Sheed: “Whatcha got left big fella, whatcha got?”

The Miami Heat have told Shaquille O’Neal that the distinct possibility of a trade exists. Ron Glover (TBR) called to inform me of this while I was in press row covering the Sixers/Wizards. There was definitely a buzz among the local media. Most, including some of the Sixers brass present expressed shock this could actually go down. Dwil posted the trade proposal on his site last night. Dallas is also a possible trade destination.

Apparently the trade will be finalized after Shaq passes a physical (he was on his way to Phoenix last night) on an ailing hip that has kept him out the last six games.

Crazy, I was looking forward to Thursday when the Heat come into town to speak with Shaq. Now I can’t wait to see the look on Dwyane Wade’s face.

Miami unloads a monstrous contract now to go after the likes of Elton Brand this summer and the Suns get a bully down low to go along with Stat.

What a front line…

Miami Herald

An O’Neal representative confirmed the center has been told to prepare for the possibility of a trade. ESPN reported Tuesday night that the deal is very likely to happen and that O’Neal will fly to Phoenix for a physical to examine his injured hip, among other things, on Wednesday. A Heat spokesman said he had no knowledge of O’Neal heading to Phoenix for the physical as part of a proposed trade.

Phoenix’s Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks were the primary names mentioned Tuesday in a proposed swap for O’Neal, several league sources said. Other players could be added to the deal.

O’Neal, nicknamed The Diesel, was introduced amid much fanfare when he was traded to the Heat before the 2004 season. He rolled up to AmericanAirlines Arena in a diesel truck and never looked back as he and Dwyane Wade pulled the franchise into the Eastern Conference Finals and then the 2005-06 championship series, in which they beat the Dallas Mavericks.

Since then, however, the franchise has declined, losing in the first round of the playoffs last season and standing about halfway through the current season at a league-worst 9-37.

More thoughts:

Man, this shakes up the Western Conference. With Amare at his natural position of power forward and Shaq manning the middle, this could be the move that gets the Suns over the hump.

So many story lines will be developed as the season progresses:

The Lakers landing Pau Gasol–24 and 12 last night in his LA debut–sent waves throughout the league. How will Kobe and Co. handle the astonishing news? More importantly, how will Andrew Bynum respond when going up against his former teammate? Kareem better pull out his bag of tricks.

The Spurs may be going through a “spell” but trust they will be ready to defend their NBA crown when the chips are down.

Does this push New Orleans back to who we thought they were at the beginning of the season?

Will Shaq awake and be the gigantic force he’s been throughout his 14 year career or will he continue to play uninspired basketball?

How will Shaq fit into the Suns break neck offense?

So many questions…

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(AP)

Pryor leaning towards Ohio State? Say it ain’t so yo

Detroit Free Press

Super recruit Terrelle Pryor could be headed to Ohio State over Michigan, according to indications from an Ohio State recruit and a newspaper report.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on its Web site Tuesday that a few of Pryor’s friends and acquaintances said Ohio State is Pryor’s top choice. One unnamed source said Pryor told him recently he would sign with Ohio State.

Pryor, though, has said he has not made up his mind. He will announce Wednesday at noon and told the paper Monday his three finalists are Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. He also said he will not reveal his choice to anyone until a noon news conference on ESPNU and CSTV.

**Addendum: Pryor will not sign today

Trinity (Pa.) senior linebacker Andrew Sweat, an Ohio State recruit, and two other Buckeye recruits met with Pryor recently. Sweat believes Pryor will choose Ohio State.

“He didn’t tell me he was committed, but he sounded like he was going to Ohio State,” Sweat said. “He said some pretty strong stuff about Ohio State. He said how he’s just comfortable there and he really likes coach (Jim) Tressel. You never know, but I’d be shocked if he didn’t sign with Ohio State.”

Sweat said Ohio State’s coaches believe they will get Pryor.

Pryor, considered the nation’s top unsigned high school football player, will likely choose between either Michigan or Ohio State.

Pryor, a 6-foot-6 Jeannette (Pa.) High School quarterback, is considered the top player in the country by Scout.com and Rivals.com and was chosen as the MVP last month in U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio.

Damn! The young fella is fanning the volcanic heat of this historic rivalry and hasn’t played a down yet.

Tom Brady get on the phone you celebrity you.

Looks like it’s up to you Gaston

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Yessssssss!

Basketball Hall of Fame announcer Marv Albert has re-signed with Turner Sports as their lead play-by-play voice on their TNT telecasts through the 2015-16 NBA season, coinciding with the network’s current NBA television agreement. Albert will continue to work one of TNT’s two weekly, exclusive Thursday night games, the NBA All-Star Game and Conference Finals games. In addition, beginning with the start of the 2008-09 NBA season Albert will call additional games on NBA TV, as part of Turner’s recently announced partnership with the NBA.

“Marv’s is a legendary voice in sports broadcasting and synonymous with NBA basketball, and we’re very pleased to continue our relationship with him,” said David Levy, president, Turner Sports & Turner Broadcasting Sales Inc. “Fans have identified TNT as a home for NBA coverage for 23 years, and we are happy that Marv will continue to be a signature voice for TNT, as well as extend his talents to NBA TV.”

“I’m thrilled to be calling NBA action on TNT for eight more years,” said Albert. “I have enjoyed a terrific relationship with them since 1999 and I look forward to continuing to call their marquee NBA regular season and postseason events, as well as being a part of the growth of NBA TV.”

Albert, who will call the 2008 NBA All-Star Game on TNT on Sunday, Feb. 17, joined Turner in April 1999 and has handled play-by-play for TNT’s Wimbledon coverage as well as basketball coverage at the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.

He has called nine NBA Finals series on NBC and twelve overall, calling three NBA Finals for Madison Square Garden (MSG) radio, and currently serves as the play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Nets regionally on YES Network. Albert has been the radio play-by-play voice of Monday Night Football for Westwood One since 2002. He worked for NBC Sports from 1977-1997, serving as the primary play-by-play voice for the NBA, college basketball, boxing, NFL football, NHL All-Star games and baseball studio and pre-game shows, and he rejoined NBC in 2000 for NBA coverage. He has served as the voice of the NY Knicks on MSG Network for the past 32 years, as well as radio voice of the NY Rangers for 27 years.

A 20-time “New York State Sportscaster of the Year,” he has also won six CableAce Awards as “Outstanding Play-by-Play Announcer” and was awarded the “Curt Gowdy Media Award” in 1997 by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Albert is also a frequent guest on The Late Show with David Letterman.

The best at what he does

NBA on TNT Delivering Double-Digit Growth in Households and

Key Demographics for First Half of 2007-08 NBA Season

2008 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans to Air Exclusively on TNT, Sunday, February 17

As the NBA season heads toward the All-Star break, TNT has seen tremendous growth in key demographics and strong increases in household viewership. Through 31 games TNT is experiencing double-digit growth in Households (+12% - 1,195,000 vs. 1,069,000) and all key demos including A18-34 (+20% - 446,000 vs. 372,000), A18-49 (+19% - 791,000 vs. 667,000), A25-54 (+22% - 732,000 vs. 602,000), M18-34 (+26% - 346,000 vs. 275,000), M18-49 (+21% - 580,000 vs. 478,000) and M25-54 (+22% - 529,000 vs. 433,000).

“As long-time partners with the NBA we believe strongly in their product and are always pleased when more fans make ‘TNT NBA Thursdays’ appointment viewing,” said David Levy, president, Turner Sports & Turner Broadcasting Sales, Inc. “We look forward to bringing a great deal of attention to the 2008 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans as we showcase the NBA’s brightest stars on its biggest stage.”

TNT’s coverage of NBA All-Star Weekend festivities tips off Friday, February 15 at 9 p.m. ET with the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam. Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley will be courtside to call the action with Craig Sager reporting from the sidelines. Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai will follow with Johnson, Smith and Barkley.

On Saturday, February 16 Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai tips off an exciting night at 5 p.m. ET. TNT guest analyst Magic Johnson and NBA Insider David Aldridge will join Ernie Johnson, Smith and Barkley live from the historic French Quarter of New Orleans. At 7 p.m. ET, TNT will present NBA’s Greatest Slam Dunk Contest: Airborne. Beginning at 8 p.m. ET with NBA Tip-Off Presented by AutoTrader.com, TNT will televise exclusive live coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, which includes the Haier Shooting Stars competition, the Playstation Skills Challenge, the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, and the Sprite Slam Dunk. The evening will be capped off by the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2008 presented on TNT by Old Spice at 11 p.m. ET/10:30 p.m. PT.

Following NBA Tip-Off Presented by AutoTrader.com at 8 p.m. ET, TNT’s All-Star coverage takes center stage on Sunday, February 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET with the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. Play-by-play announcer Marv Albert and analysts Doug Collins and Reggie Miller will be courtside with Craig Sager reporting from the sidelines.

Turner Sports, Inc., a Time Warner company, presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised sports programming. With events airing on TBS and TNT, Turner Sports’ line-up includes the NBA, NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, Major League Baseball, professional golf, PGATour.com, PGA.com and ACC Select.

Turner Network Television (TNT), television’s destination for drama and one of cable’s top-rated networks, offers such original series as the acclaimed and enormously popular detective drama The Closer, starring Golden Globe winner and Emmy® and Screen Actors Guild Awardsâ nominee Kyra Sedgwick, and Saving Grace, a provocative new drama starring Oscar® winner Holly Hunter. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Bones, Without a Trace, Law & Order, Las Vegas, Cold Case, ER and Charmed; broadcast premiere movies; compelling prime-time specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA.

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