By Shane McKinkley, Torch specialist

The "Babyface Lakers vs. Evil Nuggets" match on Raw is missing one guy on the "Lakers" side. Rumors have been raised about it possibly being Shane McMahon, but that would deal a massive blow to the heel cred of Randy Orton. And plus it will make babies cry. It's true.

Real quick sidenote: can somebody inform the WWE to do a better job in photoshopping pics? That "Lakers vs. Nuggets" match graphic looks comical. Hey, they are only a worldwide billion dollar corporation.

It's hard enough to believe in a guy who threatens to overtake a company when he eats a defeat in some hammy gimmick match that was brought only by a hammy gimmick feud, but compound this with the returning Shane-o and we might as well write-off the rest of the year for Orton. A returning HBK or Trips would be pathetic considering this goofy match.

That being said, which Los Angeles Laker would be most apt to join the babyface team? Certainly not Magic Johnson. Kareem-Abdul Jabaar would be just sad.

I'm going with Shaquille O'Neal.

WWE is striving to get back in the public good's graces (or more likely out of their crosshairs) after the Benoit murder/suicide and the flaring up of the steroids issue that, in the public eye, has still not been answered by WWE.

WWE is looking for people to get them talking about them again. The scheduling mishap fell on Vince's lap and like any good promoter, he rode it and portrayed the Denver Nuggets owner as the spawn of Satan (even though he probably didn't know who the heck he was). So much to the point that old fans are sick of this trash.

Is there any real reason to stay on contrived WWE programming when Lebron James is hitting a tremedous three point shot to win a thrilling game? Nope. Raw needs something big.

Shaq has appeared on WWE PPVs recently (the most famous incident in recent memory was during the Khali-Hornswoggle match at Survivior Series in Miami). So it's not a stretch that WWE and Shaq can work out a deal.

Shaq loves to stir things up. He loves to say and do things that garner a lot of attention. While his less than personable relationship with Kobe Bryant nonwithstanding ("Kobe how does my ass taste" rap he did probably sealed the deal), I wouldn't put it past Shaq to come back as a "Laker" in this "Lakers vs. Nuggets" match. Shaq has been spending his time learning how to be a announcer. (He also trained to be a cop at one point.)

Would the Los Angeles crowd welcome him as a hero? I think they would. People know that it was Kobe who drove Shaq out, and Shaq is a funny, charismatic, and likeable guy.

And plus he's friggin huge. So it wouldn't be like Mickey Rourke punching out Jericho (urgh). I wouldn't whine and complain to see Orton sell for Shaq. I'll get a kick out of it.

Shaq loves to create attention about himself. Vince loves to create attention about his product. Sounds to me like a match made in heaven.

Unless it's Shane who is the surprise fifth guy. Then I will chuck something very hard at my television screen.

(credit to lakersuniverse.com for pic)

email is mckinley.torch@gmail.com

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