An interesting, while brief, article by Charley Rosen of Fox Sports talking about players that are up there in age. His thought is that Shaq, Eddie Jones and T.J. Ford should retire:

FOX Sports on MSN - NBA - For his own good, Shaq should call it quits

Riley is saying that he needs that 17 and 8 that Shaq can provide, but while producing the numbers Shaq has been very ineffective and Heat's record is a proof. I haven't seen Jones play to be able to tell if he's getting there. With Ford, it's an entirely different ballgame where he could potentially be paralyzed from an injury.

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I think the Washington Wizards have got to be the dumbest team in the history of civilization. - C.Barkley

I think KG should retire immediately. LOL

I often wonder what planet Rosen is on, though it clearly is one of his own making.

So, let's see, Pat Riley, one of what, five coaches to win three championships thinks Shaq can play and be productive. Avery Johnson, who ain't won squat, but seems pretty much like the last guy in the world to play someone out of sympathy thinks Eddie Jones can help his team.

Sorry guys, Charlie thinks your guys ought to hang it up. After all, it's holding back Mark Blount's development.

I think the problem is a lot of these teams ask these older guy's to do too much. Alzono Mourning should not have been playing so many minutes. He was an injury waiting to happen. A player can play into their 40's depending on them taking care of their body and not getting ran into the ground. It also depends on what type of game they play. If they need their speed to be effective and they lose that then they are basically done. A post up player can play well into his late 30's. A jumpshooter if they have not had any knee or leg injuries might not be as dangerous, but still can be effective.

Shaq can no longer carry a team on his back. He should be playing 25mins a game. His presence alone is enough to help a team win. He can provide 10 to 15 pts a game and should be able to still rebound or be used as a decoy.

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Flip is history!!! Eureka!!!

Playing basketball is the only thing between the world and the 500 pound Shaq monster that will come out about a year after he hangs it up.

Not all basketball players gain a lot of weight after they retire, though in this case Shaq's past history of weight problems even while playing appears to strongly support your position.

Have you seen Kevin Duckworth lately? He would make Shaq look like Chiek Samb.

I am sure he is over 450 pounds. If you hear that something happens to him in the next year, you can blame it on health and weight..

Yeah, a few of us got a glimpse of Duckworth before the Pistons played in Portland earlier this season, when the Blazers were paying tribute to their early '90s Finals teams. His weight might be in the vicinity of 5 bills.

And unfortunately his head was never all that big to start with.

I wonder if Duckworth and Laimbeer ever write to one another..........