Spraying to all fields, cautioning Miami Heat fans not to count their championship rings before they’re won:

Remember the 2004 Lakers, featuring the Fab Four of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton? And coached by someone named Phil Jackson?

They lost the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons in five games.

So let’s not anoint the Heat as the next NBA dynasty after reeling in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the past few days.

Yes, the “Miami Thrice” stars are younger than the 2004 Fab Four, but nothing is a given.

The Boston Celtics have won one title in three years with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

And the Kentucky Wildcats, with five eventual first-round NBA draft picks, didn’t even make it to the Final Four this year.

I’m not going to rip James for “The Decision” after he took less money to try to improve his championship chances, but trumpeting his choice in a self-promoting national TV special rubbed it in the faces of his former team, his former fans and his home state.

Once he decided he was leaving, James should have called off the televised coronation.

And Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert certainly didn’t show any class by promptly accusing his former star of quitting during the playoffs.

Cleveland Plain Dealer headline on The Day After: “Gone.” Miami Herald headline: “Jackpot!” N.Y. Daily News: “Who Cares!” N.Y. Post: “LeBum!” Newsday: “LeGone.”

My favorite was from CBSsports.com: “Ego has landed.”

Am I the only loser who took the Clippers in the LeBron Free Agent Sweepstakes pool?

Will someone please tell the Angels the All-Star break hasn’t started yet?

Cliff Lee to the Texas Rangers? Yikes! Are the Rangers trying to throw a knockout punch in July, with the Angels already on the canvas?

There’s actually one other countdown that takes precedence as Tuesday’s All-Star Game approaches.

Only two more days until the World Cup vuvuzelas are silenced for four years. Hallelujah!

Would you believe there were inebriated golf fans at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach who were simulating the sound of the infernally annoying plastic trumpets?

Instead of low-balling veteran guard Derek Fisher just because they have the leverage from signing Steve Blake, the Lakers should match Fish’s 2009-10 salary for one more season to thank him for his many years of service and leadership.

Money isn’t the most important thing to Fish, but he does have pride.

Did you hear LeBron James hinting during an ESPN interview that the Lakers might not have won the title this year were it not for the injury to Boston’s Kendrick Perkins in Game 6?

“Who knows, if he doesn’t go down, what happens in Game 7 of the NBA Finals?” James said.

Clip and save.

If you were surprised when Paul Goydos of Coto de Caza carded a 59 on Thursday, how do you think he felt when he found out later that he had only a one-shot lead over Steve Stricker after the opening round of the John Deere Classic? And he ended the second round a stroke behind Stricker.

I took a few days off to go to Chicago for the holiday to visit my family, eat deep-dish pizza and watch the Cubs lose, so help me out. How many teams are in the Pac-10 now?

Sorry, LeBron. To me, there’s only one King. Arnold Palmer had the nickname first, even before Richard Petty.