| When one thinks of basketball player Shaquille | | | | despite the marketing of it everywhere. You |
| O'Neal, the image of the big "Shaq" pops into the | | | | have a better chance of getting hit by lightning. |
| mind. A dominant player for years, the 7 foot 1, | | | | Most interesting is his interest in police work. Shaq |
| 330-pound mountain is a nightmare to play against | | | | is already a reserve officer for Miami Beach paid |
| for opposing teams. He has been voted into the | | | | $1 a year. He holds a similar title for Bedford |
| top 50 players of all time. He will certainly go to | | | | County, Virginia. He is also a U.S Deputy Marshal |
| the Hall-of-Fame. | | | | where his focus is preventing predators of |
| He has made an outlandish amount of money in | | | | children. |
| the sport he loves. Millions upon millions of dollars | | | | When legendary basketball player George Mikan |
| to play a game, Shaq has everything a man can | | | | passed-away recently, O'Neal stepped-up and paid |
| want in terms of property and possessions. | | | | the funeral expenses since Mikan received just a |
| O'Neal is interesting for other reasons, though. | | | | $1,400-a-month pension from the NBA. |
| Despite all of his wealth, he has a desire to do | | | | Money-wise, Mikan came at the wrong time and |
| good in life. Perhaps it is due to his mother and | | | | O'Neal stepped into a windfall, right or wrong. But |
| stepfather, a military man named Phil Harrison, | | | | Shaq's decency is what this is all about. |
| that have guided him. Shaq always refers to | | | | In an era of absurdly paid athletes, greed, |
| Harrison as his father without a blink. In reality | | | | thuggish behavior, etc., Shaquille O'Neal sends the |
| that is so since Harrison did all the heavy-lifting in | | | | right message in most cases. He is even liked by |
| terms of raising a family. | | | | the media and often plays around with them. |
| Shaquille married his longtime girlfriend with whom | | | | Compare that to the often brooding athlete who |
| he has children. That may not sound like a big deal | | | | can't handle talking to the media to answer |
| but it sends a message. This is particularly true | | | | questions about hitting or bouncing a ball. Boy, |
| for the black community since the out-of-wedlock | | | | what tough questions to answer! |
| birthrate is an astounding 70%. Marriage sends a | | | | No athlete should ever be viewed as a hero |
| positive message instead of the view of another | | | | because it simply is not true. They are just men |
| athlete just running around impregnating anything | | | | and women who do one particular thing better |
| that moves. | | | | than most people and that's it. However, with so |
| O'Neal also went back and got his college degree. | | | | much media attention focused on these people, it |
| A cynic would say, "Why bother?" but it is an | | | | is great to see someone doing the right thing on |
| accomplishment for him and a promise to his | | | | several fronts. Shaquille O'Neal is a guy most fans |
| mother. It also says college is important since | | | | can appreciate and look at with respect. |
| virtually nobody will become an NBA player | | | | |