Cram before slam

WITH ALL EYES focused on the Phillies, it's understandable that some NBA news might slip through the cracks.

That said, we thought you might like to know that Shaquille O'Neal is/was having trouble learning the Cavaliers' offense.

"It is vital that I start to memorize the plays" O'Neal told Cleveland.com in a story posted recently. "I've been used to a certain system for 17 years so I have to work on that. I still have a few days before we start."

Actually, the Cavs host the Celtics in their season opener tomorrow night.

To hear Shaq talk you'd think the trade that sent him from the Suns to the Cavs happened recently. But no, it took place months ago. On June 25, to be exact. Nothing like waiting until the last minute, big guy.

Swine can describe the flu, and fans

 

We've never understood the rioting that surrounds professional soccer.

Fans fight when their teams win. They fight when their teams lose. Yesterday, they fought because their teams didn't play.

Violence erupted between fans after a game pitting Marseille against Paris Saint-Germain was postponed because a third PSG player had contracted the swine flu. Police were forced to break up several violent outbursts and used tear gas to disburse a crowd in Marseille.

The French league said it postponed the match to avoid any further risk of contamination.

That didn't sit well with Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier. He called the decision "late and skimpy."

"Let's hope I won't have to call it a dangerous decision before the end of the evening," he added.

PSG is taking it all a bit more seriously, quarantining its players and staff for 72 hours.

The "players' safety is more important that any other consideration," said French league president Frederic Thiriez, who went on to apologize to the fans, clubs and the French television station that holds the broadcasting rights.

- Tom Mahon

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