A conversation about current NBA defenses became cringeworthy TV
1. I’ve never understood why Shaquille O’Neal is on TNT’s Tuesday night crew alongside Adam Lefkoe, Dwyane Wade and Candace Parker. When you’re already part of one of the most iconic studio shows of all time (Inside the NBA), you shouldn’t moonlight on a lesser show. The chemistry you have with your cohosts on the more popular program is going to be totally different on another show.
That was evident last night when a boring X’s and O’s conversation between Shaq and his fellow panelists quickly turned cringe.
The group was discussing pick-and-rolls and rotating on defense, but Shaq kept questioning Parker and Wade—especially Parker—on their explanations of what today’s defenses try to do.
While Parker and Wade were using detailed analysis, Shaq basically went with the “Why can’t we do it like the old days?” angle. According to Shaq, his Heat team won a title in 2006 playing a certain type of defense, so he thinks teams should still do it that way, even though the game has totally changed in the past 15 years. (And even though Wade, his teammate on that 2006 team, was telling him as much.)
No matter how effectively Parker and Wade tried to explain that to Shaq, he wasn’t budging. Combine this with Lefkoe's not stepping up as the traffic cop and you got a segment filled with so much awkward silence and uncomfortable facial reactions that it ended up making for great TV in a train wreck kinda way.
2. The guest on the latest episode of the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast is Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio explains why gambling is a major factor in the NFL's going to a 17-game regular season and why he expects the league to eventually go to an 18-game regular season. Does the 17th regular-season game mean we're going to finally get a Super Bowl during President's Day weekend? Florio shares his thoughts on that topic and talks about other scheduling changes we could see with the NFL. Other topics discussed on this episode include the TV rights deals that the NFL is about to close with its broadcast partners, why the league was able to get such a huge rights fee increase and what's going on with Sunday Ticket. We also talk about how the offseason has become bigger than the regular season when it comes to people's interest in the league, clickbait stories and much more.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify or Stitcher.
You can also watch the podcast on YouTube.
3. In 1983, then Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw had to get shoulder surgery. He checked into the hospital using an alias. That alias was Thomas Brady.
4. When you consider what he currently looks like, nobody has better old-school photos than the Rock.
5. If you were a WWF fan back in the '80s, you will love this vintage performance from Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.
6. When I saw this story ...
... all I could think about was this.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: In yesterday's Traina Thoughts, I wrote about Eddie Murphy playing the old white guy in the barbershop in Coming to America. Here's another time Eddie played a white guy.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Stitcher. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram.