I think lots of people are looking forward to Shaq’s book release next week. I doubt that’s because of his uncanny storytelling ability, or Jackie MacMullan’s knack for writing. It’s probably mostly to see what drama Shaq wants to disclose to the public, making Shaq’s book almost like watching an episode of “Keeping up with the Kardashians.”

Several parts of the book have already leaked. Shaq has called out a number of former teammates and coaches. He bashed Mike Brown, calling him a pushover. He’s also giving some of his teammates on the Celtics a hard time, even though it seemed like his entire time there was spent on the injured list.

Shaq is now saying that Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo was “frustrating” and that he almost punched Glen Davis in the face once. Now, I’m not sure how seriously we can take any of these accusations. Breaking down the game film and analyzing some of Shaq’s comments shows he might have been stretching the truth a little bit. So who knows how much of the book we can even take seriously?

He did have a few positive things to say as well, and it seemed like he was mostly fond of his time in Boston, but anywhere Shaq goes there is bound to be some drama. We’re long past the time of taking the big guy seriously, so I hope he doesn’t think his book will be treated like a great telling of history. I see it more as a comedy, perhaps even a little bit of fiction.

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George Karl is a cool guy. He's coached in the NBA for over two decades, he's won over one thousand games, he's got a son who played in the Association, and he helped navigate the Denver Nuggets through the "Melo Drama" of last season into the NBA Playoffs for the twentieth time in his career as a head coach. Last season marked the seventh year in a row he's helped Denver advance to the postseason too, and that is a run he's made while also winning a personal battle against cancer at the same time - TWICE.  So just to reiterate, George Karl is a cool guy.

He's not just battling cancer personally though, beating it, and then walking away from the fight. While Karl is not quite two years removed from successfully winning a tremendously trying battle with neck cancer himself, which followed a fight with prostate cancer three years prior, he's also been forced to help his son Coby win his own fight with Lymph Node Cancer too.  Coby, it's worth noting, is as tough and cool as anybody too, and has since played himself all the way back into NBA-caliber shape as well.  Which has all helped to fuel George Karl's fight with cancer everyday - even though both he and his son have just recently beaten the disease themselves.

This from NBA.com:

The Denver Nuggets coach lent his voice Tuesday to the American Cancer Society and Quest Diagnostics, which are teaming up on a nationwide cancer prevention study. It aims to follow 300,000 people for 20 to 30 years to see how genetics, lifestyle and the environment affect cancer risk.

"There are a lot of people who want to get into this fight who don't have cancer, and this is one way," Karl said.

To be honest, I had never heard of this particular way to get involved with the fight against cancer.  It sounds like a very noteworthy study too, and if it isn't for NBA guys like Karl delivering this message people like me might have never heard about it.  It's also great to hear that Coach Karl is looking stronger too, and healthy, as the piece went on to discuss.  

He's looking much stronger and leaner than he was last season, and his voice is much stronger, which makes it easier for him to talk about preventing cancer.

"I'm very passionate about it. I enjoy talking about cancer," Karl said. "I enjoy talking basketball more, I'd like to be able to talk basketball but I can't right now. But you know, my family, everybody has been touched somewhere along the way."

You can't help but think with more and more people like Karl involving themselves in the fight, along with groups like The Jimmy V Foundation and so many others, that a cure may be something we see in our lifetimes.  That's what I like to think at least.  It can only help with guys like Karl on the front-lines too.

Without hoops, Karl is continuing his fight against cancer even though he's been cured.

"I'm in a stage of survivorship, so basically my treatment is to try to be healthy," he said. "So much of what I'm trying to do is nutrition-oriented, environment-oriented. I'm a big believer that genetics is the field where I think discoveries are going to be made in the very near future, stem cells. I think we are on the verge of successfully making major hits on the battle against cancer."

Keep up the great work, Coach, and here's to your continued health. To donate to the fight against Cancer, click here.

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Yes I know. The NBA lockout is sucking the life force from you as each day passes. You think there is no NBA news out there for you to feast on as you begrudgingly ride out this lockout.

But fret not NBA fans, the Bloguin network has a stellar NBA blog roster that you really should get to know so you have all you need if and when the new season kicks off.

You are already familiar with John's Reds Army (Boston Celtics), Surya's Hot Hot Hoops (Miami Heat), Brendan's Stepien Rules (Cleveland Cavaliers), Phil's Orlando Magic Daily (Orlando Magic), and of course Project Spurs (San Antonio Spurs) but let's see what has been cooking from our NBA Bloguin blog brothers and get to know them a little in the process.

Trade Street Post

These guys cover everything you need to know about the Charlotte Bobcats. And even though the lockout is in full effect, it hasn't stopped these guys as evidenced in their latest post on DJ White and their quest to find him a nickname.

The Purple And Gold, With Malice

Need solid Los Angeles Lakers coverage? No worries. TP&G and With Malice are the one-two punch for all things Lakers. But when it comes to the lockout, With Malice has some choice wordsfor his "Airness" and TP&G knows who exactly is suffering right now -- the fans!

TWolves Blog

This Minnesota Timberwolves blogs just keeps bringing it in the offseason and although they are rejoicing that Ricky Rubio finally made the leap to the NBA they recently had a roundtable on whether the players should accept the NBA's latest offer. Feel free to chime in.

Beyond the Beat

Suck it NBA! This blog keeps up with all overseas ball and recently wrote on how a few NBA import players are doing just fine playing and watching the lockout unfold.

A Stern Warning

The fiscal term “Black Friday” is known in America as a day when thousands of shoppers wake up extra early to catch door-busting sales at countless department stores around the nation.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is also a very busy day in college football as numerous games are scheduled to be played as most Americans have a “food hangover” after filling their stomachs with bulks of food on Thanksgiving.

But did you know professional basketball also returns on Black Friday?

“No it doesn’t!” you say? “The NBA is in a lockout. Games have been cancelled for the month of November. Why did you have to remind me?”

But there is NBA basketball, only you have to add “D-League” to the end of “NBA.” The NBA D-League will continue its 2011-12 season regardless if the NBA can’t come to a compromise on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The D-League is already coming off a very successful previous season as attendance numbers were at an all time high of 1,125,583 fans. That’s 7.9% higher than the previous season according to the D-League official website. In fact two D-League teams, the Bakersfield Jam and Maine Red Claws, have now sold out all of their home games over the past two seasons.

Last season, the League also gained some popularity as 37 NBA players were sent from their NBA teams to 25 D-League teams for different reasons. At one point last season, every NBA team had at least one player who was affiliated with the D-League once in their career. Popular former NBA names like Antoine Walker, Antonio Daniels, and recently Jamaal Tinsley are players you can see with a D-League club. If you want diversity, the Texas Legends even hired the first NBA-affiliated female coach Nancy Lieberman. The D-League is also considered the R&D division of the NBA, so you can take a look at not only potential NBA players, but also new rules, uniforms, basketballs and more before they are adopted by the NBA. no comments

(NSFW lyrics)

A few days ago it looked like the players union was in complete disarray.  Derek Fisher had been accused of being in David Stern's hip pocket, players had been begging to play, and it looked like Phoenix Suns owner Rob Sarver could have squatted over a piece of paper and have the players approve the result.  

But then the owners, as we've been saying, pushed a little too hard.  They pushed players past desperation and into solidarity.  It culminated in last night's proclamation, while 43 players from 29 teams stood by, that the owners' offer, as presented, was not going to be ratified.  The 30th team, the Boston Celtics, would have been represented by Paul Pierce, but he was too busy rallying the rank and file for a decertification vote. 

Further, the players managed to pull a 180 and put the pressure on the owners again.  By saying they're willing to go down to 50/50 on BRI in exchange for some tweaks on the system issues, the players have addressed the $300 million in losses the owners were crying about and then some. Players have given the owners what they were looking for and have already agreed to limitations that will, theoretically, give smaller markets a better chance to win.  

The players stood strong last night and said all the right things.  They never once griped about money, they said they're putting 7% of the revenue back in the owners' pockets, and they said they just want to start talking again.  And in a moment that seemed like some kind of karmic reward, former President Bill Clinton happened to stroll through the lobby of the hotel.  He's in town to hawk a new book entitled, and this is true, "Back to Work."  Players were in awe that Clinton and Fisher (they're both from Arkansas... their home towns are less than two hours from one another) were having a fun little exchange.

If this was a video game, the players just found a power-up.  Where they looked like they were a shambles before, now they're magically unified.  And even though many in the rank-and-file probably still feel the way they felt yesterday, enough of the players are standing with the union, and are willing to decertify, to make this a strong stand against the NBA's bullying. 

Both sides, it seems, will meet again this afternoon.  The question now is, can David Stern convince his runaway band of hard-line owners to back off on enough systematic issues to get the deal done.  Some owners seem fixated on very small issues that seem inconsequential, but they're holding on because they've drawn their lines in the sand.  

The players have flipped the script.  The pressure is on the owners to take the victory they were asking for in the first place.  It's up to Stern now.  He wanted these talks to end with a General Patton moment for himself.  If he can't deliver today, he'll go down as General Custer.

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Today is ultimatum day.

The players made their stand after a meeting of the team representatives and vowed to continue fighting for what they feel is a fair deal. They, in essence, are calling the league's bluff and daring them to cancel more games and present a deal to the players that the league already knows the players will not accept.

Meanwhile, as the players and the league debate how to split basketball-related income and billions of dollars in revenue, the people providing a good chunk of that revenue are tuning out. The great fear that the league has ignored or pushed to the side for so long is beginning to rear its head.

Apathy among the fan base is setting in.

At least that is what a survey from Poll Position says. Poll Position surveyed more than 1,000 registered voters in early November and asked whether they were longing for basketball to resume. The results? More than three quarters of the respondents said they did not miss basketball and only 12 percent said they missed games.

"I think it is pretty reliable that three-quarters of Americans have made it pretty clear that they are not missing the NBA season up to this point," said Larry Register, content manager at Poll Position. "I think what it says is that American people are kind of fed up with this millionaire-versus-billionaire mentality, when things are pretty tight for everybody."

That certainly seems to be the sentiment. The casual fan is sick of hearing the billionaire vs. millionaire squabble in the middle of a recession, even if they do not truly understand the issues at play. Those really do not matter. Both the league and the players have lost the battle of public perception as this poll clearly indicates.

San Antonio Spurs legend George Gervin said recently he thinks the "three point shot is the worst in basketball," and there is no truth to the rumor that he feels this way after years of trying to finger roll it in from way out there unsuccessfully.  In a video featured on the Bloguin Network's Project Spurs website recently, Gervin goes on to support his thesis on the three-ball.  A couple points I agree with, a couple points I don't.  

First, here is that video featuring the Iceman: 

Now the point that Gervin makes regarding the shooting percentages from three-point range is obviously valid, but we also can't forget that the shot is actually worth one more point than those shots with better percentages up closer to the basket.  I'm not trying to be sarcastic or anything, but to argue that you shoot a lay-up over a three pointer because the percentage of making a lay-up is much higher than that of a three does kinda totally dismiss the one extra point thing.

That said, I think the Iceman is right to tell some people not to shoot as many threes.  I would too, but it definitely depends on who you're talking too.  Again, not to be sarcastic, but LeBron shouldn't shoot as many three pointers as he does.  He needs to shoot some, to make guys come out and guard him way out there, but LeBron James needs to take the ball to the basket more than he needs to stand out there shooting three pointers. This has been true for about five years now.  Chris Quinn, on the other hand, needs to fire as many threes as he can if he wants to sneak back into the NBA anytime soon.  Kyle Korver would be wise to keep firing as well.

Where I also agree with George (even though he didn't really say this, I just think he meant it) is that the three point shot has created the way basketball is currently played by a lot of people in that the philosophy is either a three-pointer or a dunk.  That wasn't the intention of the three pointer back when it was invented.  It was supposed to be "a specialty shot", as George said, and it really should be treated like that more in a lot of cases.  It really isn't about the shot itself though, more than it is about how people are able to handle the shot - just like anything else.  Too much of it, or in the wrong hands, it can be a problem for guys.  

When the lure of the three pointer forces LeBron James to heave up a thirty foot brick, when he could've easily dunked on whoever was standing in the the paint, I think everyone in the world would agree with Gervin.  It is the worst shot ever.  When it earned Craig Hodges a paycheck as a member of the Chicago Bulls for all those years, it was a pretty great invention.  It all depends on how you use it.

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YouTube: saspursvideo

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So, is anyone as NBA starved as I am?

You know, back when the lockout began in July, I didn't panic.  I had in my head that it would last through August for sure, and maybe part of September, but surely it would be over before October. I really expected that a deal would be struck, the pre-season would be cancelled, and we'd be watching NBA basketball right now.

So with that mentality, I bought into NBA TV full force.  I enjoyed watching the basketball movies that came on.  I enjoyed seeing the old dunk contest marathons that they would run.  I even sat and watched old All-Star games.  It was all pretty cool...the first time.

The longer that this lockout goes on, I realize that I love this sport, but I do not need to see games/contests/movies from the past for more than one time.  Yes my friends, panic has set in.  I am not a MLB or NHL fan, and I am only a casual NFL fan.  With that said, what am I supposed to watch?

I watch my Steelers play when I can, and I usually just flip around channels to see what else is on.  Unfortunately that only covers one day of the week.  I'm not a big college basketball fan, so when college basketball starts, I suppose I could attempt to become more involved at that level.  I'm from North Carolina and NC State is my team (maybe that's why I'm not a big college basketball fan.  Not a great team since the days of Jimmy V).

At any rate, if I'm not watching random football games or NC State struggling, what else is there?  I need that basketball void filled.  I tried to watch some of the WNBA, but it just isn't the same.  Watching a bunch of women I don't know play basketball just isn't my thing.  I've told my sons that if they want to see how to play ball the right way, they should watch the WNBA, because those ladies know how to move the ball around and distribute.
 
Guys, I'm not going to lie about this.  The 2011 lockout is really getting to me.  To be honest, I'm not really even watching that much TV anymore.  I stay glued to the Internet.  I'm checking the CBA Sports site.  I'm surfing through Twitter to see if there is any new news.  I'm bouncing all over blog sites to see if there are any interesting rumors floating around about free agency.  Who would have thought that we would be sitting in November and be discussing what to watch on TV other than our favorite NBA teams taking the floor?

Just when I was showering Minnesota Timberwolves' Ricky Rubio with praise comes this gem.

Say you're a rookie in the NBA and will soon embark on your first steps on basketball's biggest stage. Let's also add how you know there is an on-going lockout and although you can't workout with your team's coaching staff, you're not precluded from contacting your fellow teammates to get some time to develop chemistry, build camaraderie, and pick up a few tips on how to succeed in the NBA.

Sounds sensible doesn't it?

Well don't tell that to Rubio who claims he cannot catch up with his future teammates because he doesn't have their phone numbers!

In an interview with startribune.com, Rubio had this to say as to why he hasn't spent time with his new teammates:

He has talked with pal Kevin Love since he’s been here in the U.S., but hasn’t spent time with any other new Timberwolves teammates while he’s been in L.A.

“I would love to talk with all the guys, but I don’t have their number,” he said. “I will soon.”

Right Rubio, you don't have their number considering how you already spent time on the court with some of the current Timberwolves players.

And if you do not have their number Ricky, you do realize some of your teammates can be found on Twitter and Facebook. No really! Look I will get you started. Here is Anthony Randolph's Twitter page. So seeing how you have a Twitter page, might as well put it to use and send Randolph a message you need to get a hold of him.

OK and even if you don't have their number, you do know you have an agent right? I am pretty sure your agent can get you any of your teammates' numbers. Make him earn that check!

Yes Rubio has recently worked out with other NBA players such as Kevin Garnett, and Shawn Marion, but come on, he has to maximize time with his teammates and get to know them. Especially the guys who might be losing their job to you as Crossover Chronicles' John Karalis pointed out.

But hey I get it Rubio. You are young, don't have to technically report to work yet, and you are in Los Angeles. I am sure you are having fun in a new country.

However, word to the wise, I suggest you get their numbers and every other form of contact info from your soon-to-be teammates. It just might be a wee bit important.

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Yes, Steve Blake. 

As in the LA Lakers guard?  The guy who has played on five teams in eight years?  The guy who averaged four points and two assists last season?  The guy who looks like House M.D. in the photo? 

Yeah, that guy.  With all the mega-stars in the league, it's going to be guys like Steve Blake who decide this thing.  And he's REALLY trying to decide this thing. 

Lakers guard Steve Blake has been canvassing peers throughout the league over the past 48 hours, pushing them to contact team player representatives to push the Players Association to let its 450-plus membership vote on the owner’s ultimatum offer, sources said.

Blake hasn’t been pushing players to vote “yes” or “no” on the deal but has gained a groundswell of support with players throughout the league. Nevertheless, Blake is a proponent of accepting the league’s current offer, sources said.

Of course Blake wants to play.  It's the same reason Glen Davis wants to play.  It's the same reasoning I laid out yesterday.  Steve Blake made $4 million last season.  You and I could make $4 million for one year and be set for life.  But we don't live and work in an industry where $4 million puts you in a class just above Kobe Bryant's pool boy.  Blake can't sit there and say "whoa... $350 for Beats by Dre headphones?  Screw that, I'm getting $40 Sonys."  He buys the Beats in three colors.  

But his indiscriminate spending is only possible if he continues to play basketball.  Guys of Blake's ilk aren't going to be living this lifestyle for very long if the lockout drags on.  And there are a ton more Blakes out there than there are Kobes.  If you put the owners' offer to a vote, these guys desperate to play will outnumber the stars willing to hold out.  

The only question now is whether the anger trumps desperation.  As the NBA threatens to pull this offer in favor of one much more drastically in favor of the owners, the ultimatum may have had the opposite of its intended effect.

“There’s an absolute, abject disgust with the N.B.A.,” said the agent Mark Bartelstein, who has 45 clients in the N.B.A. and Europe. “If you ever wanted to create a scenario to unify a group of people against one common theme, you couldn’t do a better job than the N.B.A. has done. They have found a way to get the players to a point where they really understand how bad this deal would be.”

I hope David Stern can take these quotes, go throw them in the hard-liners' faces, and say "see?  See what you morons are doing?  You're ruining everything."

The next 36 hours will be the most crucial of all.  Let's hope Chris Sheridan is right.