Reggie Miller puts on Shaquille O’Neal’s suit
Put Him In A Craig Sager Suit
Reggie Miller notoriously lanky during his playing career but that compares nothing to his fellow TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal’s which he put on his suit and all of the sudden, Mr. Miller turned into L’il Reggie.
San Antonio Spurs Fans Brawl In Stands
For the longest time San Antonio Spurs fans have laid claim to being respectable fans and just there to enjoy the game, that is until now. Spurs fans beat up on an Oklahoma City Thunder fan in the stands during game 2. TNT caught a piece of the fight during a break in the play.
Why it was started is really of no concern considering the city has of San Antonio has puffed it’s chest in saying it doesn’t have fans that resemble those of Los Angeles, Chicago, or any other city that hooligans in a brief moment give it a bad name.
Mayor Of San Antonio Goes In On Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley has been dreading a trip to San Antonio, and has continued to let the world know via TNT that he really doesn’t want to go. That caused San Antonio mayor, Julian Castro to fire back at Barkley.
Notice the subliminal shot by Castro with the rings.
Philadelphia 76ers Fan Shows Off His Belly
Throughout the 2012 NBA season this Philadelphia 76ers fan has been trying to distract the opposing team on their free attempts by showing off his stomach. Bit now we are in the playoffs and that means the bright lights of the big stage are on and his belly roll went viral as TNT cameras caught him in action.
Rajon Rondo Goes After Cameraman
The Boston Celtics lost game 5 87-86 in Atlanta to the Hawks allowing the series to continue. Celtics guard Rajon Rando was all that thrilled to have the TNT cameraman filming as he waited to take the post game podium.
Lucky for Rondo his handler kept him from doing anything that once again would cost his teammates his services, something he said he was deeply sorry for after getting a one game suspension for bumping an NBA official.
Amare Stoudamire Cuts Hand After Punching Fire Extinguisher Case
Can't Put Out The Heat
Amare Stoudemire suffered a laceration to his left hand Monday night after breaking the glass on a fire extinguisher case near the New York Knicks locker room with a punch.
Multiple media outlets reported that a frustrated Stoudemire smashed the case after the Knicks 104-94 loss to the Miami Heat.
TNT’s David Aldridge reported Stoudemire needed stitches to close the wound. Stoudemire did not receive X-rays or an MRI exam at Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena.
Stoudemire’s hand was bandaged and his left arm was in a sling as he walked to the Knicks team bus.
As the Knicks were traveling back to New York early Tuesday, Stoudemire issued a public apology via his Twitter account.
“I am so mad at myself right now, I want to apologize to the fans and my team, not proud of my actions, headed home for a new start,” he wrote.
Stoudemire did not indicate whether he would miss games because of the injury. Game 3 in the Knicks-Heat series is Thursday at Madison Square Garden. Miami leads the best-of-7 two games to none.
Knicks center Tyson Chandler told reporters that he believed Stoudemire’s injury will sideline him.
“He’s probably going to be out. I don’t know how bad it is. Amare is a huge piece to this team,” Chandler said.
WTF: Charles Barkley
Comfortable In Drag
Charles Barkley has no problem with jumping into and wearing women’s clothing as is evidence of this Weight Watchers ad aimed at men. In the “Lose Like A Man” TV spot, slated to air on April 8, Barkley pledges to do anything necessary to get the attention of men and to get them on board with losing weight, Weight Watchers says.
Barkley’s Weight Watchers endorsement came into question when he was caught calling the program a scam during a TNT broadcast in January.
Barkley has been spotted playing dress-up before. In 2010 he donned a wig, sat at a piano, and did his best Alicia Keys impersonation for an episode of Saturday Night Live, which we posted HERE.
Jim Boeheim Thinks Charles Barkley Is An Idiot
Just Became Fan Of Coffee Breath
Charles Barkley does not think Syracuse should be in the Sweet 16. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim believes Barkley does not think.
The TNT analyst said the Orangemen got several calls in their opening game against UNC-Asheville that should never had happened.
Boeheim was asked about that on Wednesday when he appeared on 1260 The Score in Syracuse:
“Charles is an idiot. … You have to call calls. If they’re there, you have to call them. If a foul occurs or whatever happens, you have to call it. It’s as simple as that. If referees start doing that, we’ll have a chaotic situation. They have to make the calls that are there. If it’s a little touch foul away from the ball, a good referee won’t call that.”
Shaquille O’Neal Says Steve Nash Not Deserving Of Two MVPs
Shaqeeta Don't Play
Shaquille O’Neal sat down for an interview with Vibe and had a lot to say. Among his targets this time was Phoenix Suns MVP guard Steve Nash as well as Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.
But he’s even critical of himself this time, giving a low grade to his performance as an analyst on TNT’s NBA studio show. He also admited that his move from Orlando to L.A. in 1996 was partially motivated by his aspirations in the entertainment industry.
There’s a long-simmering feud between Shaq and Dwight Howard, which Shaq apparently has no interest in letting go of. He tells Vibe,
“If I played now, I’d be averaging 45 and 19. People always try to compare Dwight Howard to me. There is no comparison?”
Shaq is also miffed that he was named NBA MVP just once, while Nash earned the distinction twice.
“Steve Nash is my boy, but I don’t see how the fuck he got it twice,” Shaw says. “I was taught never to complain because you can’t beat the system. People know who the real dominant guy was.”
Shaq, meanwhile, was asked if the entertainment industry in L.A. factored into his decision to play for the Lakers.
“I went to L.A. for Jerry West and, of course, the opportunities. I was doing music, movies, producing movies,” he tells Vibe. “Best decision I made in my life. …”
“It was a young, medium-level juvenile delinquent fulfilling his dreams. I really never wanted to do an album. ‘Man, I’m not that good’ but Jive gave me $5 million. I couldn’t turn that down. First movie I got was ‘Blue Chips’, $3 million. ‘Kazaam’, $6 million. I’m never turning that stuff down. Ever. When I went into the studio with my favorite rappers, I got their respect. That was enough for me.”
Asked to evaluate his performance on TNT, Shaq said, “I’m at a low ‘C.’ I’m learning and will only get better. I just want to keep people entertained. I don’t want to be talking with the big vocabulary and all that bullshit. I’m short and to the point. I’m very educated and can give you somewhat of a vocabulary, but I don’t get to the philosophical side.”
Sacramento Kings & NBA Close To Arena Financing Deal
Limbo
NBA commissioner David Stern and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced a joint work plan Wednesday for the two sides to reach an agreement to finance a new arena by the March 1 deadline. Johnson, Stern and the Maloof family, which owns the Sacramento Kings, will meet during this weekend’s All-Star festivities in Orlando, Fla.
If the final details are resolved in time, a term sheet will be announced March 1 and the Sacramento City Council will vote on the plan at its March 6 meeting, possibly avoiding the relocation talk that surrounded the team last spring when it almost moved to Anaheim.
“I feel very confident that we as a city are going to be able to do our part,” Johnson said at a late afternoon news conference at City Hall with six council members standing behind him. “The city controls its own destiny.”
The major sticking point in negotiations remains how much the Kings will contribute. Under the proposed agreement, the city of Sacramento will raise about $190 million to $230 million by leasing out parking garages to private investors, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Another $75 million to $100 million is expected from the Kings and $40 million to $60 million from arena operator AEG.
The remaining gap will be covered by some combination of a ticket surcharge, advertising around the arena, allocating a portion of the city’s existing transient occupancy tax or a sale of three or four parcels of city land.
The final price tag for AEG depends largely on the team’s contribution. The Kings portion would include upfront cash and donating back the land around the franchise’s current suburban Sacramento arena, estimated at about $25 million. AEG’s contribution will be impacted by the splits with the team in arena-related revenue.
Johnson and Stern still have some disagreement on how much, if any, of AEG’s portion is included in the Kings’ contribution. Major points for the city also include making sure rates don’t soar if the garages and street parking are sold to private investors, and getting Sacramento County’s agreement to use a parking garage near the arena site.
The two sides are making progress and hope to bridge the gap to finance the estimated $406 million arena, which would open for the 2015-16 season in the downtown Sacramento rail yards. The Kings nearly moved south to Anaheim last year, twice extending the relocation deadline and struggling to gain approval from league owners.
Johnson made a desperate pitch to the NBA Board of Governors last April to give the city a final chance to come up with an arena plan. He also bought time by presenting more than $10 million in commitments for new advertising, ticket purchases and other financial support from regional businesses for this season.
Despite attempts by Anaheim and Seattle to swoop in and lure the Kings, Stern said the league is making every attempt to keep the franchise in California’s capital.
“We appreciate the work of the City of Sacramento and (our) discussions have been constructive,” Stern said in a statement. “Our hope is that current momentum continues in a way that we’re able to reach a deal by March 1 that makes sense for all parties.”
Johnson described the discussions as having “great momentum,” but disagreed with Stern on a key point: the portion of the arena cost that should be counted as coming from the Maloofs.
Stern said in a TNT interview Tuesday that contributions from arena operator AEG should be included as part of the Maloofs’ share, but Johnson was adamant that the city hired AEG and the Maloofs’ contribution should be considered separately.
“This is where a feisty point guard and the commissioner get into a little bit of a spirited discussion,” said Johnson, a former All-Star with the Phoenix Suns. He said he last talked to Stern after the city council meeting Tuesday night.
Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof haven’t been involved in negotiations. The league is bargaining with Sacramento officials on the franchise’s behalf and will present the final proposal to the team.
The NBA could force the Maloofs into bringing in investment partners or even sell the team if the owners walk away from a plan that has the league’s approval.
Southern California billionaire Ron Burkle remains interested in buying the Kings. And Christopher Hansen, a hedge-fund manager based in San Francisco and a Seattle native, is also making proposals to bring an NBA team to Seattle.
The Maloofs insist they’re not selling the team. A Kings spokesman said the team is refraining from comment until the NBA and the city complete a proposed plan.
At the very least, the latest development shows progress. A year ago, Sacramento “needed to sink a full court shot” to keep the Kings from relocating to Anaheim, Johnson said.
“Now I think we’re on the free throw line,” he said. “Shaquille O’Neal is not shooting the free throws for us. We could go with Steve Nash.”
Charles Barkley & Shaquille O’Neal To Draft Rookie Challenge Rosters
Will It Get As Heated As This
The NBA, taking a page from the NHL, is introducing a new format for its Rookie Challenge, the game during All-Star Weekend that has traditionally pitted rookies against second-year players. For the first time, rookies and sophomores will be mixed together on teams, with TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal serving as the general managers and selecting their own nine-man rosters.
The NHL uses a similar format for its All-Star Game, where two team captains draft teams from the list of previously-determined All-Stars. The pool of rookies and sophs from which Barkley and Shaq will draft their teams will be selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches.
That pool of players will be announced Wednesday, and Barkley and Shaq will hold their draft during TNT’s NBA coverage on Thursday, Feb. 16. TNT’s Kenny Smith will serve as the honorary commissioner and Ernie Johnson will host the live BBVA Rising Stars Challenge Draft.
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, named this year by BBVA, the NBA’s bank sponsor, will be held Saturday, Feb. 25 in Orlando, the day before the All-Star Game.
Shaquille O’Neal Curses On TNT
Well that didn’t take long just a shade under three weeks Shaquille O’Neal has gotten TNT a FCC violation as he dropped a sh*t blast on Inside The NBA last night.
Charles Barkley May Donate TNT Salary During NBA Lockout
Donate It To A Casino
Charles Barkley says he won’t take his TNT paycheck while the NBA remains in lockout mode, which could be good news for some charity.
“I don’t think it’s cool for me to take money I haven’t earned,” Barkley told ESPN 1000 in Chicago. “My decision is either going to be defer it or give it to charity.”
Barkley is among those who predict the NBA’s labor war ultimately will lead to canceling the entire season, which would mean he won’t be at the TNT desk with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal.
“The problem I have is if these guys hold out all season, it’s going to be a lot of money,” Barkley told ESPN 1000. “That’s why I have to make that decision. I haven’t made the final decision.”
Shaquille O’Neal Refers Miami Heat As The Big 2
Shaqeeta Don't Play
Shaquille O’Neal hasn’t even made an official appearance on Inside the NBA on TNT as it’s newest member but is settling in nicely with his role as he has gotten off to an early start at making inflammatory statements. During a Tuesday broadcast on NBATV, O’Neal heaped praise on Miami Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, while omitting NBA All-Star Chris Bosh.
“The Miami Heat, they’ve got a lot of great players, the ‘Big Two,’ said O’Neal, referring to James and Wade. “They will be back.”
As most NBA fans know, the Heat trio are often referred to as the Big Three. This is not the first time O’Neal has taken a jab at Bosh as back in March of 2009 he referred to Bosh as “the RuPaul of big men.”
Robert Ross Says Shaquille O’Neal Ordered Him To Murder People
Glamour Shots
TNT’s new studio analyst and recently retired Shaquille O’Neal is getting sued by Robert Ross, claiming that Shaq put together a plan to have him kidnapped by gang members back in 2008. In addition to the lawsuit filed, Ross claims that O’Neal “organized and funded a series of murders and brutal attacks on people who did him wrong.”
According to “The Official Lawsuit” obtained by TMZ, Ross alleges, “For many years O’Neal requested and directed Ross to perform many personal favors and directed him to perform various tasks including, but not limited to: ordering Ross to kill a member of the Downtown Gangster Crips who had disrespected O’Neal in front of his wife Shaunie.”
The lawsuit also claims that O’Neal “ordered to kill a woman whom he had impregnated and paid for her abortion” and “an order to kill a renown record producer.” Ross also alleges that O’Neal issued “an order to break an NBA player’s shooting arm.”
Ross never says whether the alleged hits were carried out is suing for unspecified damages.
Shaquille O’Neal Signs On With TNT
Will Shaqeeta Make An Appearance
According to several reports Shaquille O’Neal has landed a new gig and that is he has agreed to join Turner Broadcasting. This would potentially put the future Hall of Famer with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and host Ernie Johnson all in the same studio for the TNT NBA pregame show.
However on Sunday TNT spokesman Jeff Pomeroy said the network has “nothing in place at this time.”
NFL Shops Eight Game TV Package
Est. 1920
The NFL is negotiating with TV networks about a new early season eight game package that would start as soon as next season, sources tell SportsBusiness Journal. The potential Thursday night package could be worth as much as $700 million per year.
The new package would not affect NFL Network’s schedule of live games, as the league has decided to keep its channel’s eight game Thursday night slate in the second half of the season intact.
The league is shopping the early-season package to interested networks. Sources said the league currently has the rights to take enough games from CBS and FOX’s Sunday afternoon schedules to fill the new eight game package and does not have to wait for those contracts to expire after the 2013 season.
Turner and Comcast have emerged as the most serious bidders for such a package. Comcast wants the package for Versus, while Turner, which carried a Sunday night NFL package on TNT from 1990-97, has privately craved returning NFL games to its schedule. Turner could put the package on TBS, TNT or truTV. FOX is expected to kick the tires on a package for its FX network, but cable industry sources said cable operators have surcharge protection against FX, which would make it difficult for FX to afford such a package.
No other dark horses have emerged yet, according to sources. It’s believed that ESPN would at least take a look at the Thursday night package, as would Spike TV.
Marv Albert Joins CBS As Play-By-Play Voice For NFL
YESSS
Marv Albert’s will join CBS to become their play-by-play voice of the NFL. Albert will continue his duties on TNT, calling regular season and playoff NBA games as well as calling next year’s NCAA tournament. CBS Sports president Sean McManus made the ire after losing Gus Johnson earlier this month and needed to hit a home run with a fan favorite.
“Marv Albert is recognized throughout sports broadcasting as one of its true legends,” McManus said in a statement. “Very few in the broadcasting industry can claim his combined accomplishments and remarkable longevity.”
Shaquille O’Neal Says ESPN Offering Him TV Job
Can You Digg It
Can Shaquille O’Neal becomes the Charles Barkley of ESPN? After telling the world about his pending retirement via Twitter, the NBA superstar posted a video to the social media site Tout saying he’s been offered a job by ESPN.
“I’m sitting here with my agent Perry Rogers. He just gave me some good news. A certain network wants to hire me,” says the Big Diesel with a grin on his face.
Shaq then hums the theme music to ESPN’s SportsCenter before delivering a tongue-in-cheek threat to the host of ESPN’s Jim Rome is Burning afternoon talk show.
“Jim Rome, I’m coming for your job!” says Shaq, while smiling into the camera.
If ESPN could land the very popular O’Neal as their answer to TNT’s Barkley, I would jump ship to their coverage.
WTF: TNT Cameraman
This TNT cameraman got his creep on scanning the Miami Heat crowd during last nights game however he must have thought they were still in commercial break instead of the live feed.
Charles Barkley Flips Off Miami Heat Fans
TNT analyst and former NBA player Charles Barkley was serenaded with the classic “fuck you Chuck” by Miami Heat fans after last nights game. Barkley responded by throwing up a double middle finger salute. Love the part when his colleague Kenny Smith does a little dance to the chant.
Chicago Bulls Joakim Noah Utters Homophobic Slur Towards Fan
Just five weeks removed from the fallout of Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant used a homophobic slur towards referee Bennie Adams, Chicago Bulls Joakim Noah was caught by TNT cameras using the same slur towards a fan at Miami’s American Airlines Arena.
Bryant was fined $100,000 and it was directed at an NBA official so there’s no telling how much Noah could be fined for directing it towards a paying customer. Noah has since apologized.
New Orleans Hornets Chris Paul Says He’d Hit His Mother On The Court
New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul would apparently hit anyone if he’s playing against them in basketball, even his mother. TNT’s Cheryl Miller asked Paul what it was like to get physical with the five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant.
“He would do me the same way. It’s all in fun, but it’s our livelihood,” he said. “I don’t care if my mother was on the court. I’d hit her, too.”
ESPN Analyst Bob Knight Apologies To Kentucky Basketball For Slanderous Claims
More often than not people have the tendency to put too much weight in the opinions of blowhards like TNT’s Charles Barkley and ESPN’s Bob Knight believing that when they speak they are knowledgeable or have done the research in on what they speak about. That was the case when Knight spoke in front hundreds of people over the weekend and caused a stir when he said that the 2009-10 Kentucky Wildcat basketball team had five starters who did not attend spring classes.
Knight’s statement was a blatant lie with obvious little fact checking done by the Hall of Fame coach, for he would have found that Darius Miller, was still in school and another, Patrick Patterson, graduated in three years and got a degree in 2010, while John Wall had a 3.5 GPA for that spring.
The clear mistake done by Knight has lead him to apologize to Kentucky and coach John Calipari.
