NBA safe again thanks to Stern

We can be thankful the Detroit Pistons era is over.

They popularized ugly basketball in the late 1980s and early '90s, influencing the rest of the NBA to believe titles came only through grabbing and knocking down opponents.

Fortunately, the league has sports' best commissioner in David Stern. He brought beauty back to the game by making sure guards could drive to the basket without fear of mugging.

Now 100-point games are common again. The drama, such as Orlando's 107-106 win at Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, has been breathtaking.

Fans have noticed, with this year's playoffs drawing record TV ratings.

The coaching-controlled college game, meanwhile, has become almost unwatchable, shooters needing three screens to get open because they can't create their own shots.

Plus, college basketball doesn't have Charles Barkley providing commentary. He alone is worth picking up the remote control.

• THE BIG MOUTH -- No doubt he's charismatic, but NBA star Shaquille O'Neal often mumbles his answers in interviews to the point that it's difficult to understand him.

So wouldn't you know it, O'Neal wants to have a radio or TV show after his playing days end.

The 7-footer has signed up for Sportscaster U, a course at Syracuse, the school that has produced such notable sports announcers as Bob Costas, Marv Albert and Mike Tirico.

"I've been the type of person (and) the type of athlete, I don't like to be given anything," O'Neal said. "I like to earn."

Sounds great, but haven't we heard this before? O'Neal always seems to be searching for that next challenge. Or don't you remember Shaq the Cop?

• BADGERS BLOGGERS BACKLASH -- Wisconsin's basketball program thought it had landed local star Vander Blue, but he backed out of his commitment.

He insisted it wasn't because of negative blog postings by Wisconsin fans, but his comments to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel suggested otherwise.

Blue called the criticism "unnecessary" and questioned why "40-year-old adults" would direct so much venom at a teenager. "It just made me feel bad like I was worthless here," he said.

Blue will learn, though, that such inane postings will be made at whichever college he chooses.

• GO DANICA, GO! -- If only Danica Patrick would win a couple of races, she wouldn't have to keep taking off her clothes or doing those sophomoric GoDaddy.com commercials.

She'll be in another GoDaddy ad during Sunday's Indianapolis 500 in which Patrick is pulled over by a female cop. In a surprising twist (note the sarcasm), there are sexual overtones before the ad ends and points viewers to "a special red-hot Internet-only version."

This should be beneath a professional driver, but, of course we'll watch it.

COMPILED BY MARK ANDERSON LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL