…I get a tiny little evil thrill when this happens. Not a big one, mind (I am ever watchful for Kaptain Karma’s Army), but it makes me just giggle quietly in the corner for a minute.

Posted yesterday by sportswriter Tim Povtak, the article’s title was “Shaq Simply Can’t Handle Howard,” to wit:

O’Neal’s belief — and insistence — that he won’t need any double-team help to manage [Dwight] Howard around the basket when his Cavs play the [Orlando] Magic on national television Wednesday, is a fantasy.”

Love it.

Of course, as we all know now, Shaquille O’Neal “handled” Howard pretty well last night — or at least well enough to get the guy in foul trouble in the first couple of minutes. But, oh yeah:

At age 23, Howard could play a double-header on the same day and still have more spring in his step and agility on the court than Shaq today. That’s not to minimize the great career of O’Neal, but it’s a fact of life.”

Right. Forgot about that.

The truth is — and I can’t believe it escaped Mr. Povtak so cleanly — that anything can happen in sports. Yes, basketball is a “young man’s game,” as he wrote. But sports journalism needs to be a smart man’s game. Apparently he missed the memo that said, “If you don’t want to look like an idiot tomorrow, don’t go all Joe Namath today.” Turns out, after reading the comments (some of which are quite amusing), the guy used to be a beat writer for the Magic. Well now…who knew?

I look at this as a life lesson about the dangers of chicken counting. Or maybe it’s that I’ve been a Cleveland sports fan for so long, I know better than to predict anything remotely resembling a walk-off win (or any kind of win, for that matter).

Speaking of the Cavs…my v-jazz ensemble is singing the national anthem at their game against the Suns on Wednesday, 2 December. I predict we will………have fun.

FO