Shaq and Shaunie: Unhappily Ever After

One of the most popular NBA power couples has filed for divorce. More accurately, Shaq filed for divorce from Shaunie on Tuesday. According to the Miami Herald,

''The marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken." [Shaq's petition for divorce] further claimed that Shaunie has been ''secretive about her assets . . . particularly with respect to certain properties owned or titled in either [her] name alone or in other entities.'' He wants the court to order Shaunie to give a ''correct accounting of all money, funds, stocks, bonds, and other securities (including bearer securities)'' that she came into during the marriage.

You can read the rest of the article HERE. Shaq and Shaunie have four kids together and one each from a previous relationship. The last appearance they made together was at the ESPYs.

I'm as sad as I can be for a couple I've never met and don't really know. Although, Shaq is one of those people who inspires familiarity even without having personally met him. Shaq and Shaunie were definitely one of my favorite NBA couples. Best of luck to them both.

Photo Source: Social Eyes

On a Brighter Big Yellow Note

My love/unhealthy dependence on post-its is pretty evident. (If you don't believe me, click here, here, here, here, or here.) Well, I came across this cool article in The Post about people who collect post-its, grocery lists, and the like.

Bill Keaggy, the founder of Grocerylists.org, was leaving a grocery store one day when a sort of “silly serendipity” struck: he found a grocery list on a yellow Post-it note. The list itself was nothing special, but much like Raviv, Keaggy found himself fixating on the person it belonged to.

“It was so ordinary - and that’s exactly why it was so great,” he says. “I like the little things in life that people don’t pay attention to. But it’s details like these that make up the minutes of our lives.”

He was particularly struck by the honesty of grocery lists. They aren’t meant to be seen by anyone else, even though the contents of the grocery carts end up on a conveyor belt in plain view of everyone.

“One of my favorites was one that had obviously been written by a wife to her husband,” he says. “She wrote, ‘Coke, bread, milk, If you buy more rice I’ll punch you.’ And I just thought that was so great. There’s a life behind each list.”

Among all the Webcams and reality TV and MySpace pages and Match.com, whose slogan is “It’s OK to look,” there is something quaint and endearing about this voyeuristic fascination with the written word. It’s old-school nosiness of the small-town, front-porch variety.

You can read the rest of the article HERE. Hope you enjoy my quaint post-its along with my scrapes and bruises.

Disturbing...

After reading about the upcoming charity game in China organized by Yao Ming and Steve Nash (which sounds totally amazing and wonderful, by the way), I tried to find a picture of a logo or something pertaining to the event.

Instead, I came across the picture on the left. For some reason, I find it totally unsettling and disturbing. (And I like Steven Klein!) It looks like it was taken by a pedophile, one that likes really big boys. Eeek!

Sorry for sharing. I'm also someone who finds the need to show people my scrapes and bruises after I fall.





Source

Photo Source: NBAE/Getty Images

FIBA Americas Team Photos

Now that the FIBA Americas tournament is over, I thought I'd do a proper send off with some team photos. I love team photos. They remind me of class pictures from elementary school when someone inevitably ends up being caught mid-sneeze or picking his nose. For the most part, the teams photographed quite nicely. Here are some of the ones that stood out.

(Click to enlarge)

Perhaps I'm a little biased, but I feel Team USA photographed the best. It has nothing to do with looks, but more with the ability to get a group of 16 people to look straight and not blink at the same time. That's how you know whether a group of individuals can truly work as a team.

Additionally, I think the US and Canada had the best uniforms. They were simple and streamlined with the team name and number prominently displayed. Nothing fancy or difficult to read.


Argentina. They had the funniest picture by far. Chester the Molester in the front row looks like he's about to attack a ball boy as Luis Scola looks on in shock. Carlos Delfino looks like he wants to share more than his leg with his neighbor.

My one point of contention with Argentina is their flopping uniforms. The colors are great, the font is great, but where is the team name on that uniform? When Shaq left for Miami, I was talking to my cousin (a diehard Laker fan) and she started attacking him. I was like, "What the hell? You LOVE Shaq! You call him Shaq Daddy!!" And she responded simply with, "It's not the name on the back but the name on the front that matters." I think Team Visa should consider that before Beijing next year. Their fans came out in full force though. Face paint, flags, and bullhorns - they were a sight to behold.


Honorable mentions to Mexico and the Virgin Islands, two of my favorite teams to watch in the tournament.

Photo Source: FIBA Americas

Hey Big Spender

According to TMZ, Kobe dropped $21,000 at Blush, a new club at the Wynn, on Friday night. This wasn't a display of magnanimity, but rather a good old-fashioned pissing contest between Kobe and poker player Antonio Esfandiari. It all started when Esfandiari paid for two bottles of Cristal. What nerve! TMZ reports,

"Kobe wasn't about to be shown up by some puny little card player -- and kicked in for five bottles. Antonio, who's used to upping the ante, then switched his order to ten! Kobe ended the competition when he purchased an astounding 15 bottles -- and then left the club!"

No wonder Esfandiari is called The Magician. He magically made $35,000 disappear. It's moments like these that make me really appreciate Micky Arison. Despite his net worth being worth more than the salaries of all the players in the League combined, his flashiest adornment is his tan...and maybe the 2006 NBA Championship ring. Just goes to show that you can't buy taste.

Photo Source: TMZ

All Roads Lead to China

Your last chance to see this version of Team USA together. On the Argentinian side, watch for Luis Scola, #4. He looks like an ugly woman. I miss Manu.

Photo Source: Beijing 2008

Yao Ming: The Face of Love

Yao standing in front of the Chinese character for love.

This is what we call the honeymoon phase. Too cute.

Photo Source: Getty Images

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

But sometimes, all you need is one word said in repetition.

Larry Craig (Republican, Idaho) resigned from the Senate today after news of his arrest in a Minnesota airport sex sting was made public. Craig allegedly solicited sex from an undercover police officer in the men's bathroom. Good luck in Idaho, Larry. But rest assured, Boise is only 640 miles from San Francisco. I even got you directions.

View Larger Map

Craig also hired Billy Martin, Michael Vick's lawyer, to pursue his legal options. Well isn't Billy Martin versatile. From dogfighting to cockfighting. His parents must be so proud.

Photo Source: Metropolitan Airports Commission Police Department/Handout/Reuters

Team USA vs Puerto Rico

Rematch!

Win or go to another qualifying tournament next year. I'm thinking win.

Photo Source: FIBA Americas