WWE writers plagiarize Shaq Scrabble segment from ESPN

A "WWE Raw" backstage skit of guest host Shaquille O'Neal and Santino Marella playing Scrabble turns out to have been plagiarized by WWE writers. According to Pro Wrestling Torch, the sketch was taken virtually word for word from an ESPN commercial with Shaq promoting the cable channel's NBA broadcasts.

ESPN noted the word for word copying of its commercial on subsequent SportsCenter recaps of O'Neill's "WWE Raw" stint with its sportscasters adding in the usual added "WWE/pro wrestling is fake" jokes.

The one positive for WWE is that Shaq was not completely booed out of Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center due to his affiliation with the Wizards' archrival Cleveland Cavaliers. The Washington Post's D.C. Sports Bog did note some negative reaction. Fortunately, Shaq made an early joking reference to new teammate LeBron James, presumably to divert any potential D.C. fan heat away from himself.

As it turns out, fans just don't associate Shaq that strongly with his new Cavaliers team yet. For the sake of maintaining at least a mildly favorable reception for Shaq at Verizon Center, WWE made sure to keep it that way.

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Shaquille O'Neal to host WWE Raw from Washington, D.C.

NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal has been slotted as the guest host of WWE Raw this Monday, July 27 from Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. O'Neal has been affiliated with five NBA teams over his professional basketball career but is best known for his championship runs with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.

Clearly, O'Neal (or Shaq as he is better known) won't have the same recognition problem that ZZ Top faced this past week among the younger male WWE Raw demographic. He has also participated in wrestling storylines before with both WWE and WCW so he should be comfortable in the setting. As someone who is a native Washingtonian though, I take personal offense with this guest host selection.

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O'Neal was recently traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that has become a hated archrival to my home Washington Wizards franchise. To have a representative of that archrival host Raw in the Wizards' own home arena is a slap in the face to Wizards/Verizon Center owner Abe Pollin and a dedicated base of Washington Wizards basketball fans.

To be sure, a significant number of attendees at next Monday's Raw won't care about the Wizards/Cavaliers feud or at least won't care about it in a wrestling context. Admittedly though, there's a part of me that wants to see Shaq get the same kind of reception next Monday that David Beckham returning to MLS soccer with Los Angeles.... a nasty one.
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