per game (5th best in NBA) while playing the fourth most minutes in the NBA. He's shooting nearly 52% from the field--as a undersized power forward who can play low and shoot the three. The guy ranks first in the NBA in double-doubles. According to the NBA efficiency ratings, he's the third most efficient player in the league.

Don't know if you've been paying attention lately, but the Matrix is revolutionizing the West. He was the Western Conference Player of the Month in February, where he averaged 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. To top that off, he shot 53.8% from the field.

Look at his recent games: 44 points, 15 rebounds and 4 steals against Boston on February 22nd. He shot 68% from the field and went 10-10 from the foul line. Marion followed that up three days later with 31 points and 24 rebounds against Charlotte then had 30 and 18 against Houston. Last night? He merely put up 29 and 18, with 3 assists and 3 blocks against Milwaukee.

I hear the chants for Kobe and LeBron. And I agree, they're all in the running and rightly so. It's not that I'm endorsing Marion for MVP completely. I just want you to consider it. If you have a list of five on your ballot, put the Matrix before guys like Shaq and Duncan--they don't deserve it out of rep.

Honestly, have you seen the way Shaq labors up and down the court? There he is, getting out-blocked by Samuel Dalembert. I saw Raef LaFrentz beat him up court the other night against Boston. Paul Peirce and Delonte West drove straight to the bucket without so much as a sniff of Diesel fumes in the lane. For the past four years, you all consider Shaq a viable MVP candidate, but he openly admits to taking time off--mentally and otherwise--in order to prepare for the "real" season (the playoffs). The MVP is about more than that.

Now, the question is will you take Shawn Marion seriously? Or will he be forgotten because he's Steve Nash's team mate and therefore possibly a product of The Nash. Sometimes it takes better team mates and solid guard play to fully appreciate a front court player. So should some of the credit for Marion's success not go to Nash? Of course. But tell me, did Shaq win any of his MVP's without Kobe? How about Tim Duncan without Tony Parker or David Robinson?

I'll be one of the first to admit I haven't paid too much attention to Shawn Marion (besides the highlight reel dunks) since he came into the league out of UNLV. He was the classic skinny tweener, but his stats are anything but in between. He's a high energy guy. He's a defensive terror and could be the heart and soul of the team's fast paced attack because he can play nearly any position on the floor. He may shoot a little weird and dunk too much for your taste, but you probably don't have the greatest shooting form in your rec league, either.

In closing, I beg the voters of the NBA MVP to be bold. Consider all your options. Don't limit yourselves to the same batch of players year after year; be open to an Elton Brand, Gilbert Arenas or Shawn Marion. Become one with the Matrix.

P.S.--If you're still confused about your Rookie of the Year, I hope you saw that Chris Paul averaged 17.2 points and 9.5 assists last month--the first rookie to do that in ten years.

All the best,
Moore Sports

 

C'mon. What's this all about? Shaq and Kobe getting along? I don't believe it. I don't want to believe it. That's about as likely as the Colts winning a playoff game and Peyton Manning not blaming everyone else for the lost. By the way, does anyone think that Archie Manning defending his sons on national radio, he sounds exactly like Dr. Phil?

Speaking of Dr. Phil, it appears that he had an emotional one on one sit-down with The Big Aristotle himself, Shaquille O'Neal. "Search inside yourself, Diesel. This feud must end."

Actually, Shaq says Bill Russell approached him with the idea of Kobe Appeasement in a conversation with the former Celtics great while the Heat were in Seattle recently. "I had orders from the great Bill Russell..." says Shaq, "and he told that I should shake Kobe's hand and let bygones be bygones and bury the hatchet."

Great. Just what the NBA needs when it's only budding rivalry (sorry, Pacers/Pistons) is in need of a classic battle. David Stern and Co. were setting it up perfectly: Heat vs. Lakers in the NBA Finals. Old Shaq Sidekick vs. New. Phil vs. Riles. East Coast Glamour vs. West Coast Glamour. It had all the makings.

And it just fizzled with a half court hug and hand-pound.  Why end it now, anyway? What's really behind it? I have a hard time believing that Shaq really wanted to end it because of Martin Luther King Day and the advice of Bill Russell. It looks a little too well orchestrated. Shaq's always wanted to stand above the game and by him being the one to end the feud--a feud which to my recollection Kobe said never really existed--then he assures that his place in history will be of the one who ended this thing.

But again, I ask: why?

If it was simply that easy to end the most boring, yet somehow most attention grabbing feud in recent NBA history, could there really have not been that much behind it? What's Shaq got to be mad about anyway? He won three titles, turned old and got kicked to the curb in L.A. for a younger model. Didn't he basically try to do the same thing to Penny in Orlando?

For as much as Kobe's at fault for his immaturity and his comments, why was Shaq always proclaiming it was his team? This wasn't the Bulls. It wasn't that obvious to the rest of the world that the Lakers were really always Shaq's team like the Bulls were always Jordan's. The Lakers were more of a partnership. Besides, can it be your team when you aren't the one who's going to get the ball with twenty seconds to go? When your team doesn't want to you to be fouled and going to the free throw line where you shoot an un-Superman like 48% at any given moment?

Kobe Bryant is a selfish guy, let's not forget that. He did his share of shooting with Shaq and with the increase in his share of shooting since O'Nea, it would certainly led us to believe that he doesn't mind the big fella being gone.

Maybe these two are just made because they realized, in their stupidity, what they threw away. Shaq's got himself into a prima donna pickle in Miami much worse than at any time in L.A. with Kobe and Phil, what with Riley on the sidelines and Walker, Payton and Williams on the court with him. Kobe's feeling the drain of triple teams and shooting it 40 times a game.

This "newfound" respect for one another makes me see a similarity between Shaq-Kobe and Days of Thunder. Remember when Harry Hogg asks Cole Trickle why he wants to run Rowdy's car at Daytona? These words ring out in my head from that scene: "Why?!? For Rowdy? If he could run tomorrow, he'd crash you to win the race. He's no particular friend." It's the same thing here. If Shaq could win a title tomorrow, he'd rub it in Kobe's face and vice versa. And this relationship isn't as good as the car-crashing friendship of Cole and Rowdy.

Truth is, maybe Shaq's the one ending this feud because he sees the end of his NBA career is near. Sure, he had 38 points in the 100-92 loss to Bryant's Lakers--but the proof was in the pudding, so to say. He was burnt on baseline spin moves by Andrew Bynum and Chris Mihm. I'd repeat that for effect, but I'm not sure I have to. He became frustrated enough that he took a swing at Bynum. Bynum's an eighteen year old rookie. Shaq should have known better than to get in a meaningless tussle with a meaningless player--the Lakers get the better end of the deal if Shaq's off the court because of an ejection in that situation.

Shaq's never been labeled "The Big Mobility", but he still had great feet for a big man, not so long ago. Now he reaches desperately on defense, commits lazy fouls and still misses free throws. If he wasn't Shaq, he'd probably be benched for most of the 4th quarter in every game. He's now "The Big 4th Quarter Liability".

Shaq's missing three and four foot shots that he used to take that extra step and slam the ball down, lifting his legs up and trotting down the floor like a bunny rabbit. Sure, he's older, heavier and losing his leaping ability--but that comes with it. He's more often hurt, but do we dare suggest it's because he's not keeping himself in good enough shape? No. He's Shaq. He'll be arresting you someday.  

Kobe's shooting touch can sometimes be labeled "The Big Liability" as well. He rarely looks at teammates for an open look, as Bill Simmons said last week in a different capacity; it's the Teen Wolf syndrome. You remember how frustrated Michael J. Fox's teammates were with his passing and teammate qualities once "The Wolf" got big in the media? That's got to be the Lakers at this point. Lamar Odom, Devean George and Luke Walton aren't even going over to Kobe's after the game, and it isn't because of Vanessa. Phil Jackson's just as oblivious to his offense being derailed as the Beavers coach was in that movie.  Actually, Phil does know--he's just got about $10 million reasons not to care.

But truth be told, Kobe's game is getting better. He sees things on the court that no one else can. He's scoring in ways we haven't seen in years while facing triple teams, zones and confusing defenses meant solely for holding him under 30 points. I've got respect for a guy who can drop 30 while facing that kind of exhausting defense. My best friend did it in high school--Kobe's doing it against the best players in the NBA on a nightly basis for nearly 40 games now.

We like Shaq; we just don't like Kobe, as I wrote last week. Just remember that if the roles were reversed, Shaq would be the one standing still, wanting to move on and not talk about it, while Bryant, realizing his legacy was about to be cemented in his last couple seasons, would be the one to extend the hand of peace. Actually, the situation doesn't even have to be reversed. Kobe did extend a pound to Shaq not long ago, who turned around and looked the other way.

This feud isn't over; we need to pick it up by its bootstraps and caress it. It's the opposite Beatles: All it needs is a little hate. The NBA suffers without this rivalry. So it appears all's forgiven. Now Shaq's a law-enforcer and a peacemaker. Now Kobe can turn his back on Shaq and not expect 300 plus pounds to come crashing down on him. Just remember this, Mamba: if he could win tomorrow, he'd crash you to win the race.

Leading Off: "Familiar Footsteps"
Colts fans are not going to like this, but the most dangerous team heading into the Playoffs is the New England Patriots. Yeah, I know, it was the Jets they beat on Monday Night Football last night. But if you aren't taking notice of how the Patriots are meeting the Playoff Prep clichés, then you're missing the significance of what's going on in the NFL. Mike Vrabel's catching touchdown passes. The Patriots defense is getting healthy--you know the one that plays Bill Belichick's vaunted schemes? No, not the shell of a defense that was blasted in Foxboro by the Colts in November, the defense made of actual NFL-caliber guys that shut down the Colts 20-3 last year in the Playoffs.

There is a reason they've won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. The Patriots have become what the Lakers were earlier this decade in the NBA. They turn on a switch late just to make the playoffs because they realize the true season doesn't begin until January. And with the Bengals bad loss to Buffalo, the Pats have a chance to get the #3 seed in the AFC. I wonder if the Colts, Bengals and Broncos hear those familiar footsteps behind them, because I do.

Moore NFL Week 16--Disappointment

On Christmas Eve, I became surprisingly disappointed. Not with the family functions, or even my own favorite teams. No, I was disappointed in two teams I could care less about personally. For Michael Vick and the Falcons, there are not enough excuses to make up for the horribly disappointing season that's basically over now, following their loss to Tampa Bay Saturday.

The other team is the San Diego Chargers. For most of the season experts and analysts have been proclaiming them the fourth or fifth best team in the NFL, but struggled because of their schedule, which was wicked early on. But at some point the excuses have to stop.

--For the Falcons, it's simple--and I even said it when it happened--you can't lose badly to bad teams and expect to win consistently. When the Falcons lost to the Packers, they were done. You can't lose to a team like the Packers if you're a threat to go to the Super Bowl, plain and simple. Vick himself became distracted by the rumblings and accusations he wasn't a great quarterback. Show them on the field, as he did at times--but--don't point it out afterwards to the media. It makes it look like you care, and the best players always to make it appear like they don't care what the media and fans think of their everyday play. But it affects Vick, badly, which in turn, affects the Falcons badly.

--I was also disappointed in the Cincinnati Bengals. This team could have taken a great step toward the #2 seed in the AFC and now they'll be battling the Patriots for the #3 seed. Now they're ####ed up and Marvin Lewis is wondering whether he needs to play his guys or rest their sore muscles and nagging injuries. It's the difference between "Happy To Be Here" and "We Want That Extra Week Of Rest And Prep". Some teams, like the Colts and Seahawks, who have gone into the playoffs without the byes and the home games and gotten destroyed, understand that. The Bengals haven't been there and just don't get it.

--What's with the Monday Night Football "Farewell"? The event isn't being cancelled, it's moving to ESPN. This isn't like the game's being cancelled or handed off to a second class network or something. This isn't 1995, it's 2005 and nearly 90% of the country that have televisions have Basic Cable, which includes ESPN. What's going to be so difficult about changing the station? Am I missing something here? I'm not "Turning Out the Lights" on MNF, I'm turning the station.

--Do the 49ers, Texans, Saints and Jets know something bad about Reggie Bush that we don't? No one seems to want to win the "Reggie Bush Sweepstakes". Texans have the inside track as they meet the 49ers this Sunday. Other Weekend Notes: --On Christmas Day, the Heat and Lakers gave us drama. Like any great Hollywood subplot, we had to start out the game with a snub from Shaq to Kobe, giving the media enough ammunition to last the entire 48 minutes. The problem I have is that it appears Shaq is the one who continues to make this bigger than it is.

At this point I don't care who got who traded, what was said, if Shaq needed Kobe or Kobe needed Shaq to win those three NBA titles. I used to be a Lakers fan, so you might think there would be some sort of interest in it, but there isn't, I'm over it.

Last year, I basically wanted to see if Shaq and Kobe would start swinging fists wildly in the air, throwing haymakers and cheap shots, making Christmas really Merry for all.

This year, I didn't care. And Gary Payton's little show of class towards Lamar Odom was a fitting tribute to the spectacle. What was his problem anyway?  If there was a way the NBA could fix the rest of the season so the Heat and Lakers would meet in the NBA Finals, I'm sure they would.

Instead, we're probably getting more of the first game: Pistons-Spurs, Boring Finals, Part II.

--Mid-Major Monster? For years my friends and I have argued that Conference USA was really a mid-major conference in NCAA men's basketball. Though I still argue that point holds water, tonight's match-up between (4) Memphis and (8) Gonzaga could be the best game you'll see for the next couple of months.

Sometimes conference games don't match the hype build-up they get, but pairing the Zags, with star forward Adam Morrison against Memphis and their high scoring star Rodney Carney, the Scheduling Gods have given us Sports Fans a late Christmas gift. If you don't believe the hype on this one, you're making a mistake. Memphis has beaten UCLA in the Pre-Season NIT, won at Alabama, Cincinnati, Mississippi and nearly beat Duke in the NIT Championship. All Gonzaga has done is build an impressive win list against Michigan State, Maryland, Oklahoma State and Virginia, nearly beating UConn in the Maui Invitational a month ago.

Just ask yourself if tonight's mid-level bowl game is worth missing this.