I'm Just Talkin' Bout Shaq

Shaquille O'Neal retired.  That's a big deal.  I'll be honest. I don't know much about basketball. But I do know about larger-than-life characters, and Shaq is one of them. For a guy who didn't even play an entire season here, he sure made an impact in Boston. And I don't just mean on the court.

Shaq embraced this town like no other athlete has done in such a short time. He changed his nickname to the Big Shamrock when he announced he was coming to Boston. Now that's embracing a city. He stood in line with students at the Harvard bookstore. He was sometimes even seen shopping at his local Target. (And really, how could you miss the guy?)

The Shaq brand is about fun, community, and show-biz. He extended that brand without tainting or belittling the Celtics brand. He communicated through his Twitter account, staging stunts like sitting like a statue and posing for pictures with fans, or handing out gifts to kids as Shaq a claus. He even announced his retirement on Twitter, giving the fans who followed him closely the first chance to react. He's now asking those fans to tweet a new nickname for him.

His presence was undeniable on the court, even hurt. I think the Celtics might have gone further with him (said the guy who didn't know much about basketball.) But I know the city will miss the fun he brought, the smiles he generated, and the Comcast commercials he did with Ben Stein. Okay, maybe we won't miss those. Good luck Shaq!