Heat's big man has smaller ideas

By ERIC DEGGANS
Published June 19, 2007

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Can a 335-pound basketball star whose endorsements once included Burger King, Taco Bell and Pepsi help Florida stamp out child obesity?

Shaquille O'Neal thinks so. The Miami Heat center announced Monday that he will sit down with Gov. Charlie Crist next week to discuss methods in which schools can help kids eat healthier. The meeting, scheduled for June 26, will cover programs O'Neal developed while working on his ABC reality TV show, Shaq's Big Challenge, featuring O'Neal coaching six obese Broward County youths through an intensive weight loss and fitness regimen.

The show debuts June 26.

During a conference call with reporters Monday, O'Neal and the show's producer criticized what they called a "fast food culture" dominating schools and homes, where children eat fattening foods and get little exercise. O'Neal, who was named to the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness in March, spent months working with six experts to develop the fitness plans used in his show, plans he said can be adopted across the state.

"I do consider (Crist) a personal friend of mine . . . (so) I'm just going to give him my two cents, " said O'Neal, who estimated that there is a "50-50" chance Crist might adopt suggestions such as mandatory physical education classes in schools and healthier lunch menus.

"I know they're probably going to try and throw the money thing in my face, " O'Neal said. "But (producers) and I have worked something out where it doesn't need to cost more . . . maybe a penny or 10 cents more."