"Couldn't help but note that, as always, plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

In other words, nothing ever changes. Every 42 years or so, an all-time center retires from the Celtics without the team being the first to know.

So before any old-timers get on Shaquille O'Neal for announcing his NBA retirement via Tout, the latest and greatest form of social media, a form of communication at which Shaq has proclaimed himself the "Emperor," I must remind folks that 42 years ago the Celtics found out that Bill Russell was hanging 'em up was via an article in Sports Illustrated. It's the same idea, just a different form of information delivery. "