No Rap Against Dolly or Barry, but Shaq Prevails

Shaquille O’Neal, the rapper, is doing just about as well on the charts as the Lakers are doing on the courts. His third rap album, “You Can’t Stop the Reign,” sold about 17,000 copies in its debut last week and, according to SoundScan, stood No. 82 on the Billboard pop album sales chart.

On the other hand, the CD sold more copies than new releases by Dolly Parton and Barry Manilow.

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More rap: O’Neal is not the Lakers’ first rapper. In 1985, Outpost Records released “Rap-Around,” a single by that well-known rapper Chick Hearn.

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Trivia time: How many times have the Clippers had the No. 1 overall NBA draft pick?

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Money bags: Former Angel Rex Hudler, a 36-year-old utility player, recently signed a $2.3-million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

“My agent, Arn Tellem, was on a roll,” Hudler said. “First he does Albert Belle for $55 million and then me. He’s a real firecracker.”

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Name game: Trainer H. James Bond, who will saddle OK By Me in today’s $500,000 Crown Royal Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park, grew tired of being teased about his name, so, on the advice of an aunt, Bond now works out his horses with saddle cloths bearing “007.”

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Modern PR: Athens has moved its effort to hold the 2004 Olympic Games to the Internet’s World Wide Web. The graphics-heavy site can be found at https://www.athens2004.net.

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Money market: Center Jim McIlvaine signed for $35 million for seven seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics and after two years is averaging only 2.5 points--but he’s not apologizing for it.

“I guess that’s what the market was bearing,” the 7-foot-1 McIlvaine said. “It’s sort of like the stock market. You get in at the right time, you make a lot of money.”

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Long wait: Magic Johnson, like Larry Bird, would have been eligible for the Basketball Hall of Fame next year had he not made his brief return to the Lakers last year. That moved his due date to 2001.

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Basic training: Dave Campos, defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, calls his defense philosophy “KISS,” as in “Keep It Simple, Stupid.”

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Time enough: Nick Saban, Michigan State’s football coach, has been among those rumored for an NFL job, but his wife, Terry, may delay things.

They have just finished decorating their home in East Lansing, so Terry said, “And I told Nick we weren’t moving until the drapes get dirty.”

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Introspective: Senior PGA player Harold Henning, 61, commenting on his play this season: “I’ve got a great future behind me, and I’ve resigned myself to it.”

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Trivia answer: One, Danny Manning of Kansas, in 1988.

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And finally: Charles Barkley went to see Michael Jordan’s movie, “Space Jam,” but apparently he’s a tough sell.

“I took my daughter to see it,” the Houston Rocket star said. “It’s OK, but it ain’t no ‘Gone With the Wind.’ ”