Recent reports that the Cavaliers had renewed their interest in obtaining the Phoenix Suns' All-Star center prompted questions about how the big fella would fit in here. Literally.

As big a presence as LeBron James is, Northeast Ohio may never have been home to a more imposing physical specimen (7-foot-1, 325 pounds) with an equally big personality. Legendary Browns running back Jim Brown may have come close, but media coverage has changed so much since then that it's like comparing apples to oranges. Giant apples to giant oranges.

Which brings up another question: What would O'Neal call himself here? Among other things, he has referred to himself as the Big Diesel, the Big Aristotle and the Big Cactus. What's next? The Big Pierogi?

On the off chance that something actually comes of this rumor, here are a few suggestions to make the big guy feel at home:

Warming up

O'Neal grew up in Texas, went to college at LSU and has spent his entire NBA career playing in warm climates - Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami and Phoenix.

So what's a behemoth to do if he has to face bitter Cleveland winters? Why, go to the coat store he's been going to for years - Furs by Weiss. James is a customer, too.

O'Neal first bought a 70-inch-long, size-58, dark mink coat from the Beachwood furrier in 2000, and ordered another a year later that required 56 rare, white minks to be sacrificed for the full-length coat. The custom-made coats were estimated to cost between $3,000 and $5,000.

O'Neal has become good friends with Skipper Weiss, the store's owner, and even visited the shop a couple of weeks ago to talk about another coat, according to Traci Emmett, Weiss' office manager.

Hmm, could the Big Prognosticator be planning a move to a cooler climate? If he ends up on the shores of Lake Erie, there's no doubt he'll be warm and cozy.

"We'd be more than happy to make something for him again if he came to Cleveland," Emmett said.

Big appetite

A big, tall athlete like O'Neal is going to need a big, big meal in Cleveland - high in protein for a world-class athlete and filling enough to satisfy his monstrous hunger.

At John Q's Steakhouse on Public Square, O'Neal can get a 24-ounce porterhouse steak that comes with a Caesar salad and a choice of potato for $42.95.

For special occasions, though, owner Rick Cassara sells a 48-ounce version of the porterhouse for about double the price. Typically, it's only on the menu for Valentine's Day or other evenings when couples will be out in force and want to share the meal, but Cassara says he could whip it up for O'Neal at any time with a little advance notice.

"That's even plenty big for a guy like Shaquille," Cassara said.

For dessert, how about an Ultimate Sundae from Malley's, which includes 10 scoops of ice cream, three toppings, two kinds of nuts, whipped cream and a cherry for $19.95?

Dressing up

Former Cavs General Manager Wayne Embry was known as "Wayne the Wall" during his playing days, when he was 6-8, 255, and he's only gotten bigger. Embry had all his clothes and shoes custom made by Joseph Scafidi Custom Tailors & Shirtmakers at 925 Euclid Ave.

"If we're big enough for Wayne, I think we're big enough for Shaq," Scafidi said.

According to Scafidi, the biggest shirt he ever made was for a 67-inch chest, and the biggest pair of pants had a 74-inch seat.

"That's a big man," he said.

As far as shoes, Scafidi can only go up to a size 17, while O'Neal wears a size 23, according to his bio. Glenn DiMauro of the Italian Cobbler in Westlake said he could make O'Neal a pair of size 23 sandals.

Looking good

If O'Neal is worried about a lack of sun here on the North Coast, Matthew Gambatese of Celestial Sun in Mayfield Heights says he could hook O'Neal up to one of his tanning beds.

"Why not?" Gambatese said. "Our beds are of the larger variety. We've had 7-footers in, and 300 pounds doesn't make any difference."

The Big Deputy

Bob Reid has had his hands full as the new Cuyahoga County sheriff, so perhaps it's not surprising he'd welcome a little help from O'Neal, who has long had an interest in law enforcement. According to his biography on NBA.com, O'Neal would like to be a sheriff or chief of police when he is done playing.

O'Neal has worked for the Los Angeles and Miami Beach police departments during previous off-seasons; attended the Los Angeles County Police Academy while playing for the Lakers; received an honorary Deputy U.S. Marshal badge on March 3, 2005, in Washington; and became the national spokesman for the Safe Surfin' Foundation, the educational arm of the nationally recognized Internet crimes unit of the Bedford County (Va.) Sheriff's Office, Operation Blue Ridge Thunder. He trained with the Bedford County Sheriff's Office in 2005.

Said Sheriff Reid: "If he had the training and all of the prerequisites to being a special deputy, I would certainly welcome him. . . . The little I've heard about Shaquille O'Neal is that he really is a very good addition to any sheriff's department he's ever been with. I know for all of his career, he has had a fondness for law enforcement. He has really been involved. Knowing that background, I'm confident we would welcome him."

Home sweet home

Realtor Maria McDonald of Howard Hannah reports that there's a cozy 20,149-square-foot home at 31214 Lake Road in Bay Village on the market for a cool $6 million. It has nine bedrooms, 12 baths, five fireplaces and a six-car garage, not to mention an indoor pool, sauna and elevator.

There's also a $1.3 million penthouse in the Pinnacle Condominiums building in the Warehouse District that was rejected by new Cleveland State University President Ronald Berkman.

Home away from home

Until O'Neal gets settled, he might consider staying at the Ritz Carlton, which hosts most of the pro sports teams that visit Cleveland, including the Phoenix Suns.

According to the hotel's public relations coordinator, Gina Berila, who could not provide any specific information about guest requests, the hotel is used to providing extensions for its king-size beds, and also has some higher-than-normal shower heads. She noted the hotel does not charge extra for dry cleaning or its complimentary shoe shines, no matter the size of the clothes or shoes. She added that the kitchen is used to adapting and preparing meals for those with larger-than-normal appetites.

Cleveland original

O'Neal goes by so many nicknames that it's hard to keep them all straight. But one that has been there from the beginning in the form of a tattoo of a diamond-S on his arm and is still an alias - despite Orlando center Dwight Howard swiping it of late - is Superman.

If O'Neal comes to Cleveland, he'll be in the very city where the superhero was created by Clevelander Jerry Siegel and his friend Joe Shuster in a house on Kimberly Avenue in Glenville. The red-and-blue house has undergone more than $100,000 worth of restorations in the past year thanks to the donations of comic book fans.

The house isn't for sale - it's owned by Hattie and Jefferson Gray - but that doesn't mean O'Neal is out of luck in getting his own piece of Superman memorabilia with a distinct Cleveland flavor. The Siegel and Shuster Society is selling bricks from the original chimney to contribute to the renovations, and they are available at supercollectibles.com. For $106.22, O'Neal can get an authentic piece of Cleveland's Superman.

But he'll have to bring his own tights and cape.

To reach these Plain Dealer reporters: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668

jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654