SHAQ IS NOW A MASON!

We have heard of stories of a secret organization that dates back further than any of us can think of. Organizations that can get Presidents elected, people killed to make way for the greater good....you know that sort of thing. When you hear the term Free Mason, there is a certain chill that comes with it, a secrecy that has not been matched. Well, it looks like "The Great AARP" will get another name after retirement since according to Mediatakeout.com:


Photo provided by Mediatakeout.com

MediaTakeOut.com learned that NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal is now a MASON. He was inducted into Widows Sons Lodge #78, in Boston, MASS. 

Members of the lodge told MediaTakeOut.com that THEIR FORM OF MASONRY has NOTHING to do with the ILLUMINATI. And that they, unlike the Illuminati, do NOT worship the devil.

Thanks for the clarification!

Episode 30: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

NER celebrates a milestone. 30 episodes!

This week the guys talk about respect: why Dirk Nowitzki deserves more, why Kareem Abdul-Jabbar isn't getting more, ask if a pro athlete would get it after coming out and talk with Jerald Smith of Gentlemen Republic about instilling it.

Wednesday's Birthday Shout-Out: Big Ben Plans a Career Move?

With the clock ticking down toward the expiration of the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, some NFL players are trying to figure out what they'll do if there's no football in the fall.

Considering the recent offseason allegations that seem to chase Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger like a sack-hungry defensive end, you wonder how he'll cope with not having his days occupied from August to January. Although I have it on good authority that after his last go 'round with the legal system, Ben stocked up on DVDs and BluRay discs for perpetual Blockbuster Nights.

But beyond that, it appears Roethlisberger has spent some time trying on a brand new bag.

He's got a better looking jumpshot than Shawn Mario. But should we tell him the NBA is probably headed for a lockout, too?

Monday's Birthday Shout-Out: Steve Nash Is Ridiculous

There have been a lot of ridiculous things Steve Nash has done on the basketball court. After all, it's hard to win back-to-back MVP awards and be a seven-time All-Star without doing a few things to make people look silly.

Unfortunately, times have gotten tough for Steve. Things aren't going well in Phoenix. After losing Amare Stoudamire in the offseason, the team traded away Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark for a bag of magic beans, essentially killing what slim playoff chances they had in the first place.

It all adds up to watching one of the NBA's most exciting players languishing in a miserable situation for what remains of his career. It's been frustrating enough to fans that it even spawned its own "Free Steve Nash" hashtag on Twitter.

But while we all scrape together enough bail money to get Nash out of basketball jail and into playoff parole, let's take a moment to raise a glass and wish Happy Birthday to the Most Ridiculous Man In The World.

Wednesday's Birthday Shout-Out: Vince Carter's Dunkstravaganza

Vince Carter's career has been like a box of Fruity Pebbles. Really fun to look at sometimes, pretty tasty but ultimately unsatisfying. Part of that lack of fulfillment has led Carter to his fourth team in Phoenix. It's fitting that one of the West Coast's retirement communities will likely be the place where he finishes out his career, free to wander in and out of games as he pleases with very little danger of dropping in on the rest of the family (aka, the playoffs).

It's even gotten to the point recently that, as Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk pointed out, Phoenix is trying to coax the old Vince back into action.

Speaking of the old Vince, in honor of his 34th birthday, we take a look back to the days when he was still Half-Man, Half-Amazing by remembering The Greatest Individual Slam Dunk Contest Performance of All-Time (Timetimetime).

Some of the highlights include a cameo from cousin and fellow Fruity Pebbler Tracy McGrady and Carter placing half his arm the basket - a feat that continues to amaze me no matter how many times I see it.