This has already been a big year for Shaquille O'Neal.

Miami Heat's Shaquille O'Neal smiles at a teammate in the second half of play during Game 4 of their NBA Finals basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Miami June 15, 2006. [Reuters]

He's back in the NBA finals for the sixth time. He became a father again, also for the sixth time. And he'll get to enjoy both on Sunday, when, on Father's Day, his Miami Heat host the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the championship series.

"It's a very important day for all the fathers around the world, and I'm just a lucky, gracious man to be able to have six beautiful children," said O'Neal, whose wife and children will be among the 20,000 or so in attendance on Sunday.

But his kids prefer when Daddy's home playing another game, the one where he chases them around, snarling and growling.
"Believe it or not, they don't really care too much about me, the basketball player.
They refer to me as, 'Dog Man' in the house, because I chase them around like a dog," O'Neal said. "That's what they call me when I come home. 'Daddy, can we play 'Dog Man?' They never ask me any basketball questions."

O'Neal was asked if Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki has taken to calling him "Dog Man."
Drumroll, please.

"No," O'Neal said. "I haven't bit him yet."