A New Respect for Shaq...

Shaq offers to pay for Mikan's Funeral...

I can't say that I've ever been a huge fan of Shaquille O'Neal. Don't get me wrong...he's easily one of the best players the NBA has ever seen. However, I never have really thought he was as clever or funny off the court as a lot of others (and Shaq himself) seem to think.

My opinion of Shaq, though, has improved greatly after hearing word that he has offered to pay for the funeral of George Mikan, the NBA's first dominant big-man. I guess you can say it's just a publicity stunt, but I don't think so in this case. "Without No. 99, there is no me," Shaq said. I think it's pretty cool that at least one player in today's NBA has a bit of respect for the history of the game and the men who helped lay the foundation on which they have built very lucrative careers.