Shaq up for light reading

In between hosting his own reality show and entertaining his 2.4 million followers on Twitter, Shaquille O'Neal apparently had little spare time during the offseason to learn the playbook of his new team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Last week, O'Neal admitted he was behind in his studies.

"It is vital that I start to memorize the plays," O'Neal said. "I've been used to a certain system for 17 years, so I have to work on that. I still have a few days before we start."

Start to memorize plays?

From a distance, that would seem a simple task. How hard can it be to dunk, set a screen or pass the ball to LeBron James?

• LONDON CALLING -- Was NFL commissioner Roger Goodell merely playing to the crowd when he told reporters in London that he envisions the day when London has its own NFL franchise?

"I expect that sometime in the next couple of years, we could be playing multiple games here," Goodell said. "If we brought more than one game here, and it continues to have the same kind of enthusiasm and growth of interest, I think that is about as good of an indicator you can get that it could successfully support a franchise. And that's what we're looking at."

Meanwhile, in Southern California, football fans wonder how the NFL can be talking expansion to London when Los Angeles hasn't had an NFL franchise since 1994.

"I think there are some positive developments going on there," Goodell said. "But now we have to figure out how to pay for it. And in our economic system, that is a big challenge. It's at least an $800 million stadium."

So which comes first, a team in London or one in Los Angeles?

"I don't know about the timing as far as the sequence," he said. "I would tell you that both markets are of tremendous interest to us."

• EASY MONEY -- From comedian Argus Hamilton, on golf's annual money leaders: "Tiger Woods, followed by whoever's just played Michael Jordan."

• MONDAY KNIGHT BASKETBALL -- ESPN has anointed Brent Musburger and Bob Knight as its "Big Monday" broadcast tandem for the college basketball season.

"Now," noted Brad Dickson in the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, "going back to work is only the second-biggest reason to dread Mondays."

• SILENT MAJORITY DEPARTMENT -- Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons was just a fledgling reporter in Calgary 30 years ago when Flames players, taking umbrage with something he'd written, took a vote on whether to keep talking to him.

"The team vote ended up 12-11 in favor of not talking," Simmons wrote. " 'This team is so messed up,' said defenseman Paul Reinhart, 'that we can't even decide on stupid things.' "

• FAVRE'S SECRET -- Ever wonder why Brett Favre's pump fakes are so effective?

"Reason why it works is because every defensive back knows that Brett is the all-time leader in interceptions," former Packers safety Leroy Butler told ESPN. "So, 'here's my chance ... maybe not' ... touchdown!"

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL WIRE SERVICES