Posts from the Suns Category at FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

"When I'm in America I can be myself, I have no eyes on me. If I want to stop and buy a slice of pizza, pay man and just sit on a bench I can do that."

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the Phoenix Suns center's use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in January and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse earlier this month.

"I want his two badges back," Arpaio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they're fired. I don't condone this type of racial conduct. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I don't think that either conduct should be out there publicly, even if media wasn't there."

I have no idea what a "special deputy" does exactly (mall security?), and I've long been a believer that Shaq's pretending-to-be-a-police-officer shtick was a complete waste of everyone's time. So thankfully, it's not like the community is actually going to suffer from Shaq's phony badges being revoked, because he likely wasn't doing anything with his "special deputy" status anyway.

I do think it's fascinating though, after all these years of Shaq popping off on various topics and getting a free pass from the media due to the entertainment value of his quotes, that there finally are some personal consequences for his actions. Sure, the title might not mean much, and he might be able to convince the masses that he was just clowning around. But it has to be at least a little bit humbling for Shaq to know that the county he now calls his basketball home wants nothing to do with him, largely because they're embarrassed by his most recent comments.

NBA Essentials ranks our six favorite stories of the day.

1. The Sporting Blog: Shoals' excellent response to Shaq and his, um, question of taste.

2. Part Mule: And photos of the posterior that Kobe is more likely to actually be, uh, linked to.

3. Dave D'Alessandro, The Star Ledger: Is drafting European players a thing of the past?

4. The Pyramid of Excess: Sure you've seen mock drafts. But of the third round?

5. Boston.com's Celtics Blog: Kendrick Perkins is hocking memorabilia on QVC. Already?

6. Chicago Sun-Times: Rose or Beasley? Vinny Del Negro's not talking.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video we ask Stanford star Brook Lopez about the NBA Draft. We also find out from Shaquille O'Neal, the number one pick of the 1992 draft, about his law enforcement career and his efforts to catch online predators. Also find out from Gilbert Arenas, a late second draft pick in 2001, what he would be doing if he was not an NBA All-Star. Around 1:45 into the video hear what Ira Newble, a long time NBA veteran, has to say about making to the NBA without being drafted.


AOL Video link. Youtube link.

NBA Essentials ranks our six favorite stories of the day.

1. Deadspin: Photos of Charles Oakley getting his shirtless party on.

2. The Sporting Blog: The Celtics aren't a realistic model for success.

3. Chad Ford, ESPN: Draft approaching, rumors flying: Anderson Varejao, Leandro Barbosa, Linas Kleiza are some of the names in play.

4. Mike Bresnahan, L.A. Times: Lakers are in no hurry to sign Andrew Bynum to a contract extension.

5. OC Register: Clippers secretly worked out O.J. Mayo.

6. Paul Coro, AZ Republic: Amare Stoudemire declines an invitation to play in the Olympics.